Category: Archive – 2011

Il-GRTU ghal darb'ohra kitbet lill-Hon Jason Azzopardi rigward il-kwistjoni tal-confectioners: Il-laqghat li saru qabel ma hareg l-ahhar Avviz Legali kienu apposta zvijati b'informazzjoni zbaljata. Meta l-GRTU indagat kemm ma' Awtoritajiet Pubblici kompetenti kif wkoll fuq il-post fejn hu allegat li qed isiru l-abbuzi u wkoll hadet il-pariri ta min verament jifhem u ghandu esperjenza tal-problema li t-tibdiliet fir-regolamenti kienu qed jimmiraw li jirrizolvu, hareg car li l-Gvern kien qed jipprova jizvija jew kien hu innifsu zvijat.

 

Dan hu l-punt li ahna ppruvajna naghmlu fl-ahhar laqgha maghkom. Sfortunatament kemm int u aktar u aktar l-Onorevoli Dr Demarco ridtuna bilfors nimxu fuq it-triq zbaljata li qbadtu intom: dik li tibqghu issostnu li l-problema hi wahda li tista' tigi rrangata bit-tbaghbis mal-Licenzji tan-negozji u mhux billi jithaddem pjan serju ta' sorveljanza biex jinqabad u jkun ikkastigat min jabbuza.

Dwar thaddim ta' Licenzji ahna nergghu nghidulek bil-kitba li dak li ssostnu intom hu zbaljat. Il-konsumaturi ta' Malta u Ghawdex kollu jghidu x'jghidu l-Ligijiet, kif kienu miktuba, draw jixtru bil-kumdita' kollha minn hwienet specjalizzati kull bzonn ta' kuljum li jridu bhala ikel u xorb anke wara d-disgha u hi hrafa li fl-2011 jigi xi hadd u din il-kumdita' jnehhija b'legizlazzjoni u lil tal-hanut li b'sagrificcju jibqa' jahdem tard wkoll b'Ligi taghmlu kriminal.

Ahna hsiebna li wara li smajtuna kontu se tirrevedu u meta tirrevedu turuna x'se taghmlu. Imma mhux hekk ghamiltu. Ahna ma niddeciedux ahna. Nitkellmu man-nies taghna niehdu parir u naddottaw il-pozizzjoni taghna skond dak li jkun jidher li hu fattibbli u li jaghmel sens fuq mhedda ta' snin. Hekk imxejna ghal hafna snin u b'hekk gibna tant bidliet.  Ahna nsoffru hafna propaganda rhisa u negattiva imma nafu li llum ghandna Stat dejjem jirranga fejn il-konsumatur hu dejjem moqdi ahjar u fejn zammejna minimu ta' protezzjoni lin-nies taghna u l-impjegati taghhom biex jistrihu u wkoll b'rispett lejn it-tradizzjonijiet tal-Maltin.

Dawn l-Avvizi Legali li ivvintajtu issa imma huma pass serju lura. Daqq ghal-gallarija, tmeghiek lis-sidien tal-hwienet. Dan biex ma nghid xejn fuq l-gharukaza ta' multi u pieni. Kif setgha xi hadd jahseb li l-GRTU setghet xi darba toqghod ghal dan.

L-Avviz Legali 228/2011 jrid jitnehha. Hu anti-kompetizzjoni. M'ghandu x'jaqsam xejn mal-problema li tridu tindirizzaw. Hu  jmur kontra prattici kummercjali ibbazati fuq il-principju tas-suq.  Hu biss gharbiel biex il-Gvern jidher li qed jaghmel xi haga biex isolvi problema li issa dejqet lil kulhadd u li biex tissolva trid li xi hadd ixammar u jissorvelja bis-serjeta' z-zoni mifnija u jwarrab lil min qed jabbuza fit-toroq u jdejjaq lin-nies.

In-nies taghna ma kellhom qatt  jintuzaw bhala scapegoats. Il-kwotazzjonijiet qisna tfal fil-klassi lilna ma jimpressjonawniex. In-nies azzjoni jridu. Jekk tmur tara b'ghajnejk tkun taf li ghandna ragun u li l-Avviz Legali 228/2011 ma solva xejn. Holoq biss problemi lil hafna nies li kienu jinqdew b'kumdita' ma' Malta u Ghawdex kollu u deffistu l-Pulizija fejn ma jesahhiex.

Uzajtu l-ghodod li ghandkom f'idejkom hazin hafna. Din problema ta' hadd'iehor mhux ta' min hu responsabbli mill-kummerc u mid-drittijiet tan-negozji.

Vince Farrugia as a member from Malta representing Maltese enterprise owners at the European Economic and Social Committee (EESC) presented two important Reports for which he was responsible as Rapporteur. The first Report was on e-procurement on the Commission consultation taking the form of a Green Paper which seeks the views of interested parties on how the EU can help Member States to speed up and facilitate the procurement process.

 

E-procurement refers to the use of electronic communication and transaction processing by government institutions and other public sector organisations when buying supplies and services or tendering public works. The paper yesterday got the green light form the Single Market Production and Consumption (INT) Section with the following votes: 37 in favour, 0 against and 0 abstentions.

Same success was achieved today on the report on removing cross-border tax obstacles for EU citizens which was voted with 78 in favour, 0 against and 0 abstentions by the Economic and Monetary Union, Economic and Social Cohesion (ECO) Section. The Commission Communication outlines the most serious tax problems that EU citizens face in cross-border situations and announces plans for solutions. When individuals move or work or invest abroad, they can encounter double taxation and other difficulties such as in claiming tax refunds and in obtaining information on foreign tax rules.

In July these Reports will go for the approval of the whole Plenary which is the Parliament of the Social Partners and Civil Society according to Lisbon. In a special social event to mark the occasion the GRTU Director General was congratulated by Henri Malosse, President of the Employers Group at EESC. It is not so common that a Member has two Reports on separate themes and related to the work of two different Directorate Generals of the EU Commission and approved by two different and important Sections like INT and ECO within 24 hours and with a unanimous vote.

The MCA published a consultation and proposed decision on its review of tariff adjustments submitted by Maltapost plc on Domestic Letter Mail, Registration of Domestic Articles, and Foreign Outbound Parcels Requests:

http://www.mca.org.mt/consultation/review-maltapost%E2%80%99s-tariff-adjustment-proposals-consultation-proposed-decision-mcac11-0

Kindly note that any feedback should be received by the MCA before the noon of 7^th July 2011.

 

GRTU is strongly against these new regulations. First of all it is a mistake for Government that through regulation it creates an unfair commercial disadvantage to one sector of retailers against another. The regulations as published put bars at an advantage and confectioners at a disadvantage and they confuse the situation where mini-markets and super-markets and other food and drink retailers are concerned. They also confuse the situation where Kiosks are involved. Retailers are licensed to sell during all hours in which they are open and they cannot be expected to lock away a section of their retailing establishment after a certain hour or to introduce searches in bags at the cash-point after a certain hour to ensure that consumers have not purchased what the law prohibits them from buying after a certain hour.

 

A number of super-markets and other food retailers have been opening late either in the summer season or once a week and the consumer, irrespective of the limitations already existent in the law, purchased without restriction. Now they cannot be expected to refrain from doing and practicing what in fact had become an acquired right.

The whole approach of Government is wrong. Government through the Parliamentary Secretary for Tourism has identified a problem in Paceville where there is actual evidence of alcohol abuse. The solution however should not be prohibitionist or one which interferes with retailers` licences and with consumer choices. The solution is one of monitoring and surveillance of those areas where abuse is occurring. This is not an issue only of Malta and restricting retailers has not worked anywhere. Only professional surveillance has proven effective against this phenomenon, using modern technology and specifically trained enforcement officers. It is a problem of a social nature not commercial and retailers should not be made to suffer because the authorities are incapable of resolving a problem through more efficient surveillance.

GRTU has over the years diligently negotiated with Government for the slow liberalisation of the market without creating unnecessary pressures on retailers and creating a just balance between consumers` right to choose and retailers right to rest and this was difficult enough as it is so hard to please all. This Legal Notice is however a retrograde step. Ill-thought and is based on no solid principle or strategy. It is above all unworkable as in 2011 no one expects the Police with all their work  to spend their time and energy chasing and closing retailers and forcing customers not to buy what they choose to buy from an authorised retailer working within a decent licensing system.

GRTU calls on Government to withdraw this ill-thought and badly planned Legal Notice as it is nothing but an affront to the retailing community who strives against so many odds to serve the community.

MEUSAC will be organising the first of a series of seminars related to the Europe 2020 Strategy. The first seminar, which will tackle the Agenda for New Skills and Jobs as well as Youth in the EU, will be held on

Wednesday, June 22 (9am – 12.30pm)

The Palace Hotel in Sliema.

All those players involved in areas related to employment, education and youth are invited to attend the seminar and to contribute actively in identifying Malta's main challenges and the best way to tackle them.

Interested participants are requested send an email on , stating their intention to attend the seminar.

MEUSAC, in collaboration with the Malta Resources Authority (MRA), is organising a consultation session for stakeholders on the Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) on an Energy Policy for Malta. This will be preceded by a presentation and discussion on the Commission Communication – ‘Energy 2020 A strategy for competitive, sustainable and secure energy'.

 

 

 

 

 

 

The session is being held as follows:

Thursday, June 23, 2011

Time: 10.00 – 12.00 hrs

Venue: 254, Europe House, St Paul Street, Valletta

Should you be interested you are to send your name and ID card number to Francine Caruana on

The Employment and Training Corporation (ETC) is organizing First Aid courses in conjunction with Malta Red Cross. The course seeks to equip participants with simple first aid knowledge and skills, empowering them to deal effectively with emergency situations at work, at home or at leisure.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The course is 12 hours long (excluding breaks) and is delivered free of charge to all participants under the Employability project. The ESF Employability project aims to train all actively employed, inactive, or registered unemployed individuals eligible to work. Malta Red Cross is authorized by the Occupational Health and Safety Authority Act, 2000 to deliver such courses.

To apply for such course or for more information kindly contact Clint Camenzuli on 22201613 or

The European Commission has finally approved Croatia's accession to the European Union. Commission President José Manuel Barroso recommends 1 July 2013 as the official accession date. Croatia's bid must now be considered by the Council of the European Union, the Members States, the European Parliament and Croatian voters.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The finalization of membership talks is great news for European retailers and wholesalers. Croatia's entry into the EU expands the single market by 4.5 million consumers. A further boost in the country's economic growth will lead to increased purchasing power and enhanced opportunities for European traders.

Gozo venue:    Monday, 11^th July 2011     Malta venue:  Tuesday, 12^th July 2011

Globalisation is a factor that in today's real business world has an impact on all SMEs – even if these SMEs concentrate their operations in the local market only. Overcoming these challenges and working our way round the obstacles can be a tedious task, but finding sustainable solutions is not just a matter of luck, it can be learned.  

 

In the first half the workshop will look at the importance of being able to think creatively and explore some techniques designed to improve our capacity as creative thinkers in order to find truly innovative solutions to our challenges.

Once a solution has been found, we need to introduce it and this means that we will need to change to a greater or lesser extent the way in which we work or do business. This inevitably means introducing changes to the workplace, changes which often meet with resistance from different groups of people affected by the change.  During the second half the workshop  will look at the key factors behind the successful introduction of change and how as entrepreneurs and managers can influence those around them to accept and even embrace the change.  We will also have the opportunity to explore ways of embedding a culture of change within SMEs.

The workshop will have a hands-on approach designed to make sure you leave with knowledge about how to apply several techniques in your daily life.

Participation is free of charge however registration is necessary due to limited places available.  If you are interested please contact Jeanette Debono for further details, on:

tel:25423437,   email: