Author: SME Chamber

In February, the annual rate
stood at 1.08 per cent. A year earlier the annual rate was 1.84 per cent. The
largest upward impacts on annual inflation were recorded in the Beverages and
Tobacco Index (0.41 percentage points),

A downward impact was
recorded in the Other Goods and Services Index (-0.04 percentage points),
mainly due to jewellery items.  The
twelve-month moving average rate was 1.17 per cent

Triq Borg Olivier in Mellieha will
be closed on Monday and Tuesday between 8.30am and 7 pm because of works by the
local council.

All traffic other than that by
residents and those rendering a service, will be diverted to the Mellieha
by-pass, which will be closed from Manikata Junction to Anchors Bay Junction on
Sunday between 7.30 and 10.30am due to a cycling activity.

Mdina Road direction towards Valletta will be closed for vehicle traffic and vehicles will be diverted
towards Mdina Road Zebbug. The road giving access to Ta Qali will be closed for
vehicle traffic and traffic will be diverted through Mosta.

Wednesday 26th March 2014: Areas
will be  open to traffic.

Thursday 27th March 2014: Mdina
Road direction towards Valletta will be closed to traffic and vehicles will be
diverted through Mdina Rd Zebbug.  The
road giving access to Ta Qali will be closed for vehicle traffic and traffic
will be diverted through Mosta.

Friday 28th March 2014: Road
works will be carried out after 6:00pm and overnight.  Mdina Road direction towards Valletta will be
closed to traffic and vehicles will be diverted through Mdina Rd Zebbug.  The road giving access to Ta Qali will be
closed for vehicle traffic and traffic will be diverted through Mosta

GRTU
has been informed that by virtue of Regulation 36 of  Subsidiary
Legislation 441.07, the Minister  for the Economy, Investment
and Small Business has approved that commercial premises may open 
for business from 4.00a.m. to 7.00p.m on Sunday 30^th and on
Monday 31^st March as
well as on Sunday 20^th April 2014 (Easter Sunday). 

Last week during a cordial meeting requested by GRTU with the Hon Dr Ian Borg,
Parliamentary Secretary for the EU presidency 2017 and EU funds, GRTU President
Paul Abela, called for the early involvement of enterprise representatives as
what we have learnt from past experience is that once decisions are taken it is
very difficult to make changes.

The
meeting was called because Government is currently in the process of making
important decisions and committing with the European Commission on how the one billion
euros will be spent. GRTU stated that we do not want to learn about schemes
that target our members after these are published and no changes would be
possible. The Authorities and business representatives have to work closely and
together come up with schemes that target the needs of enterprise. GRTU
mentioned that such an operation model has already proved successful through a
number of schemes GRTU has been involved in and this was acknowledged by the
Parliamentary Secretary who said that he appreciates our involvement in the PV
scheme and the Employment Aid Programme in Gozo, which also led to the
successful uptake of such schemes.

GRTU
gave an overview of our experience and that of our members with regards to the
administration of the last funding period, with the aim of learning from past
experience. GRTU called for less bureaucratic processes and more simplification.
It also called for more transparency and accountability when applications are
refused, based on clear criteria and not on the whims of individuals. We also
emphasized that the applicants should not be the only ones made to adhere to
strict deadlines, the authorities entrusted with issuing payments and
reimbursements should also be bound by strict deadlines.

GRTU
suggested increasing the use of pre-financing so that funds are really made
accessible to those that need them most and they are not made to wait months or
years to get the reimbursement. GRTU also requested immediate assistance when
it comes to e-commerce, aid to export and to upgrade to the required standards.
Certain incentives should be made available on a more frequent of even
permanent basis and be demand driven as enterprises cannot time their
investment needs with the availability of schemes. This should be the case for
investments in employment, machinery and renewable energy products.

A
problem which is affecting all enterprises and which is heavily impinging on
the country's productivity is traffic. GRTU called for funds to address this
situation and to also encourage the private sector to invest in alternative
means of transport. GRTU also called for funds to better utilize resources in
the locality, help start-ups materialise their ideas and increase production of
high quality local produce, especially for the agri-tourism and crafts sector.

Hon
Borg on his part welcomed GRTU's proposals and confirmed to GRTU that there
will be incentives available for enterprises immediately in 2014. He also
assured GRTU will be involved in the consultation the Government will be
carrying out to plan a more detailed way in which Malta will be spending the
funds.

On the
announcement by the MRA that the PV scheme for domestic beneficiaries has been
fully subscribed we would like to recognize the improved administration in
handling such schemes on the side of the MRA and its increased willingness to
cooperate with stakeholders such as the GRTU. These are main elements that
ensure that schemes are successful. The fact that schemes targeting domestic
beneficiaries are no longer being stopped due to problems encountered is also
evidence of this fact. 

The GRTU
PV Purchase Facilitation Scheme (PVPFS) played an essential role in the full
uptake of the scheme. With over a thousand systems installed for domestic
houses, many of these new PV owners say that had it not been for the GRTU
scheme they would have been unable to purchase the systems. This means that
thanks to this we have managed to reach those that are most in need which is
very satisfying to GRTU.

Another
initiative which encouraged the uptake of the scheme was the GRTU Approved
which monitored and worked closely with suppliers who chose to subscribe to it
and elevated the level of service and quality, increasing consumer confidence.

We are
very pleased with the outcome which shows that the private sector is worthy to
be involved in the use of EU funds. EU funds are very important not only for
the households that are to benefit from the systems installed in the long term,
but were also a €20M direct injection in the economy. This helps the renewable
energy sector generate and sustain a significant number of green jobs and
therefore should be well taken care of.

We have
good reason to believe that a number of applications submitted will not be able
to be catered for due to the full uptake of funds and we hope more funds can be
found by government to satisfy the demand. Now that this scheme has come to an
end, GRTU urges the Authorities to treat with urgency ongoing discussions on
new schemes as well as the announcements of the new commercial feed in tariffs.
This delay is holding back investment and will result in losses.

The
working model of this scheme should be replicated to target other sectors of
the economy such as the commercial and touristic sectors, hospitals, parkings
and many other open spaces, and thus the relative responsible entities are
encouraged to collaborate with GRTU so that their calls will be successful. All
stakeholders should work together to device ways of reaching the 2020 targets
and in the most beneficial manner to owners, retailers and the country.

Provisional
data for international trade show that the trade deficit in January stood at €92.7
million, down by €19.6 million when compared to the corresponding month in
2013.

Increases
were recorded for both imports and exports by €20.8 million and €40.3 million
respectively. The increase in the value of imports was primarily due to mineral
fuels, lubricants and related materials, while other increases were recorded
for semi manufactured goods, chemicals, together with animal and vegetable oils
and fats. Mineral fuels, lubricants and related materials accounted for the
main increase in exports. Other increases were recorded for chemicals,
semi-manufactured goods, as well as beverages and tobacco

During
January, imports from the European Union accounted for 42.2 per cent of total
Imports. An increase was registered in imports from the United Kingdom, while
decreases were recorded from Germany, France, Italy, the Netherlands, Spain and
Belgium. Exports to the euro area showed a decrease, mainly to the Netherlands,
France, and Italy.

Other
decreases in exports were recorded to China, the United Kingdom, India,
Switzerland, Russia, and the Republic of Korea. On the other hand there were
increases in exports to the United States of America, Libya, Germany, Saudi
Arabia, Spain and Belgium.

A new
apprenticeship for Renewable Energy Systems Technicians is going to be launched
this year. The candidates who joined this course (MCAST Diploma in Green Energy
Technologies- Level 4) in October 2013 are currently in their full-time year at
MCAST and they would shortly be eligible to apply for a 2 year apprenticeship
scheme.

Circa 10
students are eligible to join the apprenticeship and those who find an employer
who can support their on-the-job training would be eligible to start their placement
as from 1st July 2014. The period from July till the end of September is
referred to as the observation period whereby the apprentice attends for
on-the-job training at a place of work at no cost to the employer. This period
is intended to assist both the employer and the apprentice make up their mind
whether they are to proceed with the apprenticeship placement.

GRTU and
ETC are thus in the process of assisting these prospective apprentices in
finding a suitable training placement. Employers who are interested in
recruiting apprentice/s in this field are kindly requested to get in touch with
us. 

Those
employers who express their interest in employing an apprentice will receive
the list of apprentices from ETC on the 1st week of June. Candidates who are
selected by an employer can start their work placement as from the 1st of July
as explained above.

During a
seminar addressed by the Hon Prime Minister Joseph Muscat, the Hon Minister for
Education and Employment Evarist Bartolo and Clyde Caruana, Chair of the Active
Labour Market Policy Counseling and Action Committee, it was announced that 730
placements have been secured through the collaboration of 83 enterprises.

These
enterprises come from a variety of sectors including electronic, manufacturing,
igaming, financial services and retail. The majority of these placements
require a level 4 qualification and some of them require a level 3
qualification but very few require a low level of skills. This goes to show that
there is a great demand for skilled workers in the private sector.

The
Minister thanked many times all those present for the support they are giving
both as business man and as social partners as he said without them this could
not be possible. He continued saying that the government intended to continue
working close to social partners and the private sector to make these
initiatives a success. In fact it was mentioned that in Budget 2014 Government
not only introduced incentives for the unemployed, apprentices, etc.. but also
for the employers that opened their business to they.

The new
schemes will help address our county's challenges of high percentage of low
skilled individuals and high percentage of early school leavers. It was
mentioned that only 44.5% of our 5th formers obtain the 5 sec exams and 25%
don't obtain any kind of examination. Government has also started working with
the inactive youths that have not yet completed their secondary education but
were not attending school to offer them an alternative education and training
option. Out of these 353, 200 have been included  in this new programme.

The
speakers also spoke of teaching work ethics at school and teaching them that
every employment can be a career. They also spoke not only of an employability
index but also checking courses against an employability audit.

GRTU
acknowledged the fact that the skills mismatch between education and employment
is large and statistics show that this gap we have been feeling on the ground
is indeed present and hindering our enterprises. GRTU also welcomed
Government's approach in working closely with stakeholders which if maintained
will lead to a successful outcome for all. GRTU also reiterated its commitment
to this project and its readiness to collaborate for the benefit of our
members.