Author: SME Chamber

Green MT's School Recycling Campaign, ‘Reduce, Reuse, Recycle' went across to Gozo earlier this week and set up events in Primary schools in Ghajnsielem, Nadur, Xewkija, Xaghra and Qala. Green MT's event also travelled to the Rabat Boys and Girls Secondary Schools.

During the event, Green MT's now resident singer and artist Kristina Casolani entertained those present by rendering a presentation of the Campaign Song, ‘Reduce Reuse Recycle'. The students sang along after being provided with the lyrics distributed to each one present. The event included an interesting talk by Green MT's Eco Councillor Romina Schembri who outlined the importance of separating and finally recycling waste. Romina insisted with the students that neither Malta nor Gozo have enough space for an additional engineered landfill and as such, we all have to contribute our part. The event continued with one of the Zoo characters, asking students questions and providing gifts to those answering correctly.

All in all the whole team then danced to the music remix of ‘Reduce Reuse Recycle'.  The students enjoyed every minute of it. Green MT is glad to note that the event in Gozo has already spiced the School Recycling Campaign coming up in March and April. In the beehive, we are aware that a good number of students are already separating waste for this competition! Green Mt would like to take this opportunity to thank Ms Marvic Refalo for her continued support towards such an initiative.

Green Mt returns with a bang to Gozo Schools on 28th February and 1st March…so remember…Reduce Reuse Recycle!

Id-dawra tal-Katidral ta' San Gwann u x-Shopping Centre fi Pjazza Helsien – Din il-gimgha d-Direttur Generali Vince Farrugia tkellem f'zewg laqghat separati mas-Sur Edgar Galea Curmi, Kap tas-Segretarjat OPM, mall-Onorevoli  Jason Azzopardi, Ministru ghall-Artijiet u mall-Prim Ministru Dr Lawrence Gonzi dwar l-Valletta Shopping Centre u l-hwienet mad-dawra tal-Katidral.

Il-Valletta Shopping Centre – Outside City Gate

Il-punt l-aktar importanti li semmew r-rapprezentanti tal-Gvern hu li dan l-kumpless irid nefqa kbira biex ikun rinovat u mgholli fuq l-istess livell ta' disinn mall-progett ta' Renzo Piano.  S'issa l-fondi ghadhom ma nstabux.

Il-Gvern qed isostni li mhux possibli li jaghti l-istess forma ta' kuntratt u kundizzjonijiet li ta lill-inkwilini l-ohra li ghandhom hanut fit-toroq tal-Belt. Il-Gvern qed isostni ukoll li ser ikun hemm htiega ta' caqliq ta' inkwilini u ghalhekk il-gvern ma jridx jintrabat meta l-Gvern ghadu ma jafx x'inhuma dawn il-pjanijiet. Il-Gvern ukoll qed jargumenta li kien hemm posizzjonijiet differenti min naha tal-inkwilini u l-Gvern hass li dawn l-posizzjonijiet huma aktar favur l-istatus quo milli jkun hemm progett li jgholli bil-kbir il-livell ta' dan x-Shopping Centre ewlieni fid-dahla tal-Belt Valleta u f'zona ta' fejn qed isir investiment kbir biex jgholli l-livell tal-Belt.

Il-GRTU ghandha l-approvazzjoni tal-inkwilini biex tidher f'isimhom u maghhom biex tinstab soluzzjoni ta' din il-problema. Id-Direttur Generali argumenta li l-GRTU hi favur li jkun hemm investiment qawwi f'dan l-kumpless u s-sidien u l-inkwilini li jaccettaw, fuq kundizzjoni  ta' kera fuq terminu twil jkunu lesti jikkunsidraw rati ta' kera li jghamlu aktar sens pero, l-investiment li qed jgawdu l-inkwilini l-ohra li ghandhom hwienet proprjeta tal-gvern u li jaghtu fuq t-toroq ewlenin tal-Gvern bhal ma huma refurbishments, pavimentar, street furniture u embellishment iehor fejn is-sidien ma jhallsux ghal dan ix-xoghol ta' infrastruttura, hekk ukoll l-inkwilini m'ghandhomx jigu mgeghla jhallsu ghal xoghol ta' infrasstruttura u embellishment  jekk mhux embellishment li ghandu x'jaqsam mall-faccata u mall-footprint ta' kull hanut.

Il-GRTU issostni li s-sidien tal-hwienet ser jkunu obbligati li jwaqqfu Tenants Association biex jkunu konformi mall-ligi tal-condominium u jidhlu ghar-responsabilta li jiehdu hsieb tindif, maintenance u s-sigurta tal-kumpless kollu.

Il-GRTU ssostni li l-Gvern diga ghamel zewg atti ta' diskriminazzjoni;  l-ewwelnett ghax il-kundizzjonijiet li diga ta' lis-sidien tal-Belt ma tahomx lis-sidien tal-kumpless. It-tieni ghax ma inkwilini partikolari l-Gvern ghamel kundizzjonijiet ta' cens ta' 65 sena.

Il-GRTU ssostni li bhala principju fundamentali l-gvern ghandu l-ewwel jorbot mall-inkwilini kummercjali mbghad kull progett li se jinhadem fid-dawl tal-ftehim gust li jkun ntlahaq ma' dawn is-sidien ta' intraprizi bazi ta' ftehim. Il-kundizzjonijiet tal-kera jintuzaw ukoll  f'kull kaz li jinqala' caqliq jew eghluq f'negozju. Il-GRTU toggezzjona li l-ewwel jitfassal il-progett imbghad l-interess tal-inkwilin.

Is-Sur Edgar Galea Curmi u l-Ministru Jason Azzopardi ser jiltaqghu biex jiddiskutu l-posizzjoni tal-GRTU biex jaqblu fuq posizzjoni li tista` tigi pprezentata lill-GRTU u li tkun bazi ta' diskussjonijiet godda.

Hwienet madwar l-Katidral ta' San Gwann

Id-Direttur Generali uza l-istess argument li uza ghall-inkwilini tax-Shopping Complex u addatthom ukoll ghall-hienet tad-dawra tal-Katidral.

Il-posizzjoni tal-Gvern hija li ghall-hwienet li qeghdin fi triq Santa Lucija ser jmexxi bhal ma mexa ma' l-ohrajn  ghax l-Gvern irid izomm karatru li ghandha dik l-parti tat-triq. Bhax-Shopping Complex il-Gvern ma jridx jintrabat mall-inkwilini qabel ma jiddeciedi dwar il-progett li jrid iwettaq mad-dawra kollha ta' San Gwann u l-progett ghall spazju adekwat ghall-esebizzjoini tat-tezori.

Il-GRTU qed targumenta li precizament ghax hemm ippjanat investiment kbir li ma tridx li dawk l-inkwilini li ilhom iservu din iz-zona snin twal jinqalaw il-barra jew li jinghataw kundizzjonijiet li ghalihom ikunu impossiibbli, wara li jsir l-investiment.

Il-GRTU trid li l-ftehim mall-inkwilini isir min qabel biex jkunu xi jkunu ic-cirkustanzi jkunu mharrsa. L-ebda kelliema min naha tal-Gvern ma jrid b'xi mod jintrabat mall-posizzjoni tal-GRTU ghal dawn l-inkwilini.

GRTU Director
General and EESC Employers Representative Vincent Farrugia has this week
participated at the EESC Transport, Energy, Infrastructure and the Information
society section meeting during which addressed the problems faced by Energy
Islands in Europe, particularly due to their insularity issues, making
reference to a very important EESC opinion on the issue.

Energy insularity
places the affected countries and regions in Europe at an economic, as well as
social and environmental disadvantage since they are often heavily dependent on
fossil fuels. It leads to significant price discrepancies, which contribute to
creating disparities in terms of solidarity and uniform development across
European regions.

Energy insularity
covers a range of varying circumstances, but which have virtually identical
consequences irrespective of the situation. Insularity can result in:

increased supply insecurity;

price variations, often with an upward trend, and
dependent industrial and trade activities;

more significant energy poverty for people in these
States or regions;

a negative impact on their economic competitiveness;

increased environmental pressure;

Instability in political and economic relations
between the EU and third countries.

Furthermore Demand
for energy is high and rising in energy islands. Given this situation, the
consequence of a potentially less reliable and significantly more expensive
supply is undermining the economic competitiveness of energy islands.
Similarly, high energy bills put significant pressure on household budgets.

The consequences
of energy insularity should be better assessed in terms of the growth,
competitiveness, and sustainable development of the affected regions as well as
in terms of solidarity, cohesion and "lost revenues" for the rest of
the EU due to the absence of a complete and functional energy market throughout
the EU.

Mr Farrugia
appealed to the Commission to give priority to the EESC Plenary Conclusions
that energy islands represent a cost for all. This cost must be evaluated and
the solutions for reducing it must be incorporated in a comprehensive approach.
The European energy policy has to be completed and granted appropriate means of
action, commensurate with both the Member States' level of interdependence and
the difficulties they encounter.  Within
this context Malta should be placed high up in the priority listing of energy
islands hit hardest by the energy insularity.

UEAPME position paper on REACH regulation review – UEAPME
published a position paper on the REACH (Registration, Evaluation and
Authorisation of Chemicals) regulation review. So far, it is confirmed that
SMEs are the losers of the REACH implementation as they encounter a burden five
times superior than that of others.

UEAPME responds to the Green Entrepreneurship Action Plan

UEAPME
commented on the Green Entrepreneurship Action Plan drafted by DG Enterprise.
The aim of the Commission's communication will be to provide a framework to
help SMEs become greener and more sustainable; a request for input was
therefore sent to UEAPME to respond on specific issues dealt within this action
plan. The paper, representing our reply to these questions, is the is the
result of work by an informal group set up by our Sustainable Development
Committee's last meeting. UEAPME put forward proposals on topics such as the
role of the European Enterprise Network, how to better structure support for
SMEs at local level, SMEs in the greening of the value chain, how SMEs can get
credit to make their production process greener or access to the international
market for green products and services.

UEAPME debates on green jobs and SMEs

Sustainable
Development Director Guido Lena, along with MEP Karin Kadenbach and a DG
Employment representative, attended a panel discussion on "Green Jobs –
employment potential and working conditions" organised by the Austrian Federal
Chamber of Labour in Brussels. The aim was to analyse and discuss which
professions can be described as a green job and which working conditions and
salaries are to be expected. Less time should be spent on a clear-cut
definition of green jobs as focus should be on making a socially responsible
transition to a green society and facing the climate change, he said. SMEs
create the most green jobs, he noted, a favourable framework for manufacturing,
technical assistance and accessibility to upfront financing need to be set up
in order to enhance their role. Member states have to ensure no mismatching
exists between the need for companies to become greener and what the market
offers, and invest in SMEs to achieve a greener society, he concluded.

UEAPME- The European Association of Craft,
Small and Medium-sized Enterprises

The
Malta Competition and Consumer Affairs Authority has been notified of a number
of products which pose a serious risk to consumers. The below details refer: Should
your company retail, import or distribute the product in question, you are
requested to notify GRTU without delays, so necessary action is taken as soon
as possible. If you are aware of any person or company who is retailing,
importing or distributing this product, kindly notify the undersigned so as to
contact such person or company.

May
we remind you of the obligations under the General Product Safety Act that
manufacturers/ importers/ distributors of products on the market in Malta are
required to report any incidents occurring and involving products they
represent.

Notification 1: Batch number/Barcode:
18062012 Child-appealing Christmas decoration: Santa figure which expands in
height.

Dangers Details: Injuries and Choking. The
head of the figure is attached to the body with a wooden rod which has a sharp
point in the middle of the head. This rod could become exposed, leading to the
risk of a puncture wound. The product also has detachable small parts which
could pose a choking hazard. The product does not comply with the Toy Safety
Directive and with the relevant European standard EN 71-1.

Notification 2: Toy piano in a cardboard
box which is open at the front.

Dangers Details: Choking. The product poses
a risk of choking because small parts can come loose and may be put into the
mouth and swallowed by children. The product does not comply with the Toy
Safety Directive and with the relevant European standard EN 71-1.

Notification 3: Batch number/Barcode:
6905321002433 Musical, rotating plastic toy to be hung above a crib or a cot,
consisting of 4 rattles resembling butterflies, bees and bugs, with a wind-up
rotating mechanism that emits sounds,. Packaging: cardboard box with
transparent plastic window. Instructions, information and warnings are on the
packaging.

Dangers Details: Choking. The product poses
a risk of choking because the toy may easily break releasing small parts which
could be swallowed by children. The product does not comply with the Toy Safety
Directive and the relevant European standard EN 71-1.

Notification 4: Toy aeroplane in a
cardboard box.

Dangers Details: Choking. The product poses
a risk of choking because small parts can come loose and may be put into the
mouth and swallowed by children. The product does not comply with the Toy
Safety Directive and with the relevant European standard EN 71-1.

Notification 5: Chocolate egg with toy
surprise, 50g, Best before: 25.01.2013

Dangers Details: Choking. The product poses
a risk of choking because a separable part of the capsule containing the toy is
too small and it could be swallowed by children. The product does not comply
with the Toys Directive and with the relevant European standard EN 71.

Notification 6: Batch
number/Barcode:5203359375026

Orange
tiger costume for children aged 1-3, supplied on a hanger in a plastic bag.

Dangers Details: Injuries, Strangulation
and Suffocation. The product poses the risk of:

–
Injuries due to the presence of small parts that can easily become detached and
may be swallowed or inhaled by children;

–
Strangulation, due to the presence of a fixed noose (cord securing the hood)
which is too long. The noose is formed of the adjustable cord securing the
hood;

–
Risk of suffocation because the toy comes in a plastic bag (the one containing
the hood) made of impermeable material which is not thick enough and may cause
obstruction of the airway from the mouth and nose.

The
product does not comply with the Toy Safety Directive and the relevant European
standard EN 71-1.

Notification 7: Batch number/Barcode:
5203359129186 Little bee costume for children aged 12-18 months, supplied on a
hanger in plastic bag (yellow and black).

Dangers Details: Injuries, Strangulation
and Suffocation. The product poses the risk of:

–
Injuries due to the presence of sharp elements: the wire yarn representing
antenna on the hood of the costume does not withstand the required bending;

–
Strangulation due to the presence of a fixed ring (attached to the hood) which
is too long;

–
Suffocation due to the presence of an impermeable plastic bag (the bag
containing the hood) which is not thick enough and may cause obstruction of the
airway from the mouth and nose.

The
product does not comply with the Toy Safety Directive and the relevant European
standard EN 71-1.

Notification 8: Batch number/Barcode:
4016096112684 Rag doll with beige-coloured hair, brown trousers, blue, yellow
and white striped T-shirt, and blue and white shoes.

Dangers Details: Chemical. The product
poses a chemical risk because the yellow colour in the doll's hair contains azo
dyes (aminoazobenzene) in a concentration up to 156 mg/kg, which exceeds the
limit of 30 mg/kg. The product does not comply with REACH.

GRTU President Paul Abela and EU Desk Coordinator
Abigail Mamo have attended a seminar organised by MEUSAC in conjunction with
the Irish presidency. Ireland has at the beginning of this year taken over the
Presidency of the Council of the European Union opening the first part of a
trio presidency followed by Lithuania in July and later by Greece. This is the
7th presidency for Ireland since it joined the EU in 1973. Ireland plans to
have 1600 meeting chaired by the presidency, these only counting the official
visits.

During the seminar it was emphasized that bilateral
collaboration between Malta and Ireland have never been so strong and close.
Malta will also have the Presidency in the first half of 2017, in 4 years time,
and Ireland has already offered its support to Malta for this preparation.

Paul Abela intervened saying that the percentage of
SMEs in Malta is very high and as an organization representing SMEs we strive
to have Government adopt a package of incentives tailor made for our SMEs.
Today we have a good number of incentives in place and we call on the Irish
Presidency to back and encourage such incentives. Mr Abela also said that the
‘one size fits all' must be questioned at all legislative stages and the irish
Presidency must champion the ‘Think Small First principle'.

In reply the Irish Ambassador sympathised with the
GRTU president saying that Irish companies are all very small and therefore
small is in their DNA therefore and they are therefore naturally inclined to
understand the importance of SME activity. He continued saying that SME are
vital in their thinking and they will during the Presidency focus on finance
mechanisms through COSME and better regulation.

The Irish Presidency can be summed up in a simple
phrase "Stability, jobs and growth".

Securing stability

Banking Union: The imperative to break the link
between banks and sovereigns was unanimously agreed by European leaders. The Presidency will push for agreement on the
Banking Union proposals including the first important step of adopting the
Single Supervisory Mechanism, which will open up the way for the ESM to
directly re-capitalize banks, starting in 2014.
Further steps on deposit guarantees and resolution mechanisms will
follow.

European Semester: Effective management of the
EU's new system of budgetary and economic coordination, the "European
Semester", will be an important focus of the Irish Presidency. This will ensure better coordination and
management of our economies.

"Two-Pack": The "Two-Pack" aims to further
enhance the co-ordination and surveillance for the budgetary processes for the
euro area. Ireland will work to secure agreement on the negotiations now at
their last stage in the EP.

Financial Services: The Presidency will manage
the busy financial services agenda. In particular there will be a focus on
reaching agreement on the Markets in Financial Instruments Directive and
Regulation (MiFID/MiFIR) which seeks to harmonise access to and activity of
investment firms. Ireland will also make progress on other dossiers in the
consumer area, including the Mortgage Credit Directive.

MFF: The Presidency will support President Van
Rompuy in reaching agreement on the Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF). Once Council agreement is secured on the
overall MFF, the Presidency will seek to secure the consent of the European Parliament.
In parallel Ireland will lead negotiations on almost 70 legislative measures
which will deploy the MFF (eg Horizon 2020, CAP, and Cohesion).

Ensuring
the conditions for job creation and sustainable growth

Youth Unemployment: The Presidency will work to
advance proposals to help turn the tide on youth joblessness. The Youth
Employment Package includes a "Youth Guarantee" aimed at setting principles to
help ensure that young people who are not working or studying, receive an offer
of employment, continued education, an apprenticeship or a traineeship. The
Presidency aims to make significant progress on the Youth Guarantee. The issue
of youth unemployment will be the main focus at the Informal Ministerial
meeting of Employment and Social Affairs Ministers in Dublin in February 2013.

Labour Mobility: The Presidency will work to
remove obstacles in the way of worker mobility. This includes reaching a First
Reading Agreement on the rules for the Posting of Workers. Ireland will also
work to reach a General Approach in June on the Supplementary Pensions Rights
Directive. In addition the Presidency will work to progress legislation to
strengthen the supports to mobile workers.

Professional Qualifications: The Presidency
will work to achieve agreement on the Proposal on the Recognition
ofProfessional Qualifications in order to facilitate greater labour mobility
for skilled workers.

Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs): SMEs are
the key driver of jobs and growth in Europe. The Presidency will host an informal
meeting of Competitiveness Ministers in May on the theme of "SMEs as a driver
of European Growth". The Presidency is seeking to secure agreement on
the Programme for the Competitiveness of Enterprises and SMEs (COSME) which
aims to provide targeted support for the sector. In addition the Presidency
will promote the Smart Regulation agenda as well as the Company Law
(Accounting) Directive which will reduce the administrative burden on
microenterprises and SMEs.

Single Market: The Single Market has been one
of the EU's greatest success stories. 500 million consumers need a fully
functioning and open single market.
Ireland will work to further unlock that great potentialthrough
completing the dossiers that remain open under the Single Market Act I
(professional qualifications, labour mobility, accounting, auditing measures,
intellectual property measures including copy-right, trade market regulations,
public procurement directives, product safety and market surveillance). We will prioritise progress on actions in the
Single Market Act II as they are published by the Commission.

Digital Single Market: Only by embracing the
digital revolution can the EU hope to compete globally in the 21st century.
Growth in the digital economy will promote cross-border commerce and improve
competitiveness, delivering long-term advantages for business and consumers
alike. The focus of the Presidency will be on measures that support the digital
economy. These measures range from legislation on intellectual property rights,
cyber security, e-signatures Identification to high-speed broadband rollout and
web accessibility.

Data Protection: As part of its focus on the
Digital Agenda, the Presidency will work to reach agreement in the Council on
key aspects of the Data Protection package. Progress made by the Presidency in
this area will strengthen confidence in the digital economy and support the
growth of the Digital Single Market.

Horizon 2020: In the context of overall
agreement on the MFF, the Presidency is aiming for agreement on Horizon 2020,
the EU framework programme for research and innovation.

Trade: Europe's recovery cannot happen in
isolation. Ireland will prioritise trade agreements with key partners and work
towards opening new markets and creating new opportunities for enterprise,
leading to more jobs and growth. The Presidency will place a special focus on
the EU-US trade relationship, with the aim of working towards a formal Council
mandate for the start of negotiations on a new comprehensive EU-US Free Trade
and Investment Agreement

Public Procurement: Public authorities across
the EU spend approximately €2 trillion per annum on the procurement of goods,
services and works. Revised public procurement proposals aim to increase
theefficiency of public spending to ensure the best procurement outcomes in
terms of value for money, by making the existing rules more simple, flexible
and user-friendly. The Presidency will work towards securing agreement with the
European Parliament on the proposals.

Intellectual Property (IP): IP is the
cornerstone of any competitive modern economy, especially in today's global
market. The Irish Presidency will seek maximum progress on copyright,
trademarks and patents.

Connecting Europe Facility (CEF): Sustainable
and interconnected transport, energy and digital networks are priorities for
Europe's social and economic development. The CEF will determine how the
Union's resources will be invested across transport, energy and telecommunications/digital
infrastructures. The Presidency will prioritise the CEF and also a number of
the individual proposals which will make connecting Europe a reality.

Common Agricultural Policy (CAP): The proposed
reform of the CAP will be of central importance in shaping the future
development of the agriculture and food sector in Europe. CAP reform can also
make an important contribution to delivering smart, sustainable and inclusive
growth in Europe. The agriculture sector is of critical importance to the EU and
the Presidency will place a very strong emphasis on securing agreement on CAP
reform.

Common Fisheries Policy (CFP): Ireland attaches
great importance to a sustainable fisheries policy for Europe. A reformed CFP
can contribute greatly to sustainability through better management of fish
stocks, ensuring that the EU's waters are protected for future generations. The
Presidency will work to reach agreement with the European Parliament on the CFP
reform package.

Integrated Maritime Policy: As an island nation,
Ireland attaches strong importance to maritime issues and the potential for
growth in a diverse range of areas including sustainable fisheries, marine
transport, renewable energy, biotechnology, mineral seabed exploration, tourism
and regional development. The Irish Presidency will build on the development of
an EU integrated Maritime Policy (IMP). The Presidency will work to advance the
proposal on Maritime Spatial Planning (MSP) which aims to balance the interests
of different sectors to ensure efficient and sustainable use of Member States'
precious marine resources. It will work to advance the implementation of the
"Blue Growth" initiative. Ireland also looks forward to making progress on the
endorsement of an action plan for the Atlantic Strategy to further consolidate
and develop work in this area.

7th Environment Action Programme (EAP): The
proposed 7th EAP sets out the priority objectives for EU environment policy for
the next ten years, grounded in an ambitious vision for an inclusive, green and
competitive European economy that safeguards the environment. The Presidency
considers the 7th EAP to be of critical importance for Europe's future, and
will work to finalise agreement with the European Parliament.

GRTU President Paul Abela and Director General Vincent
Farrugia have this morning participates at a MEUSAC Core Group meeting which
was addressed by the European Commissioner for Health and Consumer Affairs
Tonio Borg.

In his intervention Mr Farrugia made reference to the
Commission Document on the State of Single Market Integration 2013 –
Contribution to the Annual Growth Survey 2013. He quoted saying that the degree
of integration of services in almost all the Member States was lower than that
of other sectors and that small economies were more open to such integration
when compares to larger economies.

Mr Farrugia also commented on the importance of
ensuring fair trade. We oppose unfair trading practices. The EU must balance
the need to protect fair trade conditions, if necessary through trade defence
instruments, with the needs of importers, retailers and consumers, all of whom
can suffer heavily from costly and unpredictable trade defence action. Europe
pays a high price for current antidumping, countervailing and safeguard measures.
Commissioner Borg approved of this argument but said that he felt we should
steer away of legislative measures and that the European Commission is
currently working on a Green Paper to address this specific issue.

Social partners and the heads of all three political
parties have this week signed a declaration of intent towards pursuing active
labour market policies as outlined by UHM's Jobs+ policy report. The report notes that just 0.15 per cent of Malta's GDP
is currently spent on policies aimed at expanding the workforce and ensuring
workers are highly skilled and employable.

It is predicted that new graduates, new women workers
and an increase in those carrying on their work beyond their pensionable age
would mean 25,000 new jobs would be needed over the next five years.

GRTU President Paul Abela emphasized that MCESD 
cannot act as a goal post where social partners are there to catch whatever
Government throws at them and react. MCESD is capable for much more, MCESD can
be proactive and place suggestions on the table itself.

UHM
had already met with GRTU during which meeting GRTU showed its support to the
UHM proposal.

Since Lotto Receivers joined GRTU in September 2012,
GRTU and the Lotto Receivers Union (LRU) have striven against all odds to make
sure that operations continue undeterred day in, day out. Dealing with Maltco is not an easy piece of cake, and
although finally agreement was reached it took a lot of synergies to make his
happen.

Saying this Lotto Receivers need to wake up to the
stark realities of 2013. We are in a world that operates 24 hours a day, seven
days a week, and like many businesses out there, need to compete and sell. One
might ask but does Maltco have competition? Of course it does, consumers decide
where to spend their available income, so choices are made. But without fail,
providing better services, longer hours of service in decent Maltco sales
outlets should be a priority for both Lotto Receivers under Maltco's
supervision.

Maltco's introduction of the National Lottery should
bolster sales to Lotto Receivers. Whilst many Lotto operators are committed to
providing a very good service, others do need to pull up their sleeves to
provide at least the agreed 30hours of service.                             

Maltco should also take note of where it decides to
provide allocations of new outlets. It really does not hold water if a Lotto
Receiver invested money to open a Maltco outlet (80square metres) and now
Maltco decides to provide an operational licence to someone else, 500 metres
away, with merely 25 square space. Whilst the prerogative of running one's
business lies with the company, Lotto receivers should be looked at as
emanating from the other side of the fence.

Good relations between Maltco and Lotto Receivers
remain an essential loop in order to make a success story out of this
partnership in the coming nine years.

Maltco need to make sure that the Lotto Receivers`
dignity remains intact. Now that by close of business today, all instructions
would be in place, GRTU hopes that the past few months of laborious discussions
now start to reap fruit.

Lotto Receivers have a livelihood which needs to be
protected. However the onus lies on Maltco to continue to work incessantly to
build a better relationship with all stakeholders. Maltco also need to abide to
their corporate social responsibilities including those relating to packaging
waste amongst others.

Whilst they place a massive amount of recyclables on
the market, they also place packaging waste and they are obliged to comply with
Legal Notice 277 of 2006.

GRTU and the LRU (Lotto Receivers Union) truly hope
that an agreement reached earlier this week with the intervention of the
Minister for Finance, the Economy and Investments (MFEI), Dr.Tonio Fenech, will
be the basis of a better future for every stakeholder. While the past has
provided a lot of experience we need to work on the future. Maltco should
strive harder to obtain more revenues for themselves and the Lotto Receivers.
We need to leave the past behind us… That is history.