Author: SME Chamber

Holds
activity within the Locality – Last week Green MT formally signed an agreement with Birgu
Local Council in respect to recovery of recyclables from the locality. The
event included the launch of Green MT single sang by Kristina Casolani and
accompanied by a group of youths. During the event Green MT presented rewards
to the youngsters who won a bin design competition. To close off the evening,
Kristina Casolani entertained those present to an acoustic performance together
with guitarist Dean.

As Rapporteur on behalf of the EESC GRTU's Director General
Vincent Farrugia had the privilege of presenting Opinions on a number of issues
related to obstacles faced by EU Citizens in their enjoyment of their European
Citizenship rights. These included Opinions on "Removal of Cross Border Tax
Obstacles"(ECO/295), "Removal of Double Taxation"(ECO/304) and another one on
problems of E-Procurement across-boarder(INT/554) and yet another on Budgetary
Surveillance within the context of current austerity programmes (ECO/285).

Lately he presented the Opinion on problems of
Inheritance Tax in EU member states (ECO/328). This Opinion highlights the
problem faced by a growing number of EU Citizens who own property across
boarder other than in their own country. This number increases by about a
million a year and will reach 14 million by 2013. The Opinion emphasizes the
importance of creating a more acceptable legislative framework so that EU
Citizens will not suffer unacceptable double taxation. The Opinion presses the
need of urgent reform and recommends action so that citizens are given their
due tax credit once an approved recommended system is applied across the EU.

The issue of European Citizens right to enjoy to the
full their Citizens rights is very important and Mr Farrugia considers it as
one of the prime tasks at EESC to work for a greater awareness of European
Citizens rights as fundamental to more EU Citizens appreciating why sacrifices
to create a better Europe are more than worthwhile. Too many obstacles however
remain and we need to work harder to identify and eradicate these obstacles.

As member of the Coordinating Group of the 2013
European Year of Citizens he is also recommending that 2013 should see the
formulation of a European Charter of Citizens Rights. The rights are there, but
they are written on too many documents. We should end 2013 with a written and
acceptable Charter of Rights. Vincent Farrugia is a strong believer that the
single market functions more effectively and EU Citizens become more aware of
their rights as EU Citizens if specific action is taken to remove all obstacles
hampering citizens from the enjoyment of their European Citizens Rights. Europe
is for citizens.

GRTU representative Joseph Attard has yesterday personally
presented a letter to the Prime Minister in Floriana just before he entered one
of the activities in relation to the Independence. In the letter GRTU requests the
personal intervention of the PM in respect to the current issue between the
lotto receivers, now members of GRTU, and Maltco Lotteries Ltd.

In the letter GRTU explained we had requested an
urgent meeting with the said company to discuss issues that are of cardinal
importance to both parties if one is to make sure that in the coming 10 years
there will be a situation in place which is to the benefit of both Maltco
Lotteries Ltd and the lotto receivers. GRTU has requested this urgent meeting
with Dr John Katakis, CEO of Maltco Lotteries, on a number of occasions but to
date this has not been forthcoming.

GRTU is informed that Dr John Katakis will be in Malta this
coming Monday and unless we are advised prior that a meeting would be held on
his arrival, we would then make sure that his arrival in Malta would be one
that he will remember always. GRTU emphasised to the PM that all foreign
investors to Malta are welcome as long as they do not unjustly threaten the
livelihood of SMEs by the stroke of a button from their offices.

GRTU told the PM that he should safeguard the interests of
the Maltese enterprises and as such he should ensure Maltco Lotteries meets
GRTU to discuss the urgent issues at hand.

GRTU is fed up of unkept promises and delaying tactics. It is
all a strategy. It is all planned. It is frustrating to those who do not know
what the end decision will be. We are sure Government and the relevant
Authorities are already aware of the Government's direction on this issue.

Gas Distributors remain in the dark. They do not have
a sense of direction. Government and its incompetence has brought this
situation to where it is today. GRTU and the gas distributors have gone miles
to assist Government in finding a solution on this matter, but solution are
hard to come by when Government promises the same to three different
stakeholders, two importers, namely Liquigas and Easygas and the same to the
distributors.

Of course it is no easy decision, imagine trying to
please three women at the same time! And this is and Government is now faced
with a dilemma. A dilemma that has no solution. The only solution for
Government is that they will leave it to linger and never decide and leave it
to the next Government to decide. This is the direction that Government has
been working on. No decision as decisions hurt and votes do ultimately count.

GRTU will no longer be taken for a ride. It will not
accept the silly excuses that Minister Pullicino comes up with day after day.
It will not accept more promises from the Government lead by Dr Gonzi. Not
months but years have passed and still no decision. This issue has taken longer
then the building on an Olympic Village outside London!

This does not happen because they cannot decide,
or because they do not know the position that will be taken, it's because they
know that if their decision is issued it would show how double faced they are.

There is one decision, Government has to decide whether it is
in favor of self employed who have been serving the island with Gas
Distribution for so many years, or whether it is in favor of capitalists taking
over the whole distribution system and sending all these distributors home on
the dole.

Once again GRTU is in favor of foreign investors who come to
Malta with a genuine approach. We are not interested in those who grab our
Ministers by the nose because they have monies inside their pockets. The
Maltese Business Community is not for sale, it never was and never will be, and
No Government will sell the business community in any sector. If this does,
GRTU will stand up to it and be counted.

The issue of the Gas distributors is one which has now gone
by its due date…long gone. Government has to remember that gas is a commodity
and unless distributed it will cause havoc in Malta and Gozo. Government
through its abusive actions since October 2008 has brought about this
situation. We have waited with patience and our patience is over…now it is time
for action!

Il-Kamra
Maltija tan-Negozji Zghar u Medji, GRTU tirringrazzja lil maggoranza
tar-Ricevituri tal-Lottu li llum iddecidew li ma jifthux il-banek tal-lottu
wara tilwima serja li ghaddejja mal-Maltco. Il-maggoranza assoluta tal-banek
madwar Malta u Ghawdex baqghu maghluqa.

L-Ezekuttiv
Nazzjonali tal-GRTU flimkien ma` l-Unjoni tar -Ricevituri tal-Lottu , matul
il-gurnata, hadmu flimkien biex jippruvaw isibu zblokk ghal din is-sitwazzjoni,
mahluqa biss minhabba ebbusija tar-ras minn naha tal-Maltco. Minkejja nterventi
min sorsi ufficjali, ma sar l-ebda zvilupp tangibbli fic -cirkostanzi.

Illum
il-GRTU u l-Unjoni tar-Ricevituri tal-Lottu urew lill Maltco li kapaci iqumu
kontra barrani li qed jipprova kuljum inaqrilhom l-ghixien.

Filwaqt
li l-GRTU flimkien mal-LRU iddecidew li ser jissospendu l-azzjoni in vigore b'mod immedjat min ghada
is-Sibt 8 ta' Settembru 2012, jirriservaw id dritt li jiehdu azzjonijiet ohra
biex jissalvagwardjaw l-interessi tar-ricevituri tal-lottu. IL-GRTU u LRU
javzaw lill membri taghhom biex joqoghdu attenti ghal kull direttiva li tista
tinghata minn hin ghal iehor..

IL-GRTU
tiehu din l-opportunita biex tirringrazzja lil dawk kollha li b'xi mod ppruvaw
jghinu fic -cirkostanzi u tkompli tiddeplora l-attitudni li qedgha tiehu l-Maltco
Lotteries Limited fejn jidhol il-qliegh tal-ghixien ta' kuljum ta' l-istess
ricevituri tal-lottu u id-dipendenti taghhom.

Public
opinion about the EU has improved markedly, reveals a new Eurobarometer survey.
The poll was commissioned by parliament and published on Thursday. It
says a majority of respondents believe parliament is the institution that best
represents the EU and that voting in the European elections is the best way to
make their voice heard.

"The
findings are encouraging", said parliament's president Martin Schulz. The
current economic and financial crisis demonstrates that we need solutions at
supranational level.

"The
EU is a unique project worldwide with law-making powers that can offer such
solutions, where individual measures at individual state level would not
suffice", he said, adding, "Citizens recognise this."

The
poll says the image of the EU has improved in the eyes of a majority of
Europeans: 40 per cent have a favourable opinion of it, compared to 31 per cent
in November 2011.

An
absolute majority of people questioned said that membership of the EU is
"a good thing".

While
people are still divided on whether or not their voice counts in the EU, 57 per
cent of respondents said voting in the next parliament elections in 2014 is the
best way to make their voices heard, with a quarter of them already aware that
these elections will take place in two years time.

More
than one in two respondents (54 per cent) said they would be more inclined to
vote than they are today if each European political party were to put forward a
candidate for the post of president of the commission, who will be elected by
parliament after the 2014 European elections.

Job
creation and fighting unemployment scored as the top priority anti-crisis
measures for the EU, according to 72 per cent of those who took part in the
survey.

The
poll was conducted between 2 and 17 June, with 26,622 citizens interviewed in
the 27 EU countries.

The European Union's policy on biofuel
is coming under renewed pressure because of a severe drought in the United
States that is pushing up food prices. More than 60% of the continental United
States experienced moderate to exceptional drought this summer, making it the
worst drought in 50 years.

The drought is already being blamed for
a 6% rise in global food prices in July. Next Wednesday (12 September) the US
will publish its latest figures on how the drought has affected food prices,
amid fears of a repeat of the spike in food prices of early 2008.

The United Nation's Food and
Agriculture Organisation (FAO) called on Tuesday (4 September) for the US government
to suspend its targets for the production of ethanol-based biofuel, made from
maize. Roughly 40% of US maize production is earmarked for bioethanol,
supported by government subsidies. The diversion of maize into fuel production
is held by critics of the policy to contribute to higher food prices. As well
as being an ingredient of food for humans, maize is an important element of
animal feed. Maize prices rose 23% in July compared to June, according to the
FAO.

The International Grains Council has forecast
that world production of maize will drop by 4% and that stocks will fall to a
six-year low.

UN support

Two other UN agencies – the
International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) and the World Food
Programme (WFP) – backed the FAO's call. "Adjusting biofuel mandates when
global markets come under pressure and food supplies are endangered has been
recommended by a group of international organisations," the agencies said.

But a cut in the US bioethanol target
would detrimentally affect farmers in maize-growing states in the American
midwest. Political analysts believe the US government will not make any move to
suspend the target in the run-up to the presidential and Congressional
elections, because Iowa is a crucial swing state. Ethanol subsidies enjoy
support in the US from both presidential candidates.

The French government called a special
meeting last week of the G20's Agricultural Market Information System to
discuss the situation. France wants to hold an emergency meeting of the G20's
Rapid Response Forum to deal with rising food prices.

The UN agencies' criticism of biofuel
targets has been taken up by food campaigners, and the food industry which has
long campaigned for the EU to abandon its target of 10% of all transport fuel
coming from renewable sources by 2020. Disagreement within the European
Commission has stalled an analysis of how biofuel affects food prices and land
use.

But the European Renewable Ethanol
Association (ePURE) hit back against the criticism, issuing a statement last
week saying that to make a link between bioethanol production and an increase
in global food prices amounted to "groundless accusations".

"Global grain use for biofuels is
miniscule and nowhere near enough to inflate prices significantly," said Rob
Vierhout, secretary-general of ePURE. "Europe has enough grain to produce both
its food and fuel needs. Blaming biofuels is the lazy option."

As part of the Calendar of Events
2012, Malta Enterprise is inviting interested parties to submit their
application to form part of the Trade and Investment Promotion Delegation to
Kuwait and Saudi Arabia between the 10 and 16 November 2012.

Eligible enterprises include:

Manufacturers, Service providers, Licensing and Franchising, Companies seeking joint ventures and strategic
alliances, Technology Transfer, Companies seeking R&D opportunities, Companies
seeking to import finished products are NOT eligible.

Malta Enterprise will endeavour to
organize match making meetings for participants through its institutional
networks. If interested contact Robert Falzon of Malta Enterprise at 25423239
or by 15^th
September 2012.

Lotto Offices, members of the Lotto
Receivers Union who have recently affiliated to the Malta Chamber of Small and
Medium Enterprises, GRTU, remained closed today after a dispute with Maltco.Maltco Lotteries Limited, a subsidiary
of Intralot Greece was awarded a 10-year concession and a licence to operate
the National Lottery of Malta. The award was granted following a competitive
tendering process.

After the award Maltco requested each
individual lotto operator to sign an individual Agency Agreement according to
their own terms and unless one signed the agreement by a fixed date, his /her
livelihood would have been switched off. In 2012 all POS terminals at the lotto
booths can be switched off from Maltco's Head Office in IKLIN.

Whilst this parameter already leaves
much to be desired, Maltco, immediately after the signing started requesting
individual lotto receivers to increase their guarantee and additionally
requested also the Lotto receivers Union to increase their collective guarantee
by a substantial amount too.

An operator who could not increase his
guarantee from Euro 10,000 to Euro 24, 000 as requested by Maltco had his Point
of Sale (POS) Terminal disconnected. GRTU requested an immediate meeting with
Maltco over the issue. Maltco outlined that they are only able to meet after
the 17^th of September 2012. GRTU has no problem with meeting after
the 17^th of September but cordially requested Maltco to reactivate
this member s POS until discussions are held.

No answer was forthcoming and GRTU
turned to Intralot in Greece for answers. Intralot cordially redirect us to
Maltco's closed doors. GRTU has been around since 1948 working hard to make
sure that self employed are given their dignity and that their conditions
continue to improve year after year. It has been quite a while since a Maltese
Company or an Authority or a Ministry or a foreign investor for all that
matters not to accept to sit around the table and discuss this now important
issue.

As outlined priorly, because Maltco,
CEO is a very busy man  we do not expect
overnight treatment, but if one is not able to meet one can surely ethically
accept to reactive the livelihood of an individual and then discuss this issue
at a later stage, when they have the time.

But this is probably not an issue of
guarantees, it is more an issue of might is right. What is also lacking in the
picture is the lack of initiative from Government's point in respect to the
livelihood of so many lotto receivers and their dependents. Maybe Government
has tied its hands in the way it can handle Maltco over the next ten years.
GRTU has no copy of the agreement reached between Government (through the
Privitisation Unit) and Maltco. We will of course be asking for this.

Friday 7^th September is
truly a sad day for Malta, a very sad day. Government's intervention was not
enough to bring two parties to a table. It is ironic that a few months back
Malta grasping the value of solidarity forked out millions to Greece and now we
have Greek citizens employed with a Greek Multinational who with the touch of a
button are able to switch off the livelihood of self employed Maltese in the
gaming sector.

They have done so a month ago,
enforcing each and every lotto receiver to sign an agreement with no
discussions.

GRTU asks.  Are we back to the 60's and 70's. Are we back
to the colonial times? Have we lost our identity? Who is in the driving seat?

Whilst we are totally in favor of decent foreign investment,
we are not in favor of Government selling our blood to foreigners at any cost.
After all we are human!