Author: SME Chamber

Green MT is the national Authorised Waste Packaging Compliance Scheme. Green MT, a fully owned subsidiary of GRTU, recovers packaging and recyclable waste from 40 Local Councils , one or twice weekly through the grey bag kerbside collection system.

 

Birkirkara is one of the Local Councils where the community has shown through its deeds that it has a proactive approach towards implementation of waste managment strategy within the locaity. After discussions with the Local Council, an agreement was reached to recover differentiated packaging waste throughout the week, thus collecting paper, board, magazines,caton and leaflets on Wednesday and then collecting plastic and metal in the grey bag on Friday.

This implementation followed a door to door education campaign by Green MT Eco Councillors in Birkirkara during the month of January 2012. Leaflets were also distributed to those who were leaving at churches situated in Birkirkara after mass on the morning of Sunday 29th January 2010. Came Wednesday 1st February 2012 the final result was a collection of nearly four tons (4000kilos) of paper and carton from the Local Council of Birkirkara.

Taking into consideration that under normal circumstances a collection of 12 tons weekly is effected in this locality through the grey bag system, the result of 4 tons of segregated paper is very encouraging and Green MT would like to thank all those residents who heartily contributed to such a collection.

We are well aware that in the weeks to follow, this recovery rate will grow . Green mt will continue to support these initiaitves at Local Council level. This is the begining of a long road towards at source segregation. With a helping hand from everyone this will continue to be a success story.

Speaking during discussions in the Single Market Production and Consumption (INT) Section meeting at the European Economic and Social Committee (EESC) meeting today in Brussels, Vince Farrugia, Maltese business owners'  representative at EECS and GRTU Director General said that the Mario Monti Report on the Internal Market and the Louis Grech Report on the same subject approved by the European Parliament, clearly define the initiatives and measures that need to be adopted to have a more effective and strong internal market.

 

"There is no need to impose additional burdens on Member States that face no infringement procedures and indeed, because of their adherence to Internal Market Rules, have no development growth problems and unemployment problems, especially youth unemployment. The issue really is one of adherence to the initiatives as defined in the Monti report and addressing the numerous bottlenecks that have already been identified and are being addressed by the various EU Commission proposals and the programme of the 2020 Initiative. Creating further centralisation means punishing more those who are adhering. The issue really is one of Council facing those Member States who are not adhering and as a result bringing the European Union to a state of crisis and causing these States, as Monti is now doing in Italy, to meet their obligations and not imposing a more centralised European system that nobody wants". concluded Mr Farrugia.

Today Vincent Farrugia GRTU DG and Maltese business owners representative participated actively in the discussion at the EESC Transport, Energy, Infrastructure and Information Society (TEN) on the Commission's Communication on establishing the Connecting Europe Facility (CEF) (COM(2011) 665). The CEF proposal is in the form of a package of five proposals by the Commission geared at investments in key infrastructures that will help to create jobs and boost Europe's competitiveness at a time when Europe needs this most. The "Connecting Europe Facility" will finance projects which fill the missing links in Europe's energy, transport and digital backbone. It will also make Europe's economy greener by promoting cleaner transport modes, high speed broadband connections and facilitating the use of renewable energy in line with the Europe 2020 Strategy. In addition the funding for energy networks will further integrate the internal energy market, reduce the EU's energy dependency and bolster the security of supply.

The Connecting Europe Facility will invest €31.7 billion to upgrade Europe's transport infrastructure, build missing links and remove bottlenecks. This includes €10 billion ring fenced in the Cohesion Fund for transport projects in the cohesion countries, with the remaining 21.7 billion available for all Member States for investing in transport infrastructure. The idea is to improve links between different parts of the EU, to make it easier for different countries to exchange goods and people with each other. By focussing on transport modes that are less polluting, the Connecting Europe Facility will push our transport system to become more sustainable. It will also give consumers more choice about how they want to travel. The Commission proposed to create corridors to cover the most important cross-border projects. It has estimated that by 2020, €500 billion will be needed to realise a real European network, including €250 billion for removing bottlenecks and completing missing links in the core network.

Mr Farrugia emphasised the role that private financing would be performing and spoke in detail about the Project Bonds scheme that the Commission is working on in conjunction with the European investment Bank. He further emphasised that besides the clear need and advantage for further integration of Europe as a result of the massive investment in infrastructure in all transport modes and in the environment and in energy the whole project is a tremendous boost for the revival of sustained economic growth in Europe. "Development and growth is the way forward not austerity" insisted Vince Farrugia. He demanded further clarification as to how the Commission and Council intend to speed up this tremendous commitment and congratulated the Commission on the production of this excellent package of proposals which are both innovative and extensive and involve deep discussions and consultations with stakeholders.

Mr Farrugia appealed for the incorporation of an additional Mediterranean dimension as the need for substantial investment for the efficient Connecting of Europe and North Africa through various transport modes should be much further promoted.

Low compliance costs for businesses.  – Viviane Reding, the European commissioner for justice, fundamental rights and citizenship, today unveiled plans for an overhaul of the EU's data protection rules.

 

The proposals aim to give people more control over their data while making it easier for business to use electronic data.

Reding said: "The protection of personal data is a fundamental right for all Europeans, but citizens do not always feel in full control of their personal data."

She said the proposals, to revise EU legislation on data protection dating back to 1995, would "help build trust in online services because people will be better informed about their rights and in more control over their information".

Reding is proposing a "right to be forgotten" as part of the reform. This would allow people to delete their data if there were not legitimate reasons for retaining it. People would have to give explicit consent for their data to be processed.

The proposals also aim to reduce costs for businesses by creating a single set of laws in all 27 member states, avoiding the need for complying with different rules in different countries. Reding said this would save companies around €2.3 billion a year.

Companies holding personal data would have to notify national authorities about any breaches within 24 hours. If they fail to do so, they would face fines equivalent to 2% of their annual turnover. 

All companies irrespective of where in the world they are based would have to follow the EU's rules if they are handling EU citizens' data and are active in the EU market. 

The proposals will have to be approved by national governments and MEPs before being adopted.

Reding's proposals have been welcomed by MEPs across the political spectrum. Axel Voss, a German centre-right MEP, said the proposals were a "major step forward to a comprehensive set of rules" which the Parliament had been asking for.

Claude Moraes, a centre-left MEP from the UK, said that the Commission had made "strong efforts to improve legislation" and to move away from a "patchwork of different national provisions".

Renate Weber, a liberal MEP from Romania, said her group welcomed the move to give internet users the right to exercise more control over their data by having to give explicit consent for it to be processed.

The European consumers' association BEUC reacted positively to the proposal. Monique Goyens, BEUC's director-general, said: "All the elements for a strong, user-centric legal framework are here. Today the EU is taking a large step towards giving data rights back to [their] rightful owners, individuals themselves."

ETNO, the European association of telecommunications network operators, also welcomed the proposals. Luigi Gambardella, ETNO's chairman, said that the Commission proposal was an "important step towards achieving a world-class privacy protection framework".

The Business Software Alliance (BSA), which represents commercial software developers, struck a rare negative note. Thomas Boué, BSA's director of European affairs, said: "The Commission's proposal today errs too far in the direction of imposing prescriptive mandates for how enterprises must collect, store, and manage information."

He said that there was a risk that the proposal's current design would "bog down companies with onerous compliance obligations, which would inhibit digital innovation at the expense of job creation and growth".

Din il-gimgha l-GRTU zammet laqgha flimkien ma l-Onorevoli Ministru Jason Azzopardi, il-Ministru il-gdid ghan-negozji z-zghar, kif ukoll ma’ Nisa li huma fid-dinja tan-negozju membri tal-GRTU ghal-laqgha bl-isem ta’ Women in Business. Il-President tal-GRTU Paul Abela fetah din il-laqgha billi qal li l-GRTU dejjem stinkat biex in-nisa jkunu min ta’ quddiem fid-dinja tax-xoghol u n-negozju. Filfatt semma li fil-kunsill tal-GRTU insibu tlett negozjaniti li huma nisa – Joan Haber, Therese Fenech  Azzopardi u Josette Vella, dawn flimkien ser jahdmu  biex in-nisa izidu l-kontribut taghhom fid-dinja tax-xoghol. Il-President tal-GRTU Paul Abela flimkien mal-GRTU ferah lil Onorevoli Jason Azzopardi ghal-kariga li ha.

 

L-Onorevoli Jason Azzopardi beda billi rringrazzja lil GRTU peress li ftit wara li ha l kariga tieghu bhala Ministru gie miftihem mal GRTU li l-ewwel attivita kellha tkun fuq Women in Business biex b’hekk inhajru aktar nisa fid-dinja tan-negozju. Hu sahaq ukoll li fis-sena li ghaddiet numru kbir ta’ nisa irritornaw jew bdew jahdmu fid-dinja tax-xoghol. Kienu 6,000 mara li dahlu fid-dinja tax-xoghol, fost dawn kien hemm 2,440 minnhom li dahlu ghall ewwel darba fid-dinja tax-xoghol u negozju. Dan ghaliex l-Gvern holoq ambjent ahjar fil-qasam tax-xoghol.

L-Ministru Azzopardi semma ukoll ir-rapport li hareg l-IMF li juri punti pozittivi dwar Malta. Dan juri li f’Malta l-qghad naqas u bhalissa qedghin il-5 l-inqas pajjiz li ghandna qghad fid-dinja. L-Onorevoli fahhar hafna l-proposta li harget biha il-GRTU rigward il-Maternity leave u enfasizza li din ghamlet hafna gid u giet milqugha hafna. Hu jemmen li l-mara ghandha potenzjal qawwi u irrifera ghal ” Il-Genju tal-mara”, qal li l-mara ghandha fiha nnifisha genju uniku u dan hemm bzonn li jigi rikonoxxut.

Waqt din il-laqa kien hemm ukoll id-direttur tal-Commerce Department, Godwin Warr. dan beda billi qal li waqt din il-laqgha tqassmu diaries biex jippromovaw l-EU Trade Mark, assistenza tal-ghaqdiet tal-EU. Is-Sur Warr qal ukoll li huma joffru servizz tal-IP checkups, dan janalizza l-progett billi jaghtu l-ideat lin-negozji kif jistghu jkunu ahjar. Hu sostna ukoll li qedghin jaraw fis-sehh ukoll il- “Family Friendly Measures” fejn dawn joffru possibilita ta’ Reduced hours, Alternative hours u Teleworking. Bis-sahha tat-teleworking dawk in-nisa li investew fihom baqghu jahdmu u dan ghandhu jigi anke min-naha ta’ min jaghti s-servizz.

Waqt din il-laqgha tqajmu diversi punti mis-sidien tan-negozji nisa prezenti fosthom dwar il-ligi tal-kera li ghadda l-Gvern, li ddiskrivewha bhala gerha kbira ghas-sidien tan-negozji. Dan ghaliex wara hafna snin li jkunu hadu hsieb u ddedikaw ruhom ghan-negozju taghhom wara 20 sena, issa 17 fadal, jsibu ruhom barra mil-hanut. Hi enfasizzat li hi ilha 40 sena fin negozju taghha u ghan negozju 17 il-sena m’huma xejn. Din giet imsejha bhala ingustizzja morali. L-Onorevoli Jason Azzopardi sostna li bhala pajjiz Malta domna 10 snin nikumbattu u mhux facli tilhaq bilanc mas-sidien u min qieghed jikri. Hu qal ukoll li din il-ligi tal-kera saret wara konsultazzjoni izda qal ukoll li ha jqajjem dan is-sugett bl-ghan li tittejjeb il-ligi.

Punt iehor li tqajjem waqt din il-laqgha kien dwar il-problema tal-parking. Din il-problema issemit hafna drabi fosthom mis-sidien tal-hwienet fil-Belt. Hafna mis-sidien isibuha difficli biex idahhlu l-merkanzija minhabba l-hinijiet limitati li hawn bhalissa. Hafna mis-sidien semmhew il-fatt li jkollhom ihallsu is-CVA peress li ma jsibhux fejn jipparkjaw u jkollhom bzonn inizlu xi xoghol fil-hwienet taghhom. Intqal ukoll li min ghandhu zewg negozji, wiehed Rahal Gdid u iehor il-Belt jista jara d-diferenza min wiehed ghall-iehor. In-Negozju ta’ Rahal Gdid qieghed dejjem jikber filwaqt li dak tal-Belt qieghed dejjem jickien. Isibu wkoll problem meta jigu biex jimpjegaw. Mara li tkun trid tahdem sa certu hin ma tacettax li tahdem il-belt minhabba l-hin li jinhela sakemm jinstab parking. Din il-problema ta’ parkegg jsibuha ukoll filghaxija. Huwa vera li qeghdin ninvestu fil-Belt u jemmnu li sa 3 snin ohra ikollna Belt ferm ahjar imma ma nistghux f’dawn it 3 snin naghtu spinta l-isfel lin-negozji u jitilfu l-klijentela taghhom. Qalu wkoll li l-bejh ha daqqa ta’ harta wara ohra- CVA, xoghol fit-toroq, accessibilita’ limitata, parkeggi bojod dejjem jonqsu u riforma fit-trasport pubbliku. Dawn il-fatturi kollha flimkin ikkontribwixxew li jaqtghu qalb il-konsumatru biex jidhol il-belt.

Il- President Paul Abela sostna li hemm bzonn naghmlu pressjoni fuq il-problema tal-parkegg. Specjalment meta jkun hawn il-parlament ma jkunx hemm ghalfejn il-parkegg jinghalaq gurnata shiha meta l-Parlament jibda wara s-sitta ta’ filghaxija. l-Onorevoli Jason Azzopardi qabel li il-punt dwar il-problema tal-parkegg huwa validissimu. Hu jirrikonoxxi li hemm problema u sostna li l-Gvern qieghed impenjat li ha jzid il-parkegg fuq barra u kif ukoll fuq gewwa tal-Belt.

Fil-Furjana l-problema tal-parkegg hi sfortunatament ukoll wahda prekarja. Il- GRTU dwar din il-problema diga kienet pruvat taghmel xi haga imma minhabba li l-popolazzjoni gewwa l-Furjana qieghda dejjem tikber il-parkegg qieghed dejjem ikun ta’ problema minhabba r-residenti. Membru tal-GRTU semmit li hi tipprova timpjega nisa. Bosta min nisa iridu jwaslu t-tfal l-iskola qabel ix-xol u sakemm jaslu il-parkecc ikun kollu ittiehed. Dawn jaghmlu ta l-inqas nofs siha ifitxu parkegg pero xorta iridu jergaw johorgu jaqilghu il-karozza wara 1.30 hrs ghaliex jehlu citazzjoni. Il-furjana mimli wardens u xhin johorgu l-impjegati biex imexxu l-karozza isibu l-warden lest biex iwahhal ic-citazzjoni. L-Onorevoli Jason Azzopardi semma l Furjana stand u qal li bhalissa hemm diskussjoni ma l MCP carpark u ha jizdiedu l-parking facilities. Se jhares lejn il-kwistjoni aktar fid dettall.

l-istess sitwazzjoni tal-Belt u l-Furjana tinsab ukoll gewwa tas-Sliema u kif ukoll gewwa St.Andrews. Is-sidien tan-negozji gewwa tas-Sliema qalu li l-bejgh naqas minhabba li n-nies  qedghin isibuha bi tqila biex imorru ta’ Sliema kemm minhabba parkegg u anke minhabba s-servizz gdid tat-transport. Giet moghtija l-idea li Luxol Ground jista’ jsir xi mod bhal-Park and Ride biex b’hekk jizdiedu l-parkeggi. Tqajmet l-issue ta’ Manoel Island li ghada ma saret l-ebda tibdil fiha. Ingibdet l-attenzjoni ukoll li gewwa tas-Sliema hemm bicciet ta’ art mohlija li minflok jibqaw abbandunati jistghu joholq minnhom parkegg, jekk hemm bzonn anke temporanju. Issemmew ukoll xi fondi li kienu ngabru mis-sidien tal-hwienet. Dawn il-fondi jixtiequ li jintefqu biex isolvu l-problema tal-parkegg. L-Onorevoli Jason Azzopardi sostna li ser jitkellem ma L-Onorevoli Mario Demarco dwar dawn il-fondi.

Gewwa St.Andrews deret ukoll din il-problema u isemma l-Luxol Ground li gie mehud mil-kumpanija tat-transport pubbliku “Arriva” izda mhux qeghda tkun uzata. L-Onorevoli Jason Azzopardi qal li kien se jhares gol kwistjoni li Luxol ma kienx qieghed jigi uzat. Il- GRTU qedgha tipjana biex tlaqqa l-Kunsill Lokali ta St. Andrews, l-Arriva kif ukoll lis-sidien tan-negozji biex ikun hemm lok ta’ titjib.

Punt iehor interessanti li qalu kien li l-mara tal-lum ma tistax tibqa’ tahdem filghodu biss izda izzid aktar fis-sighat taghha. l-Onorevoli Jason Azzopardi intervjena u qal li biex dan isir irid ikun hemm l-“after school hours” jigifieri li l-ghalliema jaccetaw li jahdmu sighat differenti. Izda meta l-Gvern prova jqajjem diskussjoni fuq din l-idea sab ostakoli. L-Onorevoli Azzopardi kompla jghid li meta jdur id-djar dejjem johrog bic-car li hemm hafna ommijiet li jixtiequ johorgu jahdmu izda ma jistghux habba l-hinijiet. Hu qal ukoll li jkun tajjeb jekk titqajjem kuxjenza permezz tal-media.

Fattur iehor li qieghed jinkwieta lis-sidien tan-negozji huwa l-“Online Shopping” dawn qedghin jghidu li huma jikalkolaw bejn wiehed u iehor li qieghed johdilhom 30% tal-beigh u sostnew li in-nies mhux vera li mhux qeghdin jonfqu izda qeghdin juzaw mezzi ohra. Huma qalu li bl’ebda mod m’huma kontra l-online shopping pero ihossu li dan qed isehh ghaliex qed issir difficli wisq ghan niex bix jaslu sal hwienet. Paul Abela qajjem l-issue tal-katamaran u qal li meta jgibu l-affarijiet ma jhallsu xejn u lanqas ecotax. L- Onorevoli Azzopardi qabel li din hija problema serja u sostna li din l issue qeghda tigi bil mod ikkontrollata sa fejn il-ligi tal-UE tipermetti. Dwar din l-issue bdew laqghat mal-GRTU.

F’certi setturi specjalment f’dik tal-industrija qeghdin isibuha difficli biex isibu mpjegati nisa bil- kwalifiki u skills li jissodisfaw l-esigenzi taghhom. Dan minhabba li l-ETC ghandha aktar courses ghall-irgiel milli ghan-nisa. Filwaqt li dawk ta’ l-MCAST ikunu over qualified. Li jrid isir hu li fil-korsijiet jindirizzaw ahjar il-kompetenzi li ghandhom bzonn fl-industrija. L-Onorevoli Azzopardi intervjena u qal li dan hu suggeriment validu hafna.

Punt iehor li tqajjem waqt din il-laqgha kien dwar il-hlas ta` 700 euro li n-negozji jridu jhallsu kull meta tinzerta festa matul il-gimgha sabiex ikunu jistghu jifthu l-istabilimenti taghhom f’gurnata ta’ festa jew il-Hadd. Huma iccaraw il-fatt li din mandiex x’taqsam mal-kwistjoni ta’ Sunday trading izda ghaliex il-festa ha tinzerta f’gurnata mportanti ta’ bejh. Is-sidien talbu li jkun hemm waver ta’ 700 euro ghall-hamest ijiem fost il-gimgha li din is-sena ha jinzertaw festi. Dwar dan il-punt l-Onorevoli Jason Azzopardi sostna li hu punt li ta’ min jikkonsidrah u filfatt ha jiddiskuti dan il-punt ma l-Onorevoli Tonio Fenech. Hu zied billi qal li ghandha ssir talba minghand il-GRTU biex b’hekk il-process jimxi aktar b’rittmu mghaggel.

Paul Abela semma li f’certu pajjizi kumpanija b’ turnover ta’ inqas minn zewg miljuni mumhiex obligati jaghtu Audited Annual Accounts. Joan Haber kompliet tajd li biex tmantni kumpanija illum il-gurnata saret tirrikjedi hafna flus. Dan anke f’kas ta` kumpanija li ma taghmilx trading trid tallas 800 euro.

Suggeriment li ntqal waqt din il-laqgha kien biex jinghata aktar sapport fid-dar, f’sens ta’ aktar childcare facilities, korsijiet mhux difficli ghal-carers individwali (nannies).

L-Ministru Jason Azzopardi ghalaq il-laqgha billi fakkar li l-licenzja hi obbligatorja sabiex tiftah negozju u li l-Gvern ser jaghmel overhaul tal-licenzji b’emendi fil-ligi li jwasslu ghal tnaqqis ta’ 90% ta’ negozji li jridu japplikaw ghal-licenzji u jigu biss notifikati. F’dan ir-rigward diga bdiet il-konsultazzjoni mal-GRTU.

L-Onorevoli Azzopardi qal ukoll li l-Gvern ghandu 500 art li qed tintuza ghal skopijiet kummercjali fil-Belt li bhalissa qedghin bil-kera li tiggedded sitt xgur sitt xhur. B’hekk dawn in-negozji minhabba li maghndhomx tul ta’ kera ma’ jistghux jipjanaw fit-tul dan iwassal li ma jkunux jistghu jiehdu loans. Il-Gvern ser ihabbar li ha jkunu jistghu ikollhom kirja ta’ ghexirien ta’ snin minflok dik ta’ sitt xhur. Dan ha jibda l-ewwel mis-sidien tan-negozji fil-belt peress li l-ikbar numru ta’ artijiet mikrijin tal-Gvern huma gewwa l-Belt. Dan umbad ha jinfirex mal-lokalitajiet ta’ Malta kollha.

Fl-ahhar L-Ministru Jason Azzopardi insista mas-sidien tan-negozji biex jaghmlu uzu tajjeb mil-Malta Enterprise. Il-laqgha ntemmet b’presentazzjoni min rapprezentant mil-Malta Enterprise dwar il-Business First li hija inizjattiva gdida.

Energy prices today, and for the foreseeable future, and our obligation to reduce carbon emissions, make investing in a PV system a wise move. The problem is that such systems are not cheap, and caution before committing a significant amount is called for.  The upside is that a good system should last in the region of 30 years at least, while the savings should allow the capital outlay to be recouped in as little as two or three years, giving an excellent return on capital over the whole life of the system.

 

Of course, you have to choose a good system at the outset, because otherwise, a dream investment might turn into a nightmare. 

In the last few years the PV boom in Europe, the US and China, has given rise to assorted brands popping up like mushrooms, sourced mainly from the Asian Continent, Greece, Turkey and other countries with similar manufacturing histories. Nothing wrong with that of course, as long as they can provide proper reliable systems and effective warranties. If they do and have a good price, go for it.

However you should be aware that many of the operators behind these brands are prone to suddenly filing for bankruptcy or even vanishing without notice or explanations. Opting for renowned, long established brands that are unlikely to vanish in the next couple of years is essential for your investment to be successful, even if the upfront outlay is a bit on the higher side. It is wiser to rely on slightly higher priced brands that recoup your investment in a reasonable amount of time than try to break the record in payback time only to find out that your investment has suddenly developed fatal flaws and your money has been wasted.

It's said that if something is too good to be true, it probably is: achieving a balance   between price and brand strength can be a key component in getting the right answer to the question of whether this maxim holds.

Article by Noel Gauci, renewable Energy consultant and president of Renewable Energy section of GRTU.

Why did you become an entrepreneur?  My Father was the first one to start the business, and it is family run. My father and sister have passed away so my daughter and I run the business today

 

How have you come to chose your line of business?

Inherited

Where did you go on your last holiday?

Austria and Germany

What is your earliest memory?

All of my childhood

If you could chose to be someone famous who would you be?

I am happy the way I am but I just admire Angelina Jolie

Avoid an over bureaucratic approach says GRTU – Malta micro, small and medium enterprises, commonly referred to as SMEs, represent 99.9% of total enterprises. GRTU Executive Carmen Borg has this week participated at the OHSA conference marking its 10 years anniversary. GRTU, in representation of employers, forms part of the tripartite structure within the OHSA Board. GRTU congratulates OHSA for the contributions it has constantly delivered during the past 10 years.

 

Since its inception, OHSA has been considered by GRTU to be based on sound principles and we feel that it has contributed to bringing about a change in the mentality and approach of our members. From our assessment members have over the years increased their understanding of what constitute safety measures within their specific sector and have learned to appreciate the value of abiding with such conditions. Their approach to health and safety features at the workplace has therefore become more positive and the GRTU can safely say that its members and the absolute majority of SMEs today commit to the overall holistic view of Health and Safety at the place of work.

It is not only important to assess the level of implementation of health and safety measures focusing on SMEs because they are in fact the biggest employers but also because it is very easy to keep an eye on the few larger enterprises but it is very difficult to do this with all the thousands of micro and small enterprises in existence today. GRTU therefore feels that extra efforts are required when dealing with SMEs and we feel we have reason to celebrate on the seriousness with which our SMEs, who have too little resources to work with, deal with health and safety at the place of work.

This can be proved through the success achieved by a constant reduction in the number of injuries at the place of work as can be seen in the latest published figures of the last six years. Figures show that there is a positive downward trend in work related injuries.

The number of injuries at the place of work has reduced from 0.31% in 2006 to 0.21% in the gainfully employed figures of 2011. The number of fatalities has also decreased during this period.

GRTU contributes by constantly creating awareness within our members, providing them with all available Health and Safety information and also by stressing the importance of the education and training element within the Health and Safety sector. We do this through our weekly newsletter, the GRTU newSTRING and through our constant contacts and meetings with members, etc. GRTU also uses other media such as radio programmes to keep our members aware about the prevention needed to avoid health and safety issues at their place of work. Since most of our members are small to medium enterprises who normally have a limited amount of funding, our EU Desk constantly advises about the possible sourcing of EU funds to improve and strengthen the Health and Safety element within their organizations. More information and our online publication can be found on the GRTU website http://www.grtu.eu/.

During our sectoral and locality meetings, GRTU always stresses the importance of investing in the training of staff in Health and Safety requirements, and also emphasizes about the utmost importance that all Health and Safety legislation should always be respected and followed through. We feel that our efforts and that of the OHSA could be however further amplified if we would work closer together and unite our resource. 

During the past year GRTU has participated in discussions with the OHSA concerning "Stress at the Place of work" for which several of our members also participated in a seminar.

GRTU is all in favour of increasing the Health and Safety at every place of work but it is imperative for new initiatives in this regard to be sensitive to business. Sensitive to business meaning it is not disproportionately burdensome compared to the results it seeks to achieve, it is based on the resources to implement of the smallest business, the much talked about "think small first", and it is accompanied by an impact assessment. This does not in any way mean that we do away with health and safety because the measures are too burdensome but that we must together find a solution that will implement without placing additional burdens. This is an area where we as GRTU expect more communication from the side of the OHSA and these are the subjects we expect to discuss on the OHSA board. Subjects which are relevant in application and by which decisions taken may effect the life of a business owner or make it either more complicated or easier.

GRTU is also aware of the fact that even OHSA is limited by its financial resources. This may impact negatively on its operation. For this reason GRTU suggests that OHSA should focus mainly on its core responsibility which is that of regulation. From the experience it has gained over the years and from the feedback we receive from members we feel that the OHSA is not as dynamic as the GRTU and the enterprises would wish to move towards the private sector. The private sector must be aided in the area of health and safety.

GRTU expects much more emphasis on training, provision of funds and additional tax advantages for the private sector to successfully implement health and safety measures. The schemes for health and safety are over and above any other schemes that firms may be enjoying such as innovation, restructuring on training and recruitment.

Government contracts still do not emphasise enough the need for suppliers to be certified OHSA approved operators so those firms that spend quality money in health and safety are out-bidded by others who spend little or nothing on approved standards.

Many small businesses are family run so health and safety at the workplace means health and safety for their family members. For these SMEs the work organisation is not simply a factory or a large establishment of owner and workers but an "us" atmosphere so hand holding rather than imposition.

An over bureaucratic attitude only creates an antagonistic approach by many small business owners towards the authority; this can very easily be avoided. An authority must not necessarily mean being another bureaucratic nuisance. An authority has to be practical. If the authority does not work close with business and its representatives, like the GRTU, it will become bureaucratic, its principles will become irrelevant to the real practical objectives, its objectives will become far fetched. Enterprise and especially, forming the absolute majority, small businesses are the clients of OHSA. OHSA has to sell its objectives and safety standards to these enterprises. More work and communication is necessary in this regard.

GRTU is represented by executive Ms Carmen Borg on the OHSA Board.

Il-GRTU tesprimi s-sodizzfazzjon taghha ghall-progett tal-mina  li jghaqqad il-fond ta' San Mikiel (mid-ditch tal-Belt) sac-centru tal-Belt (Triq Nofsinhar)  li ser titwettaq u ser tithaddem fuq sistemi moderni u komdi biex min irid jidhol il-Belt biex jinqeda bis-servizzi kollha li joffru l-istabilimenti tal-Belt ikollhom access iehor  facli u b'kumdita'  ta' sistemi moderni li jevitaw it-tbatija lil dawk kollha li jridu jinqdew bis-servizzi kollha li toffri l-Belt Valletta.

 

Fil-prezentazzjonijiet kollha li ghamlet tull l-ahhar snin il-GRTU f'isem is-sidien tan-negozji tal-Belt, in-numru kbir ta' konsultazzjonijiet li wettqet ma l-Awtoritajiet, kemm Kunsill Lokali, kemm tal-Gvern, il-GRTU dejjem ipprezentat proposti konkreti u suggerimenti biex fil-Belt Kapitali jsiru dawk il-progetti kollha mehtiega li jziedu l-accessibilita' u li jziedu l-postijiet ta' parkegg vicin biex dak li jkun jidhol il-Belt b'kumdita u jgawdi il-progetti kollha kbar ta' tisbieh li qed isiru madwar u fil-Belt kollha.

Il-GRTU ma qaghditx tikkoncentra fuq it-tgergir u l-kummenti biss ghaliex bi tgergir biss ma tasal imkien izda ikkoncentrat l-aktar fuq it-tfassil u d-diskussjoni ta' progetti li jghollu il-livell ta' dak kollu li toffri il-Belt Valletta. Hu ghalhekk ta' sodisfazzjon ghall-GRTU bhala l-organizzazzjoni bl-akbar numru ta' stabbilimenti fil-Belt li huma msiehba maghha, li l-GRTU tara it-twettieq tal-progetti imhabbra mil-Ministru l-Onor. George Pullicino li bi progett wiehed wara l-iehor, bhalma huwa dan il-progett tal-mina pedonali, il-progetti  taz-zewg liftijiet, u l-progetti l-ohra kbar ta' restawr u pavimentar, u l-holqien ta' zoni godda ghat-tgawdija tal-pubbliku u postijiet godda ghall-parkegg ta' karozzi, u dawn u ohrajn ghaz-zieda fl-accessibilita', flimkien qedghin, b'pass wiehed wara l-iehor,  jizguraw li l-Belt Valletta tilhaq il-livell li hafna holmu li xi darba jkun possibli.

Il-GRTU issostni li baqa hafna xi jsir biex ix-xoghol kollu li hemm ippjanat jitwettaq u l-GRTU f'isem l-istabilimenti kollha tal-Belt tistieden  l-Awtoritajiet jkomplu jzommu kuntatt ta' konsultazzjoni kontinwu halli ix-xoghol kollu li jonqos li jsir, jitlesta bl-anqas inkonvenjent ghan-nies tan-negozju stabbiliti fil-Belt. L-GRTU tappella wkoll lis-sidien kollha b'investiment fil-Belt biex iharrsu b'fiducja lejn il-futur, minkejja matul dawn l-ahhar snin hassew il-piz tax-xoghlijiet kollha li kellhom isiru fil-Belt.