Category: Archive – 2004

Dan ghaliex mhux veru li
skond l-Avviz Legali 414 tal-2004 bars zghar ser jithalla li jsir tipjip fihom.
Kull ma nghataw specjali l-postijiet iz-zghar huwa sitt xhur biex jinstallaw
l-apparat li jnaddaf l-arja fil-kamra tat-tipjip maghluqa ghal kollox, dan
fil-fatt jfisser li bla kamra maghluqa ghal min irid ipejjep lanqas fil-bars
iz-zghar ma jista’ jsir tipjip.

Il-GRTU illum ser tqassam l-avvizi
lill-bars u stabbilimenti ohra biex dawn jitwahhlu u javzaw lil pubbliku li
tipjip mhux permezz. Il-GRTU wkoll ser tiltaqa’ mall-Kummissarju tal-Pulizija
biex jigi stabbilit kif ser tahdem il-Ligi .

Il-GRTU tibqa tfakkar li
l-Avviz Legali 414 tal-2004 jikser l-ftehiem li sar bejn il-GRTU u l-Ministru
Louis Deguara. Il-GRTU issostni wkoll li l-Ministru Louis Deguara dahhal TOTAL
SMOKING BAN u meta ghamel hekk qabes il-linja li kien ta’ l-Kabinett
tal-Ministri u dak li qal l-Prim Ministru Dr Lawrence Gonzi li f’Malta mhux ser
tiddahhal TOTAL SMOKING BAN.

Il-GRTU tqies li l-implimentazzjoni
tal-Avviz legali 414 tal-2004 mhux sempliciment Att favur is-sahha kif kien
intenzjonat li jkun, izda hu Att ta’ stmerrija kontra s-sidien
tal-istabbilimenti tad-divertiment u insult lid-90,000 adulti Malti li
jpejpu.

Meta din id-Direttiva tidhol
fis-sehh ikun ifisser li barranin mill-kumplament tal-Unjoni Ewrpea jkunu
jistghu jidhlu Malta bla xkiel kemm bhala self-employed kif ukoll bil-haddiema
taghhom bla ebda htiega ta’ registrazzjoni u jiehdu kwazi kwalunkwe xoghol ta’
servizzi kemm ta’ bejgh, distribuzzjoni, tiswijiet u nstallazjonijiet,
konsulenza, prattikament kollox.

Il-GRTU issostni li l-gvern Malti ghandu
jaghmel studju serju tal-impatt socjali u ekonomiku ta’ l-effett ta’ din
d-Direttiva fuq Malta. Is-sitwazzjoni li hi Malta llum fejn il-qaghad qed
jizdied u hafna negozji zghar jinsghabu f’diffikultajiet kbar, Malta ma tistax
thaddem Direttiva bhal din.

Il-GRTU tqies li din s-sitwazzjoni tibqa’
tghodd tal-anqas sas-sena 2010.

Id-Direttur Generali tal-GRTU Vince
Farrugia ser jitkellem fil-Konferenza fid-9.55a.m.

Fl-intervent tieghu
Vince Farrugia ser jipprezenta l-opinjoni tal-GRTU u jaghti spjega tal-istand
tal-GRTU

Laqgha importanti tas-Sidien tan-Negozji fin-Naxxar illum
fis-Saghtejn.

ï‚· Il-GRTU issostni li fil-kwistjoni
dwar it-tipjip il-gvern mhux biss abbanduna l-weghdied tieghu li jrid jghin u
jsostni lin-negozji z-zghar, izda qed jaqbad settur, dak tal-bars u
tal-postijiet tad-divertiment u jghabbihom b’responsabbiltajiet, bi spejjez u
b’nuqqas ta’ bejgh bl-aktar mod ingust.

ï‚· Il-GRTU issostni fuq kollox li
bl-aktar mod sfaccat il-gvern kiser l-ftehiem li kien ntlahaq dwar din
il-kwistjoni.

The plain and simple truth is:

1. The
way the new Regulations have been drafted (incidentally, this is the third
version of regulations on exactly the same subject in less than a year,
something of a record) necessarily implies that ALL catering establishments,
irrespective of their size, must have a physically separate smoking room by
October. If there is no such room, and in the myriad small establishments all
around the country, there will be no such room because it is not physically
possible to have one, then smoking will not be permitted. The only concession
given by the new Regulations is that these establishments have longer to bring
their (impossible to have) smoking rooms into line insofar as concerns the
quality of air. This is as close to a total smoking ban as it would be possible
to have without actually calling it one, however the Ministry spins
it.

2. During meetings on this subject presided by the Minister, it was
agreed that smaller (less than 60m2) establishments would a) not need a separate
smoking room and b) would have a year in which to install air extraction
equipment in order to minimise the incidence of tobacco smoke. Clearly, this
agreement has not been lived up to by the Ministry, however the Ministry spins
it.

3. The GRTU withdrew from the MSA Committee because the Committee
would not recognise the simple fact that the manner in which the matter was
being discussed would lead to the inevitable result that the specifications
would not reflect the agreement reached above. It was the Committee that was in
the wrong and the GRTU had no choice but to walk out, however the Ministry spins
it.

The GRTU has pledged to continue to put forward the views of the
private sector and will be filing judicial proceedings asking the Civil Court to
confirm that the Ministry of Health has reneged on its agreement. The emotive
manner of communication adopted by the Ministry will not prevent the truth
coming out when the testimony of the people who attended the meetings is heard
under oath.

Din hi okkazjoni ohra fejn
il-gvern jagixxi bla ebda hsieb ta’ kif se jintlaqtu is-sidien tan-negozji basta
jintoghgob mal ftit li xejn ma jimpurtahom mix-xoghol u l-hobz ta’
haddiehor.

Il-GRTU bis-sahha ta’ dan
is-support fil-gimghat li gejjien ser titensifika l-kampanja taghha kontra
l-esagerazzjoni ta’ imposizzjoni li qed jaghmel il-gvern Malti u favur l-ghazla
tas-sid u tal-konsumatur. Pajjizna m’ghandux bzonn regolamenti hekk iebsa biex
flimkien nirsistu kontra l-hsara mit-tipjip.

Il-Ligi kif ser tkun imposta
fil-5 ta’ April 2004 ma taghti l-ebda ghazla.

Il-GRTU tfakkar li
s-setturi l-aktar milqut b’dawn ir-regolamenti huma dawk tal-bars, clubs,
cafeterias, canteens, leisure centres, snack bars, casinos etc. Dan is-settur
jhaddmu aktar minn 5,000 ruh. Dawn ir-regolamenti ser ikunu imposti qabel
is-sajf biex barra s-suq tal-Maltin dawn l-istabilimenti jbaghtu wkoll mit-telf
tas-suq tat-turist. Il-GRTU tqies li sa sitt xhur wara d-dhul ta’ dawn
ir-regolamenti kif mfassla mill-gvern, ikunu ga ntilfu 500 impjieg. L-effett
registrat f’pajjizi ohra juri telf ta’ mpjiegi ta’ 10% fi zmien sitt xhur u ta’
20% fi zmien sena.

Il-pajjizi li dahhlu ligijiet inqas ibsien min ta’
Malta kollha kellhom telf qawwi fl-impjieg ta’ nies mis-settur tal-catering u
tal-leisure.

Dan irrizulta ghalhiex kien hemm waqa immedjata fil-bejgh
tal-istabilimenti f’dan is-settur. Il-kelliema tal-gvern Malti qed jaghtu hafna
figuri bl-addocc. L-istudji xjentifici li saru min esperti f’dan is-settur juru
li mhux veru li n-nuqqas ta’ bejgh minghand dawk li jpejjpu jghamlu tajjeb
ghalih dawk li ma jpejpux. Dan ghaliex ghal kull telf ta’ wiehed li jpejjep
l-hwienet ikunu jridu tnejn ta’ dawk li ma jpejpux u dan fil-fatt ma irrizulta
kwazi mkien. Kieku saret konsultazzjoni kieku l-gvern dawn l-affarijiet kien
ikun jafhom.

Hafna mill-pajjizi li dahhlu ligijiet anqas ibsien minn ta’
Malta illum huma taht pressjoni biex jibdlu dawn ir-regolamenti minhabba l-hsara
li gabu fuq settur kbir ta’ impjiegi. L-istess konsumaturi f’dawn il-pajjizi qed
jitolbu d-dritt tal-ghazla.

2. In April 2004, GRTU
reached an agreement with the Ministry of Health on how the Smoking Regulations
are to be implemented so that the least damage is suffered by small businesses.
The Ministry of health now issues regulations in complete disregard of this
agreement.

3. Malta joins the European Union and accepts to abide by EU
Rules and norms based on consultation, social dialogue and agreement with the
social partners. The Ministry of Health imposes regulations without any dialogue
with the stake -holders and with the recognised social partners and imposes
regulations which infringe on the rights of owners of establishments in complete
disregard of their rights as investors.

4. Government signs and promises
to adhere to the European Charter for Small Enterprises and commits itself to
help and promote the interests of small businesses. Now the Ministry of Health
imposes on owners of establishments unworkable and unacceptable regulations
without any assistance to owners whatsoever.

5. Government is expected to
shoulder all the responsibility bestowed upon it. The Ministry of Health issues
regulations that effectively transfer its responsibility for health safeguards
on owners of establishments and transfers its authority to the Police as if the
Police Department has no other serious business to conduct but chasing smokers
out of places of leisure.

6. GRTU as an employers association and as a
national organisation representing retail and commercial establishments
constantly supports government in its efforts to introduce better health and
safety conditions at work and in public places and whenever GRTU was treated as
a social partner. GRTU constantly gave its maximum to ensure things are done
effectively and prudently. The Ministry of Health’s handling of the Smoking
Regulations is sheer imposition, a disregard of EU norms and standards and an
insult to decent and acceptable public governance. It represents Ministerial
incompetence at the very best.