Green Council Award: Kirkop recovers most recyclables per capita

 The Parliamentary Secretary responsible for Local Councils, Dr Chris Said, presided over the ‘Green Council Awards', organised by the National Authorised Waste Packaging Compliance Scheme, Green MT, held at the Westin Dragonara Resort .

 

‘Green Council Awards' rewards those Local Councils who over the last year October 2009-September 2010 recovered the highest amount of recyclable materials per capita. The criteria included recovery through the Grey Bag, and Bring in Sites in the Localities.

Addressing the guests for the evening, Green MT Ceo, Joe Attard delved back in the days, early in 2008 when the grey bag collection totalled only 28tons a week and is now reaching 130 tons weekly from 41 Local Councils where Green MT is committed to recover recyclable waste. He further recalled the proactive stance taken in the very begining of ‘Recycle Tuesday' initiative put in place by Government in collaboration and in agreement with the Waste Carriers under the guidance of GRTU and also the Local Councils Association whose contribution to where we are today is commendable.

GRTU Director General and Green MT Chairman, Vincent Farrugia also addressed those present and spoke about the vision that one needs to have to reach goals which are sometimes viewed as extremely difficult. He said the past had its difficulties and now looks forward to more and more concrete steps to be taken by the Authorities and Government in order to improve on what has been built.' Despite the difficulties, working together will help us reach the final aim, that of not only reaching legal obligations on behalf of the business community, which is primary, but also that of creating a link with the residential community in all Maltese and Gozitan Local Councils' stated Vince Farrugia. He expressed thanks to all Local Councils.

In his keynote speech, Dr Chris Said thanked Green MT for setting up these awards and for further establishing new parameters of assesment for each Local Council operating with Green MT for 2011. ‘Best Value Performance Indicators' will be put in place as a methodology for assessing Local Councils for the coming year in order to better the service rendered to our residents.

Dr Said elaborated on a mentality change that is happening from day to day from our schools to our residences to our places of work and then to the whole of the individual localities. It is a time where we need to be bolder and more proactive in the choices we make. Less Packaging, less waste, less financial burdens, less use of fossil fuels. Dr Said emphasized on the commitment that Government has made in respect to the environment and more specifically to the recovery and treatment of a number of waste streams.

There is a need to continue to make better choices and better use of our resources. We need to further establish stronger environmental awareness and indulge into more educational campaigns. ‘Although enforcement in itself is a requisite, it is us, each individual, each business enterpreneur, all of us that need to make a mentality change in order to increase recoveries at present.

Green MT reached a recovery of 7928 tons of recyclable material from local Councils during Oct 2009 to end September 2010. Green Council Awards were then presented to the Local Council of Kirkop which reached an annual recovery per capita of 66kg annnually, followed closely by Ta' Xbiex which recovered 65kg per capita and then Birkirkara which recovered 46kg per capita. Birkirkara was the Locality which recovered most recyclable waste in volume terms. Other recognitions were presented to Service Providers and the Local Councils Association and the Gozo Region. The Hospitality Industry Award went to The Westin Dragonara Resort.

Financing Government projects without further endangering our precarious budget deficit position

Use the funds of the tax evaders not of taxpayers – We find it hard to accept that Government continues to finance projects in spite of the continuous warning from the EU Commission that our Budget deficit position cannot take the pressure. What this in practice means is that Malta runs the risk of slowing its economic revival after the recession as support programmes to enterprise will have to be curtailed or, even worse, that austerity measures including increased taxation will have to be introduced to ensure the financial dismal gap is closed as soon as possible.

 

GRTU has never minced its words, one of the reasons as to why the gap widened and why the taxpayer continues to be threatened by new fiscal punishment is evasion. The truth is that the majority of enterprise owners today are law abiding and fulfill their tax obligations including payment of income tax, VAT, ECO tax and social contributions while otters continue to evade unscrupulously and it seems without much pressure from the authorities.

Hardly a month passes that GRTU is not complaining with the tax authorities on the serious problem of tax evasion. The current target is the widespread evasion of ECO taxation. This besides the fact that ECO contribution is a tax that is terribly discriminatory as it taxes products most unfairly. This most incompetent taxation was introduced and has continued to be sustained by the fiscal authorities in spite of its deficiencies. When ECO tax is evaded it almost automatically leads also to VAT evasion and to Income Tax evasion as businessmen who evade ECO tax are not so stupid to then declare an illicit importation for VAT purposes or the profit made on such trading for income tax purposes. The anger of GRTU on this issue has reached boiling point and the tax commissioners know this quite well.

All the millions evaded have not only created a tremendously unfair disleveled business and market structure as the honest trader has to compete with the illicit trader but it has also stifled Government efforts to put up more funds to support small  businesses who in spite of the schemes in action are suffocating due to lack of sufficient money around for support and extended enterprise guarantee schemes, for example.

Worst still is that the money evaded is used in the black market economy or held undeclared here or overseas and the Government is failing to cause these funds to be utilised in the Maltese Economy. When Government issued the last amnesties Ministers incredibly refused GRTU's strong recommendation to issue special bonds or other financial instruments so that these funds would NOT be all dumped on the property market with the consequence that they make the evaders even richer while the honest trader or household owner suffers further as h/she finds it impossible to extend its business premises, grow in other business areas or if a householder, buys a larger house as prices pushed up unnaturally by the ‘invasion of the "amnesty" released previously illicit funds sent this sector into an inflationary spiral unseen before with resultant negative impact for many other economic sectors.

Now Government is at it again. They just financed Air Malta from state funds, our taxpayers funds, and again put our national effort to close the deficit gap at great peril. And we all know don't we that the €57m pumped in Air Malta are not enough. We all know how well Government experts do their projections, don't we all know.

This was a great occasion for Government to create special bonds and cause those who still keep their millions abroad or hidden in Malta to bring them out in the open and amnestied only if the evaders place their funds in the bonds earmarked for Air Malta or for other projects that may be needed to provide the alternative jobs for those who would be made redundant. Why is it GRTU asks that Government always takes the soft option and they are so terrified of those who continuously beat the system? What hold do these people have on Government?

GRTU stands to be counted and we reiterate that we are against the endangering of the deficit further simply because Government cannot come to terms with the speculators who unscrupulously milked the system and continue to be protected while the employees of Air Malta and others in the big sector of small enterprise employment remain under threat because it is always to them that Government turns when things are bad.

Employment in Europe 2020 report

The new report underlines how young people have borne the brunt of the crisis, with unemployment disproportionately hitting 15-24 year olds and reaching over 30% in some countries. The rise in unemployment combined with limited opportunities to re-enter work has aggravated the risk of a surge in long-term unemployment or people leaving the labour market altogether. The report stresses that it might be some time before we see a clear upswing for jobs. It covers in particular the impact of the labour market recovery measures adopted by Member States since the beginning of the crisis and also structural obstacles faced by young people in EU labour markets.

 

Assessing the possibilities of reinforcing existing measures, and the necessity of their phasing out as the crisis fades, is even more relevant now in times of fiscal consolidation. The report shows, for instance, that temporary public financial support in the form of in-work subsidies improves job opportunities for all groups, but can be particularly effective if specifically targeted at younger workers. The crisis also highlighted the negative consequences of labour market segmentation between "insiders", or those working in protected regular contracts, and "outsiders", those in temporary jobs

As the report argues, more effective labour market inclusion can be achieved through the implementation of comprehensive flexicurity policy packages. This could include, as set out in the flagship initiative 'Agenda for new skills and jobs', to extend the use of open-ended contractual arrangements with a sufficiently long probation period and a gradual increase of protection rights, access to training, life-long learning and career guidance for all employees. This would aim to reduce the existing divisions between those holding temporary and permanent contracts.

In Malta it is said that demand for new workers remained relatively strong and that unemployment levels were maintained. Long term unemployment in Malta is said to have increased only slightly when compares to most of the other member states. The average working hours have continued to decline. When comparing to the Lisbon target of reaching 70% in employment rate Malta was one of the six Member States which are furthest from the target at 54.9%. Malta is also furthest from the Lisbon target of 60% related to the female employment rate, where Malta qualifies at 37.7%. The report further goes to explain that Malta has therefore the largest gender gap in employment rates together with Italy and Greece where the employment rate for men is more than 20 percentage points higher than that for women. The report explained that in 2009, only 11 Member States had an employment rate for persons aged 55-64 of above 50%. However a considerable number of Member States, including Malta, remain more than 10 percentage points short of the Stockholm target. With a value of less than 30%, however, Malta had the lowest employment rate for older persons among all the Member States, having made no significant improvement since 2000. On a more positive note Malta is one of the Member States where the report said that no decline in self-employment was registered.

The report goes on to explain and compare the schemes, subsidies and incentives for employment, especially for disadvantaged persons, in the Member States together with those of Malta. In Malta, a Rapid Reaction Unit has been set up to assist in training of workers from companies where mass lay-offs have occurred or reduced working-time arrangements are in force. In Malta, long-term unemployed must do community work or lose their benefits.

The report can be found on: http://ec.europa.eu/social/main.jsp?catId=738&langId=en&pubId=593&type=2&furtherPubs=no

Getting more people into better jobs

 New plan sets out action to reach 75% employment target for the EU by 2020.

The agenda for new skills and jobs aims to make labour markets more flexible, give workers the skills they need, improve working conditions and create jobs.

 

The main goal – by 2020 – is to achieve an employment rate of 75% for all people between 20 and 64. It is one of the five key elements of the EU's growth and jobs strategy, Europe 2020.

Job creation is one of Europe's most pressing concerns. Today, 10% of 20 to 64 year olds – some 23 million people – are unemployed. And it's not that there are no jobs available. Estimates show that by 2015, the EU will lack 2.7 million skilled workers in the IT, health and research sectors.

The bloc's aging population makes the situation more complicated. The percentage of those in work must increase to offset both the large number of retirements expected in the next few years and the number of jobs lost during the recession.

The agenda has four priorities:

Modernising job markets

A single, open-ended work contract gives employees more protection from firing the longer they work. The contract would provide more job security for workers, but would be flexible enough to urge employers to hire.

Matching skills to jobs

An online database that forecasts skills supply and labour demand will help people make education and training choices based on the future job market, improving their employment prospects.

Businesses would also be able to consult the site, making it easier to find workers with the skills they need. Such pre-emptive action should prevent skill gaps.

The plan also calls for EU-wide recognition of qualifications, namely through the 'European skills passport'.

Improving job quality and working conditions

The commission will review existing laws on working time, health and safety and the integration of non-EU workers.

Creating jobs

The commission will propose ways to enable job creation by cutting red tape. They will include reducing non-wage labour costs and addressing legal obstacles to hiring, firing, setting up new companies and self-employment.

The commission is set to apply the agenda's 13 action points between now and 2014.

Commission sets out options on future cohesion policy

The Commission's 5th Report on Economic, Social and Territorial Cohesion shows that the EU's cohesion policy has made a significant contribution to growth and prosperity and promoting balanced development across the Union. Nevertheless, in view of the substantial economic and social developments over recent years, the policy now has to address new challenges. In the wider context of the EU budget review, the report underlines that future cohesion policy investments must be closely aligned to the objectives of Europe 2020. It also proposes introducing much stricter conditions as well as incentives to ensure the effective use of the funds dedicated to cohesion policy and an increased focus on results.

 

The report presents an extensive assessment of the economic, social and environmental situation and trends in EU regions and sets out a number of different options for adapting the policy post-2013. It shows how cohesion policy has benefited all regions both through direct investments and indirect trade benefits, as well as supporting EU-wide priorities, such as environmental protection and research and innovation.

Evaluations show that, between 2000 and 2006, investment from cohesion policy:

helped to create an estimated 1.4 million new jobs, supported small firms and boosted research

offered valuable training opportunities to millions of women, young people, the vulnerable in society and the unemployed and helped around 2 million beneficiaries of training per year move into a job

modernised transport links, supporting the construction or improvement of thousands of kilometres of road and rail and the modernisation of ports and airports

improved environmental conditions for millions of Europeans bringing the quality of drinking water and treatment of waste water up to EU standards

However, despite these achievements, large economic differences between regions remain. The report reveals striking regional differences in areas from productivity, to infant mortality rates and vulnerability to climate change. Drawing on lessons learnt from the current and previous programming periods as well as discussions with a broad range of stakeholders, the report makes a series of proposals for reforming the policy.

The economic and financial crisis has underlined the need for a policy that invests in the competitiveness of all regions as well as continuing to support development in those lagging behind. Coinciding with the wider examination of total EU expenditure, the report stresses that future funding should focus on a limited number of priorities, in line with the goals set by Europe 2020 strategy for achieving 'smart, sustainable and inclusive growth'. Emphasising the benefits of designing funding to suit national and regional development needs, it opens a debate on how the overall architecture of cohesion policy can ensure that each fund contributes effectively to achieving Europe 2020's policy objectives. The report argues that cohesion policy planning and management cycles should be recast to ensure that these objectives are translated into investment priorities.

To do this, the Commission proposes establishing a comprehensive overall strategic framework detailing priorities, objectives, and the reforms needed to maximise the impact of cohesion investment. A contract between Member States and the Commission would flesh out how these would be met, building on the countries' future National Reform Programmes. This would include the setting of clear and measurable targets and emphasise the importance of national coordination of funding from different EU sources to ensure effective delivery and visible results.

Another idea put forward is to offer incentives to make implementation of the cohesion programmes as efficient and ambitious as possible. A percentage of cohesion funding could be set aside and made available to national and regional authorities based on the quality, and progress, of the programmes they submit. The report also proposes ideas for simplifying the delivery system by reducing red-tape, and improving evaluation, performance and results through more effective target-setting.

Background information

The publication of this report marks the launch of a public consultation process which will run until 31 January. All stakeholders are invited to submit their views on the different questions raised in the conclusions of the 5th Cohesion Report on-line:

http://ec.europa.eu/regional_policy/consultation/index_en.htm

Maternity leave will not be extended

 The voting against by the majority of member states, including Malta, to more time off for parents, has dismissed a plan from the European Parliament to extend the basic right to maternity leave from 14 to 20 weeks on full pay.

 

In October, a majority of MEPs voted in favour of 20 weeks' maternity leave and two weeks' paternity leave, claiming a victory for gender equality and work-life balance. But the Parliament has now faced stiff opposition from the Council of Ministers, where the plan has hit a nerve about national prerogatives to set social policy.

Unanimous opposition

EU employment and social affairs ministers meeting on the 6th of December has made clear their unanimous opposition to the plans.

The conflict has arisen over the update of the 1992 directive on health and safety of pregnant workers. When it presented its proposal in 2008, the European Commission called for the extension of maternity leave from 14 weeks to 18 weeks and a guarantee that women would get at least sick-pay rates.

The Parliament argues that the EU should be more ambitious, reflecting the Union's proposals on gender equality and citing the World Health Organization's advice that new mothers should spend six months breastfeeding.

‘Regressive' plans

France, Spain and the UK have been leading the opposition to the Parliament's plans, arguing that they could have a negative effect by discouraging employers from hiring young women.

The plans have also fallen foul of the Swedish government, which feared damage to its ‘gender-blind' system of parental leave. Italy and Sweden are among a minority of countries that could accept the 20-week proposal, but they object to the Parliament's attempts to determine pay rates.

The Parliament has succeeded in uniting the Council around the view that the EU law should be restricted to basic health-and-safety standards, leaving national governments free to develop their own welfare systems. However the Parliament was late in agreeing its position, after deciding to commission an impact assessment of the costs and benefits of maternity leave at 14 and 20 weeks. This study has not satisfied national governments, which are calling for a new impact assessment to be carried out.

Malta

Malta thought this is a premature proposal which requires more studies on its impact before it can be considered. Malta also opposed the Parliament's proposal to grant two fully paid weeks of paternal leave to men fathering a newborn – at present fathers have just two days. Malta was in favour of flexibility and the issue should be dealt with directly by member states on an individual basis.

Malta, Hon Dolores Christina said, was in favour of worklife balance and gender initiatives but such a proposal would put an immense financial strain on member states, particularly at a time when they were recovering from the economic crisis.

Arguing against a one-size-fits all approach, she said member states should be allowed to individually set the amount of leave and pay, which should be related to the level of pay given for sick leave and other benefits. Member states who wanted to introduce more benefits to would-be mothers should be allowed to do so gradually.

Maltese women can currently take 14 weeks maternity leave and be paid their full salary. Some EU member states allow more maternity leave than Malta, even up to a year in certain cases. However, the level of pay varies from a percentage of the full pay to unpaid leave.

“The same as last year will not be good enough”Retailers expressing their views on sales this festiv

 Retailers expressing their views on sales this festive season – GRTU has this week surveyed a sample of its members, according to their relevance to the subject, on how they think their sales will fare during the festive season.

 

Almost half of the respondents said they expect this year's Christmas sales to be the same as last years. Most have added that this meant nothing good as sales last year have taken a downward plunge. Unfortunately a further 36 per cent anticipated a decrease in sales with only 19 per cent expecting their sales to increase.

Retailers expressed their feeling that the effects of the financial crises have not completely worn off and in addition the insecurity that was hampering sales last year because of the utility tariffs has not only not worn off but has become more aggravated as increases were registered for all utilities and water electricity bills have just come out. What a thoughtful Christmas present! Retailers are afraid that money put aside to buy gifts for the loved ones will now be used to settle their pending bills as people hate leaving bills pending and are scared of interests that might apply.

63% said they do not think Christmas shopping has yet started even though they admitted this might be true only for their area. Weather conditions have not helped however these also said that they were not as alarmed as Christmas shopping traditionally would start soon and they have had plenty of window shoppers during the last week, so consumers were preparing. Christmas shopping is expected to start next Monday, being it a Public Holiday and a long weekend. Many of those who however said that Christmas shopping had started said it wasn't a solid start and the shopping flow should be strengthened next Monday.

As expected two thirds of respondents said that since Christmas would come on Saturday most consumers would leave it to the very last week to make their purchases and therefore the week leading to Christmas is expected to be the busiest. Over 30% said that next week might be busier than Christmas week and a minority said that the week leading to new year would be busiest mostly because of salary and sale issues.

Those surveyed were very disappointed with the decision to issue bills just before Christmas and more so because they felt that bills were still being issued haphazardly , this time for the last two months. What predictability can the consumer have with these methods? In general consumers are ending up with less disposable income in hand and therefore spending less and concentrating only on spending what is necessary. Retailers dealing with electronic goods said they still face a huge disadvantage with the hefty eco-tax when competing with foreign goods. The increase in national contributions and the incessant unfair competition were two other factors which retailers said were not helping.

As for the retailers in the Locality outside Valletta and Sliema, they were all very disappointed that no decorations were done. They said consumers take shopping as an opportunity to go out and they like to do it where there is a nice atmosphere and they take their time and enjoy the surroundings. Another very frequent complaint was the parking problem in the majority of the Localities. Consumers want to relax and not spend hours going round in circles in a desperate attempt to find parking and get frustrated in doing so.

Most of the retailers said they tried their best to improve their chances of selling through the usual promotions such as advertising, special offers and gift packs and others have tried even more innovative, aggressive and expensive methods such more innovative window displays and products, printing of booklets, free gifts and open weeks. They also said they used all media available to them including websites and facebook. A good 17% also said they did nothing of this sort as they said, as did many of those who did special sale boosting preparations, they doubt the effectiveness of such initiatives.

GRTU also asked retailers if there was a product that was standing out as the most frequent amongst the consumer demands. This year the spotlight seems to be on LED TVs, net books, toy Characters such as Toy Story 3, and inevitably the most innovative, the cheapest and the classic perfume, silver and latest fashion accessory. Electric household goods retailers said earlier this year they had planned Gas Heaters would do well but with the increase in Gas prices, this was not likely to materialize.

GRTU takes the opportunity to wish good Christmas shopping to our readers.

Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulations. Quo Vadis?

Malta is a country that is not only encompassed by bureaucrats but also a country where political will leaves much to be desired. Or, let me put it in other words, politicians have different tongues which they utilise according to the event or nature of the event, whilst the administrator delivers what's in tangible black and white, albeit in the most bureaucratic of ways.

 

The European Directive in relation to Packaging and Packaging Waste has been in place for ages, locally transposed through Legal Notice 277 of 2006. And where are we really till now?

The Government of the day has lumped two authorised Waste Packaging Schemes, namely Green MT and GreenPak, with the responsibility of recovering waste recyclables from 68 Local Councils. The bait, or the carrot, was exemption for Eco Contribution payment.

Those few who to date have received a provisional exemption certificate from payment of Eco Contribution, namely 83 companies are contributing financially towards both of the authorised schemes. Meantime an additional 300 have also joined the schemes, mostly due to the fact that they today pay Eco Contribution, but look forward to being exempt shortly.

Shortly, we are told, is at the discretion of the "Approving Body". Companies who today have a provisional certificate of Exemption do not know whether they will be exempt next year or not. How can these companies Budget? Why should they live by the sword? We expect that the "Approving Body" in accordance with LN84 of 2010 extends (renews) the same certificate for another year, 2011.

Beyond this MEPA, the Competent Authority responsible for enforcing this legislation needs to stand and be counted. Why impose obligations on Authorised Schemes but fail to accordingly enforce the legislation? The ensuing result of this ludicrous situation is that Green MT, one of the Authorised Schemes, due to its responsibility in 41 Local Councils to collect packaging waste has exceeded by far its legal obligations.

We could have stopped all operators on October 1 2010, and still would have created our legal obligation. However, Local Council and their residents need to be provided with a service, schools too, commercial collections too, and last but least recovery from all bring-in-sites.

The lack of enforcement by MEPA, together with the costs of operation of WasteServ's MRF facility are definitely driving Green MT through a brick wall. We are counting the days.

In a few days time Green MT will hold the "Green Council Award" ceremony. We duly hope it will not be the first and last.

Government today thinks that because no payments are being forked for all these services by Government, then it sits pretty on the side line. Of course, during the inauguration of the Sant Antnin facility at M'Scala, the Government thanked one and all except Authorised Schemes. That of course was expected.

It was a pleasure to hear the Minister for Resources and Rural Affairs state that because we worked hard we avoided the circumstances that occurred in neighbouring Naples. We hope his words will remain an echo.

GRTU Malta Chamber of Small and Medium Enterprises has stood tall. We took on the responsibility while others shrugged it overnight. We established Green MT. We pushed as best possible producers to uptake their responsibility. We worked long hard hours. We lingered on despite the bureaucratic and legal problems.

We have gone far in promoting Waste Separation from the initial logistics of the "grey bag" to so many initiatives and additional collections in so many localities. We will hold both MEPA and WasteServ responsible if all this crumbles. Time will tell!

Abbozz ta Ligi dwar il-Konsumaturtur

 Fit-22 ta' Novembru li ghadda il-Gvern ressaq l-Abbozz ta' Ligi li jistabilixxi l-Awtorita' ta' Malta dwar il-Kompetizzjoni u l-Affarijiet tal-Konsumatur. Ladarba titwaqqaf, din l-Awtorita' se tkun qed timmira biex is-swieq f'pajjizna jahdmu ahjar u biex tissahhah il-fiducja bejn il-konsumatur u n-negozji.

 

Fix-xhur li ghaddew, is-Segretarju Parlamentari ghall-Konsumatur, Kompetizzjoni Gusta, Kunsilli Lokali u Konsultazzjoni Pubblika,  Dr Chris Said flimkien mat-tim tieghu kellu l-opportunita' li jiltaqa' mall-GRTU biex jispjegaw x'ghandhom f'mohhhom u biex jisimghu minghandna r-reazzjoni taghna ghall-abbozz ta' ligi li kien ghadu qed jitfassal. Saru prezentazzjonijiet dwarha anki fl-MCESD.

Issa l-abbozz ta' ligi tressaq ghall-ewwel qari fil-Parlament, ma jfissirx li dan dahal fis-sehh. Ghad fadal zmien bizzejjed biex dan jigi rfinut fl-istadju tat-Tieni Qari u anki fl-istadju ta' Kumitat.

Ghaldaqstant hawn link  www.opm.gov.mt/konsumatur min fejn tista tnizzel kopja ta' pubblikazzjoni li tispjega l-Ligi fi kliem semplici.

Nistiednek tifli dak li qed jigi propost u tressaq aktar hsibijiet jew reazzjonijiet dwar it-twaqqif ta' din l-Awtorita' lil Carmen Borg fuq