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Strong objection by GRTU for new imposition on Small Enterprises
10 April 2010
GRTU is strongly objecting to the stealth by which a number of authorities are imposing new burdens on small enterprises, contrary to the long standing agreement between Government and the GRTU that the cost of business licenses should go down, not up. Indeed as long as Edwin Vassallo was in charge of small businesses the mechanism has started working, so much so that the operating licences started actually to go down.
GRTU does not distinguish between businesses who operate from fixed addresses like retailers and others operating through the use of special vehicles such as those carrying water, fuel, gas and waste and other types of hauliers. The worst culprit in the eyes of GRTU is the Malta Resources Authority (MRA), who has taken upon itself the role which at law belongs to the Transport Authority and is imposing on licensed Carriers additional charges per truck in addition to the road licences imposed by the Transport Authority.
MRA is also heftily increasing the business licenses and in defiance GRTU insists on the long standing Cabinet decision not to load small businesses with increases of licences. Selected transporters are being asked to reapply for their licences even though operators had enjoyed their operating licences for decades.
The increases in licences range from €25 to the hefty €500 annually. This at a time when on the insistence of GRTU a new Parliamentary Secretary for the Self Employed and small businesses has been re-established to ensure a fair deal for small business owner.
GRTU believes Minister Pullicino has decided to disregard Cabinet decisions and lash out against the self-employed. GRTU is angered that in spite of the talk when it comes to actual practice within the whole Government structure their still exists loads of bias against the self employed.
Director General Vince Farrugia is this week raising this issue with the Prime Minister as he believes that the Cabinet of Ministers cannot appear to be divided on the issue of support of self-employed and small business owners.
