Although the GRTU is satisfied that the smoking ban on restaurants and places of entertainment has been postponed, there are still several issues that need to be discussed to make the law more just.

The chamber said that the Malta Standards Authority must establish standards to monitor the equipment used by establishments to abide by the law. There must be procedures to determine how inspections will be carried out and how owners will be notified of any negative reports. The GRTU also said that legislation stating that anyone caught smoking in a prohibited area must pay very large fines should also be amended.

The GRTU is also waiting for the government to announce the financial support to be given to the owners of the establishments in question to abide by the law. The chamber noted that the Health Ministry has not yet applied for EU structural funds to be used to help implement this smoking ban.

As the representative of owners of establishments affected by the smoking ban, the GRTU should form part of the Tobacco Control Act consultative committee to reduce public argument and be more fair. The chamber is also waiting for the Employment Relations Board to clarify when a worker can stop working due to a health threat brought on by smoking.

The chamber is confident that with the government’s goodwill, the situation will be remedied and problems will be sorted out as soon as possible so that the law can be implemented within the stipulated time period.