Malta Labour Party leader Alfred Sant yesterday said the government should do its best to help small self-employed business at a time of difficulty.

Speaking during a visit to bakeries in Qormi, Dr Sant described the work of small enterprises, including bakeries, as essential. He said it became clear, from what he was told, that bakeries had distribution problems on the one hand and operational costs on the other.

A reduction in consumption had also led to negative effects on bakeries, he said.

The Labour leader said that the increase in the water and electricity bills and in fuel costs will increase these difficulties. He appealed to the government to take the necessary steps to help small enterprises in the same way it was proposing to help bigger businesses.