“Towns and villages are a source of employment, and the government, through the Parliamentary Secretariat for Small Business and the Self Employed, is going to be working to see that commercial activity is spread throughout the commercial locations, so that business will be sustainable.”

The Parliamentary Secretary for Small Business and the Self Employed, Edwin Vassallo, was speaking during an activity in which the publication of a leaflet showing the commercial centres in Malta and Gozo was announced. The leaflet also gives information about what can be found in these localities, and which buses can be used to reach them. Also present for the activity was Paul Abela, president of the GRTU.

Mr Vassallo said that “thanks to this leaflet, my secretariat will be listing the various commercial centres, how to reach them and what to find when when you get there. This leaflet is therefore useful for the consumer – both Maltese and foreign”.

Mr Vassallo stressed the importance of branding these commercial centres and said that the commercial centres in Malta and Gozo all had their individual characteristics and this leads to them being known for the sale of particular products and services. In the coming days, the parliamentary secretariat will also be publishing a directory specific to each locality, in order to ensure that consumers are better informed about where to go according to their needs. He called on local councils to help. “For the past five years,” he said, “we have consulted with the local councils, and have encouraged each council to appoint a councillor responsible for commercial activity. With the publication of the statistics that show just how many employment opportunities each locality is offering, we hope that the councils will feel more responsible and work to encourage more commercial activity, always keeping a balance between the needs of the commercial community and those of the residents”, he said.