The fact that a number of self-employed and owners of small businesses get together to form a cooperation should be considered as another way of doing business in today’s competitive world, the Parliamentary Secretariat for Small Businesses and the Self-Employed said in a statement yesterday.

The secretariat will be organising a conference on Saturday, during which representatives of cooperatives will come together to discuss ways of improving their businesses and to serve as an example for several businesses and self-employed people who may be looking into new ways of doing business to improve their competitive edge.

The conference will also serve as part of the consultation process that will lead to amendments to the legislation on cooperatives.

Malta has 54 cooperatives at present and a total of 352 members from a wide range of businesses and commercial entities.

The government is determined to see these numbers grow further, since cooperatives may serve as a tool for businesses to make a leap in quality.

The conference will include five workshops on a variety of issues, including the reduction of bureaucracy in national structures, continuous training, further job creation and networking.

Those wishing to participate in Saturday’s conference should contact the Parliamentary Secretariat for Small Businesses and the Self-Employed on 2388-6165 or by sending an email to: [email protected].