The Chamber of Small and Medium Enterprises (GRTU), accused the government of not bothering to keep commitments it made relating to the conclusion of projects, and said this had become a disease which was getting on everyone’s nerves.

Referring to the relocation of the Valletta open-air market to a new site in Merchants Street, the GRTU said it had the personal assurance of Minister Ninu Zammit, Minister Jesmond Mugliett and that of Manuel Delia, on behalf of Minister Austin Gatt, that the open-air market, the monti, would be moved to its new site by 8 June.

The date had come and gone and in spite of the assurances of three important ministers, the date was not kept, the GRTU complained.

It said it had noted with displeasure that the government did not give a hoot about commitments it made about dates related to the conclusion of projects, and this had become a disease which was getting on everyone’s nerves.

It was speaking publicly, it added, after 11 days had passed since the monti transfer should have been made. In all that time, no one from the government had bothered to inform the GRTU, which represented the shop owners trading in the commercial centre of the capital, as to why the government had not kept its word.

The GRTU added the government could be faulted in another aspect as well – in many issues, the government was willy-nilly concluding agreements with whoever it pleased, or with whoever was noisiest, while ignoring the interests of everyone else.

It appealed to the government to resolve the monti issue without delay, and without twisting facts.