Commercial activity in towns and villages was a source of work opportunities and the government was implementing a branding exercise through the parliamentary secretariat for small businesses and the self-employed, parliamentary secretary Edwin Vassallo said.

The government, he said, wanted more commercial activity in towns and villages but it had to be organised and must not create an impact on residents.

Mr Vassallo was speaking when presenting two plaques to be put up in various localities. GRTU director general Vince Farrugia was present.

Towns and villages should be known for what they offered and branding the commercial centres was intended as promotion for the population, and as a direction to commercial activities for tourists.

They wanted to create a culture where localities would be sought for their specialisation.

Various steps have been taken in this intention so far, including contacts with local councils, visits to establish contact, reports have been drawn up and published, and a map has been produced showing which localities could be considered commercial centres.

The next step now is the publication of a directory for the commercial sectors of each locality.

The first places where plaques would be put up will be Birkirkara, Bugibba, Cospicua, Gzira, Hamrun, Mgarr, Marsalforn, Mdina, Mosta, Munxar, Naxxar, Qawra, Rabat, Senglea, Sliema, St Paul’s Bay, Sta. Venera, Vittoriosa, Xlendi, and Zebbug.

These localities contributed well to the country’s economy.

Statistics showed that in 200,4 these 15 localities had 12,613 businesses, employing some 28,000 persons.

The plaques would give information such as historic sites, shops, restaurants, traditional Maltese food, wine bars, agro-industrial communities, handcrafts, hotels, casinos, fish restaurants, markets, cinemas and polyclinics.