The GRTU, Chamber of Small and Medium Enterprises, yesterday published a list of over 30 factors which it said were affecting prices in Malta, and which the government could, and was duty bound, to do something about.

It was referring to its participation at the meeting last Friday, of the Malta Council for Economic and Social Development, which discussed the cost of living, and what was driving it up.

The GRTU said it had researched the subject with business owners in various sectors, such as retailers, traders, wholesalers, transporters, bar and restaurant owners, and various service providers, such as pharmacies, hair salons, beauty salons, farms, petrol stations, repair garages, computer and IT services, and other economic activities.

Its analysis showed that prices reflected the costs system which traders faced. On-the-spot inspections by the government and public entities in shops and business outlets, were considering only the symptom of the problem, not its cause.

It was locally created costs which impinged on prices, after traders paid for the products they bought, the GRTU said.

Traders, GRTU members and businessmen indicated many conditions which were affecting prices. The list the GRTU gave included the country’s unnecessary bureaucracy, which was getting worse; charges imposed without control by the banks; administrative charges imposed by public departments and entities and unchecked charges imposed by public or private monopolies – such as Enemalta for electricity and fuels, GO and Vodafone for telephony, the Freeport and Valletta Gateway Terminals for the ports, Federated Mills for flour, unnecessary transport costs caused by delays, damage and traffic mis-management, costs created by wardens, unchecked charges for parking and ever rising insurance costs. Also costs on environmental issues and health and safety measures, food hygiene costs created by foreign countries, unnecessary zeal in implementing EU rules without taking into consideration their impact on small businesses here, part-time labour regulations, strict VAT regulations which created hell for those observing the law instead of for those evading it, unnecessary costs without compensation related to the euro changeover, high prices for commercial property, MEPA charges imposed without control, Transport Authority charges, and a taxation system which punished those who worked and were productive, while favouring those who skived, speculated or evaded works.

The GRTU said the authorities should seriously consider and take action to reduce the costs which traders had to meet, otherwise it would be futile to talk about controlling inflation.