Azzjoni Nazzjonali met members of the Malta Employers Association yesterday at their offices in Sliema, where they discussed the obstacles impeding businesses from moving forward, and how they can be helped in order to move ahead.

This country has had financial problems in the past and we want to make sure that this doesn’t happen anymore; for this reason we have a programme which promotes sustainability, productivity and pro-activity at work, and also with regard to the environment and the economy, said the president of the Malta Employers Association, Pierre Fava.

Now that Malta is a member of the European Union there are many challenges, “and workers have more rights so we need to be even more competitive. Family friendly measures should also extend to old people, and people need to be more aware about opportunities such as teleworking and flexible hours,” said Mr Fava. “Another important aspect is Islamic Banking – there has been a lot of interest from Arab countries that want to invest here and if we’re not ready for this opportunity we will lose it,” he added.

AN leader Josie Muscat pointed out that unlike the two main parties, AN’s political manifesto is not based on auction politics, but had, among others, the following main points:

AN considers small and medium-sized industries to be the country’s engine, and this needs to be given diesel in order for it to move forward; more niches need to be found and innovation developed; real creativity must be promoted without resorting to copying others – for example in the private health sector “we have managed to keep on moving and resisting a number of blows from the government, such as when it tried to steal our nurses by giving them better wages”.

On education Dr Muscat said it was a farce that the electoral campaign has been based on the Reception Class only, as though it is the only thing that exists. AN wants to see the educational system producing ‘whole citizens’ – and for this they were suggesting that after the first two years of secondary school are completed, students should be sent to specialised colleges.

AN wants to eliminate bureaucracy and those who work hardest should enjoy their rewards and not be taxed endlessly. There should be accountability, from the country’s head of state down to the clerical grades in government. “We want to avoid situations where for example, the recycling plant in Marsascala was forced upon us, as is made evident in the Malta Environmental Planning Authority (Mepa) Auditor’s Report.”

Dr Muscat said they hoped that the Maltese population would have the courage to change the way they have been led in the last 40 years, by having another party represented in Parliament rather than just two parties.

Incentives

With regard to the article – “We want to help those who are suffering” AN published yesterday, AN said that their proposals in order to create incentives for localities they want to see commercialised such as Cottonera are that firstly whoever wants to convert their house into a business will be able to get it at Lm20,000, with the government as the ‘guarantor for the amount the bank gives as guarantee’; and secondly with regard to vacant properties – those properties built before 1959 will be taxed at five per cent only; while for those built after 1959 the tax on rent will be 18 per cent, in each case after the 20 per cent rebate for maintenance is also reduced.