Labour leader Alfred Sant said yesterday that a new MLP government would provide full support to small and medium enterprises (SMEs).

He was speaking outside the Construct Furniture premises during a visit to SMEs operating in the sectors of furniture and car repair, at Luqa industrial estate yesterday afternoon.

“We support SMEs operations. They create quality local products and some of them are now even exporting their goods,” he said.

Speaking about Construct Furniture, he said it started off as a very small company employing about five people between 1996 and 1998, but now employing 100 people.

“We care for such companies and our proposals bear evidence to this,” said Dr Sant, adding that “companies that do not benefit from capping on their utility bills will be given tax credits to make up for half the cost of the surcharge”.

He said a new MLP government would also directly commit itself to reduce bureaucracy for SMEs and provide them with assistance to be able to operate in a more favourable legal environment.

“A new Labour government will provide its full support to SMEs that want to expand their operations, export their goods and carry out research to improve their products,” he said, adding that the upkeep of industrial estates was also extremely important. Industrial estates must be designed and maintained properly, said the Labour leader.