When minority shareholders invest their hard earned cash in shares in public listed companies that take decisions over which these small shareholders have no say, there is nothing in place in Malta, in the European Union, North Africa or anywhere else which will refund them their outlay should such businesses stumble, find adverse conditions or other difficulties.

Therefore, it amazes the common man how other sectors of the economy think it their probably “civil right” to compel the administration to guarantee their business ventures overseas when developments are not kind to its success.

On the one hand some business operators constantly complain that the government must get out of business ventures and also campaign for less government involvement so that the country’s administrative costs are brought down with more left over for the private sector. On the other hand, when some risks come to term and disrupt some business sector or other, these economic operators expect the state to bail them out.

Is it right that the small shareholders piggyback the rest of the country, having to pay 35 per cent tax on dividends after the public listed company, of which they are the nominal owners, has already paid its VAT and income taxes, licences and so on?

J. Bonett Balzan

ST JULIAN’S