The Malta Independent 13 February 2025, Thursday
View E-Paper

Small and medium businesses 'are speaking the same language' as the Nationalist Party - PN

Isaac Saliba Tuesday, 4 February 2025, 13:41 Last update: about 8 days ago

The language that small and medium business owners are speaking is the same language and direction that the Nationalist Party has been drawing attention to, the PN said during a press conference on Tuesday.

PN MP Robert Cutajar, alongside MPs Ivan Castillo and Jerome Caruana Cilia, said that the Chamber of SMEs has recently made a statement showing that the majority of medium and small business owners are living in uncertainty. He said that these business owners are lacking peace of mind and added that the majority of these businesses are calling for a change in the country's economic direction.

ADVERTISEMENT

Cutajar continued that the Chamber of SMEs stated that the needless bureaucracy in Malta is placing extra pressure on such businesses and is leading to a rise in the cost of living.

He said that "due to the government's bad policies and the bad direction they are taking the country", this means that these businesses have no option except to raise prices, "which is to the detriment of Maltese and Gozitan families".

The PN MP commented that throughout the past years, the Opposition has talked about various measures that the government should take to combat the situation. "Unfortunately, due to the mistakes of the government and due to the lack of direction for the country, you and your families are paying."

"The government needs to stop being hardheaded," Cutajar said. He commented that if there is a good proposal, then the government should take it on board even if it comes from the Opposition. He said that the PN is genuinely appealing to the government so that it takes on the Opposition's proposals so that the added pressure on businesses as well as Maltese and Gozitan families can be alleviated.

Castillo said that the PN understands the difficulties being faced by Maltese and Gozitan businesses and that it also understands that the rise in the Cost of Living Adjustment, among other things, is leading to a rise in operation costs for businesses.

He said that 63% of businesses are saying that these increases in operation costs will be reflected in price increases of their products, which he said will ultimately be paid for by the consumer.

With that in mind, Castillo stated that the PN is proposing that tax credits be given to Maltese businesses to balance the difficulty they are facing. He commented that ultimately, such increases would not go on to the consumer.

Castillo continued that the PN wants to reduce the tax on Maltese and Gozitan businesses from 35% to 25%, and subsequently to 15% following investment. "In this way, we would be ensuring that we continue to help Maltese and Gozitan families, as well as our country's businesses."

He noted that substantial increases have been seen this week, and added that further increases are likely to come to the price of products such as drinks and telecommunication.

He commented that despite this, "the government keeps hardening its head and taxing the COLA". Castillo said that this "unjust tax" on Maltese and Gozitan workers reflects that they are not receiving the increases that they deserve on the rising cost of living. "The PN wants to remove the tax on the COLA, an unjust tax on workers."

Castillo added that the PN will be addressing problems related to importation and exportation, as he said that the additional costs going to the operators in the country are ultimately going to the Maltese consumer. He continued that the PN will also be addressing the country's economic plan. "The country's current economic plan put in place by the PL has failed, and the Maltese and Gozitan families are paying for the failure", he remarked.

For his part, Caruana Cilia spoke of how the rising cost of living has been a prominent topic from the beginning of the year.

"Our country needing a change is not just being said by us," he commented, as he said that different people or associations have spoken of the country needing a "clear direction".

"According to an SME Barometer which was revealed days ago, a bit less than 80% of business owners are saying that we are moving in a bad direction."

He reiterated that the PN is appealing to the government to immediately take note and implement the proposals which have long been brought forward by the Opposition "and also has the support of the members of the MCESD and other civil associations".

Caruana Cilia referred to a study conducted by Caritas which he said shows that from 2020 to 2024, the cost of food for a family of two adults and two children has increased by almost 50% on the same products.

The PN MP concluded by saying that the government needs to stop taxing the COLA and needs a sustainable economic model which attracts jobs of quality. "We have a reality that income inequality in our country is increasing," he commented.

He added that the level of productivity in the country needs to be increased and that public funds need to be used for the common good, "not the small clique that continues to pig out with the people's money".


  • don't miss