28 September - 4 October 2000

Carlo Cini resigns as GRTU President

by Franco Aloisio

Carlo Cini has resigned as President of the General Retailers and Traders Association, the GRTU announced yesterday. A former GRTU President, Charles Busuttil, has been unanim-ously elected as the new President by the association's executive council.

In a statement, the GRTU stated that Mr Cini stepped down due to

personal reasons. However, Mr Cini yesterday told The Malta Business Weekly that since taking over the presidency of the GRTU he tried to implement a number of changes, but failed to do so. He said the council was not cooperating fully with him

"Matters were going from bad to worse. Ultimately things had reached boiling point," he said.

Asked what really motivated his resignation, Mr Cini said: "I could write a whole book to describe what led to my resignation."

"However, the main factor was that I wasn't allowed to do my job as President. Everything was being done and decided by the director general," he alleged.

GRTU's director general is Vince Farrugia, who has occupied this post since 1994. Contacted yesterday, Mr Farrugia said that the reason behind Mr Cini's resignation was made clear in the statement issued by the GRTU.

"He resigned because of personal reasons," Mr Farrugia said, without specifying any further.

"Mr Cini had reached the end of the road. GRTU has to modernise itself and bring in new people and leaders. We want to rejuvenate GRTU," Mr Farrugia added.

Asked whether he plans to continue occupying the post of director general, Mr Farrugia confirmed that he would. Mr Farrugia said he has drawn up a plan to modernise the association and give it a new face.

"GRTU will start providing all types of services to its members ranging from insurance to travel. We want to offer groupage services, and we have already started discussions with banks and firms on this matter," Mr Farrugia said.

GRTU yesterday said Mr Cini did not accept the executive council's request to reconsider his resignation. The association said Mr Cini will stay on as President of the GRTU's section of petrol station owners.

Mr Cini has occupied the post of GRTU President between 1994 and 1997, and was then succeeded by Charles Busuttil. In 1997, Mr Cini resigned from the Nationalist Party, accusing the party of betraying the self-employed. In 1999 he returned as President, a move which many interpreted as a sign that GRTU would become as militant as it had been in 1995 and 1996 during its anti-VAT campaign.

Meanwhile, GRTU's executive council yesterday approved its Budget 2001 proposals, which will focus on the fiscal incentives and allowances to be given to small businesses to help them restructure and modernise. GRTU will also be proposing the setting up a Public Service Compliance Unit, which would serve as a watchdog on public service expenditure and efficiency. This unit would balance out the setting up of the Tax Compliance Unit which was announced in Budget 2000, Mr Farrugia said.