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Retails shops at Baystreet complex may be closed on Sunday
by David Kelleher
Karl Schembri
Retail outlets at the Baystreet complex in St George’s
Bay are expected to be closed on Sunday, The Malta Business
Weekly has learnt.
A number of rumours circulated yesterday that the police would
be enforcing the law and not allow any retail outlets to open
at Baystreet on Sunday. These rumours were confirmed last night
when an excerpt of an interview with Parliamentary Secretary
Edwin Vassallo to be screened on Xarabank tomorrow was shown
on TVM.
During the excerpt, Mr Vassallo is quoted as saying that according
to the latest information he had, retails shops at Baystreet
would not be allowed to open on Sunday.
“The information I have is that Bay Street will be closed...
it will be forced to close this Sunday by the police... I have
my doubts where the hotel ends and where the retail complex
starts,” Mr Vassallo said, adding that the issue will then
be resolved in court.
The slot was broadcast a few minutes before the 8pm news on
TVM.
The dispute on Sunday shopping came to a head over the weekend
when the police closed a number of shops in Bugibba while those
at Baystreet remained opened.
Baystreet Director Chris Grech said the retail outlets were
operating within the law as the trading licences were issued
under the Bay Street Hotel Complex.
However, the Association of General Retailers and Traders are
objecting to this interpretation of the law. The GRTU is against
Sunday shopping. It is also government policy that retails shops
do not open on Sunday. A number of shop owners are, however,
strongly in favour.
Contacted yesterday a spokesman for the Home Affairs Ministry
told The Malta Business Weekly that the Commissioner of Police
was the competent authority in these cases and it was up to
him to see whether the law was being breached.
Sources yesterday said that it was unbelievable how the government
was picking on such a trivial issue when there were so many
other issues of national importance.
“Retails shops at Baystreet and in Bugibba are only generating
further business and helping the economy. The people have shown
their willingness to shop on Sundays but the government is adamant
that shops should not open. The will of the people should come
first and not what the government wants,” the sources said.
Other sources told The Malta Business Weekly that a solution
could be found if the authorities, the GRTU and retail outlet
owners discussed the issues at hand.
“Unless everyone sits around a table then there is little
else that can be done. Instead of encouraging business that
exists and there is a demand for it, the government and GRTU
are effectively creating more obstacles,” the sources said.
The Malta Business Weekly tried to contact Mr Grech, however,
he was not available at the time.
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