17 - 23 May 2001

MCESD law irks social partners as proposals are not accepted

by Ivan Brincat

The new law setting up the Malta Council for Economic and Social Development has irked the social partners because proposed changes were not included in the Bill presented and approved in Parliament.
Sources close to the Malta Council for Economic Development (MCED) told The Malta Business Weekly that the social partners had made recommendations and amendments to the law but these were
not taken into consideration by the government.
The recommendations had been made during a meeting with the deputy prime minister and minister of social affairs Lawrence Gonzi.
At first the social partners had thought that their proposals would be taken on board but this did not
happen.
The sources who spoke to The Malta Business Weekly said the social partners had expressed their concerns that there was no agreement on the new law among themselves.
“The MCESD is being constituted from day one without any form of agreement and this is not a desirable situation,” the sources said.
One of the main discussions regarding the Bill had been who would be the members that would form part of the new MCESD since the social partners had been saying all along that a large MCESD would not function well.
On Tuesday, the Bill was approved in Parliament after discussion at a committee stage.
Members of the Opposition had called on various bodies to be included in the new MCESD and Dr Gonzi said that while some organisations would be permanently represented in the MCESD, other organisations would also be allowed to participate.
Dr Gonzi said the new MCESD will help create a civil society. This will help the Council to assess the opinions of the civil society before speaking to the government.