30 August - 5 September 2001

Gozo Chamber irate at being left out of MCESD

by Ivan Brincat

The Prime Minister, in accordance with the provisions of the law, has approved those persons who have been appointed on the Malta Council of Economic and Social Development for a period of one year.
The chairperson of the MCESD is Prof. Edward Scicluna who was the chairman of the MCED before it was reconstituted as the MCESD.
The deputy chairperson of the MCESD is Joseph R. Grima, permanent secretary in the Office of the Prime Minister.
The members are Michael C. Bonello, governor of the Central Bank; Alfred Buhagiar, President of the Confederation of Malta Trade Unions; Charles Busuttil, President of the General Retailers and Traders Union; Anthony Chircop, President of the Malta Hotes and Restaurants Association; Mario Cutajar, deputy secretary general of the General Workers’ Union; Joseph Delia, President of the Malta Employers’ Association; Joseph Ebejer, permanent secretary of Ministry for Social Policy; Saviour Falzon, representing the Ministry for European Union Affairs; Joseph F.X. Scicluna, permanent secretary in the Ministry of Finance; John Sullivan, President of the Chamber of Commerce; Gejtu Vella, secretary general of the Union Haddiema Maghqudin; Paul Zahra, permanent secretary in the Ministry of Economic Services; Joe Zammit Tabona, President of the Federation of Industry; and Tony Zarb, secretary general of the GWU.
The setting up of the MCESD has irked the Gozo Business Chamber which has continued to protest against its exclusion from the
council.
The President of the GBC John Magro told The Malta Business Weekly that they strongly believed that Gozo’s place was in the MCESD and not in the Civil Society Commission of the MCESD which has been described by government as the lower tier of the forum.
The Gozo Business Chamber is determined to fight this and has in fact written to the prime minister, the minister of social policy and the Ministry for Gozo, protesting strongly against the exclusion of Gozo from this important forum.
It has also warned that if necessary it is prepared to lobby actively even in Brussels to seek a remedy.
Mr Magro said the Chamber strongly believed that they had a place on the highest tier of the MCESD and if need be the MCESD enabling act should be amended to increase the number of members and make room for Gozo to be
represented.
He asked how the MCESD was expected to offer good advice to government on possible future structural funds directed to Gozo, if Gozo is not represented on the MCESD.