Author: Developers Think

“Businesses are faced with ever increasing pressures and responsibilities to go green and to embark on this green journey, the partnership between private enterprise and government is not an option but a must,” said Marisa Xuereb, President of The Malta Chamber of Commerce Enterprise and Industry.

The President of the Malta Chamber was addressing attendees during the ‘Sustainable Enterprise Initiative’ organised by the Ministry for Energy, Enterprise and Sustainable Development. The Malta Chamber is supporting this initiative in identifying potential enterprises willing to consider investments in energy efficiency ad sustainability.

Ms Xuereb noted that before the pandemic hit, The Malta Chamber was proactive in drafting and presenting a new vision for Malta’s economy and beyond. “Through its Economic Vision 2020-2025, The Malta Chamber has called for ‘a smart, sustainable island’, in which we recognise that economic development must ultimately lead to an improved quality of life,” noted Xuereb.

“As Malta’s leading business organisation body, The Malta Chamber acknowledges that the green economy we all want to achieve requires that financial institutions and government entities put policy into practice and engage with the business community and stakeholders on an ongoing basis to continue identifying opportunities and overcoming problems together when they arise,” explained The Chamber President.

The President of the Chamber stressed on the importance of initiatives such as the ‘Sustainable Enterprise Initiative’ by providing private enterprises with consistent support towards this direction. “Businesses need to be able to invest with the knowledge that their long-term thinking and efforts will bear fruit – that a collective effort will lead to collective results, even if it is painful in the short term,” she continued.

The Sustainable Enterprise Initiative provided additional visibility to a number of options available for Maltese companies to support their investments in energy efficiency and sustainability-related projects by both government entities and local banks.

The Malta Chamber of Commerce, Enterprise and Industry welcomes the announcement that Malta is achieving herd immunity but warns that the pandemic is not yet behind us and we are still far off from business as usual. Many businesses, which played a critical role in achieving herd immunity, are still on survival mode and they can only thrive if there is certainty, visibility and consumer confidence.

The EU’s Recovery and Resilience Facility (RRP) lies squarely at the heart of this response. While 23 EU member states have already drafted, consulted and submitted their RRP plans for approval by the EU, Malta has not yet submitted its plans. The Malta Chamber believes that RRP is crucial for businesses to start planning on how to thrive instead of how to survive. No sector should be forgotten or left behind. Every job is important. Every sector is important.

While herd immunity will hopefully help infections to naturally taper off, the real test will most likely come in a few weeks time when Malta continues to lift its restrictions and fully reopen its borders. In this context, the Malta Chamber urges for cautious optimism and to remain vigilant. As Malta reopens, authorities must strengthen their existing enforcement measures and implement stricter border controls. Otherwise, the efforts of everyone including the businesses who stepped up and played a critical role in encouraging and supporting their employees to get vaccinated would be futile.

On Sunday, 23rd May, Mr Joseph R. Darmanin passed away. Mr Darmanin was President of the Malta Chamber in 1996 and 1997 having distinguished himself in several different posts over the years.

Mr Darmanin was a steadfast Chamber person whose father Frederick had also been a Chamber President. He continued to attend general meetings and Chamber receptions until very recently when his ill health prevented him from doing so. In 2019 he had addressed those present during the Eurochambres EU Parliament for Enterprise held at the Parliament Building in Valletta.

His business involvement mainly related to aviation. For many years he was GSA for Austrian Airlines and was also a Director of the Malta International Airport.

Mr Darmanin was a great promoter of EU membership and had founded the EU Steering Committee which had carried out studies on the Acquis Communitaire preparing the business community for EU membership and later also leading submissions on the EU Avis. He was the driving force behind the setting up in 1996 of the Malta Business Bureau in partnership with the Federation of Industry.

A gentleman of great style, Mr Darmanin, Skinny to his friends, cut a dashing figure. In 1988 and 1998 Mr Darmanin had been involved in both the Chamber’s 140th and 150th Anniversaries which had included conferences, magnificent balls, operatic concerts and beautiful exhibitions.

The President and Council send their condolences to Mr Darmanin’s family.

The Malta Chamber of Commerce, Enterprise and Industry welcomes the announcement on the second round of €100 stimulus vouchers which will inject a much-needed impetus into the economy. The vouchers come at a very critical time for businesses, especially for those working in the tourism industry.

The Malta Chamber has taken an active role in helping put industry on a recovery path and shape a more competitive post-Covid Malta and has repeatedly insisted that vaccination is key in being travel-ready. The Chamber commends the Maltese authorities for the faster-than expected vaccination rollout. The Chamber also welcomes the decision taken by EU member states to ease COVID-19 travel restrictions on non-EU visitors and to let in fully vaccinated tourists.

While the new round of vouchers and the vaccination programme will contribute towards Malta’s recovery, the Malta Chamber stresses on the importance of a well-thought out EU National Plan for Recovery and Resilience Facility (RRP). The Malta Chamber urges Government to communicate and consult with social partners on the RRP and its specific details. The Malta Chamber is disappointed that the information received so far on the RRP has been very sparse and disjointed. It is also disappointing to note that Malta remains one of the very few EU Member States which has not yet submitted its RRP plan to the European Commission. The business community needs to be informed without further delay and engaged in a meaningful way on the actions and investments which will be covered through these funds.

The Malta Chamber remains committed to contribute to an open, constructive and timely dialogue.

The Malta Chamber of Commerce, Enterprise and Industry is vociferous in its call to represent ethical business across Malta and the recent media reports of ‘substantial tax reductions to tax offenders’ are setting a very worrying precedent. Malta is struggling to crack down on tax evasion and such ‘tax deals’ continue to weaken compliance with the rule of law and foster a culture of corruption.

Government and Contracting authorities must promote a level-playing field among all economic operators and reward those who comply with the law, not only because it is the right thing to do, but also to safeguard the competitiveness of operators who comply with the law as against those who disrespect the law. Any ‘deals’ to reduce unpaid taxes should be transparent and beneficiaries should be considered according to predetermined guidelines such as a result of economic constraints arising from the current pandemic. All taxpayers should be treated equally.

In its report on ‘Public Procurement Reform’ published earlier this year, the Malta Chamber calls on authorities, namely the Department of Contracts and the Inland Revenue Department to create systems of seamless integration which would automatically flag economic operators who have pending social security payments, tax arrears and if no settlement agreement is in place. This is critical in evaluating the financial soundness or otherwise of bidders.

The near absence of blacklisting in Malta and the inadequacy of the current mechanism has been repeatedly identified by the Malta Chamber as a matter of concern which should be addressed as a priority in public procurement and good governance.

The Malta Chamber intends to fiercely advocate for the implementation of the reforms proposed while maintaining an open and constructive dialogue with all relevant stakeholders.

The Malta Chamber of Commerce, Enterprise and Industry has held a meeting with the Leader of the Opposition, Dr Bernard Grech during which it introduced the new Board of Management and put forward its priorities for the coming months.

The Malta Chamber insists on the importance of having the right environment which enables the private sector to drive economic growth. Government and the Opposition should only act as enablers, providing business and enterprise with the right framework that allows them to flourish in an equitable and fair manner.

Last year, The Malta Chamber published its Economic Vision 2025 identifying the 4 main pillars that should drive the national priorities – People, Technology, Sustainability, and Governance. The country should have the right enablers in place to cultivate a qualified and skilled workforce, have a resilient digital infrastructure, promote good governance and environmental sustainability. “If these four pillars are in place, the private sector is better placed, energised and more insightful to drive businesses towards prosperity and a better quality of life for all,” said President Marisa Xuereb.

The EU National Plan for Recovery and Resilience Facility (RRP) is giving the country an opportunity to harness sustainable growth. It is of utmost importance to ensure that the RRP adequately addresses the key issues that hit our competitiveness in a tangible manner.

While calling for political consensus on long-term challenges such as overdevelopment, The Malta Chamber discussed the Opposition’s position on the proposed European directive on minimum wages and sought clarification on the recent statements by the Opposition Leader on a ‘fairer taxation system for small businesses.’ The Chamber supports a reduction in tax if it does not discriminate between one business or another.

The meeting was led by President Marisa Xuereb and attended by Deputy President Mr Christopher Vassallo Cesareo, Vice-President Mr Nicholas Xuereb, Officer Mr Ian Casolani, and CEO Dr Marthese Portelli. Hon Claudio Grech, Hon Kristy Debono and Perit Giorgio Schembri accompanied the Leader of Opposition.

Liz Barbaro Sant, Vice President of the Malta Chamber of Commerce, Enterprise and Industry has been appointed as the new chairperson of TradeMalta, replacing Stephen Sultana who held the position for the past two years.

Following the Annual General Meeting of TradeMalta held in a hybrid format, Liz Barbaro Sant said that internationalisation has become increasingly important for the competitiveness of enterprises of all sizes. “In today’s environment, it grants a true independence from the local market business cycles,” said Ms Barbaro Sant.

The new Chairperson of the public-private partnership between the government and the Malta Chamber of Commerce said that “sometimes it might become complicated for small and medium size companies to understand the tendencies of the world’s economy when trying to explore new commercial opportunities, and this is where Trade Malta comes in to support and assist any size company.”

The outgoing Chairperson, Stephen Sultana said that during the past two years TradeMalta has continued to diversify, expand and refine the range of services to industry while assisting a growing number of Malta based companies to enter into new and emerging markets in Europe, Africa, the Middle East and Asia. “Key elements responsible for TradeMalta’s success include the backing it enjoys at the enterprise level, the committed support it continues to receive from both of its key shareholders and the customer-focused mentality of its staff and board members,” said Mr Sultana.

Anton Buttigieg, CEO of TradeMalta presented the administrative report to all shareholders and echoed his confidence that during the next three years, TradeMalta will rise to the ever-changing challenges of internationalization facing Maltese companies in a post-pandemic international business environment.

Minister for Economy and Industry, Silvio Schembri said that he looks forward to further strengthening the already existent excellent collaboration between the Government, Trade Malta and the The Malta Chamber of Commerce, Enterprise and Industry.

Whilst thanking the outgoing Chairperson, Mr Stephen Sultana for his commitment and work, Minister Schembri remarked the achievements attained by TradeMalta in developing rewarding opportunities worldwide for local business to export local products and Brand Malta, across the globe. Minister Schembri said that Maltese businesses should be proud of their reputable standing internationally for efficiency, quality and skilled human resources.

“Thus even during such challenging times, they should still perceive trade as a window of opportunity for diversification and growth,” said Minister Schembri while he augured well Ms Barbaro Sant in her new role that shall foresee the enhancement of Trade Malta’s strong foundations and new opportunities for businesses.