Gonzi to meet social partners again

The Prime Minister is expected to attend a meeting of the Malta Council for Economic and Social Development this afternoon to discuss complaints by the social partners over lack of consultation, it was learned yesterday.

The Chamber of Commerce, the Federation of Industry, the Malta Hotels and Restaurants' Association, the Malta Employers' Association, the General Workers' Union, the Union Haddiema Maghqudin and the Confederation of Trade Unions on Saturday issued a joint statement condemning lack of consultation.

They complained that the MCESD was only serving as a smokescreen instead of being a serious and structured forum for consultation.

The concerns of the social partners reached their peak last week as Parliament debated a Bill providing for the introduction of an eco-tax. But there have also been complaints over lack of consultation on the convergence programme to get government finances back on track and on privatisation.

The social partners are demanding a postponement of the social tax, not least to enable producers, importers and retailers to gear themselves to be able to collect it and pass it on to the government.

The debate on the eco-tax Bill is due to be resumed in Parliament this morning.

A Cabinet meeting is also due to be held today.