MCESD agrees to discuss social pact

A two-and-a half hour meeting yesterday of the Malta Council for Economic and Social Development agreed to put together a framework on which to base discussions on a social pact.

The tripartite council, made up of representatives of trade unions, employers and the government, which yesterday was represented by Parliamentary Secretary Tonio Fenech, has agreed on an intensive programme of meetings for the coming months, council chairman Victor Scicluna announced after the meeting.

Speaking to reporters, Mr Scicluna said that during the meeting the council members discussed the procedure that the council would be adopting to work towards reaching an agreement on a social pact.

"The atmosphere during the meeting was extremely positive which means that there is the will for these discussions to move forward.

"The discussions will have to start in earnest on all the papers prepared by the four working committees within the council," Mr Scicluna said.

The papers under discussion include competitiveness, the reform of the civil service and pension reform among other themes.

After this month the schedule agreed upon entails that the council meets up to three times a week. An agreement on the social pact would have an impact on November's budget speech, therefore it would be desirous if such an agreement was reached before the budget, Mr Scicluna added.

Yesterday, the council agreed that it will be the chairman and not the various council members who will speak to the media after each meeting.