(Adds second letter on transport for FISEC games)

Transport Minister Austin Gatt has reiterated his offer for talks on transport reform with Transport Federation president Victor Spiteri, while insisting that the decision to liberalise the licensing of hearses is final.

Replying to a notice of industrial action made by the federation, Dr Gatt insisted that the operation of the hearses was taken to the Cabinet after it was discussed with the association representing the owners of hearses.

That meeting was attended by only one representative of the association and a lawyer. The minister said he had made it clear he disagreed with the association’s proposals to: make it compulsory for all licence holders to join the association; withdraw licences issued (some years ago) on orders by the Tribunal for Fair Competition; retain the current monopoly, with the government being obliged to inform the association before granting new licences; that current licences may be inherited or sold but no new licences may be issued; that higher tariffs be introduced; that licensed persons do not need to have a clean police conduct sheet and that licences should be automatically renewed.

In a second letter to Mr Spiteri, Dr Gatt said he hoped and expected the bus and mini-bus owners to honour contracts that had made for the transport of some 1,000 foreign athletes who are coming to Malta for the FISEC games between tomorrow and July 20.

Dr Gatt observed that route buses had carried out private work this morning, including taking workers to their places of work, and the strike was directed only as the public.

Should the contract with FISEC not be respected, the international reputation of Malta and Maltese transport workers would be would suffer.

Dr Muscat said he was joining the FISEC secretary general (who wrote to the Prime Minister) in appealing to the federation to respect its contractual obligation.