Shop owners want to be heard

Shop owners in Valletta have expressed regret that they were not consulted on the proposed Valletta projects.

They have set up a joint committee between the Chamber of Commerce and Enterprise and the Chamber of Small and Medium Enterprises, GRTU, including the participation of the Republic Street business community, to embark on discussions with the government on the needs of businesses and private investors in Valletta.

The committee will be requesting a public dialogue meeting with the Prime Minister for all businesses to have the opportunity to express their judgement on the proposals.

In a statement, the Chamber of Small and Medium Enterprises, GRTU, said that although it was said that even the Opera House ruins were heard, the business owners, who together had investments worth hundreds of millions of euros and who employed hundreds of workers, were not.

They said it seemed no one had calculated the economic impact of what was being proposed to offer an alternative to businesses, especially the 25 shop owners who were being removed from Freedom Square and the theatre site.