Progress on Forum taking part in MCESD

Progress has been registered in consultation between the government and the social partners on the participation of the Forum Unions Maltin in the Malta Council for Economic and Social Development.

Speaking during the Budget debate on the votes of the Office of the Prime Minister, Parliamentary Secretary Chris Said informed Parliament that Gozo was represented in the MCESD through the Gozo regional committee where a number of organisations and local councils were represented. He criticised the opposition for its controversy on the participation of the Gozo Business Chamber.

He also announced that Mr Sonny Portelli’s term of office as chairman of the MCESD was to be renewed.

It was positive, he said, that a parliamentary secretary had been appointed for public consultation. The MCESD had been strengthened as an organisation and a number of working groups and the Gozo regional committee had been set up.

Dr Said disagreed with the opposition’s proposal that the MEUSAC form part of the responsibilities of the House of Representatives, adding that Parliament had its own Foreign and European Affairs Committee and also had different roles. MEUSAC was receiving €800,000 in EU funds to diffuse information about the EU. It also advised local councils on how to get funding for their projects. A fund for co-financing these projects also by NGOs had been set up.

He spoke also about industrial relations where, he said, the department concerned had held 73 conciliation meetings in the first 10 months of the year. Its officials had carried out 720 inspections and found 214 irregularities in the enforcement of labour laws. There were also 686 investigations on termination of employment and solutions for financial claims had been found in 327 cases. More chairmen, including four women, would be appointed for the Industrial Tribunals.

The Employment Relations Board was discussing initiatives and a legal structure to curb abuses by certain employers. A number of legal notices in this regard had been issued this year. These included a notice that expectant women could not be dismissed if not for justifiable reasons. Part-time employees with different companies would get benefits in proportion to the hours worked for each company. Criteria had been set to recognise employees as such and not as self-employed where they were made to be so by their employer.

On consumer affairs, Dr Said said that 176 out of 260 medicinal products were reduced in price to reflect the EU average. Standards on agricultural products would be established in 2012.

Funding for local councils had increased and these were also availing themselves of EU funds. A sum of €8 million could be utilised under the urban improvement funds.

He announced that 230 workers were weekly providing 30 hours of community work to local councils. Local council members and staff would be given training over the next two years after €300,000 in Norwegian funds were acquired.

Dr Said said that 260 residential streets had been completed while work was at hand on another 120. Another 200 tenders related to such work had been issued. However, there was a lack of contractors for such road works.

A strategy on playing fields had been established and some were closed because of danger to children. Regulations would be issued prohibiting smoking in playing fields.