The Malta Council for Economic and Social Development’s declared vision is the continuous improvement of social dialogue, as it strives to be an effective catalyst between social partners and the government. It prides itself with nearly two decades of frank discussions on issues of national relevance.

This commendable objective of continuous dialogue was severely shaken recently when Union Ħaddiema Magħqudin general secretary Josef Vella, turned up for a meeting with Home Affairs Minister Carmelo Abela, only to be told he must leave his mobile phone outside the meeting room. Rightfully, Mr Vella turned around and left. He said such behaviour reflected a lack of trust by the government in social partners.

The minister has since replied saying no disrespect was intended and that the request was in line with his ministry’s ‘security policy’. Government ministers asking visitors to leave their mobile phone outside the meeting room is nothing new for this administration. Foreign Minister George Vella and the former home affairs minister Manuel Mallia are known to have had the habit and more recently, Parliamentary Secretary Justyne Caruana even asked care workers to leave their mobile phones outside before meeting them.

The UĦM referred the matter concerning its general secretary to MCESD chairman John Bencini, saying that the lack of reciprocal trust posed an obstacle to existing social dialogue. Mr Bencini, on his part, extended the social partners’ concern to the Home Affairs Minister, pointing out that there existed no government policy on carrying mobile phones.

The Malta Chamber of Commerce, Enterprise and Industry took the UĦM’s side and said that the ‘policy’ was a sign of disrespect towards social partners and the integrity of their representatives. The UĦM’s efforts to have the matter discussed by the MCESD were however unsuccessful, with the council’s executive secretary saying the issue of mobile phones had nothing to do with sustainable social and economic development, clearly failing to see the wood for the trees.

That was certainly the wrong approach to take because the UĦM’s retort was that the priorities of the council were being set by the government. In other words, the matter escalated in a way that could undermine the crucial role played by the MCESD.

The issue is not whether the government should have a policy or not on the carrying of mobiles at official meetings with ministers. The idea should not even be contemplated because it breeds bad blood and a sense of mistrust between the social partners.Citing ‘security policy’ holds little water in the context of trust.

The insistence by some ministers on keeping mobile phones outside official meetings reflects very badly on the government. Anyone attending meetings under such conditions can never come away satisfied because the initial starting point is one of mistrust.

There will always be a nagging feeling that whatever has been said can be changed or withdrawn later. But most of all, having ministers insisting on such a policy shows a government that is very uncertain of itself.

Only a government minister who is unsure of him or herself, who is unable to assertively take an official position and who is afraid of repeating his opinion outside the security of four walls, would ever insist on such a condition before meeting representatives of social partners.

Whichever way one looks at it,this insecurity with mobile phones makes the government look weak and unreliable.

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