Resolving the current political instability and providing tranquillity for the sake of business is imperative, the Chamber for Small and Medium Enterprises – GRTU has cautioned.

“Employment and investment come first. Recent arguments about a majority or not in Parliament are damaging our country. There’s time for everything: there’s time for work and time for politics. Now is the time for work,” GRTU president Paul Abela said during the chamber’s 36th annual general meeting.

Mr Abela urged politicians to solve this political issue quickly, as it was not the time to “play with politics”.

“People want tranquillity. People want to work. Find a solution for the political problems and let us work. Be serious. Be intelligent. Our people do not want trouble,” he said.

The “big issue” was not that sparked by Dr Debono but the European Commission’s order that Malta had to reduce its budgetary deficit, he said.

2011 had not been an easy year, he said. Following the economic turbulence in, one European country after the other stumbled under the weight of debt and financial imbalance. Malta, however, closed the year on a “relatively satisfactory level”.

Although this year’s prospects did not look good, “2012 will not break us if we work sensibly.”

“We want 2012 to be the year where small business owners and the self-employed top government’s agenda,” Mr Abela added.