Hauliers have denounced the “lax controls” at Maltese ports saying they are incurring losses due to the fact that unlicensed operators are being allowed to pick up cargo in breach of clear provisions in the law.

In a statement, the hauliers section within the GRTU – Malta Chamber of SMEs pointed out that, according to the Cargo Clearance and Transport Act, nobody could serve as cargo clearance and forwarding agent without a permit from the Comptroller of Customs.

The GRTU said its complaints seemed to have fallen on deaf ears, saying it had been raising the issue for a long time but to no avail. In this respect, it expressed its utter disappointment at the comptroller’s “irresponsible” behaviour.

The hauliers warned they would be holding the Commissioner for Inland Revenue responsible for the losses and damages they were incurring, reiterating their appeal for the laws to be enforced.

Furthermore, the section urged its members to ensure that the sticker permit issued by Customs would be clearly visible on their registered vehicle to facilitate enforcement.

The GRTU noted that this situation was denting the competitiveness of law-abiding hauliers while conveying the message that anyone flouting the laws could do so with impunity.

Contacted by this newspaper, hauliers section president Karmenu Zammit lamented that anyone turning up with a truck was being allowed to act as a cargo and forwarding agent.

He said a few months ago, the Customs Department had issued stickers to licensed operators but the measure was only enforced for a few weeks.

“If the government wants to liberalise the sector, the way to go about it is to sit down with us and discuss what level of compensation is due,” he said.