The Malta Chamber called on people in public office, whether elected or appointed, to lead by example and take the indisputable moral high ground against dubious practices.

In a document presented to the country’s political leaders in the run-up to the June 3 election, the chamber called on a new government to ensure full independence of public entities from any direct or indirect political interference while enacting all the necessary constitutional reforms to strengthen governance.

Addressing both political parties, the Chamber’s pre-electoral proposals documents says that politicians are elected for five years and their outlook is short-term.

“Business and investment have a longer time-span and politicians must ensure that their work and their actions are complementary to that of entrepreneurs who have a longer vision and strive for a legacy that outlives them.”

The document expressed concern over the “unprecedented increases in the public sector’s wage bill”. Apart from the obvious effect this was having on the public purse, it was also exerting undue pressure on the private sector which was struggling to fill vacancies, it said.

The document called on all political parties not to continue with the present momentum of public sector growth and incentivise surplus public servants to shift to the private sector.

Detailing the difficulties being experienced by the manufacturing sector in Malta, the chamber said this needed a concerted effort to re-establish its position as a major contributor to the country’s economy and employment.

The pre-electoral document also underlined the chamber’s proposed solution to the national airline Air Malta. It called on a new government to reduce Air Malta’s operational costs, rectify the airline’s debt situation and subsequently divide the company’s shareholding into three parts namely, the government, an international aviation strategic partner and local investors.

The document may be read here.