If you were thinking of leaving your shopping for the weekend, think again, as the government has turned down a request for shops to open on Saturday, which is Worker's Day.

The Finance Ministry refused a request by the Malta Chamber for Small and Medium Enterprises - GRTU, which had argued that a two-day weekend with no shopping was too long for consumers. It backed its claim by saying that 71 per cent of its members wanted to open on Saturday, which is a public holiday.

The request was also backed by the Consumer's Association, which had said it was important shops opened because most people worked and had little time for shopping.

The ministry, however, said circumstances were not extraordinary such as to warrant allowing shops to remain open.

The Chamber of Commerce, Enterprise and Industry had expressed itself against the proposal.

On March 31, Freedom Day, the government had allowed shops to open. However, it had said it did not wish to set a precedent that would be applied to every public holiday. March 31 was a Wednesday, two days' before Good Friday, another public holiday.