The PN and PL should put politics aside and set up a national council to chart and execute a long term strategy to make Enemalta a dynamic and efficient company, MHRA president Anthony Zahra said.

Speaking during a Labour Party conference on the future of business, Mr Zahra said EneMalta should be tackled on a national basis. The problem was enormous and needed a national effort, he said.

The current formula was not working and had to be revised as it was a huge burden on the tourism industry.

He also called on government to revert the seven per cent tax on accommodation back to five per cent.

Businessman Reginald Fava said the retail industry was the back bone of the economy but it was"abandoned".

He said that the sector employs 33,000 people but it is not given the importance it deserves. On the contrary, it is being hindered. It got no help with energy bills or rent subsidies.

Chamber of Commerce vice-President William Wait also called for support for the manufacturing industry.

"The future lies in reducing bureaucracy, focusing on competitiveness, and changing mentality to better understand the needs of sector," he said.

He gave the example of a German investor who wanted to open a factory in Albert town but it took over four years to get a permit and he ended up opening his factory, which employs 100 people, in Hungary.

Closing off the conference, Labour leader Joseph Muscat said that during the debate three major points emerged. Businesses were calling for the government to just let them work, they wanted action to diminish bureaucracy and they felt that the energy bills were too high.

A new Labour government would use the “let us work” cry as a guide on which to base its policy on economic growth. It would also launch an “unprecedented war” to fight bureaucracy and make reducing the energy bills its priority. Reducing the bills would be of benefit to businesses and families.