Comment
-
We all deserve a cool office
I don’t know how many times I’ve walked into an office and gasped at how unimaginative or inappropriate offices in general are. I am here thinking of obsolete furnishings, cramped spaces, poorly designed layouts and a host of other “uncool”...
-
How the Celtic Tiger was killed
Ireland may be the first troubled eurozone country to go back to borrow money in the financial markets as it exits the bailout phase which started when it had to be rescued by the European Commission, the ECB and the IMF in 2010. To get here it...
-
Multiple Opposition boomerangs
Tonio Fenech, long-serving finance man and now shadow minister, is a man with considerable cheek. He displayed that year after year in his official position, first as parliamentary secretary then as minister. Year after year his estimates of...
-
Enhanced customs enforcement
The European Parliament recently approved a new regulation intended to give national customs authorities extended powers to detain counterfeit or pirated goods at the borders of the European Union. This new regulation, that enters into force at...
-
Deplorable and unprecedented
Last week, more than 2,000 passengers booked on Air Malta flights ended up stranded at the airport, their flights cancelled. The cause of this was that, inexplicably, 17 pilots simultaneously reported that they were unfit to fly. This mysterious...
-
Facilitating visa policy for the EU tourism industry
At the behest of the European Parliament, a number of developments are emerging on visa facilitation with regards to the EU tourism industry. A debate on how the implementation and development of a common visa policy can be used to increase...
-
Celebrating Chinese investment success
Small open economies depend on direct productive foreign investment to prosper. Malta’s economy is no exception. Insufficient investment in the last several years has meant that our infrastructure has suffered, thereby threatening our...
-
The meaning of corruption
Possibly the most used word in discussing the government scenario is corruption. The political debate in Malta is such that everyone seems to suspect that some sort of corruption is going on. This refers to a crude definition of corruption where...
-
If you’re losing the game, change the rules
It is hard to predict every changing situation and respond to the unthinkable, but can we be prepared? Do we have what it takes to cope, re-strategise and think outside the box when the unexpected happens? Today, change is the only constant with...
-
Investing in high-yield bonds
Few investments are as misunderstood as are high-yield bonds (HYBs). In today’s low-interest rate environment, HYBs afford investors significantly higher yields, making them a compelling and sought-after investment. Moreover they have proven to...
-
KPMG: planning for an effective family-business succession
Family businesses are a major contributor to the Maltese economy. Ninety five out of 100 private business enterprises in Malta are classified as microenterprises, many of which are considered to be family-owned businesses. Running a family...
-
The state of the nation’s economy
Business breakfast meetings are not renowned to serve healthy diet food, but they can at times offer good economic diets that should make the nation more prosperous. The pre-Budget breakfast meeting organised by the Minister of Finance was a...
-
Are we ready to change direction?
The European Regional Development Fund aims to provide support for investment in SMEs to create sustainable jobs, infrastructure linked to innovation, energy and transport and financial instruments to support local development as well as technical...
-
Metatags are a form of advertising
The law on comparative advertising has been harmonised throughout the EU by the Directive on Misleading and Comparative Advertising which aims to protect consumers, competitors and the interest of the public in general against misleading...
-
The back to school blues
In a few days time thousands of students will be heading back to school, university, Mcast or some other educational institution. Parents will most probably be happy that their children are once again slotting in the routine of ‘normal’ life. The...
-
More of the same from the MEA
Times of Malta readers have been regaled with yet again another article on recent changes to the composition of chairpersons of the Industrial Tribunal, this time from the president of the Malta Employers Association (MEA). Entitled ‘Best choices...
-
Recognising foreign qualifications
An EU member state cannot arbitrarily refuse to recognise a qualification which is obtained in another member state and which permits its holder to exercise a profession in the latter state. Such a refusal would be in breach of every EU citizen’s...
-
Value investing: The price to earnings approach
Few investing approaches have garnered as much of a following as value investing; the investing standard made prominent by Ben Graham and David Dodd in their seminal 1934 publication Security Analysis. Few of us like overpaying for anything – be...
-
Italy: The sick lady of Europe
Eurozone economies seem to be bouncing back once again. The eurozone has started to grow again, inflation is well under control and stock markets are buoyant, even if unemployment stays stubbornly high. The British economy too is not doing too badly.
-
Blue-chip equities: A few tips
The year 2013 is turning out to be a year of double-digit gains and dreary dips for the stock market, keeping the majority of investors on their toes wondering what’s next. The Fed’s see-sawing between cutbacks and maintained stimulus has caused...
