Issue 96 09 THE MALTA CHAMBER OUTLINES PRIORITIES FOR RECOVERY The Malta Chamber held a virtual meeting with the Hon Prime Minister Dr Abela to introduce the new Board of Management and put forward its priorities for the coming months. The Minister for Economy, Hon Silvio Schembri was also present. The Malta Chamber President Marisa Xuereb raised several issues which are impacting business and how they can be addressed to fuel recovery and encourage growth. The President spoke on the challenges and uncertainty being faced by a number of economic sectors such as tourism, arts, entertainment, elderly care and retail. Better access to finance and clarity on the future of the wage supplement would facilitate business planning and investment. Reference was made to public procurement and the need to enhance transparency and ensure a level playing field. The Malta Chamber presented its policy paper in response to the public consultation on the proposed Recreational Cannabis Reform.
10 THE MALTA CHAMBER INSISTS ON REMAINING FOCUSED ON REDUCING CASE NUMBERS The Malta Chamber of Commerce, Enterprise and Industry acknowledge the disappointment of the tourism industry after Malta did not make it in the UK's green travel list. Worth noting that Malta came a long way in terms of reducing case numbers in a relatively short span of time. Although there's a sense of frustration and disappointment, it is worth highlighting that when considering the current number of cases per 100,000, Malta is only marginally higher than Portugal that made it on the UK list. The Malta Chamber said that other countries such as Germany have already declared Malta to be no longer a Covid-19 risk area.
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The Malta Chamber believes that this bodes well for the addition of Malta to the UK's green list at the earliest opportunity. Therefore, it is imperative that we remain focused on reducing case numbers further and achieving herd immunity through vaccination as quickly as possible.
11. PROMOTING SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT IN GOZO The Gozo Business Chamber and The Malta Chamber are concerned with the way development is happening in Gozo. Gozo has a unique character which both Chambers believe has immense potential for a more sustainable economic development and growth that respects the island's culture and authenticity. During a joint media conference at the Cittadella, the President of the Gozo Business Chamber, Joseph Borg, highlighted that the Chamber is in favour of sustainable development, which promotes quality construction that embellishes the environment and not abuses it. In this context, both Chambers said that the property and construction industry should be incentivised to move towards more sustainable development. "Gozo has a unique character. Its uniqueness contributes directly to our competitiveness and it is our duty to ensure that the industry develops in a way which takes into account the unique fabric and character of our islands, the challenges posed by climate change, and the wellbeing of the community at large" the President of the Malta Chamber of Commerce, Enterprise and Industry, Marisa Xuereb said.
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