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Euro changeover boss Joseph FX Zahra is set to chair an extraordinary Malta Council for Economic and Social Development meeting scheduled to take place Monday 19 June, in a bid to kick-start a reform process within the council’s limp decision-making structure.
Zahra, who will be “moderating” the full-day meeting at an undisclosed location, is reported to have been “selected” and agreed to by all parties expected to attend. Present MCESD Chairman Victor Scicluna, will co-chair the session.
Almost two years after MCESD failed to deliver an agreement over a social pact, following the General Workers Union’s last-minute walk-out from the discussion room, debate has been stirring amongst the social partners as to what system could be adopted for the council to come out with binding decisions regarding important social and economic issues.
The long-pending reform has left the MCESD as a lame duck, giving government no choice but to act with almost a free hand and move on with its programme over sensitive and important national issues.
All social partners except for the GWU have already spoken out in favour of a majority system to be adopted within the MCESD.
Sources close to the MCESD have revealed that the agenda calls for all social partners to prepare individual position papers for debate in an effort to gradually bring all parties closer towards a final position that will eventually be signed by all, and taken as the new and reformed decision making process.
Whilst Joseph FX Zahra steered away from comment, answering only that “it’s an MCESD internal matter”, present chairman Victor Scicluna explained that Zahra will serve as a “special rapporteur” to the whole council.
Scicluna however declined from commenting about the meeting and its intentions. “It is strictly an issue that all members have agreed to address.” He added however, that his views about the proposed reform of MCESD’s decision-making process “will be made after the initial discussions begin.”
So far government has insisted over “full consensus” within the MCESD for a social pact, but mounting pressure from within the majority of council members to set the ball rolling and reform MCESD, has flexed Castille to accept the proposed meeting, and has not excluded Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi’s attendance.
Informal meetings held during these past few weeks between different organisations represented within the MCESD have triggered what has been defined as a “renewed” but “cautious enthusiasm” towards an eventual agreement on reforming the council’s decision-making process.
One MCESD member is said to be insisting on “effective social dialogue”, rather than “just” social dialogue. The arguments set to be put forward before Joseph FX Zahra’s debut as moderator to the meeting are said to be based on a simple principle: “If important organisations or institutions such as parliament, the EU, or the ILO, or NATO decide on serious issues through majority voting, then why can’t the MCESD?”
However, many within the MCESD remain sceptical that the proposed majority system would eventually be approved, as this would leave the GWU powerless in its militancy towards the government.
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