|
The Malta Employers’ Association said that the scope of any reform is to bring about positive change and in the case of port reform, positive change can only be measured in the extent to which the reform translates into better efficiency at reduced prices to the business community.
“It has long been stated that port reform was crucial in improving competitiveness in Malta, and that the costs associated with the transport of cargo and raw materials were one of the reasons why Malta suffered a competitive disadvantage compared to other destinations. Therefore the reform in our ports should be an opportunity to remove inefficiencies to attract investment and generate productive jobs,” the MEA said.
The association urged government to stick to its stated objective of reducing costs by 25%. “Otherwise the reform will be just a cosmetic exercise that will have no significant positive impact on business,” the association stated. “Competitiveness issues have to be addressed concretely and that employers’ only interest in such measures is purely to increase productivity. It is worrying that measures that are aimed at improving competitiveness are being diluted to the point where they are being completely ineffective, if not counterproductive,” the association added.
|
