Pitkala accuse government of 'unacceptable and quasi-despotic' licencing changes

The Pitkala Association has filed a judicial protest earlier today, calling on Parliamentary Secretary Roderick Galdes to revise the government’s position on a recently-imposed obligation on Pitkali Market fruit and vegetable sellers to give a bank guarantee in favour of government.

According to an amendment to the Marketing of Agricultural Produce Regulations, enacted last January by legal notice 472 of 2014, "Every pitkal who applies for the renewal of a licence after the 31st day of December of 2014 shall provide a bank guarantee, equivalent to 10% of his previous year’s turnover from the sales of agricultural produce. “

In the protest, filed today on behalf of the association by lawyer Edward Gatt, the association claims that due to the fact that whoever does not provide this bank guarantee will not be allowed to operate, the measure constitutes a change in their licence conditions. 

Several vendors genuinely lack the financial means to be granted the necessary guarantee and this measure may result in some of them ceasing to trade, reads the protest.

It described the unilateral change as “unacceptable and quasi-despotic,” pointing out that the guaranteed amount should have been based on the commission individual pitkala received and not on their gross income, as was the case.

The most serious worry, however, was “[Galdes’] attitude, as he was hardly ever available for discussions”, adding that when discussions would take place, the parliamentary secretary would react by doing the opposite to what had been agreed.

Furthermore, the organisation added that this course of action gave the impression that he wanted to “get the present vendors out of the way for some other commercial intention.”