Farsons CEO 'disillusioned' with MCESD, says it’s only acting as a spectator

Farsons Chief Executive Officer Norman Aquilina said that he feels disillusioned with the Malta Council for Economic and Social Development.

Aquilina said that the council's autonomy should be respected by the government and that its leadership should stand up for what is right, irrespective of political pressure.

“I cannot but feel disillusioned with the MCESD. Rather than taking the opportunity of being a guiding protagonist during a telling moment, this ‘advisory council’ has come across more like a spectator,” Aquilina wrote in a LinkedIn post.

He said that the agenda for the recent urgent MCESD meeting called up by The Malta Chamber to address the serious concerns about Malta and how challenges were handled, ended up being treated more like an a la carte menu by the host, with the ‘satisfaction’ expressed following the meeting leaving a lot to be desired. 

All social partners in the forum participated in an urgent meeting on Friday 28 July, in order to discuss the power cuts, energy, distribution and also climate change mitigation and adaptation.

During the meeting at Castille, Prime Minister Robert Abela announced that the government will be doubling its investment in the country’s electric distribution network.

Aqulina argued that the council has to move away from the "glorified talking shop structure" and that the government should give a stronger endorsement to this council, by duly respecting its autonomy in setting its own agenda and giving full consideration to its deliberations.

He added that the council needs a broader leadership that is less about visionary talk and more about actionable tasks, to action meaningful change.

"Critical to achieve this is the need for a coherent voice through a stronger collaborative business platform, which is ready to rise to the occasion, placing our national interest ahead of any competing institutional distractions. As challenging as this may sound, this is where true leadership comes to play."

He stated that the council's leadership should be strategically focused and proactive in order to effectively challenge and stand up for what is right and wrong, irrespective of political debate or pressure.

“We need less talking and more walking if we want to arrive at the desired destination, otherwise, we risk staying perpetually seated discussing what route to take, yet going nowhere!!" Aquilina concluded.