Extension of shop opening hours being discussed - Minister

Economy minister Chris Cardona, who is also responsible for small businesses, said that discussions on whether the opening hours of commercial outlets should be extended or not will soon be entering its second phase.

Cardona said that talks had already been held between various government institutions and consultation will now be sought from trade unions and private stakeholders. Thereafter, a white paper will be issued for public consultation on the matter.

"Above all, we need to make sure we understand the concerns of both the shop-owners and the consumers," he said. Cardona confirmed that the possible extension of hours was not necessarily restricted to Sunday but to all days of the week.

The minister also said that progress was being made on the family business act that, amongst other factors, aims to facilitate the transferring of family businesses from one generation to another. He said that the ministry was currently working in conjunction with the National Statistics Office to draw up a survey on the reaction to the act.

"Our job is to create the right economic climate for there to be an easy transfer of businesses within the family," he said. "Unfortunately, many of these close down due to financial reasons such as inheritance tax or for simple bureaucratic reasons."

Whilst claiming that the Act will help to keep these companies afloat, he said that others would need to do their bit too. "It is our obligation to help small businesses," he said. "But they sometimes need to understand that with no investment or upgrading, their company runs the risk of dying a natural death."

"This government wants to maximize all business opportunities," he said. "Our policies aim to ensure that our market is exhausted."