Gas Cylinder distributors refusing to accept today’s realities - Chamber

Following the recent news of gas strikes, the Malta Chamber of Commerce, Enterprise and Industry said in a statement that it is “perturbed that private investors who have invested millions of euro in our country, are now being informed that they have no right to distribute their own product.”

“One of the main positives of privatisation is that old archaic practices are thrown out of the window and modern practices more in line with today’s needs are introduced,” it said.

The Malta Chamber maintained that such a situation “is harmful to a liberalised market and more importantly, to free competition” while also giving a” very negative picture of the country at a very sensitive moment when attracting new investment is vital for our economy.”

“With new foreign investment declining worldwide, the competition for any new investment is much harsher. This country cannot afford to indulge in needless industrial action. Due to this stalemate, not only is the economy suffering, but so are consumers.”

The Malta Chamber’s expressed concerns is that, following the privatisation of the gas sector two years ago, “a monopolistic situation may still be allowed to prevail, which defeats the purpose of privatisation and the potential for business development and competitiveness, not to mention a more efficient service for consumers.”

The Malta Chamber stressed that “the current state of affairs should be rectified immediately and that practices of the past are not encouraged to remain.”

“This is why this country joined the EU and this is why the Malta Chamber has always been consistent in saying that one of the main advantages of EU Membership has and will always be the free market and the need for healthy competition,” the Chamber said.

“Regarding the industrial action, the Malta Chamber feels that the GRTU as an employer body is acting outside its remit. The calling of strikes is in fact the responsibility of unions.”

The Malta Chamber called on the GRTU to act as all employer bodies in this country do, i.e. with responsibility towards the whole country rather than to the interests of a small group of people who refuse to realise the realities within which we are operating today.