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Sarah Attard Gialanze
Although both the Federation of Industry and the Chamber of Commerce are still studying the agreement signed last Saturday between the government and the Malta Dockers Union establishing much-reduced tariffs at the ports, the general reaction from industry has been quite positive.
Chamber President Victor A. Galea said that he was very satisfied with the agreement indicating that there was at last some movement to change work practices that had been ossified for years.
“The Malta Chamber of Commerce and Enterprise is pleased to voice its satisfaction on the announcement that the authorities have reached an agreement with port workers so that the Port Reform process can be concluded with substantial savings for the business community.”
The President of the Malta Chamber of Commerce and Enterprise, Mr Victor A. Galea said this following the signing of the agreement between the authorities and the union representing port workers, which agreement will reportedly lead to average savings of 20% on operating costs at our ports.
Mr Galea said that the Chamber had been working hard behind the scenes, to lobby for an effective port reform which is based on the fundamental principle that fees need to reflect today’s competitive realities and actual services rendered.
“Once again, we acknowledge the fact that the path was far from straightforward and that some delay was necessary to ensure a meaningful reform. We have always stated that Port Reform was not a simple exercise and that it revolves around challenging practices which have been ‘fossilised’ for a number of decades,” insisted the Chamber President.
Contacted for comments, FOI spokesperson John Scicluna said that the federation had nothing further to add at this stage as it was still studying the agreement. Scicluna said that the federation would be issuing its positions on the latest developments in due course.
Minister for Competitiveness and Communications Censu Galea signed the agreement on behalf of the Government, whilst Dr Marc Bonello signed in the name of the Malta Maritime Authority. Joe Saliba, President of Malta Dockers’ Union, and Treasurer Carmel Baldacchino signed on behalf of the Malta Dockers’ Union.
The agreement highlights a number of points: a net decrease in port expenses regulated by law which consists of amounts paid to port operators and sums paid to port workers, an introduction of minimum levels of service in order to secure efficiency and a faster service provided by licensed port workers, an agreement between port workers and port operators regarding discipline procedures and cautionary warnings, a reform in the regulation of port workers’ licences will take place to ensure that the number of workers who have a license would truly reflect the demand for their service in port operations, a change in the manner of how the fund for contingency and pensions is managed.
The Government has undertaken this reform due to the fact that the ports are a vital asset which may either facilitate or hinder the competition in our country. In the first twelve months in which the concession regarding the work operations in Grand Harbour was given to Valletta Gateway Terminal, a marginal decrease occurred, an investment of Lm1,000,000 (2.32m Euro) and an improvement in efficiency and increasing volumes of work.
The final phase of the port reform will now be focusing on the conclusions of reforms related to mooring services and the renewal, and, when there is the need, the altering of items in the agreement with pilots together with the reform, which concerns foremen and port workers. |
