Issue No. 156	25 - 31 October 2000

Interview John Borg Bartolo Protecting the small fry

Setting the standards: Economic Services Minister Josef Bonnici outlines the role of the Malta Standardisation Authority

Getting the State on-line: Analysis of Malta’s bid for e-government

Malta Stock Exchange

Editorial The fate of unionism in Malta Feature E-government finding its place in the IT revolution EURO INFO In Focus Vilhena Funds AGM "Assets under management in the Vilhena Funds SICAV plc. have increased by an impressive 42% from Lm36.19 million as at 30 June 1999 to Lm5l.58 million as at 30 June 2000. The number of shareholders has tipped the 3,500 mark." Chairman Dr Remigio Zammit Pace announced during Vilhena Funds’ Annual General Meeting. FEXCO Investment Services launched amid expanding industry FEXCO Investment Services (Malta) Limited was recently launched. The company has been licensed to conduct Investment Services business by the Malta Financial Services Centre. At a reception Finance Minister John Dalli welcomed this new initiative by FEXCO Investment Services (Malta) Limited. Focus on negotiating Interests, value and the art of the best deal Managers should negotiate to create value, as well as claim it			By Miriam Dunn The Association of General Retailers and Traders is seeking a fundamental change in the way that pensions are annually reviewed in its Budget 2001 submissions. The association’s director general, Vince Farrugia, told The Business Times that the GRTU believes the current system to be highly discriminatory against proprietors of small businesses, since their pensions are non-reviewable. Read more BySaviour Balzan repoting from Hannover German officials have commented on the importance of seeing Maltese participation in the Expo 2000 currently being held in Hannover, Germany. "This is one way of promoting Malta and of telling people of your dynamic country," explained a senior official from the Federal Press Office, "not to have done so would have been a grave mistake." Read more Local News BA fine sends ripples around TV stations The fine which the Broadcasting Authority meted out to NET TV last week over excessive advertising has highlighted the struggle that media companies are facing to survive in the cut-throat business. Rinella movie park post mortem needed Rinella Movie Park may have managed to keep open if tour operators had lent a helping hand, according to the Director General of the Association of General Retailers and Traders. Mobile companies get ready to respond With the launch of mobile phone company Go Mobile just six weeks away, competition in the mobile phone sector appears to be hotting up. By Nadine Brincat Gozo Business Chamber joins EU Network of Insular Chambers The motion was approved during the first General Assembly of this network, which was followed by a two-day forum entitled "The Sustainable Development of Insular SMEs in View of Globalisation". Valletta Fund Management inaugurates new premises The new premises were inaugurated by the Prime Minister, Dr Eddie Fenech Adami, Bank of Valletta Group Chairman Mr Joseph FX Zahra and Mr Paul Manduca, Chief Executive Officer of Rothschild Asset Management and director of Valletta Fund Management Limited APS hosts conference for farmers co-operatives and producers organisations APS Bank recently held a conference for the Co-operative of Farmers and Producers Associations, with the participation of the Agriculture Department, MIC and the Malta Standardisation Authority.

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The Business Times, Network House, Vjal ir-Rihan San Gwann SGN 07 | Tel: (356) 382741-3, 382745-6 | Fax: (356) 385075
Editor: Saviour Balzan
e-mail: [email protected]