The government said this evening it was still open to discussions on the privatisation of the shipyards.

In a statement, the Finance Ministry expressed its disappointment and condemned the General Workers’ Union for “choosing the route of confrontation”.

It said that while the union said it wanted to reach an agreement with the government, it took an intransigent attitude, which was again reflected in the statement made during the union’s meeting yesterday that the shipyards belonged to the workers and they would determine what would be done.

The government said it wanted to make it clear that while it respected freedom of expression and the right of the union to hold a public manifestation, such confrontational and threatening behaviour could only, at this stage, hinder the prospects of interest shown by potential operators.

It said that unless interest was shown by potential investors by September 15, it would have no option but to declare failure in the privatisation process and the yard would have to be declared bankrupt.

The government, the ministry said, remained open to discussions but it was not ready to give in to threats. It warned the union that the route it had chosen was a deja vu of what had happened during the privatisation of Sea Malta and was placing the workers’ future at risk.

Contrary to what the union was alleging, the way the privatisation process was being managed was the only way which could really safeguard the workers’ interests.

Referring to the Labour Party’s appeal made earlier today, the ministry said it was open to more discussions and said that whenever a meeting was requested by the GWU, this had been granted.

So the government could not understand why the union needed to take people to the streets or to threaten the government that it would take them to Castille.

The last time the union had requested a meeting with the government, one was organised in less than two hours but the union still did not make proposals on the early retirement schemes.

The government was willing to discuss the schemes with the union so that these would be refined but it was not willing to stop the process which was already open and for which a number of workers had already applied.

The ministry said that the Labour Party should decide where it stood before accusing the government. For, while appealing for more discussions, the MLP chose to join the union in the streets for a manifestation which was clearly aimed at inciting confrontation.

If Labour wanted to be taken seriously, it should first disassociate itself from the manifestation it took part in.