A meeting of the Malta Council for Economic and Social Development ended amicably yesterday with the contested incoming chairman, John Bencini, promising “a more consultative” body and saying he was “a happy man”.
I want a more proactive council that conducts research and offers suggestions
The meeting, the first one under the new Labour Government, was opened by Social Dialogue Minister Helena Dalli, who announced that the Government intended to rotate the chairmanship between social partners.
Mr Bencini’s unilateral appointment by the Government, in contrast with previous practice, had prompted noises of disapproval from six of the social partners sitting on the council.
He said yesterday’s meeting had dispelled his concerns. “I was worried yesterday but I’m feeling much more optimistic today,” he said.
Mr Bencini was eager to encourage consultation. “I don’t want the council to only be consultative on paper but in the real sense of the word,” he said.
“I want a more proactive council that conducts research and offers suggestions.”
The MCESD meeting revolved around Monday’s Budget vote and Finance Minister Edward Scicluna said that although deficit figures – to be released on Monday – appeared to have overshot the EU’s three per cent limit, the situation was “manageable” (see front page story).
Prof. Scicluna said his own MCESD history – he chaired the council between 1999 and 2003 – contributed to the meeting’s positive atmosphere.
“I promised them more discussion, especially in terms of Budget preparation,” he said.
The social partners agreed with both men’s assessments.
The president of the Confederation of Malta Trade Unions, William Portelli, described the meeting as “tranquil”.
The Government’s pledge to rotate MCESD chairmanship among social partners made sense, he said, pointing to similar councils on the European mainland that already applied the system. “But that proposal should be part of a wider set of revisions of how the MCESD works,” he said.
General Workers’ Union secretary-general Tony Zarb spoke similarly. “We’ve been calling for that for several years,” he said.
“But we want to go beyond that and institute broader reform and become more like other councils within the EU.”
His counter at the Union Ħaddiema Magħqudin, Josef Vella, said that restructuring the council would help avoid uncomfortable situations such as that concerning Mr Bencini’s appointment.
MCESD legislation was “a bit vague” on whether the chairman required unanimous approval to serve, he noted. The director general of the Chamber of Small and Medium Enterprises – GRTU, Vince Farrugia, welcomed what he described as a “promise” by Mr Bencini to give the MCESD a more proactive role in contributing to economic programmes presented to the EU.
Malta Hotel and Restaurants Association president Tony Zahra’s comment was brief and upbeat.
“We need to be positive,” he said.
“We face big challenges but I’m certain that, if we work together, we can overcome them and come out stronger than before.”
The president of the Malta Union of Midwives and Nurses, Paul Pace, was also pleased with the way the meeting had turned out, “against all the media’s predictions,” he drily said.
Each social partner put their questions and raised their respective points, Mr Pace said.
“And I don’t see any potential hurdles that might trip us up,” he added.
“If anything, today was proof of the friendship that united us.”
In a statement issued earlier, the Malta Employers’ Association reiterated its opposition to Mr Bencini’s appointment, saying it was attending the meeting “under protest”.
“A better effort should have been made to select a person who has the backing of all social partners,” it said, specifying that it had “absolutely no objection to having an MCESD chairperson who hails from the workers’ camp”.