PM blasts GWU for damaging country

The General Workers' Union came in for more harsh criticism from Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi yesterday during a meeting in Victoria.

Dr Gonzi said the government had worked hard for the employees of Sea Malta. But when the union entered into discussions with prospective buyers Grimaldi, it destroyed the prospects of privatisation and 144 workers would therefore now be losing their jobs.

The union was responsible for these losses, Dr Gonzi said.

He expressed his satisfaction that Grimaldi would still be investing in Malta by setting up a cargo service. Private investment would be in the region €20 million with the creation of a new company.

Now, the Prime Minister said, the GWU general secretary wanted to arrogantly dictate to Grimaldi who to employ in this new company. The privileges the Labour leader promised the GWU could not be used on the private sector, he added.

He also accused the GWU of preventing any agreement from being reached within the Malta Council for Economic and Social Development last week.

Dr Gonzi said that during the Commonwealth Business Forum, through which the country had been trying to attract investment, the union tried to damage the country with a demonstration during which the general secretary Tony Zarb threatened to topple the government.

The GWU, he said, had a political aim and had become part of a political party whose leader promised it privileges.

Those who made an objective analysis would realise that the GWU was getting in the way and did not care about the country progressing. The GWU, he said, must be held accountable for the damage it was causing.