Zarb says country has 'enormous' problems

The country's "enormous problems" had been hidden year after year but it was impossible to conceal them forever and the new government would have the difficult task of solving them, GWU general secretary Tony Zarb said yesterday.

Closing a seminar entitled "The Malta Council for Economic and Social Development - A year later", he said the union had been the first to invite the social partners to work together to see how employment could be increased. But the government had thrown that idea away.

He said that while unions and employers were making the people aware of the country's problems and explaining them, ministers were saying there were none.

It was time for politicians to be given a clear sign they should not promise what they could not deliver.

The highest priority for all the social partners, he said, should be the country's interest. If the burdens on the people were increased, the unions would ask employers for wage increases in compensation. This should be taken into consideration when taking important decisions that would affect the country's future.

Mr Zarb said that when politicians had their backs to the wall they went to the MCESD to ask what could be done to solve the problems. The social partners were willing to give such advice only if it was followed, he said.