The Malta Chamber of SMEs has paid tribute to Carlo Cini, its former president for several years, who passed away on Wednesday.

Cini was president at a time when the organisation was called the General Retailers and Traders’ Union. He also served as president of the petrol station committee, being the owner of a petrol station in Marsa.

During his tenure, Cini led the retailers' opposition to the introduction of VAT. He had written to former Finance Minister John Dalli in 1994 expressing the union’s opposition to the new planned tax. He also led several industrial disputes and action with the authorities in his representation of petrol stations.

Chamber president Paul Abela described him as his mentor, always available to give his honest advice.

“Thank you Carlo for your hard work during your years in office as president of our organisation,” Abela wrote.

Deputy president Philip Fenech, who sat in Cini’s council, described him as a gentleman and a good listener. “He carried it with less talk and no pomp or frills but solid stern action. He was [a man] of a few words but very binding,” he wrote in a post on Facebook in which the chamber paid tribute to Cini.

His funeral will be held on Friday at St Anne’s parish church in Marsascala, where Mass præsente cadavere will be said at 2.30pm.