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Much to the disgust of the GRTU, government is pushing ahead with its plans to make bars and restaurants smoke free, MaltaToday can reveal.
While the GRTU was led to believe that some sort of compromise would be reached with government about smoking in bars that would include the acceptance of smoke extractors, the government is instead sticking to its guns.
Probably encouraged by the success of the no smoking ban in Ireland and its recent introduction in Norway, the government is insisting that the only smoking areas in bars and restaurants are to be ‘closed’ off.
The GRTU fears that with a tourism industry already feeling very under-confident, a stricter smoking ban will lead to less bookings and decreased revenue at restaurants and places of entertainment - which is already down.
MaltaToday is informed that tourism prospects are not good and the industry is depending on late bookings which, in the opinion of the GRTU, might not come should a smoking ban be imposed.
Smoking in bars and restaurants is to be regulated from September of this year with bars and restaurants with an area of over 60 metres to come in line within six months and those smaller than that size within one year.
GRTU members are being called to meet to discuss the issue Tuesday 8 June.
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