Finance minister storms out of MCESD in spat with GRTU chief
Vince Farrugia stands by his position: ‘We have reached the point of no return’
Gerald Fenech
A heated exchange between Finance Minister Tonio Fenech and Vince Farrugia (director of the Chamber for SMEs) during Friday’s MCESD meeting resulted in the former storming out of the meeting to ‘cool off’.
The meeting was later suspended by MCESD chairman Sonny Portelli as other members walked out in protest at what sources said was “Farrugia’s attitude towards the minister”.
Contacted yesterday, Farrugia was defiant on his spat with Fenech: “We have reached the point of no return with these people,” adding that the minister was “taking the small business sector for a ride” on the micro-credit scheme which has now apparently been postponed to September.
“The fact that I contested for the European Parliament on the PN ticket gives nobody any sort of hold over me. I represent my people and act without fear on their behalf as long as they have faith in me while using the tactics I believe are best without having to apologise to anyone,” Farrugia said.
However, one source insisted that the meetings of Malta’s social partners “cannot go on being conducted in this manner.”
Some MCESD members have taken exception to Farrugia’s “prolonged rants” during meetings, which are relegating these encounters to “shouting matches”.
Malta Employers Association director-general Joe Farrugia, who was present during Friday’s meeting, said that this is not the first time that Vince Farrugia had squabbled with Fenech.
“The MCESD cannot continue to function in this manner, with Farrugia always taking over and treating the minister with disrespect. I walked out of the meeting in protest as public officials should be treated properly and meetings should proceed according to established rules,” the MEA director said.
In comments to MaltaToday, Vince Farrugia insisted that the previous budget was supposed to be targeted at small businesses but the government had reneged on its promises to the sector. He said he had made this point clear to Fenech during the latter’s presentation.
“This government is simply not delivering and no excuse covers their shame. We have always tried to take a positive conciliatory role during negotiations but it takes two to tango and we will not continue to play the games government wants us to.”
Farrugia insisted that ‘if government wants GRTU’s co-operation then it has to start delivering on its promises… This government thinks it can continue treating small businesses like dirt – it is constantly reneging on its promises to gas distributors, the construction industry, the fuel and cargo hauliers and many more. There is a limit to everything.”
Any comments?
If you wish your comments to be published in our Letters pages please click button below. Please write a contact number and a postal address where you may be contacted.
Search:
MALTATODAY
BUSINESSTODAY
Download MaltaToday Sunday issue front page in pdf file format
