The discussion regarding business hours for
retail outlets have been going on for years.
I do not think that there is anything new to be told. So, why raise the issue?
Really the issue has been raised by a statement
by the GRTU, during a visit by the Minister responsible for the Economy,
Investment and Small Businesses, that most of the retail owners believe that
business hours should be regulated by them directly.
This statement shows the time lag that it takes
small businesses to realize that change is needed and that the business
environment has radically changed. The
GRTU is to be remembered of its campaign against liberal shopping hours when Bay Street shopping
centre opened at St Julians. At that
time the owners of this shopping centre started opening also on Sunday. The GRTU brought about all sorts of arguments
including the argument that it goes against the Catholic religion to work on
Sunday etc. etc. Then the situation was
diffused especially when Bay
Street started collecting signatures to push for a
referendum on shopping hours by granting exception to Bay Street.
The government then started to turn a blind eye
on those who contravened the existing regulations by opening whenever they
thought to do so.
One may ask why the government sought to
appease the GRTU. The reason is the
affinity that exists between the business sector and the political class in Malta. Though political parties depend on ‘donations’
of big business, the election candidates depend on small business especially
through ‘donations’ in kind. Though
there have been quite a lot of rhetoric regarding the need for new legislation
on political parties funding, we are still waiting to see the Bill come to
light. I sincerely hope that it would
be a breakthrough.
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