We need to need to be prepared for a finite period in which local businesses will come to a complete halt, PN MP Claudio Grech told The Malta Independent on Sunday, adding that no one can really tell how long this crisis will last.
The PN spokesperson for social policy said that this complete halt could be brought about because of social distancing, which remains the strongest mitigation and containment measure possible. “We need to be more assiduous and compliant in observing this, in order not to put in jeopardy our own health and that of others, particularly those that are the most vulnerable.”
It is with this mindset that PN has put forward its proposals, he noted. The proposals were developed after thorough analysis and discussion with stakeholders and experts.
The PN’s principal proposal is for government to cover 50% of the employees’ wage bill, up to a capped amount per employee, that would be agreed with the constituted bodies and the unions.
This would contribute to the employers and the employees sticking together throughout this challenging period, Grech said.
The proposals put forward by government are insufficient to address the crisis in which businesses found themselves in, he continued. Instead of sending a message of resilience, the package spells out a sense of desperation and resignation that jobs will be lost.
‘The obvious victim is the employee’
“One has to keep one fundamental reality in mind: once jobs are lost and businesses fold, the owners will think twice in restarting the same operation, with the obvious victim in all of this cycle being the employee.”
Grech criticised the government, saying that out of the boasted €1.81 billion, the truth is that only €175 million would be going in direct aid to retain the workforce. “This is extremely short-sighted, ill-advised, and smacks of a desk-based exercise, which is completely out of touch with the reality that employers face.”
‘Comparing with other EU countries, our employment support is clearly insufficient’
One would have expected that after seven years of boasted success, the Maltese aid package would have been amongst the most attractive in Europe, Grech noted. Comparing and contrasting the employment support being given by other EU countries, clearly shows that the one announced by government is insufficient on every front.
The essential point to be kept in mind by all politicians is that businesses need confidence to embark and sustain risks they take, and then they will have the courage to employ people, he said.
“Employers do not gamble on their employees’ livelihoods, and I do not doubt that once stability starts emerging back, employers will bounce back. But stability requires certainty in this challenging time and that certainty can only be provided by government aid, granted adequately and immediately.”
Anything short of that will be leading to employers, small and large, to fail, Grech noted.
“I assure you that the PN will do whatever it takes to prevent this from happening, based on reason and the realisation that we are in this together.”
