The Budget that will be presented next Monday will be one that will continue to support families, particularly the most vulnerable, and businesses. Prime Minister Robert Abela said this during a consultation meeting with the Chamber of Small and Medium Businesses regarding the 2024 Budget. In his introduction, Prime Minister Robert Abela defined the post-pandemic period as an important period as key sectors of the Maltese economy began to recover, chief among them tourism and the labor market. “Now we need to look at the future of this country and therefore the need for decisions aimed at improving the quality of life of the Maltese and the Awadians”, stressed the Prime Minister. Here he listed a number of reforms and initiatives to strengthen the labor market. He mentioned the reform in stipends, the Technical Trades Center at MCAST, and the introduction of the Skills Passport in the field of hospitality. Regarding inflation, Dr Abela said that in the next Budget, the Government will keep energy prices stable, a measure that will be affecting both families and business owners. Regarding development and construction, the Prime Minister said that even this sector has a role in the economic transition that the country is going through. He said that the reform in the licensing of contractors is a change accompanied by seriousness and respect in the workplace, towards workers and neighbours. He concluded by saying that just as he talked about various proposals with people coming from different bands of society, he will also be listening to the Chamber of Small and Medium Businesses so that together they can design the way forward. Present for this consultation meeting was the Minister for Finance and Work Clyde Caruana, the Minister for the Environment, Energy and Enterprise Miriam Dalli, the Parliamentary Secretary for Social Dialogue Andy Ellul and Government Deputies Alex Muscat and Katya De Giovanni.
