In a meeting with the Malta Council for Economic and Social Development (MCESD), Minister for Transport, Infrastructure and Public Works Chris Bonett presented a series of measures aimed at mitigating the traffic challenge in our country.
Minister Chris Bonett and Parliamentary Secretary for Social Dialogue Andy Ellul stressed that this meeting marked the end of a process that addresses the sector in its broadest sense and which was characterised by discussions with experts and social partners as well as extensive public consultation.
Minister Chris Bonett expressed his gratitude to everyone who participated and submitted their proposals and emphasized that these consultations were crucial to building successful measures, which meet and satisfy the needs and aspirations of the Maltese people. He continued by explaining how after the public raised a number of proposals and ideas, which even reached the thousandth proposal, they were analyzed and considered to issue the measures.
Parliamentary Secretary for Social Dialogue Andy Ellul expressed his satisfaction that increasingly, the social partners are being consulted and listened to on matters of an economic and social nature. He stressed that transport is an area that impacts the quality of life of the people and therefore it is crucial that the partners in the MCESD, give their recommendations on this subject. He maintained that whenever the partners have been consulted, great achievements have been made for our country, including the historic agreement that saw an increase in the National Minimum Wage and the change in the Law that regulates temping agencies. He concluded by thanking the partners for their contribution, with the aim of our country and its people continuing to move forward.
MCESD Chairperson David Xuereb stressed that this Council meeting was held at the initiative of the social partners, who requested an update from the Minister for Transport on the proposals submitted and the measures being implemented to address the traffic challenge. The social partners offered their expertise and recommendations to the ministry in a constructive discussion, before these measures are published and communicated to the public. The Chairperson emphasised that this is the true spirit of social dialogue: an open and frank discussion that leads to concrete initiatives from which the public benefits.
The government is committed to moving from a written plan to facts, so much so that the plan will be publicly revealed in the coming weeks.
Photo: MTIP/OPM_PS
