Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/298224
maltatoday, SUNDAY, 20 APRIL 2014 5 DANIEL MIZZI CONSUMERS want shops to stay open for longer so that they can fit in their shopping around their hectic working days. But meeting the needs of these consumers is about to bring a new challenge for Malta's army of retailers and small businesses. A survey by the Chamber of SMEs (GRTU) claims that 62% of its re- spondents support the revision of a law that currently restricts opening hours to 7pm on weekdays and 8pm on Saturdays, extending until 10pm during the November- January sea- son. Not so the people who run their own small businesses and do not have the muscle to employ attendants to run their outlets. 27% of 500 respondents told the GRTU that family-run busi- nesses risk becoming obsolete and replaced by chains due to their lack of resources to open all hours. "It's an unthinkable measure that would make it impossible to compete, and eventually destroy family-run businesses," Alex Anastasi, of Anastai Shoe Store said. "Due to the demands of modern society, it is inevitable that the gov- ernment would have to revise these shopping hours. Unfortunately, faced with the burden of trying to keep up with the competition, family-run businesses risk becoming obsolete, whereas large businesses and chain stores would become even stronger," Anastasi told MaltaToday. The government wants to relax opening hours' restrictions, and the GRTU survey has encouraged it to adopt a more flexible legal frame- work. But several family-run businesses in Valletta who spoke to MaltaToday have argued that they do not have the resources to open all hours, com- plaining of unfair competition be- cause chain stores with the economic power could easily "replace" family- run businesses. Echoing Anastasi's criticism, Mor- ris Agius, from Agius Watches, ar- gued that the relaxing opening hours would spell disaster for many busi- nesses who are already struggling to stay afloat. "It's already difficult for businesses in Valletta's ailing commercial hub to make ends meet, so increasing ex- penses to keep up with the competi- tion would be th final nail in our cof- fin," he said. While the majority of family-run businesses who spoke to this news- paper were opposed to increasing opening hours, others underlined the greater pressure on employees, who would either have to accept working longer or else risk being replaced. Other vendors whose livelihood mainly depends on tourism, however also welcomed the proposal, hoping that it would serve to "revitalise" Val- letta. "Whenever shops are closed, it only worsens the already gloomy at- mosphere in Valletta. Consequently, through the revision of the regula- tions, the open shops would them- selves create an atmosphere and encourage shoppers," Keith Agius, from souvenir shop Memories, told MaltaToday. Agius drew comparisons with what he said were the "crowd-pulling" hawkers, insisting that the best way to "revitalise" Valletta for the up- coming V18 events would be to cater to the needs of those shops, outlets and museums that "give the capital city its identity, that create its atmos- phere." While the Trade License Regula- tion prohibit shops from opening on public holidays, unless they pay a li- cence fee, 54% of the GRTU survey's respondents have insisted that re- strictions should be lifted on Sunday and public holidays. "Allowing shops to open on public holidays and week- ends would encourage more people to visit Valletta and shop," Keith Ag- ius continued. "Valletta should no longer be perceived as the dead city, but conversely, in order to boost sales, shops must do their utmost to encourage shoppers." On her part, Jennifer Busuttil, a lace vendor in Merchants Street, ex- plained that while some businesses could oppose the revision due to an increase in labour costs, the decision to open should be at the discretion of the owner himself. Among their aversions to opening on Sunday and public holidays, 36% of the GRTU survey respondents pin- pointed the fulfillment of religious duties and their own personal health as the main reason to stay shut on these holidays – a claim supported by the Church commission who in 2013, took exception at the govern- ment's proposal, insisting that the workers' financial necessities should not diverge them from fulfilling their religious duties. "Opening on Sundays and public holidays would be inconceivable for the majority of shop owners," an- other shopkeeper, Fredrick Enriquez from Victor Enriquez, said. "Apart from the fact that it would not add to our profits, we deserve a rest." News Sky's the limit for seven hotels under new policy opment is not allowed on ridges. In all cases, the resultant design must constitute a landmark building having "unique aesthetic character- istics within the urban context". A policy by the former administra- tion allowed hotels in tourism zones to add not more than two storeys. The first hotel to benefit from the new policy, ratified by the Labour government in May 2013, was the San Antonio hotel, which had a pending permit to add two new floors. The policy was prepared by a com- mittee, which included MEPA offi- cials and representatives of the Malta Hotels and Restaurants Association and the Malta Tourism Authority. "The entire Sicilian Channel is characterised by an elevated seis- mic danger due to the presence of submarine volcanoes and important tectonic structures," Cassaniti had warned in an interview in September 2013. Cassaniti insisted on the publica- tion of a comprehensive risk map of the seabed before any oil exploration activities are conducted. When queried by MaltaToday, Tony Hayward, chief executive of Genel, one of the companies drilling for oil off Malta's coast, insisted that these risks are always assessed. "Before drilling extensive analysis is undertaken, and risks are compre- hensively analysed. Drilling would not take place if there were serious concerns over seismic activity," the former BP chief executive had said. Tony Hayward BP chief at the time of the Deepwater Horizon oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico, which is consid- ered the largest accidental marine oil spill in the history of the petroleum industry. According to the Maltese govern- ment, the environmental assess- ment for MOG's oil exploration was carried out in accordance with the requirements of the Offshore Proto- col of the Barcelona Convention. In 2012, Genel acquired the 75% par- ticipating interest in MOG's licence interests in Area 4 in offshore Malta. This will be the first time that such an assessment is held before oil ex- ploration activities take place. "An environmental assessment is not mandatory for an exploratory well but government asked the company to conduct this assessment prior to commencing drilling operations," a ministry spokesperson told Malta- Today. Since the exploratory well will be drilled well outside territorial waters, it does not fall within the jurisdiction of the Malta Environment and Plan- ning Authority (MEPA), which is bound by law to publish any study and submit impact studies to public consultation. Unlike environment assessment reports on terrestrial development, the risk assessment report on the exploratory well will not be made public. At present there is no specific leg- islative framework to regulate oil drilling apart from the Continental Shelf Act and the production sharing contract between the government and MOG. An EU Directive on offshore safety will come into force as from July 2015. The risk assessments were carried out by a company licensed to carry out the drilling activity will carry out the risk assessment. But government had engaged unnamed experts to re- view the reports submitted by the oil company and to recommend their acceptance or otherwise. jdebono@mediatoday.com.mt Open all hours? No thanks, some say