The Gozo Business Chamber, and the Gozo Tourism Association, have welcomed the measures announced this evening by the Government, and how these address also the retention of employment among Gozitan businesses.

The GBC and the GTA in a statement, said that they had put forward their proposals repeatedly during this week, voicing their concerns that “if the Government did not intervene drastically, the damage to be done to the local business environment would be irreversible.”

They went on to say that they had both participated actively in the discussions in the past few days both with the Prime Minister and also with the Minister for Gozo, to take into consideration the concerns being voiced, and also the GBC and the GTA’s proposals.

Both the GBC and the GTA said that they noted positively that the new financial incentives now take into consideration the “special circumstances” being faced by Gozitan based enterprises.

“The GBC and the GTA will continue to work with the Government and also with the other stakeholders to continue to monitor the situation both at a local and a national level so that the financial incentives package will continue to address this situation, which is constantly evolving,” they said.

“Today is an important step forward,” they said, “it shows that when all stakeholders collaborate together, important results can be achieved for everyone.”

They concluded by saying that “this is a situation which is affecting everyone, and the GBC and the GTA will continue to do their part to work for the common good.”

Earlier this evening the Prime Minister Robert Abela announced a fiscal measures package to aid families and businesses in the face of the Covid-19 challenge.

This package, which builds on the previous one, found the unanimous agreement of all MCESD social partners, among those measures announced, the Government will be granting €800 a month to those parents who both work in the private sector and where one of them needs to remain home to take care of the children.

Persons with a disability who work in the private sector and opt to stay at home due to their being vulnerable to Covid-19 will also receive €800 per month.

Those persons who were made unemployed effective from 9th March 2020 onwards will receive unemployment benefits and a special benefit which amounts to €800 monthly.

With this revised package, the Government will moreover pay up to 5 days’ work to each employee who works in the sectors most impacted by Covid-19, and will be granting €800 per month.

The Government will be paying one day’s salary a week, capped at €800 a month in the following sectors: Manufacturing, part of wholesale, part of retail, warehousing and information. The Government said that it will be paying two day’s salary in the case of Gozitans.

Part-timers will be given €500 per month.

The Prime Minister said that expenditure for all direct measures will be around €65-70 million per month.

Photo by Alain Salvary

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