[WATCH] Muscat visits Eurosport, fields questions from staff

During a visit Labour leader Joseph Muscat did at Eurosport, chief executive Michele Peresso took the opportunity to laud proposals aimed at addressing the burden of utility tariffs and bureaucracy in government entities and lamented over the lack of incentives for retail SMEs and the lack of specialised training in this sector.

"We welcome initiatives and recommendations which could provide positive results in the future. We believe that energy bills are fundamental in determining the competitiveness and the needs of the country and that we maximize all possibilities so that both consumers and the industry benefit from lower energy rates that are sustainable and stable," Peresso said.

Peresso said that Malta had renewable energy targets to reach by 2020, and urged authorities to be of support to the private industry in this regard.

Speaking on sports, Peresso said that in public procurement by entities, more emphasis should be placed on medium-sized companies like the Peresso Group, who provide work for a consolidated number of workers, over those companies who "practically do not employ anyone with the working conditions stipulated in the contract."

While welcoming further schemes and initiatives to improve competitiveness and investment, Peresso said more emphasis should also be placed on existent businesses employing between 100 and 200, especially those in retail.

"Local companies shouldn't be discriminated against foreign companies who enter the domestic market and benefit from fiscal incentives such as the 5% corporate tax, where we have to pay the same tax at 35%."

Peresso Grouo currently employs 135 workers with 21 shops around the Maltese Islands in retail and wholesale and is the sponsor of some 60 sports clubs.

On his part, Muscat said a Labour government wanted to give importance to all types of sports. He also reiterated the proposals aimed at helping SMEs, including the enacting a Family Business Act to help facilitate the transition of ownership from one generation to another.

Muscat also fielded questions from the Peresso Group workers on incentives for small business, female participation and the process related to procurement of medicine.