Constituted bodies congratulate Robert Abela

General Workers Union

The GWU said it looked forward to continued cooperation in the name of workers with various sectors of government.

“The GWU  believes that Abela has all the qualities necessary to unite the country, and as evinced in his first speech, he will be placing the interests of workers at the top of his social agenda.”

The union said that it was satisfied knowing that the new Prime Minister was committed to implementing the principle of equal pay for equal work and, by extension, be rid of all discrimination that exists in the workplace.

“While we understand the responsibility and hard work that comes with the high office, the GWU is convinced that Abela will fulfil his promises and continue to build on the measures implemented by his predecessor and continued economic success.”

The GWU said that it encouraged the government to design policies that target the most vulnerable in society, including pensioners and people with disabilities. It concluded by saying that, as a union, it had much to contribute.

Malta Union of Teachers

The MUT congratulated Abela as Malta’s new Prime Minister and said it looked forward to hear the announcement of the new cabinet.

“That way, the urgent work that needs to continue and the pending work in various sectors can continue.”

Malta Developers Association

The MDA augured that the new Prime Minister takes it immediately upon himself “the task of normalising the political situation in Malta so as to ensure that Malta’s reputation and economy are not damaged any further.”

The association said that it intends to cooperate with the new administration to overcome the negative effects of the political crisis.

Malta Hotels and Restaurants Association

The MHRA said that due to the political crisis, the business world had suffered some losses. It said that it looked forward to Abela working to ensure sustainable conditions for the economy and the execution of the rule of law through a more robust governance frameworks.

“We have a lot of work to do so let’s start immediately to get Malta where it deserves to be,” it said.

It added that Abela’s first priority should be to restore international confidence and regain the Maltese population’s confidence in the institutions of the country.

Chamber of Commerce

The chamber congratulated Abela and said that it looked forward to the country “turning over a fresh page, as soon as possible”.
“Malta’s new prime minister has a tall order ahead of him, as he is expected to launch a comprehensive process for a thorough clean up, and subsequent strengthening of the country’s structures,” the chamber said, adding that only then will the country start re-building its international reputation.

The body said ethical business was paying the price for other people’s abuse.

“The Chamber looks forward to an early meeting with the Prime Minister this week, during which it plans to present Dr Abela with a document, which was endorsed by the Chamber Council, and proposes 65 concrete recommendations aimed at solving the country’s problems with good governance,” the chamber said.

One of its proposals is the appointment of a minister for good governance.

Malta Union of Midwives and Nurses

The MUMN said it looked forward to work closely with Abela in the best interest of the country.

GRTU

The GRTU said it looked forward to working with the new prime minister to strengthen Malta’s reputation abroad.

The organisation said that decisions had to be taken to send a clear message that wrongdoing, or alleged wrongdoing, is taken seriously.
The GRTU said it was important to ensure that Malta’s institutions are serious and in good working order.

“This can be done with diligent reforms that address the deficiencies without dragging our feet,” the GRTU said, noting that improvement was needed to strengthen transparency, accountability and meritocracy.

“After the shocking developments of the past weeks, the country needs serious and mature leadership to ensure that economic activity returns back to normality… the new leadership must show that who is dishonest or likes to be surrounded by unethical people, should have no place in government,” the GRTU said.

Dockers Union

The Dockers Union congratulated Abela and said that it hoped that his win would augur continuity so that economic success could continue to be felt by the workers and the country as a whole.

“The Malta Dockers Union is convinced that the qualities and strong values that he embraces, as well as his intellectual capacities will be the backbone of a more honest work and further successes.”

The union also thanked Abela for his legal services, being the union’s official lawyer.