Speech by the Hon. Edwin Vassallo, Parliamentary Secretary in the Ministry for Economic Services, in conclusion of the Beauty Therapy Convention: ‘The Challenges Faced by Beauty Therapists in Malta’ organised by the Association of Beauty Therapists

When I was reviewing the programme of today’s convention, I was sincerely sorry that I was not able to attend from the start. The first two presentations in the programme had immediately caught my attention: that by Mr. Joseph Muscat entitled ‘What to do in troubled times’ and the other by Ms. Mary Cooney with the title ‘ Stress: How to respond to the demands of life and work’. These two titles were very close to what I was thinking of talking to about at this seminar, although, of course, I would not have been referring to their effect on private lives. I was rather thinking about trouble and stress within the business environment that commercial organisations are facing and go through. I am aware that there are quite a number of you that are not just professional beauty therapists but also have their own business and are self-employed. Every day that passes, you are faced with challenges and decisions that may not always be easy: these often trouble you and cause undue stress.

As Parliamentary Secretary within this Ministry, my primary responsibilities are towards the small businesses and the self-employed. It is my principal aim that the business environment in which these organisations, these SME’s, are operating is simplified so as it would become conducive to their success and sustainability. One observation that I have noted during my meetings with organisations such as yours, organisations that are made up of SME’s and self-employed persons, is that these businesses quite often do not have a high or positive esteem of themselves, because of their relative size. I honestly hope that there aren’t many here who have this kind of attitude.

It is through the organisation of seminars and conventions such as this that the sector is further organised and strengthened: in spite of being competitors you have managed to meet together here in order to discuss common problems and issues.

The collective organisation of our commercial sectors is a necessary process that would enable each and every one of you to overcome your problems and difficulties. This organisation applies also to the individual enterprise itself. The commercial sector as a whole and the enterprises themselves that make up this sector have to be well organised: commercially, financially and administratively in order to survive and succeed. This might not immediately appear to be a problem in itself, but let us consider the following:

1. There might be unfair competition from persons who are operating without a valid trading licence;
2. There could be standards that are not being applied by your own members;
3. There might be those who are not offering a service that is of quality and would give the profession a bad name.

These are all instances that would impact your sector and would have an effect on all of you, whether you like it or not. What we have to work together for, your association, you individually and myself representing the Government is so that we would create an environment that will cater for the above instances and your livelihood would therefore not be undermined. We have to ensure that we are operating on the principle of fair competition and on a level playing field. The new system that will be introduced shortly for the issuing of trading licences will cater for this and would also provide:

1. That every person that is offering a service not from commercial premises would have to be registered with the licensing authority;
2. That whoever applies for a trading licence would be required to have a level of competence that would enable him to carry out the business;
3. That whoever is working from within commercial premises would have to be duly competent and registered with the licensing authority.

These provisions would ensure that the sector is delivering a quality product or service and would help in weeding out those that I call ‘the cowboys’, those that are here today but gone tomorrow, those who give the commercial community a bad name.

This Bill, which at the moment is being discussed at Committee Stage in Parliament, seeks to offer the opportunity to the commercial community to organise itself. Every person that is carrying on a commercial activity is going to be registered and his level of competence known. Such a set up would not only ensure better consumer satisfaction and protection but would also serve to protect the genuine businesspersons themselves from the charlatans. The new act will provide for the removal of unnecessary red tape in the processing of licence applications and curb as much as possible the black economy. It seeks to provide a business environment that is simpler to operate in.

When we talk of a free economy, of a liberalised market, we are not referring to a state of anarchy where everyone will do as he pleases! We need to create a structure of regulations that are enough to make the surroundings in which our businessmen operate manageable and are not of a burden. These are regulations that are meant to create a fair and competitive atmosphere for all. From the regulation of shops opening hours to the issue of the trading licences and the registration of service providers, these are all subjects that will be looked at and revising but these will not be abolished or eliminated.

I believe in organisations and I believe in being organised. We cannot tolerate persons who think that they can do whatever they like, disregarding the rest. Our country, indeed the whole world, is going through a time of interesting changes. Here in Malta, we have introduced a number of new legislations with the scope of improving our level of business, our products, our services and our economy and making all of these competitive and compatible with circumstances elsewhere. We are restructuring our country and our economy so that we will not fall behind the rest of the world in an economy that is getting more and more global and where national frontiers keep getting thinner.

Each and every one of us here is contributing to the economic development of our country. We are as resourceful as any one else and we have to keep on working for this success. We have to identify every opportunity that comes our way and rise to the occasion. And it is a new opportunity that we have today and one that we shall be taking. I am referring to Malta’s participation in the EU programme called: ‘The Multiannual Programme for Enterprise and Entrepreneurship’, a programme specifically designed and aimed at SME’s. This programme, while taking account of the needs of SME’s, is based on five broad objectives:

1. To promote entrepreneurship as a valuable and productive life skill, based on customer orientation and a stronger culture of service;
2. To encourage a regulatory and business environment that takes account of sustainable development, and in which research, innovation and entrepreneurship can flourish;
3. To improve the financial environment for SME’s;
4. To enhance the competitiveness of SME’s in the knowledge-based economy;
5. To ensure that business support networks and services to enterprises are provided and co-ordinated.

These are objectives that I personally shall strive to implement and achieve as a member of Government by having the right structures in place. I hope that as an association, you will play your own role in this improvement. Together we have to make sure that we are offering a product and a service that is of quality, that is efficient and that is effective.

In concluding, I have to congratulate the organisers of this convention for the magnificent job they have done, and wish every one here and the Association of Beauty Therapists all the success in overcoming the challenges that will be facing you. I believe that we are all able to turn a challenge into an opportunity and make a success out of it.