The Malta Chamber of Commerce and Enterprise maintains that public funds should be utilised to prepare companies like the shipyards for privatisation.

The Chamber welcomed the recent announcement by Prime Minister Dr Lawrence Gonzi , that government will commence the process for the privatisation of Malta Shipyards.

In the past, the Chamber maintained that public funds should be utilised to prepare companies like the shipyards for privatisation, as this was a potential route for the achievement of long-term viability. It insists that private enterprise is better positioned and motivated to manage any entity - including the shipyards - and is supporting the process for privatisation to reap the desired results.

In so far as the workforce is involved, the Chamber expressed its hope that the process is rendered as smooth as possible for all parties concerned.

It added that it is imperative that in so far as the surplus human resources are concerned adequate re-training is organised by the Employment and Training Corporation in order to ensure that these same employees - once re-trained where training is required - are made available on the labour market. This can also be achieved by the utilisation of EU funds specifically made available via the European Social Fund. Private enterprise will surely benefit from the availability of certain skills, especially in certain areas where skill shortages have been registered.

Concluding, the Chamber earnestly hoped that in the national interest, all those involved in the privatisation process should be constantly aware of their onerous role, acknowledging that state subsidies to the shipyard must stop by the end of this year, and that any delay will further complicate matters.