The Malta Chamber of Commerce is saying what most of Malta’s monopolies have been saying for more than two-hundred years: we’re full-up and there is too many of something in particular, too many of that, too many slave-labourers, and now we need to cut back because it’s that time when they are comfortable to push back against any potential growing competition after already having been full-up for some time.
The economic discourse by the local business elite has always been equally mediocre. Local monopolies have always been some of the biggest proponents against free-markets, and for state-control in the market. This is also why we have historically had a long culture of rent-seeking, although traditionally academics prefer to blame it mostly on the imperial government and Admiralty workers.
Most of the problems we have in the economy wouldn’t so problematic if the government had the courage to take difficult but much needed decisions, such as increasing the minimum wage, reducing government employees, introducing pollution and vehicle taxes, and much more obvious measures that are consistent with its talking points. Instead we are discussing senseless things and market-controls.
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