Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/1165935
NEWS maltatoday | SUNDAY • 15 SEPTEMBER 2019 Construction Industry & Property Market National Conference 2019 National Conference 2019 Date: Time: Venue: 2 October 2019 8:45 - 14:00 Grand Hotel Excelsior, Floriana Fee - 70 Euro (Students half price) including coffee and lunch IN COLLABORATION WITH For more information: www.propertymalta.org/natconf2019 +356 20334897 info@propertymalta.org Conference Highlights: • Presentation by KPMG on the Construction Industry and Property Market Report 2019 Presentation by KPMG on the Construction Industry and Property Market Report 2019 • Presentation by Central Bank of Malta - The borrower-based measures that have Presentation by Central Bank of Malta - The borrower-based measures that have been introduced in July 2019 • Attendees will receive a complimentary copy of the KPMG Report 2019 Attendees will receive a complimentary copy of the KPMG Report 2019 • Panel debate and key note speakers with cross sectional views and perspectives Panel debate and key note speakers with cross sectional views and perspectives *Please note that the conference shall be presented in Maltese *Please note that the conference shall be presented in Maltese Air Malta will seek alternative on plan to fly New York YANNICK PACE AIR Malta will be forced to make alternative arrangements to operate future long-haul flights, if it fails to reach an agreement with ALPA, its pilots union. Speaking at a press conference marking the arrival of the airline's latest aircraft, tourism minister Konrad Mizzi insisted that Air Malta was planning further route expansion, including medium and long-haul flights. However, in the absence of an agreement with the union, he said Air Malta would be forced to look elsewhere to operate the flights. "The company has agreed with ALPA on all points, but ALPA is still insisting on some form of guarantee on pilots' early retirement. We have explained that we can't do this, be- cause it is not standard practice – it's not right – and it isn't permitted by state aid regulations," Mizzi said. He said that in the coming months, Air Malta will find itself at a cross- roads since it will need to decide on a fleet of aircraft to operate medium to long-haul flights. "We are cur- rently evaluating the possibility of having an extended range aircraft, an Airbus A321 that can get us to New York, but to get to this stage, we must en- sure that the collective agreements in place allow this aircraft to be oper- ated." In the absence of such reassuranc- es, Mizzi said the airline would have to look elsewhere to operate the air- craft through another company. Back in January, the government set up an airline called Malta Me- dAir which currently holds Air Malta's lucrative slots at Heathrow and Gatwick airports. Earlier this summer, Mizzi warned that if prob- lems persisted with the ALPA, Me- dAir could step in and take over Air Malta's growth plan. Extraordinary sick leave levels Mizzi went on to say that Air Malta was being weighed down by pilots' refusal to cooperate, noting that 12 pilots had called in sick yesterday alone. "This is not an industry norm, when you compare the number of people who are duty today and the number of people on sick leave you realise it is not the norm," Mizzi said. He appealed to the union, insisting that "the future looks bright" if all parties can work towards the same goal. He said Air Malta would be turn- ing a profit for the second year run- ning, however there needed to be cooperation from all employees for this to be sustained going forward. ALPA replied in a statement ac- cusing the company of mismanage- ment and incompetence. MALTA'S first National Writers' Congress took place yesterday under the auspices of the National Book Council, in a historic meeting in which a draft bill for writers' economic rights was voted upon by over 60 authors. The Congress presented two motions, one for a draft Writers' Bill of Economic Rights, and the consolidation of the legal status of the National Book Council through an act of Parliament, which will have to be ap- proved in Cabinet before being presented to the House of Representatives. The first motion was drafted following extensive consultation meetings which the NBC held with writers during the past months. The Draft Writers' Bill of Economic Rights stresses the right for authors to receive due payment for their work, and serves as guide to government in its transposition of EU Directive 2019/790 on copyright and re- lated rights in the Digital Single Market. The motion was approved unanimously, which included the approvals submitted in writing by 75 authors who could not at- tend. The second motion calls for the subsidiary law establishing the National Book Council to be renewed in an Act of Parliament, and consolidate the legal status and autonomy of the NBC. The motion was also approved unanimously. "Five writers commented on the motions and emphasised the importance of events such as the Congress bringing together writers under one roof. Writers remarked on the exclusion of poetry from minimum royalty payments in the Writers' Bill of Eco- nomic Rights," the National Book Council said in a statement. This led to an amend- ment in the Bill to include poetry. NBC executive chairperson Mark Camill- eri declared that poetry books would be included upon the introduction of fiscal incentives for the industry. "The strengthening of writers' economic standing and the growth of the publishing industry contributes to the renewal of local literature and the cultural, educational, and intellectual growth of society. This is what makes the economic growth of the industry an issue of national importance," Camilleri told the Congress. Historic Maltese writers' congress passes economic rights motion Apart from the 60 authors present, the Congress's motions were approved unanimously together with approvals submitted in writing by 75 other authors