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MALTATODAY 13 October 2019

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12 JAMES DEBONO ALMOST seven out of every 10 Maltese say they are aware their hometowns have benefit- ed from EU-funded projects – yet just 29% say they benefitted personally from these projects. A Eurobarometer survey found 68% of Maltese saying they are aware of EU-funded projects in localities where they live, outstripping the 40% EU average who are aware of simi- lar projects in their neighbour- hoods. Moreover 91% of Maltese think these EU-funded project have benefitted their localities. The Maltese are only sur- passed by Poles (82%), Czechs (75%) and Slovaks (72%) in their awareness of EU-funded projects in their neighbour- hoods. But Malta compares very fa- vourably to Cyprus, where only 38% are aware of such funding initiatives in their localities. Unsurprisingly the greatest awareness of EU-funded pro- jects is found in new member states who are still net recipi- ents of EU funds, and lowest in old member states like the Netherlands (19%), the UK (16%) and Denmark (15%), But the percentage of Maltese who are aware of such projects in their locality has increased from 39% in 2010 to 59% in 2015, to 68% now. While the Maltese are more aware of EU-funded projects in their localities than most other Europeans, less than a third have personally benefitted from these funds. The survey shows that just 27% of Maltese have benefited in their daily life from a pro- ject funded by the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) or the Cohesion Fund. compared to 28% of all EU re- spondents. Respondents in Eastern European nations like Poland (74%), Estonia (54%) and the Czech Republic (50%) were the most likely to say that they have personally benefitted from EU funding. The survey also shows that 58% of Maltese believe that the EU should invest in all regions, while 37% think it should only invest in its poorer regions. The percentage that believes that the EU should restrict funding to poorer regions has declined by three points. maltatoday | SUNDAY • 13 OCTOBER 2019 NEWS 68% of Maltese say they are aware of EU funds spent in their hometown EU cash: Maltese can see the difference EU where? The Maltese are amongst the least knowledgeable of the EU's outermost regions The survey also exposes the Maltese as being the most ignorant when it comes to geography. Only 8% of the Maltese – compared to 21% of all EU respondents – could mention at least one of the nine outermost EU regions, which are territories or islands located far away from the European continent. Only the Greeks, Croats, Cypriots, Latvians and Lithuanians were less knowledgeable. Unsurprisingly the most knowledgeable were the French (49%) whose country includes Guadeloupe, French Guiana, Martinique, Saint Martin, Réunion and Mayotte, followed by the Luxembourgers (43%) whose country includes no such territories MALTA lost two places in the Global Competitiveness Index published by the rich nations' club World Economic Forum. Covering 141 economies, the GCI claims to measure nation- al competitiveness by creating indexes that measure a set of institutions, policies and fac- tors to determine a country's level of productivity. Malta is now ranked the 38th most competitive country in the world, down two places from 2018, after losing 0.2 points to get a score of 68.5. Malta, however, was ranked top country for macro-eco- nomic stability, its best per- forming indicator, and 26th globally for best healthcare. These were among the 12 un- derlying indicators that make up the global score. Overall, Malta surpassed Lithuania, which climbed one step to 39, and fell below Po- land, which stayed put in 37th position. The most competitive nations were Singapore, which pipped the United States, which fell second, followed by Hong Kong, the Netherlands, Switzerland and Japan. In 2016, Malta climbed eight places to 40th. The devil is in the detail, however: when all the underly- ing indexes are broken down, slippage occurred across 39 of the 103 individual indexes used to calculate the overall GCI – these included indexes on organised crime, reliabil- ity of police services, judicial independence, freedom of the press, burden of government regulation, legal frameworks, incidence of corruption; while other indexes on social capital, infrastructure, air services, in- ternet connectivity, schooling, and women in the workforce all increased. Malta drops in competitiveness ranking Interested persons are kindly requested to submit a letter of application and a detailed CV to recruitment@identitymalta.com by 27th October, 2019 Qualifications required • Adequately proficient in Maltese and English (Level C1/ C2 of the Common European Framework of Reference for languages); • In possession of either: * A pass (Grade 1-5, Grade C or a comparable level) in six (6) subjects at MQF level 3 which must include Maltese, English, and Mathematics; OR * A full MQF level 3 VET qualification, or a Secondary School Certificate and Profiling qualification at MQF level 3, in six (6) subjects which must include Maltese and English; • Any additional subject at MQF Level 3, will be accepted for eligibility purposes; • An ECDL or a recognised comparable qualification and candidates who are not in possession of this, will still be considered eligible provided that they obtain such qualification by the end of their probationary period. Job Description • Offer clerical support to the administrative and technical branches of the unit; • Copy, type, file, operate office machinery including computers and general office duties; • Open files, registration of applications/notices in day book and forwarding to other sections for necessary action; • Receive applications payments and issue receipts; • Conduct a daily reconciliation statement of all applications received; • Answer queries re applications, documentations required; • Answer telephones, sets up appointments and help in maintaining an organised filing system, answer emails and manage information; • May be required to man reception desks, to answer queries and handle complaints; • Provide administrative support for to the Agency's management and staff; • Work as part of a team; • Any other duties as required by the CEO or his delegate. We're Recruiting CLERICAL OFFICER 762/2019, 522/2019, 242/2018

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