Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/1186724
21.11.19 4 NEWS DE Havilland Aircraft of Canada Limited ("De Havilland Canada") announced to- day that it has enhanced support for oper- ators of Dash 8 Series aircraft by entering into an agreement with Mediterranean Aviation Company Limited ("Medavia"), whereby Medavia will become a De Hav- illand Canada Authorized Service Facility (ASF). Under the ASF agreement, which takes effect immediately, Medavia will offer heavy check maintenance services from its facilities located in Malta. "As the fleet of commercial aircraft con- tinues to grow in the Middle East and Africa, we are pleased to be working with De Havilland Canada to extend our MRO activities to cover the Dash 8 Series tur- boprops," said Mohamed Dau, Managing Director, Medavia. "Dash 8 turboprops have proven to be rugged and reliable air- craft and perform admirably at the most challenging airports in the Middle East and Africa, so we look forward to adding them to our maintenance portfolio and increasing our support to operators in the region." "As a seasoned MRO provider, Medavia is ideally positioned to offer maintenance services to the increasing number of op- erators in Africa and the Middle East from its strategic position in Malta," said Todd Young, Chief Operating Officer, De Havilland Canada. "e company's expe- rience supporting the oil and gas industry and operating at remote airfields provides the first-hand knowledge that will be of great benefit to our operators. We are very excited to welcome Medavia to our network of Authorized Service Facilities. "e fleet of Dash 8 Series turboprops in the Middle East and Africa continues to grow and we anticipate this to be a market that will continue to select the cost-effi- cient Dash 8-400 aircraft based on its hot and high performance characteristics, higher payload than its competitors, and potential to develop under-served mar- kets where there is now little or no air connectivity," added Mr. Young. De Havilland Canada's global network of Authorized Service Facilities for the Dash 8 Series aircraft includes Jazz Technical Services, Halifax, Canada; Flybe, Exeter, United Kingdom; SAMCO, Maastricht, e Netherlands; Ethiopian Airlines, Ad- dis Ababa, Ethiopia; GMR Aero Technic, Hyderabad, India; Hawker Pacific, Cairns, Australia; and Falcon Aviation Services, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates -- an- nounced earlier this week." Medavia joins De Havilland Canada's network of authorised service facilities supporting Dash 8 series aircraft AS a result of the effective use of EU funds, individuals with social and economic difficul- ties will have access to the as- sistance they need. e signing of a grant agree- ment between the Parliamen- tary Secretariat for European Funds and Social Dialogue, and Caritas Malta, will give rise to the new Caritas Community Centre project in Blata l-Bajda. e project is co-financed by the European Social Fund. e new community centre will provide services to persons who find themselves in difficul- ties which would lead to risk of poverty and social exclusion. is space will centralise the non-residential services, as well as other operational ad- ministrative services, offered by Caritas. e infrastructural works on the new centre are currently ongoing. "I am prepared to work to- wards the success of such such projects for our communities, as they directly address the challenges faced by those who need help the most, such that they could also fully benefit from the prosperity that the country is generating," Parlia- mentary Secretary for Europe- an Funds Aaron Farrugia said. "Our social fabric, through projects such as these, allows us to help people who are hav- ing difficulties but are finding closed doors, or persons who are going through situations such as marriage separations, as well as victims of abuse who do not find the services they need. It is unacceptable, for instance, that persons with mental health difficulties do not have access to regular care services simply because they cannot afford it," Farrugia said. President Emeritus George Abela, the project leader, said that this centre stands as testa- ment and a symbol to the way Caritas Malta, as an agency of the Church, helps vulnerable persons and those in need to overcome present and future challenges in an ever-changing Maltese society. Caritas Malta Director An- thony Gatt said that Caritas Malta had always envisioned a centre within the community which addresses the needs of individuals and their familiars who find themselves in various difficulties. Farrugia said that the Gov- ernment had always priori- tised families and vulnerable persons, also with the help of EU-funded projects. e VASTE programme, with an investment of €13 million, is a clear of example of this, as it encourages vulnerable persons to enter the workforce. Similarly, the INK pro- gramme by Agenzija Sapport with an investment of €3 mil- lion is preparing persons with disabilities to live a more inde- pendent life, apart from joining the workforce. Farrugia said that the aim of the European Social Fund is to invest in the people. "is Government is carrying on with the social revolution of Mintoff and Boffa. at which characterises us, which makes us progressive, and makes us truly social democrats," Farru- gia said. Grant agreement for new Caritas Community Centre signed Left to right: Caritas Malta Director Anthony Gatt, Parliamentary Secretary Aaron Farrugia and President Emeritus George Vella