Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/1221489
2 maltatoday EXECUTIVE EDITOR Matthew Vella MANAGING EDITOR Saviour Balzan Letters to the Editor, MaltaToday, Vjal ir-Rihan, San Gwann SGN 9016 E-mail: dailynews@mediatoday.com.mt Letters must be concise, no pen names accepted, include full name and address maltatoday | SUNDAY • 15 MARCH 2020 17 March 2010 Dockyard to close March 30 Veteran shipyards stalwart Sammy Meilaq will this morning address workers at the Malta Drydocks, in defiance of a warning issued to him by GWU secretary-general Tony Zarb who has reportedly ordered him not to jeop- ardise the position of the remaining workers, days before government intends to close the shipyards and hand them over to Neapolitan firm, Palumbo SpA. Meilaq, who is set to retire in two weeks' time, has reportedly been asked by senior GWU officials – including Zarb – to do away with militancy tactics and to be reasonable in his approach with workers, government and Palumbo. Contacted last night, Tony Zarb declined to comment specifically on Sammy Meilaq, how- ever he told MaltaToday that the Shipyards issue is "extremely delicate" and of "national importance", and that it must be handled with "utmost care." While government has reportedly informed the GWU that it intends to officially close the gates at the Cottonera Shipyards on Tuesday March 30, senior GWU officials are set to trav- el to Italy to meet up with Palumbo executives in a bid to secure conditions for their workers, and defuse any possible revolt inside the yards while also avoiding any breakdown in talks between government and Palumbo SpA. Government has already warned the GWU that should the talks fail with Palumbo, then it will have no other choice but to file for liquida- tion and all workers will be made redundant. Sources inside the 'yards have told MaltaTo- day that a series of directives have already been issued by Sammy Meilaq since last week, urg- ing workers for work to rule, go slow and not to accept any over-time at night. A mass meeting for workers, meant to be held last Monday, was abruptly cancelled as GWU officials summoned Sammy Meilaq and his team to the Valletta HQ for 'talks'. MaltaToday is also informed that Sammy Meilaq was repeatedly called to Valletta since last Monday in a bid to keep him away from the yards as much as possible, but insiders have also said that it is just a matter of time before Meilaq decides to break away from the GWU Central Committee and go his own way... Quote of the Week Looking beyond the immediate crisis Editorial ON Friday, Public Health Superintendent Char- maine Gauci announced three new cases of the COVID-19 virus – all imported from overseas – bringing the total number of local infections to 12. This number may well have risen by today; and does not take into account the possibility of other cases that have not, so far, been detected. Nonethe- less - for the moment, at least - local health author- ities seem to be coping with the caseload; and while there is no guarantee that this good fortune will persist, it does suggest that the immediate medical crisis is under control, for now. How long it remains that way, however, is also down to how well the nation responds to the crisis. It is therefore imperative that people pay heed to the instructions given by the health authorities: among others, by limiting exposure to others to the barest minimum possible, and observing personal hygiene procedures – especially washing of hands with soap – at all times. But unfortunately, this crisis goes beyond the immediate health risks to vulnerable persons. Malta is now facing an economic disaster of the kind that will require a clear policy strategy to address. The shock to Malta's business-as-usual environment has, in fact, been im- mense. Earlier this week, the Association of Catering Establishments reported a significant and alarming drop in sales for restaurants and bars, as well as mass cancellations of events. Meanwhile, the closure of flights to several coun- tries has already had devastating affects on the hos- pitality industry: making the prospect of mass layoffs likely, if not inevitable. As with the 2008 financial crisis, businesses will need to be bailed out: which may extend to state aid for national companies, but also relief measures for private enterprises. At a higher level, banks have also introduced miti- gatory measures for this unprecedented trade shock. HSBC for example introduced short-term capital repayment holidays for businesses facing loss of business, as well as fee-free short-term working cap- ital for those with cash flow problems, and a waiver of business fees on commercial services. But government must also devise a way of offering private companies relief on VAT and social security payments, as well as utilities, due to the cash-flow problems they will almost certainly endure. If there was a time of national emergency where the posteri- ty fund from the IIP is necessary, surely it is now. Meanwhile we also have to talk about compassion and solidarity, especially for workers who do not have safety nets that allow them to take time off work or do telework; or to have people take care of their children while not in school. Above all, we must be vigilant against those who would profiteer from the emergency. Such is the fear of a breakdown in social relations that the Chamber of Commerce itself has called on businesses to exer- cise "maximum ethical standards in pricing of basic need products." President David Xuereb said that at a time of national pressure on all aspects of life, the business community has an important role to play, to act responsibly towards patrons with the highest ethical standards. And indeed there is no doubt that at such a time of heightened demand, "the rules of the market can easily provide for a price-increase". This is why the Malta Chamber is encouraging operators in the supply chain to also act responsibly. Elsewhere, we face prob- lems on Maltese social media, with cruel reactions from commenters being disparaging of people who hail from 'red zone' coun- tries, and malicious demonisation of the victims of this unfortunate epidemic. Like the virus itself, the scale of misinformation must also be battled. Indeed, both Twitter and Facebook have now out- lined proactive measures to ensure that their users are guided towards accurate sources of information, and that the conversation is not hijacked by those looking to spread fear. Twitter is halting auto-sug- gest results which are likely to direct individuals to non-credible coronavirus content. Facebook is undertaking similar measures, with third-party fact-checking teams monitoring the related conver- sation and flagging inaccurate posts. Facebook says that it will also remove content with false claims or conspiracy theories which have been flagged by health authorities as potentially causing harm to people who believe them. As with the spread of the virus, the success of these measures depends on the responsibility of the people using these social media networks. This is ultimately a crisis; and as with all the past crises Mal- ta has had to endure, our ability to overcome it will depend how responsibly we behave today. "It is our moral obligation, our civic duty and an act of Christian charity to take care of ourselves and others." Archbishop Charles Scicluna on taking precautionary steps against the Covid-19 coronavirus infection MaltaToday 10 years ago As with the spread of the virus, the success of these measures depends on the responsibility of the people using these social media networks