Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/1322287
4 maltatoday | WEDNESDAY • 23 DECEMBER 2020 NEWS CAREER OPPORTUNITY • Head Internal Audit (JobsPlus permit 708/2020) The Malta Development Bank (MDB) is a promotional bank set up by the Government of Malta in 2017 in terms of the Malta Development Bank Act, 2017 (CAP.574). The aim of the MDB is to complement commercial banks so as to bridge financial gaps in bankable investments, thereby supporting socio-economic development in Malta, with special focus on SMEs, inf rastructure, innovation, digitalisation, education, and other socially-oriented projects. The MDB is currently recruiting and invites applications f rom suitably qualified candidates with banking experience who are citizens of European Union Member States for the following vacancy: This post offers an excellent career opportunity and carries a very attractive remuneration package commensurate with qualifications and experience. A full job description of this post is available on the MDB's website: mdb.org.mt. Additional information may be obtained by contacting the MDB on careers@mdb.org.mt or on +356 2226 1700. Applications together with curriculum vitae and a copy of qualification certificates are to be submitted by Monday 11th January 2021 addressed to: The Chief Executive Officer, Malta Development Bank, Pope Pius V Street, Valletta VLT 1041 or via email on careers@mdb.org.mt THE Malta Youth in Agricul- ture (MaYA) foundation has ex- pressed its dismay at Infrastruc- ture Malta's plans to sacrifice 20 tumoli of irrigated land in Im- rieħel for a bypass flyover. The farming NGO stated its concern about the project as well as the wider ramifications of giving up agricultural land for the sake of further roadbuild- ing, a trend which has already cost the country huge swathes of arable land and open spac- es. "Safeguarding agricultural land should not come at a cost to road safety. We're positive that alternative solutions may be found when all stakeholders are consulted," said a MaYA spokes- person. The NGO welcomed the in- terventions of political gran- dees such as former President Marie Louise Coleiro Preca and MEP Dr Alfred Sant who both expressed their concern at the intention to build new road junctures instead of arable land, noting that this latest develop- ment piles further misery onto the farming sector in Malta. "This case brings to the fore the various issues already faced by farmers when it comes to land use. Farmers are constant- ly under threat, because projects such as these may throw them out of a livelihood at any time. In addition to this, we are yet to see the repercussions of a recent constitutional case related to the lease of agricultural land, an is- sue which has been neglected by subsequent administrations and which will cause further damage to the sector." Whilst welcoming initiatives such as those related to urban embellishment, the NGO said that this alone is not enough to protect Malta's green spac- es, particularly considering the persistent dangers looming over these areas from various quar- ters including development and roadbuilding. Quoting statistics from the Eu- ropean Environment Agency, MaYA said agriculture remains the primary land user in Mal- ta (51%), and due to the lack of forests (only 0.7%), it also rep- resents the only green lung left on the islands. Malta is also the most densely populated Mem- ber State in the EU with 22% of its area classified as urban ar- ea. "The number of dwellings approved in ODZ areas has increased over the past years, meaning that a sealed (built) ar- ea will never be returned to its original state." Whilst the general public may have become more sensitive to the importance of open spac- es for their recreational value, awareness needs to be raised about food security, the liveli- hoods of rural communities and the conservation of rural tra- ditions, all of which are widely acknowledged by the European Union in its reports. MaYA also sounded out a warning about the potential im- pact of EU funds dedicated to ag- riculture, saying that these funds hinged on a clear government strategy and the approval of Ru- ral Development Plans. "Euro- pean funds allocated to Malta – which has been classified as a Less Favoured Area (LFA) – may be affected due to the uptake of agricultural land by various forms of development. Against this background, and in the con- text of continuous threats to our rural areas, we should focus our efforts on preserving the agricul- tural status of such limited land". The NGO called on govern- ment to introduce a no-tolerance approach on the further loss of agricultural land, which jeop- ardise directly the livelihoods of farmers, local food supply, open spaces and also EU funding, not- ing that massive projects such as Central Link and the Magħtab incinerator involve the take-up of vast areas of arable land. Imriehel flyover: farmers sound warning over potential impact on EU funds Farmers NGO MaYA Foundation is shocked over uptake of agricultural land