Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/1390367
9 maltatoday | WEDNESDAY • 7 JULY 2021 NEWS ANALYSIS Employment Policy that will be launched later in 2021. To address skills shortages in the labour market the strat- egy hints at a " more cohesive planning to align the supply and demand for labour with economic policy" and an ed- ucation system refocused to- wards creating a critical mass of skilled workers through "deep reforms" to address early school leaving. While outlining the problems linked to the importation of foreign labour, the strategy also builds on "the community spir- it that came to the fore during the pandemic" and commits government to foster social co- hesion and equity across Mal- tese society by "strengthening integration programmes, giv- en the critical role of migrant workers within our healthcare system and wider economy". Yet there is little concrete in the strategy beyond strength- ening integration programmes for foreign nationals. This consists in "pilot projects at a community level to sensitise communities to the needs and concerns of both Maltese soci- ety and migrants", based on a "two-way process that fosters dialogue and deepens under- standing and empathy". But it shies away from a more con- crete inclusion of third country nationals through a revision of citizenship laws. Remote working and digital nomads The shift to remote working during the pandemic is wel- comed in the strategy as this "may help people to juggle family responsibilities as well as reducing the amount of time they have to spend on commut- ing and travel", while bringing about "reduced traffic and pol- lution". Virtual working is also seen as a way to attract remote workers and digital nomads to Malta's shores. When it comes to fostering this change through policy changes the strategy hints at a reform of employment leg- islation to attract and support new forms of work, including remote and hybrid models. Significantly it commits gov- ernment to ensure that free- lance and agency workers are "appropriately protected under labour legislation," in a sector where presently a number of workers are deprived of leave and sick leave excuse of being hired as self employed. with the But in order to enhance Mal- ta's appeal to digital nomads the policy departs from the commitment towards inclu- sive education by referring to the need for an "attractive home-schooling framework" and "marketing Malta for such purposes" once these are in place. Good governance Even when it comes to gov- ernance the post-3333COV- ID strategy seems to hinge on good intentions shattered by recent episodes like the pan- ama papers and the lack of a firewall separating big business from the political class. Once again the strategy is stating the obvious by saying that "more can be done to en- sure that all businesses and cit- izens abide by tax regulations, respect and follow the laws of the country, and pursue what is right and in the public in- terest". This is considered as fundamental in various aspects of our life – ranging from "fis- cal compliance, the way we interact with each other, civic responsibility, protecting the vulnerable in our society, and the type of business ventures that are pursued." Valuing the Maltese language The strategy also comes with a welcome recognition of the Maltese language in a post-COVID digital strat- egy in a country where 88% of citizens speak Maltese as their first language. Further investment is needed in digi- tal Maltese-language tools and resources to enable computers to process and generate Mal- tese text and speech. Moreo- ver, speech-driven devices can be particularly helpful "in ena- bling the elderly to use digital technology, allowing users to perform tasks simply by talk- ing". Future-proofing Malta One of the most concrete pro- posals included in the strategy is the setting-up and financing of a disaster recovery fund which can be tapped when exceptional and critical events like pandem- ics occur. The next step will be to quantify the amount of fi- nancing needed and determine the most effective financing mechanisms, including a "po- tential mix of mandatory and voluntary sources of funding". This also has to be accompa- nied by "transparent principles" governing how the fund can be accessed, the prioritization of beneficiaries, and the thresh- olds and triggers to release funding. Evidence-based policies In line with the greater reli- ance on scientific risk assess- ments during the pandemic, the strategy does recommend a new approach to the way policy decisions are taken across the board recommending that so- cial impact assessments (SIAs) are to be conducted more widely "across policy making, legislation, investment and de- velopment projects" to ensure that "the intended and unin- tended social consequences, both positive and negative, of planned intervention" are monitored and managed. Clear national guidelines on how and when SIAs should be carried out are recommended. Change in direction or lipstick? Minister Owen Bonnici