Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/1415381
30.9.2021 7 NEWS Malta's presence at the Dubai Expo set to attract business tourists amongst visitors WITH three days left to go until the opening of the Dubai Expo 2020, Mal- ta's pavilion is ready to welcome visitors for the next six months, between Octo- ber and March 2022, and is expected to attract business visitors, amongst oth- ers. Addressing a business breakfast or- ganised by Malta Enterprise, Minister for Energy, Enterprise and Sustainable Development Miriam Dalli highlighted that Malta will use the Dubai Expo to showcase the island's economic, educa- tional, social, health and environmental pillars. "It is another opportunity to put our name on the map after a most diffi- cult phase that has affected economies worldwide. e Dubai Expo is the per- fect occasion to seek new opportunities – for businesses to network; for scien- tists to exchange ideas; for innovators to brainstorm," Minister Dalli told stake- holders present. "We will promote our businesses, our corporate culture, our skilled work- ers; we will promote our incentives for start-ups and encourage our local com- panies to expand internationally and at- tract foreign direct investment." e business breakfast was split into two panels, discussing Malta's themes of 'Connecting Cultures' and 'Creating Opportunities' and how these could translate into investment opportunities for the different Maltese economic sec- tors. Malta's Ambassador to Abu Dhabi Maria Camilleri Calleja and Commis- sioner General of Malta for Expo 2020 Dubai Anthony Tabone also addressed the conference remotely. Malta is one of the 192 countries par- ticipating in the Expo, with a pavilion situated in the Opportunity District and strategically located close to the United Arab Emirates pavilion. is is expected to ensure a flow of visitors that will be guided towards the Malta pavilion. is is the first world expo to be held in the Middle East, Africa, and South Asia (MEASA) region, as well as the first expo to be hosted by an Arab na- tion. e Expo 2020 Dubai will be the third largest event after the Olympics and the soccer World Cup. Miriam Dalli UĦM Voice of the Workers has pre- sented over 100 proposals for the 2022 Budget including measures to strike Malta off the grey list, to fight precar- ious employment and raise the quality of life. Addressing a news conference, UĦM Chief Executive Josef Vella said that the forthcoming Budget should not be a se- ries of technical measures but convey a strong message from the Government that it has the will to root out wrong practices and abuses. "e greylisting is a consequence of all this, and if we really want to get off this list, Government must take action on issues like the power station and the hospitals deals However, if Government takes cos- metic measures rather than address these problems to the core, it will be the investors, workers, families, pensioners and young people who will suffer the consequences," Vella said. He also referred to the case of a con- struction worker who was dumped at the side of a road in Selmun suffering from serious injuries after allegedly injuring himself at work. While con- demning such act, the UĦM CEO said that this appalling incident could have been avoided had the Government im- plemented the employment contracts portal proposal, which the union has been harping on since 2016. is portal is a powerful took to fight against work- ers' exploitation. Key proposals • Greylisting - Need for concrete ac- tion to get off the list and restore Mal- ta's reputation. Responsibility needs to be borne not only by citizens but by all those directly involved. e setting up of a training academy for members of the diplomatic corps who are crucial to re- store the reputation around the world is a must. Moreover, ambassadors should no longer be appointed on the strength of their cozy relationship with the party in government but on their diplomatic credentials. • COLA - e mechanism to meas- ure the cost of living allowance which has been in place for decades must be revised so that it truly reflects today's needs. • Active Labour Market Policy - e new active labour market policy must be drafted in consultation with workers and unions. It needs to address the chal- lenges brought about by the rise in the employment participation rate which is resulting in less quality time for fami- lies and consequently in a decline in the quality of life. • Contracts portal - UĦM will keep insisting for the setting up of an in- ternet portal hosting all employment contracts as part of its commitment to fight precarious employment. is por- tal will ensure there are no contracts containing illegal provisions or clauses which are in breach of the law. Govern- ment had promised to implement this proposal in the 2016 Budget. • Mandatory union membership for workers earning less than the median wage. • Implementation of the EU Directive on the right to disconnect. • Remote Working - a proposal to op- erate a hybrid system which comprises a combination of both remote and tra- ditional approaches as well as measures to prevent remote workers from losing benefits such as bonuses or allowances. • Working Hours – UĦM is propos- ing a study into the possibility of reduc- ing the 40-hour week. is idea comes in the wake of the experience in some countries where such measure had a positive impact as it resulted in higher productivity despite a reduction in the working hours. • Family friendly measures – Employ- ees should benefit from these measures without hassle and without suffering losses in their take-home pay. • Trade Schools - ese schools should be re-established to address the issue of early school leavers and the shortage of manual skilled labour which Malta is facing. • Government as an employer - Gov- ernment needs to be the one setting the example on good work practices but currently this is not the case in view of its policy to outsource core services to contractors. Employees of these con- tractors are being given inferior con- ditions to their colleagues on Govern- ment's books despite doing the same job. e policy of outsourcing core ser- vices should be abolished as it is giving rise to abuse. • Gozo – Reduction in fast ferry fares for Gozitan workers. Government's pol- icy of recruiting everybody on the State payroll is harming the labour market on the sister island as this is creating an acute shortage of workers for the pri- vate sector and potential investors. • Hospitals and power station – Gov- ernment must take back control of these entities as there is ample evidence showing that these deals were daylight robbery. UHM presents Budget 2022 proposals UHM Chief Executive Josef Vella