Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/1416377
maltatoday | SUNDAY • 3 OCTOBER 2021 10 NEWS EMPLOYMENT POSITIONS EUROPEAN UNION FUNDS Applications are invited for the positions of: Chief Coordinator Senior Manager (EU Funds) Programme Manager (EU Funds) Programme Officer (EU Funds) The positions require formal qualifications and relevant work experience. Applications are received only through the Online Government Recruitment Portal (https://recruitment.gov.mt) by not later than noon of Friday 8th October 2021. Further details are available in the Government Gazette of 24th September 2021. European Structural and Investment Funds 2014-2020 Co-financing rate: 80% European Union; 20% National Funds K ARL AZZOPARDI MIGRANT workers in Malta have faced up to another dead- ly reminder of how black men and women fear for their lives at the mercy of exploitative employers. The scenes of construction worker Jaiteh Lamin left for dead by his employer Glen Far- rugia on a Selmun kerbside af- ter a two-storey fall, depicted the curse of systemic racism in small, Catholic Malta. Upon being succoured by passers-by, the injured Lamin could only weep and pray for mercy, fear- ing he might be sent to jail. As told to MaltaToday by a group of migrant workers who crossed into Malta irregularly years back, even despite being active members of the commu- nity and even tax-registered workers, they still fear for their safety in their everyday place of work. "Having seen Lamin on the pavement, I couldn't even eat, because it could have easily been me," Ahmed Abdul Razak told this newspaper. Lamin, 32, is now recovering in hospital after falling two storeys at a building site he was working at on Tuesday. Glen Farrugia is said to have gathered his workers to place Lamin at the back of his van, on a timber plank, after the fall. The contractor had promised Lamin that he would be taking him to hospital, but instead he had him pulled out of the van and ditched him on the side of a road. Farrugia was denied bail when charged in court on Thursday. Ahmed Abdul Razak, a Nige- rien of 29 years of age, arrived to Malta 15 years ago. Still, he says Lamin's incident is a com- mon occurrence. "I work in construction, and it can hap- pen to me too. I know a lot of guys who have fallen down and broken their legs or other body parts, and nothing happens," he said. Now a group of foreign work- ers are calling on the Maltese government to recognise their human rights, and make the process of acquiring work per- mits and identification doc- uments easier for them to ac- quire. An office for temporary permits for asylum seekers, once mooted by the Labour ad- ministration, was never estab- lished. A demonstration had been planned a number of weeks pri- or to Lamin's incident, but now the public outrage has meant plans had to be pushed for- ward. "It is time for us to come together, and send a message to the government that the sit- uation must change," Ahmed Living in fear: 'It could have easily been me' When the injured Jaiteh Lamin was succoured by passers-by, his first fear was that he would be jailed. For migrant workers who are refused documentation, the mere act of living is precarious GREEN Party ADPD has de- clared that no site in Malta can accommodate a racing track without causing extreme nui- sance to residents or damage to the environment. Melissa Bagley, a Birżebbuġa resident, candidate and deputy secretary-general of ADPD, said the locality could not take any more noise pollution, as "it is al- ready bombarded from all direc- tions." She mentioned that Birżebbuġa was already subject to elevated levels of noise from the Malta air- port and the Freeport terminal. "The proposal shows a lack of sensitivity and care for the resi- dents," she said. ADPD Chairperson Carmel Cacopardo emphasised that the Tal-Papa residential area, which is just 1,500 metres away from the proposed track, is already the most affected by the Freeport and aircraft noise pollution. "The Malta Industrial Parks is releasing land forming part of an industrial estate, on which only industrial development is permissible in terms of the Local Plans. "No site in Malta can reasonably accommodate this racing track without being the cause of ex- treme nuisance to residents, dam- aging to the environment or both. Malta is small in size. The sooner this basic fact sinks in, the better. It should be realised that there is no room for projects such as this car-racing track. In part this is the price we have to pay for a lack of planning over the years," Caco- pardo added. Cacopardo said both the PN and PL were willing to support this "madness" and accommodate the motorsport lobby for votes, at the detriment of the quality of life of the residents. "ADPD will be at the forefront in objecting to the proposed de- velopment which is incompati- ble with the quality of life which Birżebbuġa residents rightfully expect. Only Green MPs in the next parliament can apply the brakes to this madness," Cacopar- do said. ADPD dubs racetrack 'madness' "I paid the taxes I had to pay and yet I still don't have an ID card. I cannot go see my family, or take a holiday to relax. I don't benefit from anything, despite paying tax."