Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/1443447
3 maltatoday | SUNDAY • 16 JANUARY 2022 NEWS HAVE YOU HEARD? We are becoming an environmental super force Mechanical Engineers Electrical Engineers Electricians Architects Land Surveyors Quantity Surveyors Accountants Auditors Lawyers Project Managers Chemists Programmers IT Developers SCADA operators Digital and Social Media Officers Potential superheroes should submit their CV on recruitment.ws@wsm.com.mt SUPERHEROES wanted Mechanics and other highly skilled Tradesmen COVID: Three deaths as 503 new cases registered 503 new COVID-19 cases were registered on Saturday, figures published by the Health Minis- try show. Three deaths occurred in the last 24-hours, two wom- en aged 69 and 86 and one man aged 62. This brings the death toll up to 504. Active cases stand at 10,754 after 1,307 recoveries were registered. There are currently 102 coronavirus patients being cared for at Mater Dei Hospi- tal, of which three are in the ITU. Until Friday, 1,165,421 vaccine doses were adminis- tered, of which 303,033 were booster doses. MATTHEW VELLA THE Malta Employers' Asso- ciation is opposing plans by the Maltese government to redeploy over 400 redundant employees at national airline Air Malta, in the public sec- tor. The MEA said the state of Air Malta, long rendered non-profitable by increased staffing, was the result of delayed action and wrong strategic decisions. "Matters have now escalated to a stage where a drastic cost-cutting exercise is the only way in which the airline can keep operating," the MEA said. Finance minister Clyde Caruana yesterday an- nounced he would pare down the airline to lower its costs in a bid to reduce its annual multi-million losses, but the government will still provide employment for some 400 workers that will be shipped out of the airline. But the MEA said that transferring the redundant section of the labour force in Air Malta to the public sec- tor should not be considered, claiming the public sector was already overstaffed. MEA said it was willing to participate with government authorities in an exercise to redeploy these employees into productive employment with the private sector. "Such employment will add a further €15 million to recur- rent expenditure. This will also send a wrong message to Maltese employees that some people have special rights, where others have to queue in an unemployment line if they become redundant. "At the same time, many companies are complaining of a shortage of employees, and it is likely that many Air Malta employees do have skills that are in demand in many companies in the tight labour market we are expe- riencing. This will lead to a win-win situation for every- one involved." The Chamber of Commerce yesterday lauded what it said was a "sensible and realistic approach" to the national airline's woes. "The Malta Chamber notes the stark contrast to the var- ious approaches taken his- torically with respect to Air Malta. The maturity with which the unions have re- sponded to this is also com- mendable. "Undoubtedly, gone are the days when we carry forward unsustainable operational practices in any state en- tity and keep pumping public funds into non-vi- able business models, simply to safeguard jobs or for political conveni- ence." The Chamber said the proposed actions to im- prove the financial per- formance of the airline were reasonable and cred- ible. "All parties involved in Air Malta's transition need to be reasonable and respon- sible in their demands to ensure that the country suc- ceeds in saving the national airline. The Malta Chamber hopes that this restructuring plan will ultimately guaran- tee a sustainable future for Air Malta." MEA against redeployment of Air Malta workers to public sector The Air Malta workforce is to be halved, with redundant employees moved into the public sector GLOBALLY acclaimed British comedian, actor, writer and television show pre- senter David Walliams will be hosting the Malta Film Awards on the 29 January at the Mediterranean Conference Centre in Valletta. The current Britain's Got Tal- ent judge will host the first Malta Film Awards, where 90 nominees are competing in 18 different catego- ries. The awards will be broadcasted live on TVM on Saturday 29 January at 9pm. Walliams will be hosting the entire awards ceremony which will also see both local and in- ternational tal- ent take it to the stage in a variety of performances aimed to commem- orate Malta's success story in the film histo- ry. The Malta Film Awards will be the penultimate event of the Malta Film Week – starting on Monday 24 January. David Walliams is star host for Malta Film Awards