Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/1482478
11 maltatoday | TUESDAY • 25 OCTOBER 2022 BUDGET2023 www.pa.org.mt PLANNING AUTHORITY The role requires a person to assist and support the functioning of the Planning Authority on legal matters, through legal advice on matters, having legal implications especially related to the implementation of the Development Planning Act, and representation in court proceeding. Successful candidates must be in possession of the following: Qualificati ons: A Bachelor of Laws (Honours) LL.B (Hons) (Melit) degree together with Master in Advocacy (M.Adv Melit) degree or have the qualifications of Doctorate of Laws (LL.D) (Melit). E xperienc e: Experience and knowledge of legislation will be considered an asset. S kills: Legal, interpersonal, communication, presentation, and general management. Ability to withstand pressure and abuse, and act with tact and firmness in potentially aggravated situations. Candidates are to present scanned copies of all qualifications with their application together with proof of local equivalence, for certificates which are not issued by University of Malta or MCAST, which equivalence documentation is issued by Malta Further and Higher Education Authority (MFHEA). Candidates who are in possession of a foreign degree/s, are also to present a translated copy of their degree/s in English. All certificates and equivalence documentation are to be presented with the application, by the closing date for submissions. The position carries a starting annual salary and allowances of €24,542, a performance bonus and other benefits. Candidates who are 3rd country nationals, are to have a valid working permit by the closing date for submissions of the call, which permit is to be presented with their application. The above post is for an indefinite period. Interested candidates are advised to submit their application, together with a detailed curriculum vitae in pdf format to: The Human Resources Manager Planning Authority Ref: Assistant Professi onal Offic er (Legal) Jobsplus Permit No. 405/2021 or via email on jobapplications@pa.org.mt For further information visit our website: www.pa.org.mt/en/ vacancies C losing Date: 6 th November 2022 Join our Team ASSISTANT PROFESSIONAL OFFICER (LEGAL) CAREER OPPORtuNity vacancy.indd 1 18/10/2022 10:48:49 Children's allowance up by €90 Reforms in justice sector to increase efficiency SOCIAL WELFARE JUSTICE CHILDREN'S allowance will in- crease by €90 for every child in 2023, the finance minister an- nounced on Monday. Clyde Caruana said govern- ment will look to gradually in- crease the children's allowance by €450 until the end of the leg- islature. The measure will affect 41,100 families with around 62,000 children, and will cost €5.6 mil- lion. Foster Care allowance will no longer be stopped immediate- ly when parents adopt, but will be reduced gradually over four years, or until the adopted child is 21-years-old. Therefore 80% of the foster al- lowance will be given in the first year, 60% in the second, 40 % in the third and 20% in the fourth. The parents of disabled adults, who are not employed in order to care for them, will increase from €500 to €4,500 in each year, as promised in Labour's electoral manifesto. The funds will be paid every three months. Government will also be giving a tax credit of €200 to parents of disabled children who take their kids to therapy. Caruana also said that govern- ment has allocated €1.6 million to the St Vincent De Paul Resi- dence for the purchase of a new CT scanner. The ongoing res- toration of the St Joseph Hall, which will cost €0.5 million will also continue. A new garden for persons with dementia which will cost €1 million will also be built. Widows' Pension Workers who receive a wid- ows' pension will start receiving additional benefits for unem- ployment, sickness or injury. As of next year, workers who between the ages of 18 and 30 were certified as using psychiat- ric care will be given a two-year credit in social-security contri- bution. Caruana said government recognises that people with mental health issue face prob- lems with their pensions, given they find difficulties with sub- mitting social security contri- butions when recovering from their issues. First-time buyers Government will be giving a grant of €10,000 over ten years to every first-time buyer who acquire a property with a value which does not exceed €500,000. The measure will apply to every purchase carried out from 1 January 2022, and will not be subject to a means test. The measure will be carried out with all commercial banks which op- erate in Malta and Gozo, which offer loans for residential prop- erties. The Deposit Payment Scheme will also include properties with a maximum value of €225,000. The capping of the Housing Benefit Scheme will increase to €500 a month for a one-bed- room residence, €600 a month for a two-bedroom residence, €700 a month for a three-bed- room residence "to better re- flect today's realities." Addressing past injustices Caruana said government wants to continue addressing past grievances, and that is why government has allocated €8 million in order to repay former members of the Police Corps who had entered public service after their retirement, appren- tices and student workers. Former Gas Board workers, former apprentices at the MEB and former Telemalta workers will also be considered by gov- ernment. €2 million will also be allocat- ed to address other anomalies as promised in the Labour man- ifesto during the 2022 General Election. • €10,000 grant over ten years for first-time buyers who acquire a property with a value which does not exceed €500,000 • €8 million to address past grievances FINANCE minister Clyde Caruana on Monday announced several reforms in the justice sector which are aimed at increasing its efficiency. Caruana, who was announcing the government's budget for 2023, said that €10 million are to be in- vested in the digitalisation of the justice sector, as part of the Recovery and Resilience plan. The length of compilation of evidence in criminal proceedings is to be capped at one year. "Next year a legal framework establishing a fixed period in which compilation proceedings must be completed, full disclosure of prosecution evidence at the outset and the elimination of the Attorney General's power to refer compilations of evidence back to the court of Magistrates to collect more or new evidence." In a bid to decrease the duration of court cases by increasing the number of sittings that can be held simultaneously, the government is promising that it will "see how it can better utilise the administrative space in Court, by converting it to a construction of new courtrooms in the main court building." Perhaps the most intriguing proposal is the reform of magisterial inquiries through the creation of a new "specialised section," ostensibly consisting of magistrates. Although the details are yet to be seen, this is expected to reduce the workload on magis- trates, who besides magisterial inquiries currently also must juggle compilations of evidence, arraign- ments and summary proceedings.