Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/1527317
6 maltatoday | WEDNESDAY • 2 OCTOBER 2024 NEWS NICOLE MEILAK nmeilak@mediatoday.com.mt Gozo Tourism Association questions timing of Xewkija Local Council's opposition to rural airfield THE Gozo Tourism Associa- tion (GTA) has expressed its surprise at the Xewkija Local Council's opposition to the de- velopment of a rural airfield at Ta' Lambert in Xewkija. In a statement on Tuesday, the GTA questioned the timing of the council's objection, not- ing that there had been ample opportunities for discussion during the public consultation process. Specifically, they noted how the Gozo Regional Develop- ment Authority (GRDA) held a meeting on 16th May 2022 with the Xewkija Local Council to address the economic, social, and environmental implications of the airfield project. Addition- ally, two public consultations took place in May 2022, offering residents and stakeholders the chance to share concerns and suggestions. "The Gozo Tourism Associ- ation believes that all Gozitans irrespective of their political creed, support initiatives that enhance and augment the con- nectivity between Malta and Gozo." The GTA stressed that Gozo should not miss out on the benefits that such a facility could provide. The GTA concluded by calling on politicians to put an end to "political bickering" regarding air connectivity, stressing the need for unified support for in- frastructure projects that could improve access to Gozo. MATTHEW FARRUGIA mfarrugia@mediatoday.com.mt Photomontage of the proposal for the Gozo airfield RYANAIR will open three new routes from Malta to Katowice, Paris & Rome Fiumicino this winter, while adding extra flights on 19 existing routes, including to Athens, Catania, Edinburgh and Zagreb. To promote the next flights, the airline is launching a three- day seat sale with 50,000 fares on sale from €19.99. "As an island economy, it is vital that Ryanair continues to grow low-cost visitor access on a year-round basis to Malta," Rya- nar CEO Michael O'Leary said at a press conference on Tuesday. This winter schedule will be operated mainly on Ryanair's seven Malta-based aircraft, three of which are B-737 Gamechang- ers, which are expected to cut CO2 emissions by 16% and noise by 40%. These new aircraft represent a $700 million investment in Mal- ta, which will in turn support over 4,000 local jobs. Ryanair's Malta traffic growth is up 24% this year - a record for the airline. Over the past 18years, the airline carried over 27 million passengers. Investments over the years include a €20 million three-bay maintenance faciili- ty which is expected to create over 200 high-skilled local jobs, including engineers, mechanics and support staff. ATC disruptions Malta Air CEO David O'Brien said local air-traffic controller representatives have been caus- ing a lot of disruption to the air- line, and a meeting is scheduled with the Maltese minister to sort out the issues. O'Leary said 99% of flight de- lays for the airline could be elim- inated if ATC staffing shortages were resolved. "The overall sav- ings would be hundreds of bil- lions in the industry generally," he said. He also said the European Commission needs to take ac- tion to resolve these ATC staff- ing shortages and improve the European service. He noted that ATC fees are up 21% post-COV- ID. Ryanair adds new winter routes, extra flights on 19 routes and announces three-day seat sale OUTSOURCING/ TEMPORARY LICENCE The directors of the limited company Sweep Cleaning declare their intention to register for an employment agency and temporary work services, carrying out both temping and outsourcing service in accordance with regulations 3(2)(b)2024. The activities proposed to be carried out are the following: 1) Outsourcing Labour and Service Contract. 2) Interviewing, selection and placements of candidates for employment. 3) Managing all aspects of work permits and providing logistical assistance to employees throughout the process. 4) Conducting comprehensive in-house training to address cultural disparities and ensuring that all personnel are acquainted with local norms before placement with external entities. 5) Advertising and promoting our services across diverse platforms to enhance visibility and attract clients to advertise their vacancies with our company. 6) Maintaining a comprehensive registry of all the employees for efficient management and oversight. 7) Carrying out temping services on behalf of the clients. 8) Carrying out outsourcing services on behalf of the clients. 9) Handling all employment payroll and ensuring compliance with local labour employment laws. Director: Sera Grech, née Baldacchino Official registration office address: Sweep, Level 3, Cali House, Vjal ir-Rihan, San Ġwann, SG9020 Operating office address: Sweep, Level 3, Cali House, Vjal ir-Rihan, San Ġwann, SG9020 PE NUMBER: 207894 Ryanair unveils three new winter routes from Malta, adds extra f lights on 19 routes, and launches a seat sale, while highlighting the airline's investment in Malta and air traffic control challenges