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maltatoday, WEDNESDAY, 30 APRIL 2014 News 2 Download the MaltaToday App now Employment is best social policy – Busuttil Speaking at a party activity in Hamrun, Opposition leader Simon Busuttil explained that unlike Labour, the PN has clear ideas on how jobs can be created JURGEN BALZAN THE best social policy is job crea- tion, PN leader Simon Busuttil said as he echoed former party leader Eddie Fenech Adami who, in a historic speech upon becom- ing Opposition leader in 1978, said the "PN had workers at heart". "This government does not truly believe in equality but it is the gov- ernment of inequality," Busuttil said, hitting out at the jobs created for Labour insiders at the expense of PN and Labour supporters who are not close to government. As the PN is gearing up for the celebrations marking the 10th an- niversary of EU membership, cul- minating in a mass rally which will be held tonight in Valletta, the Op- position yesterday held an activity in Hamrun which was addressed by party leader Simon Busuttil and a number of guests. Insisting that "no work means having no dignity" Busuttil ex- plained that unlike the Labour ad- ministration, the PN has clear ide- as on how new jobs can be created. Revisiting the PN's plan to attract new jobs in the creative industry, Busuttil said that the PN had "a clear vision to create new jobs and a better Malta". "Growing unemployment simply means that government has not created enough jobs," Busuttil said as the PN's latest European elec- tions campaign event focused on job creation. Reminding the PN supporters of the events which led to EU acces- sion in 2004, former trade union- ist and PN candidate Gejtu Vella warned that the country cannot afford to waste more time and called on the electorate to vote for candidates representing the party which "took the country into Eu- rope and unlike some others still believes in the EU". Vella also called on the PN to address precarious working con- ditions, which he said was grow- ing and worsening. "Hundreds of workers are currently in precari- ous employment and the PN can defend these workers and give them shelter," he said. In reply, Busuttil welcomed Vel- la's call and said that under Labour governments, the "PN is the only refuge for workers," adding that workers and unemployed persons were betrayed by Labour. Deputy leader Mario de Marco said that while tourism and the financial services sector were still going strong, a number of eco- nomic sectors such as manufac- turing took a downward turn, with exports falling by 20% in the past year, the biggest drop in the EU27. He added that imports also suf- fered a blow since Labour took office 14 months ago, with re- tail business drastically slowing down. Turning to unemployment, which in March reached 7,644, compared to 7,350 in the corresponding month last year, de Marco said that while the PN had the vision for a better Malta, the government had no plan to address the growing rate of unemployment. "The figure would have been higher had the government not cre- ated 1,300 new posts in the public service, over and above the 1,500 jobs which are normally vacated in the public service," de Marco said, adding that government's "reck- lessness" would cost the tax payer €90 million. To add insult to injury, de Marco said that at the same time govern- ment was facing a cash f low prob- lem in the health sector and pen- sions. Calling for economic diversi- fication, de Marco said that the creative industry, which already employed thousands in Malta, and the Green Economy "not only of- fer job opportunities but also com- petitiveness". The event was also addressed by youth activist Isabelle Camilleri who said that the country "does not need buzz words but we need a vision which creates jobs for young people". Stressing that "young persons have a right to quality jobs," Camilleri called on government to create and implement a clear strat- egy in the sector. BOV chairman addresses political activity MIRIAM DALLI BANK of Valletta chairman John Cassar White was one of four guests invited to address a political activity during which Prime Minis- ter Joseph Muscat was interviewed, part of the EP 2014 elections. Cassar White, a former Malta Shipyards chairman, was appoint- ed chairman of BOV last year. He was a member of the Labour Party's Business Forum set up in 2010. Cassar White's introduction to the 'yards was initiated through Alfred Sant, when in November 1996 the former banker was asked to come up with a plan for a radi- cal reform aimed at making Malta Drydocks viable and that would nip one of the last historic trade union bastions of militancy in the bud at the height of the New Labour gov- ernment. In his intervention during the po- litical activity, Cassar White urged the government to create incentives to encourage more people to join the workforce instead of choosing to remain at home. Cassar White also urged the gov- ernment to invest in vocational training and address the skills mis- match. Muscat plays 'Bondi card' to fend off meritocracy criticism Critics of the Labour govern- ment have labelled the meritocracy pledge as the biggest failure of the government, failing to honour its pledge. But fending off this criticism, Prime Minister Joseph Muscat cit- ed the retention of PBS CEO Anton Attard and the appointment of Lou Bondi on the national festivities board as examples of 'meritocracy- in-action'. Interviewed by ONE presenters Simone Cini and Manuel Micallef in Naxxar, Muscat was reacting to a press conference held by PN deputy leader Beppe Fenech Adami earlier in the day. According to Fenech Adami, the government was busy creating jobs for Labour insiders. "But what Fenech Adami de- clined to say was that individuals he knows very well were not kicked out; a presenter who enjoyed pick- ing on me was appointed to the na- tional festivities board… the CEO of PBS was retained," Muscat said, referring to Anton Attard, a former Nationalist strategist and cam- paigner. During the hour-long interview – which saw interventions by PL MEP candidates Alfred Sant and Marlene Mizzi, Economy Minister Chris Cardona and BOV chairman John Cassar White – Muscat said the government would be announc- ing "great news for the country" on Wednesday. Questioned about Air Malta, Muscat said the corporation would emerge once again as a company which creates employment. "The next challenge for Air Malta is to widen its operating markets and, in the coming months, we will show how Air Malta can once again be a company that creates jobs," Muscat said. Focusing on the topic of employ- ment, the Labour leader said soci- ety should "rediscover the value of work". A standard question that has become popular among the in- terviewers is that of why employers were employing more foreigners than Maltese. According to Muscat, the issue boiled down to skills mismatch: employers not finding workers with the required skills and skilled work- ers not finding a place of work. "As a government, we are fight- ing precarious employment and new measures will be announced in the coming weeks. On their part, employers must provide their em- ployees with the adequate working conditions while the workers them- selves have to give their part. "Our economy's main resource are the workers and we thus have to ensure that our students and those seeking work are employable," Muscat said. The prime minister argued that the government was aiding com- panies to bring over foreigners to work within their companies, with the agreement they would train Maltese and eventually employ them. A man was found dead yes- terday after falling from a height while he was doing some work at his residence at Triq Lapsi, Siggiewi. The in- cident occurred at 6.15pm. A preliminary investigation revealed that the man, 51, fell from a height which amount- ed to around one f loor, as he was engaged in construction work. Further investigations are currently ongoing so as to establish the cause of the ac- cident. The man was certified dead on the spot. The inquiring magistrate appointed several experts to assist in the magisterial in- quiry. Man dies after falling from height PHOTOGRAPHY BY RAY ATTARD BOV chairman John Cassar White (centre)