Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/413175
maltatoday, SUNDAY, 9 NOVEMBER 2014 News 7 Leisure Clothing Ltd's request to increase the staff complement to 165 from 110 but insisted that for every four Chinese workers a Mal- tese worker should be employed. Leisure Clothing disagreed with this and wrote to the Ministry of Finance asking for a revision of the quota mechanism. But in June 2010 the Ministry of Finance, then run by Tonio Fenech, wrote back to the Chinese company to inform them that the four Chi- nese workers for every one Maltese worker ratio was still applicable. Two months later, faced with simi- lar demands from Leisure Cloth- ing, the Ministry for Education and Employment reiterated the govern- ment's stance that the ratio of four Chinese workers to one Maltese worker should be retained and that employment licences issued for Chi- nese workers should not exceed 165. It was only in 2014 that the govern- ment accepted the request to change the ratio from four to five Chinese workers for every one Maltese work- er employed. As from July 2014, the Employment and Training Corporation stopped issuing employment licences to third country nationals residing in Malta on the basis of employment. Although the applications are now handled by Identity Malta, applica- tions are still referred to the ETC for review. The ETC has recommended the approval of 34 applications by prospective employees at the com- pany while another 41 applications are "pending" because the 5:1 quota has already been reached. It was MaltaToday which back in 2007 revealed how Maltese jobs were linked to the employment of a great- er number of Chinese employed by the same company. At that time the authorities re- ferred to a "pre-existing agreement" allowing the company to employ Chinese nationals in the manufac- turing sector where non-EU citizens are normally not allowed to work. But it is only now that the authori- ties have revealed the quota mecha- nism applied by both PN and PL ad- ministrations. jdebono@mediatoday.com.mt THE Water Services Corporation is planning to develop a solar panel farm over land the size of two football pitches next to its Reverse Osmosis plant in Lapsi, in Siggiewi. The planned PV farm is aimed at "reducing the energy consumption and hence the carbon footprint of the corporation," a spokesperson for the WSC told MaltaToday. 56% of Malta's potable water is produced by desalination, a process that consumes 3.2% of Malta's energy generation. The proposed farm will be located on ODZ land and is referred to as "wasteland" in the planning applica- tion. The site includes garigue areas and is covered by vegetation but does not include any trees or agricultural land. Abandoned pipes and other material litter the area. MEPA is currently drafting a policy to set the parameters for the develop- ment of solar farms. The objective is to establish a policy framework for the development of solar farms. The policy is set to prior- itise the development of solar infra- structure on large-scale rooftops and on land already committed to indus- trial development and for quarries. Maltese job for every five Chinese Solar farm at Lapsi RO Operational Programme II – Cohesion Policy 2007-2013 Empowering people for More Jobs and a Better Quality of Life Project part-financed by the European Union European Social Funds (ESF) Co-financing rate: 85% EU Funds; 15% National Funds Investing in your future CALL FOR QUOTATIONS Hiring of venue to hold a day conference for public sector officials Ref: OPM/MEU/03/2014 Date of Publication: 07 November 2014 Clarifications to be submitted by: 12 November 2014 (10.00am) Quotations to be received by: 17 November 2014 (12.00pm) Management Efficiency Unit Office of the Prime Minister Interested parties are to obtain the specifications document from the CAF Malta website www.cafmalta.gov.mt, or by sending an email on caf.opm@gov.mt S t a t i s t i c i a n We are seeking to recruit self-motivated persons to fill the vacancies of Statisticians at the National Statistics Office. The post will be on a full-time basis subject to a probationary period of one year. This is a highly responsible position in which the successful candidate will be required to work in a team or on his/her own initiative in the production and dissemination of official statistics. An attractive remuneration package, in line with the current collective agreement, will be offered to the successful applicant. In view of the special requirements of the positions we seek to fill, applicants should be in possession of an Honours degree in Statistics, Economics, Mathematics, Accountancy, Banking, Finance, Sociology or Geography or other recognised degrees or equivalent professional qualifications as recognised by the MQRIC with any of these disciplines as a major area of study, with a Second Class Lower Classification as a minimum. Applicants are informed that a high degree of technical knowledge in Mathematics, Statistics and/or Economics will be expected from all candidates. A handwritten application together with a detailed Curriculum Vitae, copies of certificates/testimonials and academic record, (transcript) is to be sent to: Acting Director General, National Statistics Office, Lascaris, Valletta by Friday 14 November at 12 noon. Late applications will not be considered. For further details please see Government Gazette number 19337 dated 4 November 2014. ETC Permit Number: 174/2014 MPO/69/2005/02 Applications are now being handled by Identity Malta and referred to the ETC for review