Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/413175
POLICE OFFICERS ARE SPEAKING UP 'Why should someone at MEPA earn the same wages as myself at scale 11, when I work six more hours a week?' says Sgt Neville Mercieca PAGES 12-13 INTERVIEW Rebels Motorcycle Club president Alex Vella launches Facebook campaign and internet fund to continue legal fight for travel visa back to Australia • PAGE 17 REBEL PRESIDENT REVS UP AUSSIE VISA FIGHT 3.00% 2.85% 2.50% FIMBank p.l.c. is a licensed credit institution regulated by the Malta Financial Services Authority and listed on the Malta Stock Exchange. The Bank is a participant in the Depositor Compensation Scheme in Malta. Terms and conditions apply. 2132 2102 helpdesk@easisave.com www.easisave.com 2132 2102 2132 2102 No Hidden Fees or Bank Charges Easy, Flexible and Secure Visit our website, open your online bank account and start beneting from superior interest rates on your savings and xed term deposit accounts. 3 year: 3.00% 2 year: 2.85% 1 year: 2.50% Euro Fixed Term Deposit Minimum Deposit €1,000 Rates of interest are on a gross per annum basis Euro Savings Account Minimum Deposit €50 1.75 % Newspaper post TOP SECURITY FIRM PROBED OVER MISERLY WAGES JURGEN BALZAN FOREIGN workers are being made to work over 62 hours per week for a miserly hourly net wage of just over €3.60, MaltaToday has learned. Documents seen by MaltaToday show the extent of the precarious employment of foreign workers in Malta, with some employees work- ing for over 80 hours per week. Apart from working for longer hours and not being paid overtime according to the law, a number of employees were threatened and warned not to report the matter. A number of foreign workers, es- pecially Eastern Europeans, are be- ing sent to Malta by agencies which strike agreements with Maltese companies, and contracts seen by MaltaToday show how Romanian nationals are lured to Malta by signing a pre-contract in Bucha- rest to work as a security agent / fire warder for 252 hours at €900 a month. Once these workers are f lown over to Malta, they sign a contract with a Maltese company. But Mal- taToday can confirm, after seeking legal advice, that the contracts are in breach of the Private Security Services Wages Council Wage Reg- ulation Order. YOUR FIRST READ AND FIRST CLICK OF THE DAY WWW.MALTATODAY.COM.MT maltatoday SUNDAY • 9 NOVEMBER 2014 • ISSUE 783 • PUBLISHED EVERY WEDNESDAY AND SUNDAY REVEALED • Documents show how foreign EU workers in backbreaking jobs remain unpaid FULL STORY PAGES 8-9 No capping on casinos, says economy minister A policy under the former Nationalist administra- tion to limit the number of casinos on the island to five concessions, has been effectively jettisoned by the Labour government. Economy minister Chris Cardona yesterday told MaltaToday that there was now "no capping" to the number of casinos that can be established, after the ministry issued two concessions to the Eden Leisure Group and Dragonara Gaming Ltd following an ex- pression of interest for a new Malta-based casino. The process has been halted by court order follow- ing a protest filed by Dragonara, which is contesting the Privatisation Unit's decision to rank Eden Lei- sure first in the selection process, and the decision to grant two concessions. "There is no capping to the number of casinos, we want to fully maximise this growing industry," Car- dona told MaltaToday when quizzed about the limit on casinos. Under former finance ministers John Dalli and To- nio Fenech, casino licences were capped at five: the Dragonara Casino, the Casinò di Venezia – whose licence was suspended recently – the Oracle Casino, which was granted a 'split-licence' to shift a portion of its gaming tables to the Casino at Portomaso; as well as a concession for the Kempinski Hotel in Gozo and one at Manoel Island for Midi plc, which were never set up. €1.20 CONTINUES ON PAGE 4 mt survey Peter Formosa, managing director at JF Services, emerged from his offi ce to snap a photo of MaltaToday's photographer while taking photos of the JF offi ce building. He denies claims by foriegn workers that they were paid at rates of just €3.60 an hour. PHOTOGRAPHY BY CHRIS MANGION Traffic now most pressing concern, surpassing migration TRAFFIC & PARKING MIGRATION COST OF LIVING JOBS 58c COLA 23% 21.2% 12.8% 7.2% 7.2% ▲ ▲ ▲ ▲ 7% MARCH 17.3% MARCH 12% MARCH 21% MARCH NEW TV DRAMA • 10-11 WHY WHY MARK DONEO TV DRAMA MARK DONEO MARK DONEO CAN'T STAND TV DRAMA • 10-11 CAN'T STAND CAN'T STAND MALTESE 14-15