Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/602004
maltatoday, SUNDAY, 15 NOVEMBER 2015 25 Opinion ACCESS TO EMPLOYMENT – REMOVING BARRIERS TO EMPLOYMENT – You open your doors to those who are more challenged and we will pay you a subsidy of €85 per week per new recruit for 24 weeks or for 52 weeks or for 104 weeks, or a subsidy of €125 per week for as many as 156 weeks in the case of registered disabled person! For more information contact ETC on 2220 1399 or a2e.etc@gov.mt or visit our website www.etc.gov.mt. EMPLOYMENT AID FOR 2014-2020 €2.4 MILLION FOR SALARY SUBSIDIES EACH YEAR It pays to employ! GRANTS TO PROMOTE EMPLOYMENT FOR ALL TARGET GROUPS: NOW OPEN FROM 2 ND NOVEMBER 2015 City of blinding lights F or most, the Valletta Summit was an opportunity to indeed give the ubiquitous term 'solidarity' a significant meaning, alas for others it was simply an opportunity to flaunt their incompetence. And incompetence it is to drill and perpetually ruin one of Malta's treasures – the Auberge de Castille. MEPA blamed the Superintendence for Cultural Heritage and suggested that the latter should assume total responsibility for this massacre. Be that as it may, it (MEPA) did nothing to stop this from happening, bar approve the DNO. This does not exonerate the Cultural Heritage guardians, under whose guardianship a monstrous concrete building was erected in Haywharf (Floriana). One remains oblivious as to how such ideas spring to mind! The drilling antics are not the only charge being brought against MEPA et al, since these have been coupled with the installation of bizarre lighting, which befits a nightclub and not a majestic building which houses the Prime Minister and his entourage. The once elegant Auberge, which stood the test of time, has today been stripped of its refined aesthetics, thus making it a more ideal setup for hosting fashion and such other shows. Pointing fingers will lead to nothing. Unfortunately there is no turning back and what has been ruined will remain so for the generations to come. It is indeed a misfortune to saddle certain sensitive posts with inept personnel! Politics of persuasion Malta was back in time gifted with a political arena where policies were dished out in abundance, where politicians devised a vision for the country, where the political class projected itself as indeed being worthy of its role in representing the people. Eddie Fenech Adami was one of them, so were many others coming from the local political spectrum, irrespective of their ideological divide. Over the past weeks, if not months, we have experienced an overdose of attacks, with very few, if any at all, policies being outlined by the Executive. Worse still, this country is today devoid of any clear vision. This is indeed sad. Biased I might be, but it is my impression that the required policies, the proposals, the all important vision for this country, and the clear direction for our young nation, are all being handled by the Leader of the Opposition. This is not a PN glorification blog, this is not my style, this is simply the sheer truth. Simon Busuttil knows clearly well that for his party to stand a chance of being elected, uncovering mundane scandals by the Labour Party is simply not enough. People require answers to their problems, and Busuttil's PN seems determined to announce proposals, to devise policies, and to give a clear direction to this nation. Simon Busuttil wants to make his voice audible, his genuine intentions are loud and clear, it should be our pick to make them come to reality. Actions speak louder than words Amidst the controversy of traffic mayhem, there comes the Valletta Summit. I guess Malta managed to entertain its foreign guests with great pomp, however apart from hefty hotel bills, what realistically comes out of all this is very difficult to predict. This expensive summit did its part to address certain issues, however it once again failed to embrace the real problem. Immigration, or its illegal version, is not the problem – this is the effect of the real and un-tackled problem. Whereas we all speak about immigration, and of the fact that people are flocking to European shores, we are failing to address the reasons and motives why such people are fleeing their countries, which happen to be the real problem! It is untrue that they want to hijack or conquer Europe, if they had the option they would prefer to stay in their native country. The problem is that they don't have that option. The European Union, and its constitutive Member States, should help out in bettering the situation in African countries, in Syria, and in other troubled countries. The Trust Fund is one very positive step towards this. Giving the people of these countries shelter in Europe in just a short-term solution, it will ultimately solve nothing. It is our obligation, which we are partially fulfilling, to give assistance – but this is clearly not enough. Trying to block people leaving Libya would simply equate to sweeping the uncomfortable issue under the carpet. This is not on. Europe should wake up and smell the coffee. Matt Paris is a PN councillor for Floriana and a general election candidate Trying to block people leaving Libya would simply equate to sweeping the uncomfortable issue under the carpet. This is not on. Europe should wake up and smell the coffee Opinion Matt Paris