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MT 20 March 2016

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maltatoday, SUNDAY, 20 MARCH 2016 8 TIM DIACONO THE Confederation of Malta Trade Unions (CMTU) has urged the government to publish all con- tracts related to the partial priva- tisation of St Luke's Hospital, the Gozo General Hospital and the Karin Grech Hospital. The CMTU also called for an audit by the National Audit Office on the government's agreements – including those that have not yet been finalized - with Vitalis Glob- al Healthcare, the winning bidder for the €200 million project. "We call for an independent au- dit into the agreements between [the government and Vitalis] so that we can be assured that due diligence was carried out, for the sake of the hospital workers and Maltese patients," the CMTU said in a statement. It added that two of its affili- ate union members – the Union Haddiema Maghqudin and the Malta Medical Association – are ready to publish their respective draft collective agreements with Vitalis for full auditing and scru- tiny. "Publishing and auditing the agreement will put people's minds at rest, and serve as an example of good governance as a basis for other future agreements," the CMTU said. The CMTU is composed of the Union Haddiema Maghqudin, the Malta Medical Association, the Malta Union of Bank Employees, the Lotto Receivers' Union, the Malta Chamber of Pharmacists, and the Malta Union of Profes- sional Psychologists. Singapore-based Vitalis Global Healthcare were in June an- nounced as the preferred bidders for the massive project – that in- cludes beds at the three hospitals for medical tourism purposes and a new medical school in Gozo. However, health minister Konrad Mizzi has so far resisted calls to publish the government's agree- ments with the company. He has repeatedly insisted that healthcare for Maltese patients will remain free of charge at these three hospitals, that hospital workers will retain their govern- ment employment with the exact same wages and conditions, and that future collective agreements will be negotiated between the government and the respective unions. The Nationalist Party in a state- ment backed the CMTU's calls, and urged the government to also publish its agreements related to energy and oil. "[PN leader] Simon Busuttil had called for the pub- lication of all the contracts that Konrad Mizzi and [OPM chief of staff] Keith Schembri were in- volved in," the PN said. "Muscat, Mizzi and Schembri have a lot to answer for." News UNIT MANAGER (HUMAN RESOURCES) The role entails responsibility for all Human Resources of the new Environment and Resources Authority. Applicant/s should have: Qualifica ons: Graduate Degree [MQF Level 6] in Human Resources Management, Psychology, Social Science or comparable qualifica on as recognised by MQRIC. Post-Graduate Degree / Masters [MQF Level 7] will be considered an asset. Experience: A minimum of 5 years graduate relevant experience in Human Resources or Management with a medium to large size organisa on. Personal Skills: Interpersonal; leadership; counselling; interviewing; communica on; analy cal and conceptual; methodological. A ributes: Reliability & trustworthiness; integrity; collabora ve a tude; team player & builder; ability to work under pressure; fluency in both wri en and spoken Maltese and English. Organisa onal Skills: Administra on; research and analysis; coordina on; me management; nego a ons. Interested candidates are advised to submit their applica on, together with a detailed curriculum vitae by noon of the 28th March 2016 (CET) to: Human Resources Environment and Resources Authority Ref: Unit Manager (Human Resources) ETC Permit No. 15/2016 via email on hr.era@era.org.mt For further informa on visit our website: www.mepa.org.mt/org-current-openings-at-mepa C A R E E R O P P O R T U N I T Y Unions want publication, audit of hospital privatisation contracts Confederation of Trade Unions calls on NAO to investigate all agreements between government and Vitalis Global Healthcare Parts of the former St Luke's general hospital in Gwardamangia are to be transformed into a 'state of the art' rehabilitation hospital and dermatology centre Mellieha residents objecting to proposed chicken farm JAMES DEBONO THE Appeals Tribunal of the Malta Environment and Planning Authority will be deciding on an application for the development of a new chicken farm, underground reservoir, cesspits and manure clamp at Tat-Tomna, Mellieha outside the development bounda- ries (ODZ). The Environment Planning Com- mission refused the original appli- cation last month. The proposed development is lo- cated in a rural area across the road (Mellieha ByPass) of the Mellieha Sports Club, primary school and numerous residences. The applicant, Joseph Gauci, is basing his arguments on the fact that last month an illegal chicken farm – which is also his and has been operating for numerous years, in spite of various enforcement or- ders – was sanctioned on the basis of the new rural policy approved by MEPA in 2014. Ironically the permit, approved on 2nd February, covers another site at Tat-Tomna, which also be- longs to Gauci, who is now using the regularization of his other il- legal farm as an argument for the permit for a larger farm. The permit was approved despite aerial photos showing that only a small part of the farm existed in 1994. The case officer had recom- mended a refusal, citing a policy in the Strategic Plan for Environment and Development safeguarding the environmental health of residents from air and noise pollution. The case officer had also expressed his concern that it was not clear whether Gauci wanted to sanction the older farm or whether he want- ed to relocate to the new site. The applicant is arguing that the new rural policy allows for 'the construction of a new building, or redevelopment of, or an extension to an existing' poultry farm. How- ever the first criterion of this policy states that the proposal must be 'located within the boundary of a legally established operational live- stock farm'. The objectors argue that the site of this new application falls outside the boundary of the newly approved chicken farm and is therefore not located within the boundary of an operational live- stock farm. Moreover the proposed new de- velopment is larger than the sanc- tioned farm. Objectors insist that it is highly illogical that first an illegal develop- ment was sanctioned and now on the premise of that, a further much larger development could be given the green light. The proposed site for the new chicken farm is still free from any development. Furthermore, regula- tion RO1.3 dictates that new ani- mal and intensive arable farms are to be located within intensive agri- culture zones. The Environment Protection Di- rectorate (EPD) had objected to this application since it proposes to take up natural land and intensify the number of structures within ODZ areas. The EPD expressed concern on the sprawl of develop- ment within rural areas and that the attempt to screen the building was not satisfactory. Secondly, the Malta Resources Authority indicat- ed that the site is located within a 200m buffer zone from groundwa- ter sources for human consump- tion. This clearly violates criterion 5 of policy 2.3B of the Rural policy and Design Guidance 2014, which states that 'poultry farms shall be located 200m from groundwater abstraction sources'.

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