Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/717204
maltatoday, SUNDAY, 21 AUGUST 2016 4 News ECONOMICS OFFICER Applications are invited for the posts of Economics Officer in the Ministry for European Affairs and Implementation of the Electoral Manifesto. Applications together with a detailed CV will be received at the Corporate Services Directorate, Ministry for European Affairs and Implementation of the Electoral Manifesto, Tal-Pilar, 31B, Marsamxett Road, Valletta, VLT 1850 or submitted through the Online Government Recruitment Portal on http://recruitment.gov.mt by not later than noon of Monday 29 th August 2016. Further details may be obtained from the Government Gazette of 12 th August 2016. Application forms may be downloaded from: https://opm.gov.mt/en/PAHRO/RESOURCING/Pages/Forms%20and%20Templates/Forms-and- Templates.aspx Some of the positions being advertised through this call for applications may be considered for co-financing by European Union Funds Archbishop: Orders should not invest in 'cement monstrosities' CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 The three orders and the Gozo diocese had invested in 2007 when the first bond issue of €35 million was is- sued. They matured in 2013. According to papers seen by MaltaToday, the religious order of the Discalced Carmelite sisters invested €106,000 or Lm46,588; the Franciscan Sisters of the Sa- cred Heart of Jesus purchased €431,000 or Lm186,350 in bonds; the Maltese Dominican Province acquired €538,000 or Lm232,978; and the Gozitan Diocese €466,000 or Lm201,491. The investments prove how reli- gious orders are inured to the pros- pect of Malta's property construc- tion boom, with financial advisors seeking secure investments for the proceeds of land-rich orders. Last week the Archbishop of Malta, Charles Scicluna, lashed out at the controversial permits for high-rise towers for the Tumas and Gasan groups in Mriehel, and another by Gasan in the heart of Sliema. "The Planning Author- ity let Malta down after approving the controversial development of a 38-storey tower in Sliema and four interlinked towers in Mriehel." GAP Developments is not con- nected to either project, although it is seeking planning approval for its own 40-storey high-rise in Tigné. A spokesman for Archbishop Scicluna explained to MaltaTo- day that the archdiocese had little control over the financial affairs of these religious orders. "The ethical standards followed by the Archdiocese of Malta, con- cerning any investments which impact on the environment and on the well-being of humanity, includ- ing future generations, are those set out by Pope Francis in his recent document on the environment Laudato Sì. "With regard to in- vestments owned by religious orders and the Gozo diocese, may I suggest that you contact the Pro- vincials of the respective or- ders and the Go- zo Curia. It would also be pertinent to find out whether they are aware that the bonds they invest- ed are related to present high-rise development. "Nonetheless, the Archbishop would like to make it clear that he does not support investments by religious orders in such projects." The Archbishop's spokesman al- so made it very clear that Scicluna technically did not have author- ity over the religious orders or the Gozo diocese. The extent of the interest in these bond issues is a matter of debate for religious orders seeking ethical ways of safeguarding their wealth. Only recently, the former Din l-Art Helwa president Martin Scicluna even called for a boycott of the Gasan and Tumas groups who are the promoters of the Mriehel high- rise, and in the case of Gasan only, the Townsquare project in Sliema. Archbishop Charles Scicluna has blasted the Planning Authority for its insensitivity towards the visual impact of the "cement monstrosi- ties" that will take over the coun- try's skyline, and quipped about who would defend Malta "from the people who took a solemn oath to defend the common good without fear or favour". He compared developers and businessmen to Midas – the Greek mythological king whose wish to turn everything into gold was granted, only for the king to later curse his greed. The Archbishop wrote that if the country's overdevelopment con- tinued, the country's beauty would be ruined and developers would be left with nothing but their money. "Some developers and business- men have Midas in their mind when they gloat on the high-rise project the Planning Authority has recently approved," he said. Woman injured after jumping into St Peter's Pool A 26-year old Italian woman was rushed to hospital with grievous injuries after jumping into the popular St Peter's Pool in Marsax- lokk on Friday evening. The police said in a statement that the accident occurred at around 7pm, but they were only called to the scene at 8:15pm. Civil Protection officials had to lift the woman out of the pool be- fore medics could transport her to Mater Dei. Her injuries are not believed to be life-threatening. She is the third person to have been injured while jumping into St Peter's Pool this summer. On 30 July, an 18-year-old Swedish man was grievously injured after leaping into the sea and landing on the rocks. Only a day later, a 21-year old Swedish man suffered grievous injuries after diving into the pool. Fort Cambridge was funded by a bond issue, which attracted a €1.5 million investment by Maltese religious orders in 2007 Archbishop Charles Scicluna has made it clear that he does not support investments by religious orders in such projects.