Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/914278
maltatoday SUNDAY 10 DECEMBER 2017 6 News AMY MICALLEF DECESARE IT is undeniable that particular toys are raved and ranted about every year, but not all parents are willing to swipe their cards and buy into them this Christmas. Aware of which toys are currently trending locally and overseas, some ignore all marketing and advertis- ing and go with their own choices when picking Christmas gifts for their children. Major toy stores agreed that – like every year – a number of toys stand out this Christmas season too, but special mention has gone to the Hatchimals, Roarin' Tyler the Playful Tiger, Paw Patrol and hov- erboards. "Children are heavily influenced by different kinds of media includ- ing YouTube, cable and satellite TV, as well as British and American media," said T o y l a n d store owner Nathan Mallia. In an attempt to identify what chil- dren will be asking Santa for this Christmas, many toy store owners attend international toy fairs and keep a keen eye on commercials overseas. The Hong Kong Toys & Games Fair, Mallia said, is where big brand market leaders Hasbro and Mat- tel feature their latest products, including information on how and when they will be released, giving a clearer idea to store owners what the trends are likely to be through- out the year. The managing director of Toby's Toymaster, Stefan Casaletto also listed Roarin' Tyler the Playful ti- ger, as well as Hatchimals Surprise and the Paw Patrol Sea Patroller as some of the most likely toys to fly off shelves this Christmas. "Fairs, promotions, advertising, movies and series are the greatest con- t r i b u - tors to toy trends," he said. But despite trends and patterns clearly being identified, are parents really willing to buy into them? Parent of three (and one on the way), Kelly Hammett, said she refused to feed into the frenzy. "HatchEms are absolutely eve- rywhere, as are hoverboards and Lego Ninjago, but I tend to choose my children's gifts based more on whether or not they have educa- tional properties," she said. All three of her children are under the age of six. "I control what TV they're watch- ing and they're not allowed to take toys to school, so they're not yet influenced much by what's be- ing advertised on so- cial media and TV," she said. Mother of one, Charli Stead- man, and mum of two, Hannah Martirano, however, are also ac- tively choosing to ignore the 'latest trends' this year. Both agreed that the sheer pop- ularity of toys such as Hatchi- mals, LOL Dolls, Nerf Guns and Pokemon Cards could not be denied, but said that the prices as well as the not-too-positive re- views were not great motivators for purchase. "The thing about trending toys is that kids appreciate them for a while and then cast them aside once the craze is over," said dad of one Nicky Mifsud Bonnici. "I would much rather buy my son something more educational, or something he actually needs," he said. "He'll get things like Paw Pa- trol or a Nerf gun from his grand- parents." Recruitment of Casual Substitutes in Physiotherapy The Ministry for Health is seeking to employ Allied Health Professional (Physiotherapy) as Casual Substitutes on a definite basis (Jobsplus Permit Number: 316/2017). Eligible applicants must be in possession of the registration with the Council for the Professions Complementary to Medicine (CPCM). A copy of the full job description and details of the remuneration package may be obtained from the Resourcing and Employee Relations Directorate (contact details below). Applicants are to submit their application together with a detailed curriculum vitae and a recent (not earlier than one month) Police Certificate of Conduct by not later than Tuesday, the 26 th December 2017. All applications are to be addressed to the: Director (Resourcing and Employee Relations) 15, Palazzo Castellania, Merchants Street, Valletta, VLT1171, Malta Telephone: 22992600 Email: recruitment.health@gov.mt MINISTRY FOR HEALTH 15, Palazzo Castellania, Merchants Street, Valletta, VLT 1171, Malta Tel: 22992600 Email: recruitment.health@gov.mt Christmas toy craze can be hard for parents to ignore Harassment of NGOs a 'precarious situation' YANNICK PACE NGOS working in the field of hu- man rights are being constantly bul- lied, harassed, insulted, threatened and stigmatised, the NGO Aditus Foundation said. In commemoration of Interna- tional Human Rights Day, the foun- dation said it was calling for more respect for the central role NGOs play in promoting and contributing towards Malta's overall wellbeing, and warned of the precarious envi- ronment NGOS were working in. "Malta's human rights defenders are those individuals and organisa- tions that tirelessly seek to ensure that all persons are able to enjoy their fundamental human rights," Aditus said in a statement. "They are active in a broad range of sectors, addressing various groups of persons and themes including: sur- vivors of domestic violence, persons with disabilities, migrants and refu- gees, children, survivors of crime, the environment, LGBTIQ+ per- sons, inmates, women involved in prostitution, good governance and so many others." It added that NGOs were present where state interventions were ei- ther absent or insufficient, leading to a higher risk of human rights vio- lations taking place. Furthermore, the NGO said that without the work done by several groups, Malta could not boast to- day's "levels of social wellbeing". "In return, many of us are bullied, harassed, threatened and stigma- tised. Many of us are denied access to important dialogue with state entities, or exploited by the state as we provide those public services the state refuses or is unable to provide," Aditus said. "As the community of Malta's hu- man rights defenders is still mourn- ing the brutal assassination of Daph- ne Caruana Galizia, we are uncertain of the security of our working envi- ronment and are concerned for the physical and psychological safety of our staff and volunteers." Aditus insisted that NGOs were not satisfied that their concerns were being taken seriously by the competent authorities. "Understanding the importance of human rights defenders is funda- mental for the fostering of a society that is geared towards respecting, protecting, and fulfilling everyone's human rights." Tolerating such abuse, warned the NGO, Malta was not only offending the principles that human rights em- body, but also further marginalising those communities and themes hu- man rights defenders stand up for. "On International Human Rights Day, we therefore urge Malta to re- think its relationship with human rights defenders. This means to not merely refrain from activities that instill fear and insecurity, but to take steps towards actively supporting human rights defenders." today SUNDAY 10 DECEMBER 2017 media," said T o y l a n d promotions, advertising, movies and series are the greatest con- t r i b u - said. But despite trends and patterns clearly being identified, are parents really willing to buy into them? Parent of three (and one on the way), Kelly Hammett, said she refused to feed into the frenzy. "HatchEms are absolutely eve- rywhere, as are hoverboards and Lego Ninjago, but I tend to choose my children's gifts based more on whether or not they have educa- Trending toys include (far left) Nerf guns and (from left above, clockwise) hoverboards, Hatchimals, Roarin Tyler the Playful Tiger and LOL Dolls