Opposition leader Alfred Sant yesterday told a delegation from the National Youth Council that the problem of structural youth unemployment needed to be addressed.

Council president Jean Paul de Lucca said that a lot of work had been put into the council’s reaching out to represent youths from various spheres of society.

Mr de Lucca also said the council had contributed towards the discussion on pension reform.

He pointed out that two representatives from the council had been elected to the decision-making structures in the European Youth Forum.

Mr de Lucca also gave details of a pilot project in conjunction with 10 local councils whereby youths between the age of 14-18 can submit proposals to the said local councils.

At the end of this week, the Youth Council is set to convene its annual conference to appoint a new executive committee. Dr Sant congratulated and praised the Youth Council for its work and said he hoped this would continue under the new executive committee.

Dr Sant told the delegation that the MLP was worried that some youngsters were receiving a second class education and that the country cannot afford to have so many youngsters in such a situation.

The opposition leader also touched on the problem of structural unemployment, especially in Gozo. He appealed for the Youth Council to work to address the problem as it can leave a hefty impact on Malta and Gozo’s social fabric in the future. Labour MPs Carmelo Abela and Justyne Caruana were present for the meeting.