David Lindsay
Another 50 to 60 Maltese workers lost their jobs last week as Fraser Eagle, the company that set up in Malta with no small amount of fanfare in 2006, intends to file for administration in the United Kingdom.
While company officials contacted yesterday afternoon were extremely reticent over giving out even a shred of information about the state of affairs in Malta, The Malta Independent is informed the Maltese arm of Fraser Eagle laid off its entire staff complement on the spot last week.
Former employees speaking to this newspaper have confirmed that last week staff members were given a letter an hour and a half before the workday ended informing them they were being let go, that they were to be given a week’s pay and reimbursed for any pending leave. A total of 50 to 60 employees are believed to have been made redundant in Malta.
Attempts to garner further information from the UK headquarters, whose operations have now been taken over by another British company Connectpoint, about the fate of the Maltese operations proved fruitless, with a company representative in the UK refusing to give her name and merely informing that there was “nothing to say at the moment”.
The Malta base, meanwhile, informed this newspaper that no one was available to take the call and that it was doubtful anyone would be able to reply to a message left.
The company had set up as a call centre during the hype over the industry a couple years ago, and in January 2007 Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi travelled to Lancashire to inaugurate Fraser Eagle’s new headquarters, when it was announced the company was to invest a further e25 million to e30 million in its Maltese operations.
Today, however, the company’s situation is very much a different kettle of fish, after the company’s directors filed a notice of intention to appoint an administrator. Administrators will now be appointed to go in and run the company.
The transport, travel and logistics business started in 1919 offering coastal trips to holidaymakers.
The company is the main sponsor of Accrington Stanley FC, and Accrington Stanley’s stadium is sponsored by and named after Fraser Eagle. The company also sponsors Premier League team Blackburn Rovers, as well as local team Rabat Ajax.
According to Fraser Eagle, the business has been badly affected by the economic climate and has lost contracts with First travel and Arriva. The company cut 50 jobs from its Lancashire operations last year.