This category, apart from the manufacturing industry, includes agriculture and fisheries, and construction and oil exploration. The increase of 82 employees in this sector between February and March was divided between the construction and manufacturing industries, but what is alarming is the fact that in one year, the manufacturing industry lost a total of 1,556 workers – down from 28,749 in March 2003 to 27,193 in March this year.

This is one of the lowest figures of employment in this industry for many years and the drop was also reflected in the total number of people registering for work. The number of people employed fell by 1,590 between March 2003 and March this year, said Mr Agius.