The proposed estimates will provide the corporation with a budget of Lm2.65 million, over and above funds from EU assistance programmes.
Next year will be a very challenging year for the corporation, Education, Youth and Employment Minister Louis Galea said in the opening bouts of the discussion.
The budget provided by the Maltese government will be complemented by the EU Social and Regional funds which, together, will top Lm3 million.
In addition, the EU has voted some E12.2 million for Malta as part of its budget for the period 2004-2006.
The implementation of the Employment National Action Plan alone, however, will cost the corporation Lm1 million next year, Dr Galea explained. The employment plan, announced earlier this year, contains a number of measures which include tax cuts on specific labour market categories aimed at boosting employment, particularly among women and Gozitans.
The plan has, so far, received a very positive review by a team of experts from the EU with whom ETC officials are discussing the document, Dr Galea announced.
The corporation is faced with unprecedented challenges, he said, both due to the current state of the local and international economies, which are going through a wide-based restructuring process, and due to the changing environment in the employment sector.
Although the situation is undeniably difficult, prospects are not bleak, he cautioned. While acknowledging there are just under 8,200 people currently registering for employment on the part one and two of the registry combined, the sector is slowly gaining ground, he pointed out.
Out of 2,400 university graduates this year, only 151 did not manage to find employment by October, he said. Of these 14 were Gozitan. “It is always regrettable when a willing person does not find a job. However, things have to be put in context and positive figures have to be acknowledged.”
Speaking about Gozo, Dr Galea said the unemployment rate this year was the same as that of last year, despite the fact the island is facing particular challenges.
This year’s employment figures for Gozo still signify an improvement of 100 over 2002 – almost 200 less people are seeking work over the 2001 figures.
MLP spokesman Carl Chircop, who spoke immediately after the minister, criticized the estimates. He said that although marginally, these show a budget cut over previous years even though, as accepted by Minister Galea, the work load of the corporation will increase.
At the same time, he pointed out that estimates for travelling increased to Lm85,000, noting that it seems the money is being spent on trips for the same small number of people and is not being used productively.
Making reference to the recent developments which led to former Foreign Minister John Dalli’s resignation, he asked Dr Galea to confirm whether the information he had regarding air tickets for ETC officials were not being bought from Airmalta was true, and, if yes, why not.