In May 2005, the labour supply dropped by 405 over the same month in the preceding year, the National Statistics Office said.

This drop was the result of an increase of 454 persons in the gainfully occupied population and a drop of 859 persons on the unemployment register, the NSO said.

Full-time employment

An analysis of the available data indicates that the manufacturing sector has shed 353 people (-1.5 per cent) from its workforce in the 12 months to May 2005. The sub-sector concerned with food products and beverages dropped 94 people (-2.5 per cent), while factories producing medical and optical instruments dropped 32 people (-2.7 per cent).

On the other hand, the sub-sector concerned with electrical machinery and apparatus has made a slight increase in its employment levels over the twelve months up to May 2005.

People employed in hotels and restaurants dropped by 154 (-1.9 per cent) on a year-on-year basis. On the other hand, the education sector grew by 391 persons (3.3 per cent) in terms of employment.

Part-time employment

In May 2005, the total amount of part-time jobs in the labour market went up by 3,571 over the same month in the preceding year.

In the month under review, those persons holding a part-time job in agriculture as their primary occupation increased by 39 as compared to the same month in the preceding year.

Similarly, those persons holding a part-time job in construction as their primary occupation increased by 55, whereas those persons holding a part-time job in wholesale trade as their primary occupation increased by 251.

On their part, hotels and restaurants have taken on board 478 persons whose part-time job is their primary occupation.

In the 12 months to May 2005, those persons who held a part-time job in conjunction with their main full-time job increased by 1,261. In this way, the construction sector increased its employment level by 32 persons whose part-time employment is an addition to their main full-time job.

The publishing, printing and media sector went up by 27 persons whose part-time employment is an addition to their main full-time job. Wholesale trade has taken up 114 people (17.8 per cent) whose part-time employment is an addition to their main full-time job.