The Employment and Training Corporation (ETC) financial estimates were approved in parliament yesterday with 28 votes in favour and 21 against following a division called by the opposition.
Opposition spokesman on Social Policy Karl Chircop initiated the debate, saying that the Maltese are finding it more difficult to work while the demand to engage foreign workers is increasing. Furthermore, he said, the number of apprentices is decreasing. Dr Chircop mentioned the Malta Labour Party’s proposals in this field: employees would be given back the public holidays that fall on weekends, part-timers will be provided with better conditions and the overall structure will be improved so that the female participation rate is increased.
Parliamentary Secretary for Small Business and the Self Employed Edwin Vassallo objected to the opposition’s arguments that jobs are not being created. Mr Vassallo said that before criticising the market, we should first try to understand the way it operates.
The need to boost entrepreneurship is one of the main challenges the European Union member states are facing. Quoting from the Eurobarometer Entrepre-
neurship survey, Mr Vassallo said that the “European Commission opened the public debate by publishing, at the start of 2003, a Green Paper on ‘Entrepreneurship in Europe’, which focused on two questions in particular being ‘Why do so few Europeans set up their own business?’ and ‘Why are so few European businesses growing’.”
Reminding the ETC representatives present in Parliament of the joke he had once proposed regarding the fact that the ETC should change its name from Employment and Training Corporation to Entrepreneurship and Training Corporation, Mr Vassallo said that such a proposal was not far-fetched. Such a proposal will probably be adopted in the future, he said.
Labour MP Joe Abela welcomed the ETC “Bridging the gap” scheme and said that it is a good initiative designed to support a trainee in the transition period between unemployment and employment. Among those who may benefit from such a scheme are registered disabled persons, former offenders as well as Correctional Facility inmates “on leave”.
Being a member of the Peace Laboratory, Mr Abela took the opportunity to condemn employers who abuse refugees. Mr Abela said that a one-stop-shop system should be created so that refugees would know their rights, duties and know how they should be regulated.
Mr Abela encouraged the ETC to support the Scoops project which, he said, enables school cooperatives to be set up by students in their schools.
Thanking the ETC representatives of their hard work and their valid contribution, Labour MP Silvio Parnis said that the right to work is a right which belongs to everyone. Mr Parnis said that we should do our utmost to protect the rights of those people who are less heard such as disabled persons.
Labour MP Marie Louise Coleiro Preca criticised the fact that in the Budget speech, there was nothing which served as an incentive to innovation. When compared to full time work, part time work has increased by three-and-a-half times, she said, adding that this is not a positive thing.
In his winding up speech, Minister of Youth, Education and Employment Louis Galea said the government is being proactive. The laws and the legal structure within which they are found are reflecting the needs of the employees and of the country as a whole.