Austin Gatt, Minister for Investment, Industry and IT was on site yesterday, to inaugurate the embellishment works which have been carried out at the Bulebel industrial estate in Zejtun.
“This is the official opening of the project concerning the bettering of the Bulebel industrial estate which has been co-financed by the European Union by means of the 2004-2006 structural funds, which have helped to improve various factories and their environment,” said Minister Gatt.
“Almost one million euros have been spent, and everything went according to budget and plan, which means the project went well. A child-care centre will be set up to encourage more women with children to go back to work, as well as to improve the life of those who are already working within the industrial estate,” he added.
The intention is for the centre to accommodate about 140 children a day. The new building will also be used as an administrative building for the Tenants Association, and may also be used as a canteen for the various factories, as well as a recreational area, and space for workshops and training in the near future.
In the last four years the Malta Industrial Parks (MIP) allocated land to more than 150 factories. This particular project is part of the work being carried out by MIP to make better use of the space it has, and 75 per cent of the expenses were contributed by the European Union. “In all e2.8m were spent in improving different industrial sectors in Dbiegi, Bulebel and Hal Far,” said Malta Enterprise chairman Alec Mizzi.
Sergio Vella, general manager of Actavis, a pharmaceutical enterprise which is one of the tenants in the industrial estate, said: “It is important that people work in a somewhat aesthetic environment, both for our prospective foreign clients and investors so that our image of professionalism is strengthened during their visits, as well as our workers who deserve to work in a pleasant environment, as a motivational element.”
“Secondly 50 per cent of Actavis’ employees are women, therefore a child-care centre will definitely help to improve their quality of life. Thirdly the pharmaceutical sector has very strong regulatory procedures to live up to, and this sort of environment will help to maintain these high standards. I would like to thank the government for its efficiency in helping to improve the quality of local industry by means of Malta Enterprise, and the MIP,” added Mr Vella.
Dr Gatt said the importance of having a Tenants Association has been shown by the Mosta Technopark. Bulebel is the oldest industrial estate (c.40 years old) and a face-lift was obligatory. To attract a higher quality of pharmaceutical industries standards needed to be much higher.
The Bulebel industrial estate has about 56 tenants, with 5,000 workers, and the ministry also provides the Tenants Association with an annual donation of about e60,000.