The subject of summer half-days for government workers always comes up at this time of the year, and so it is no surprise that you included an editorial about it, The public service (TMID, 27 May).

The public service must eventually come in line with the private sector in terms of office hours... the problem is that I do not think that any government will have the courage to do it.

Although over the years there are some government departments that work overtime during summer (at a cost) because there is need for them to remain open in the afternoon in summer too, no government has as yet realised that it needs to take the bull by the horns and, come the next collective agreement, insist that the unions agree that half-days should be abolished.

Public service employees will argue that they make up for the time off in summer by working extra hours in winter. But those extra hours in winter – if they are worked at all – are not needed. It is those extra hours in the afternoon in summer that are a necessity in a day and age where Malta needs to remain competitive.

Public service employees need to realise that gone are the days when a job with the government is one when they work whenever they want. Everyone must be accountable these days. Malta does not have natural resources and therefore every human resource must be utilised to the maximum.

Michael Camilleri

Sliema