Category: Archive – 2013

Apprenticeship is the key to a highly
skilled workforce as it gives an opportunity to train prospective employees.
Apprenticeship includes theoretical training and work placement with an
employer through which practical training is acquired. Therefore apprentices
learn the theory and practice of the occupation.

In the coming weeks the ETC will be
organizing the call for applications for apprentices. New prospective
apprentices will be available to start their apprenticeship as from July and
are available on a daily basis up till September. During this period
apprentices are paid a stipend from the Government, hence you as an employer
are not obliged to pay any remuneration.

If you have never enjoyed the
benefits of the apprenticeship schemes you are invited to contact us for
further information. If you are familiar with the scheme and would like to
employ new apprentice/s please get in touch with ETC through one of the
following options:

Tel
– 22201302/9/10/13    email –

GRTU Renewable Energy Section
President Noel Gauci held a meeting with the Minister for Energy and the
Conservation of Water, Dr Konrad Mizzi, in order to discuss issues directly
relevant to the Renewable Energy Section. Below are the topics that were
discussed:

Launch of
the Domestic PV Scheme

The Ministry communicated that the
plan is to have the scheme launched and initiated in May. GRTU understands this
is a shorter than anticipated timeframe but quality installations are a must.
The scheme shall be ‘open ended', meaning that it will remain open until funds
are exhausted. Dr Mizzi stated that he intended to keep the Government's
commitment to oversee €20-25 million in PV investments every year, something
very encouraging to the sector and Maltese in general.

Commercial/industrial
projects

The Minister also expressed his
intention to launch one or more commercial and industrial incentive schemes,
and possibly (relatively) large scale renewable energy projects. The latter
could also include Photovoltaic farms. GRTU sees this commitment very
favorably, especially since the Minister agrees with the idea that such farms
should include as much installers as possible. GRTU has in fact long been
promoting the idea that large scale projects should be split between different
installation companies, although they remain property of the investor and
overseen by their particular representative.

Regarding commercial incentive
schemes, GRTU believes that although these could be run by Malta Enterprise,
the MRA system should be adopted so as to avoid a repeat of the suspension that
was suffered during the last ERDF scheme.

Solar water heaters and energy
efficiency

The Minister also advised that along
with the domestic PV grant scheme, a solar water heaters scheme shall also be
launched, as well as schemes for insulation (roof, double glazing etc).

Feed in
tariffs

The tariffs shall remain the same as
announced in the Budget.

Section
meeting with the Minister

A request was passed on to the
Minister and his team to attend a meeting whereby they could hear first-hand
complaints, suggestions and any comments our members would like to make. The
Minister agreed to such a request saying he would look forward to such an occasion.
GRTU thus shall be organizing such an event.

Regulation

GRTU gave explanation of the PVPFS
Scheme and the process of becoming GRTU APPROVED. The Minister expressed his
satisfaction towards such an initiative.

GRTU also conveyed certain concerns
expressed by the sector alleging towards the installation of systems prior
approval while promising customers that they would be able to apply for a
grant, this is of course not possible under the current regulations. GRTU
insisted that this was unacceptable and suggested ways of tackling the issue.
GRTU will be following up the discussion together with the MRA to try to find a
solution.

Green MT, the Authorised Packaging
Waste Compliance Scheme, has launched a CD entitled ‘Reduce Reuse Recycle'
aimed at further increasing public awareness about recycling. All derived
proceeds from the sale of the CD will go to the Community Chest fund. The
launch was attended by those involved in this year's School Recycling Campaign
organised by Green MT, which included school representatives, students and
parents. This is the second year such a campaign is being held.

The song was written by Kristina
Casolani, Boris Cezek & Dean Muscat. The remix was done by DJ Carlo Gerada.
The song and the CD are the brain child of Kristina Casolani, a leading Maltese
singer and songwriter, who was initially commissioned to create a jingle that
evolved into a song. The song is being performed at School visits all over
Malta and Gozo. At these School events Eco Councillor Romina Schembri provides
important tips to the students regarding waste separation followed by
entertainment by the Zoo team and a live performance of 'Reduce Reuse Recycle'
by Kristina Casolani.

The song aims to take the initiative
held within the schools to the homes and families of the students across Malta
and Gozo. This year's School Recycling Competition will run for eight weeks,
between March and April. The participation of Gozitan schools is particularly
strong.

Green MT's CEO, Joe Attard explained
that Green MT has diverted 44, 285 tons of recyclables from landfills between
July 2009 till the end of December 2012.  He stressed on the importance of
competition and also a level playing field for all operators in this waste management
sector.

Separating waste and recycling are a major issue for Malta's
Waste Managment Strategy and Green MT is committed to make sure that targets in
recovery and recycling will be met in the earliest time frame possible.

Speaking to trade leaders, GRTU Director
General Vince Farrugia, said that the results of the in-depth review on the
prevention and correction of micro-economic imbalances gives an excellent
report on Malta. "I'm surprised that the Government of
Malta did not make good use of this report to rebut the false statements made
about Malta in comparing our economy with that of Cyprus.

On the major issue raised by amongst
others the chairman of the European Finance Ministers, related to the status of
our large financial sector, the in-depth review states that the majority of the
very large financial sector is internationally-oriented with very little to
link to the domestic, and therefore does not pose large risks to the domestic
stability.

GRTU notes however that the issue
raised in the past by GRTU with the banks, MFSA and the Ministry of Finance,
that property developers unfairly compete with micro and small businesses for
the available credit facilities made available by the     banks through Malta's high savings ratio
is again highlighted in the Commission in-depth review. The Maltese major banks
are over-lenient with property developers with the result that Malta now is
flooded with unsold properties while the access to finance for micro and small
businesses gets higher.

Government under pressure from GRTU
resorted to the Micro-Credit Scheme, supporting small businesses, and now to
the Micro-Guarantee Scheme, effectively a commercial banks loan for small
businesses whereby government covers most of the guarantee demanded by the
banks.

The rule of economic development for Malta and therefore
Government revenue could be much healthier if Government and the banks wake up
to the facts: 98% of enterprises in Malta are small and micro enterprises and
not property developers. GRTU supports scheme to help developers transform
their unsold properties into income generating enterprises- self-catering
tourist accommodation, new office spaces, new old age residential facilities,
new back office facilities – whatever can generate new work and new enterprise.
But credit and money available to build more of the same or the expense of a
squeeze on credit for direct productive enterprise is illogical.

Within the framework of their current
EU social partner work programme, UEAPME, BUSINESSEUROPE, CEEP and ETUC held a
joint conference this week on promoting active ageing through lifelong
learning. GRTU President Paul Abela participated at this important conference
entitled European Innovation Partnership on Active and Healthy Ageing-From Plan
to Action.

During the event the participants were
given an opportunity to share their experiences and explain the different
initiatives in their own countries. Three objectives were identified that
required focus for the successful adoption of an action plan for Active Ageing
and Solidarity between generations: Action at legislative level, Improve living
and working conditions and Make education and training systems more effective.

Paul Abela stated that Malta is already
well on track targeting all three objectives, they are well embedded in our
national programme. Unlike some countries, Mr Abela was pleased to inform that
in Malta individuals working after pensionable age do not lose their pension
benefits. He also said that a phenomenon is developing whereby those that have
been employed all their life before going into pension decide to leap into
business while those that have been in business all their life decide to take
it a bit more easy before pension and find a stable employment. He said this
was an interesting phenomenon that should be followed.

A number of good practices were
presented amongst which that from France, the Generation Contract, whereby
employers are incentivized though a grant to employ an individual in or near
pensionable age with an younger individual. GRTU's President emphasized however
that the competitiveness and sustainability of a company cannot be jeopradised

UEPME Social Affairs Adviser Helen
Hoffmann chaired the session on "Anticipating the skills needs and adapting the
skills of older workers". For Crafts and SMEs, external support coming from
their business organisations or Public Employment Service can be a useful means
for tailor-made training of older workers as presented by an Austrian case. In
the final round table, UEAPME Social Affairs Director Liliane Volozinskis
stressed the need for adapting to an ageing workforce through a lifecycle
approach, delivering relevant continuous training and mobilising funding in a
cost-effective way, as well as broader policies on fostering health promotion,
flexible working arrangements and adequate policy frameworks. She also insisted
on return of investment for employers.

Within the framework of their current EU social partner work programme, UEAPME, BUSINESSEUROPE, CEEP and ETUC held a joint conference this week on promoting active ageing through lifelong learning. GRTU President Paul Abela participated at this important conference entitled European Innovation Partnership on Active and Healthy Ageing-From Plan to Action.

During the event the participants were given an opportunity to share their experiences and explain the different initiatives in their own countries. Three objectives were identified that required focus for the successful adoption of an action plan for Active Ageing and Solidarity between generations: Action at legislative level, Improve living and working conditions and Make education and training systems more effective.

Paul Abela stated that Malta is already well on track targeting all three objectives, they are well embedded in our national programme. Unlike some countries, Mr Abela was pleased to inform that in Malta individuals working after pensionable age do not lose their pension benefits. He also said that a phenomenon is developing whereby those that have been employed all their life before going into pension decide to leap into business while those that have been in business all their life decide to take it a bit more easy before pension and find a stable employment. He said this was an interesting phenomenon that should be followed.

A number of good practices were presented amongst which that from France, the Generation Contract, whereby employers are incentivized though a grant to employ an individual in or near pensionable age with an younger individual. GRTU’s President emphasized however that the competitiveness and sustainability of a company cannot be jeopradised

UEPME Social Affairs Adviser Helen Hoffmann chaired the session on “Anticipating the skills needs and adapting the skills of older workers”. For Crafts and SMEs, external support coming from their business organisations or Public Employment Service can be a useful means for tailor-made training of older workers as presented by an Austrian case. In the final round table, UEAPME Social Affairs Director Liliane Volozinskis stressed the need for adapting to an ageing workforce through a lifecycle approach, delivering relevant continuous training and mobilising funding in a cost-effective way, as well as broader policies on fostering health promotion, flexible working arrangements and adequate policy frameworks. She also insisted on return of investment for employers.

A GRTU delegation led by GRTU President
Paul Abela and Carlo Cini, the President Petrol Station owners Committee,
Committee Secretary John Meli and Legal Advisor Dr Jan Karl Farrugia have this
week met Hon Konrad Mizzi, Minister for Energy and the Conservation of Water in
a cordial meeting requested by GRTU to discuss important issues concerning
Petrol Stations.

Henri Malosse is kicking off a 2½-year tenure
as head of the EU institution representing civil society. With the public
increasingly at a loss to understand decisions taken by the European Union, the
new president is determined to make the EESC once again a force to be reckoned
with in the European debate. This is a priority, he believes, given the crisis
Europe is now facing.

As he takes up office as the EESC's
thirtieth president, Henri Malosse is keenly aware of the disconnect between
Europe and its citizens. "It is the role of the Committee, on behalf of
the various interests that make up our society, to engage with the other
institutions on their strategies and hold them to account. The public will only
be able to put their trust in us again if we do this." Henri Malosse, EESC
president.

Malosse is a great friend of Malta. As
President of the Employer's group he visited Malta several times and held close
relationship with the Maltese Employers Representatives especially with GRTU
Director General who for the last two and a half years was member of the
employers bureau. GRTU was also particularly happy with the appointment of Jane
Morris as EESC Vice-President. Jane is another friend of Malta at EESC. She has
close family members residing in Malta and considers herself also as part of
Malta, though Irish.

GRTU has successfully launched the
PVPFS scheme through a press conference and an information session. The scheme
already has around 15 applications and 5 certified installers. Following the
launch GRTU has received numerous queries coming in both from retailers and
households enquiring about the scheme. The latter who all seemed very
enthusiastic about the scheme, have been directed to the GRTU website where
they may find a list of certified retailers.

The scheme, which GRTU has tailored
with Bank of Valletta, ensures that more households can install a PV system.
This is possible because it makes PV systems more affordable and easier to
finance by paying through instalments spread over three years, minimising the
burden of interest which is heavily subsidized by the bank, the rest being
financed by the retailers themselves. This ensures that at no time are the
clients being asked to fork out any substantial amount of money for their PV
system, and in most cases the electricity generated is equal to or exceeds the
monthly payment requested by the bank.

If calculated on an average system
that would cost around €5,000, the application of the PVPFS would mean that the
client shall have no upfront payments or deposits to make and instead start
paying the bank a monthly fee of €75 for 3 years, which works out to the exact
same amount if they did not use the PVPFS scheme. In addition to this the
client will save circa €82.81 from the electricity bill  per month.

Apart from making no upfront
payments, during the first three years in most cases the client will already be
making a profit. When deducting the €75 monthly payment to the bank from the
€82.81 electricity saving, not only will the system be paying itself but the
client would be earning an extra €7.81 per month. For the following 3 years the
client is guaranteed the same €0.22c feed in tariff, totalling around €993 per
year. Systems are typically guaranteed for 20 years and some PV systems in
Malta which have been installed around 30 years ago, still work.

Retailers
already having a GRTU approved certificate:

At the time of release of the
newsletter discussions between GRTU and the Hon. Minister for Energy and
Conservation of Aater,  Dr Konrad Mizzi, were still on-going. Due to the
importance of the results of the meeting and the impact these have on the
sector a specific communication will be sent directly to GRTU Members operators
in the sector outlining the results of the meeting.

During the meeting GRTU will discuss
the launch date of the next PV scheme, the feed in tariff, large scale
proposals that may be split between all GRTU approved installers, and a request
for meeting between the sector, the minister and MRA. GRTU will also be
proposing an information campaign on how to make the right decisions when
installing a PV system.

GRTU will enquire about the status of
the solar water heaters grant scheme which was suspended late last year and the
claims raised by several retailers outlining irregularities creating an
un-level playing field .