Zminijietna - Voice of the Left
14/8 Vincenti Buildings, Strait Street, Valletta VLT1432, Malta
zminijietna@yahoo.com
www.zminijietna.org
Tel. / Fax: 00356 21223537


Press Release - 05/08/10 - Żminijietna supports farmers against proposed development of a new road in the limits of Burmarrad

Żminijietna - Voice of the Left, which is an official member in the environment core group within MEPA supports the stand taken by 149 farmers against the proposed development of a new road that will pass directly through their fields in the limits of Burmarrad, an area known as ‘Ta’ Wileg’. The proposed new road forms part of a holistic project to reconstruct, upgrade and widen the existing Coast Road from Palm Beach, Bahar ic-Ċagħaq to ‘Erba Mwiezeb’ Roundabout. The proposed project will be financed by the European Structural Fund (TNT).

"The proposed area for development of new road is made up of fertile and irrigated agricultural land, where in the area we could also find an endemic maltese plant species, known as ‘denb iz-ziemel’. The agricultural sector in that area is a productive one. The area serves also as an open space."

"It will be a big mistake, if the authorities carry on with their plans leading to the destruction of agricultural land and their cultural identity. The authorities should consider other alternatives to this new road, such as ending of project at Salina road junction and the remaining part, where new road is being projected, be upgraded only and embellished.

Żminijietna - Voice of the left appeals other environmental, social and political organisations and movements to support farmers and their representative Carmen Hili, a biologist and Burmarrard adminstrative councillor, in their fight against such a no-sense development.

Mary Anne Zammit
Ass Secretary
Żminijietna – Voice of the Left
Mob: 99440169

Press Release - 05/08/10 - Zminijietna compares low rate of women in the labour market with lack of family-friendly measures

Zminijietna - Voice of the Left expressed its concern regarding the employment rate in Malta, published recently by Eurostat, which showed, that in Malta the rate of employment is partly low, especially when dealing with women at work. According to the published figures, the rate of employment for women is 37% and is the lowest compared with other EU Member States.

"Women do not participate in the labour market due to many factors. Among these, is the lack of measures for work – life balance. The lack of affordable childcare is one of them, as well as the continuous opposition from the private sector to the introduction of more family-friendly measures."

"It's a pity that the Chamber of Commerce, Enterprise and Industry continues to oppose the European directive proposal to increase maternity leave from 14 to 18 weeks, when the same private sector is the largest employer in Malta."

“The lack of decent wages associated with low education and lack of family-friendly measures, is leading to a segment of women to work illegally, without any legal criteria of work, to a detriment to their social security and a pension scheme. Other category of women is living in social disadvantage situations, which are finding it difficult to enter the labour market. In the majority of these cases, women may have low level of education, or physical or mental disability of drug addiction or other problems associated.”

Zminijietna - Voice of the Left also remarks that presently, precariousness is affecting severely women at work, mainly due to the non - existing family - friendly measures and because of the lack of commitment from the government to tackle the problem of job precariousness.

Zminijietna criticize as well the notion of ‘workfare policies’, promoted by the Government together with ETC that is resulting in workers earning less than the minimum wage.

Mary Anne Zammit
Vice - Secretary
Zminijietna - Voice of the Left