Unemployment continues to rise in February

Jennifer Smith

Apr 2nd 2009, 19:35

Job unemplyment at 4% is not bad really considering the present world situation, but before the figures decrease, in actual fact will in time increase to 5-6-7.5% now that is really a worring time for the nation, so don't hold your breath., It will get worse before it will get better. The only remedy for most people is not to go above their means and make do with what ever they got as times is nothing like we've seen before at least not in my life time. Counttires that are really in troube are countires mentioned below Spain,Japan,Russia and many others i don't care to mention,so think yourselves lucky in Malta for the time being. i hope the G20 come up with something solid for the sake of all of us.

Jennifer Herrera

Apr 2nd 2009, 18:52

Unemployment at 4% in Malta, even though it's up, is nowhere near what they have in Spain, as someone pointed out below. My husband's family over there say that they are in a really deep crisis and the Socialist Prime Minister Zapatero is saying he doesn't even know how to solve it. Now, rather than trying to do something it, he's trying to divert attention by making abortion easier for 16-year-old girls. Unbelievable.

Jeff Inguanez

Apr 2nd 2009, 18:37

It is a credit to us Maltese collectively that unemployment has only inched up to 4.2% at the latest count when other countries are burdened with unemployment rates that are around 10% and Spain, for example, is suffering a whopping 15% unemployment rate.

jlaus

Apr 2nd 2009, 16:54

Dear Mr Pierre Borg ,you ran out of my argument,,,If you are a listener of PN media only you won.t be aware of such things which are happening around us,this issue is one of them. I listen to all TV station news bulletins,then I build my own opinion....Thanks God we can see the News update on the TOM on line so that we are being informed and kept updated.

Mary Ann Borg

Apr 2nd 2009, 16:42

Once we had a prime minister called 'Salvatur' then 'Traditur' and it now seems he's going to switch again to 'Salvatur' ! who declared that he wished he had the ability to provide work as much as he was capable of attracting money to Malta. And during that same time we had a finance minister who called one of his budgets 'The Rainbow Budget' only to have Malta experiencing the highest-ever unemployment figures. The present unemployment figures are worrysome for all of us and as Maltese we should all strive to buffer this global economic crises. We can make it.

Joe Galea

Apr 2nd 2009, 14:54

Isn't this the government of work? Under GonziPN work is guaranteed, bla bla bla. Haven't everyone heard this rhetoric a myriad of times from Gonzi& Co? I am eager to see he reaction on this. Most probably they come out blaming the PL.....lol

Mv.Jannie Hartmann

Apr 2nd 2009, 14:29

Quite right Mr.K.Galea employing foreign workers should be the last resort unless they have the necessary skill that the Maltese don't have but i'm sure there are plenty in Malta who are well qualified. This is a non stop ongoing programme in my country of the Netherlands, and rightly so, foreign works beit Maltese, italians, Polish,or from a non eu country should be the last resort unless they have the necessary skils such as Doctors and most medical skills,but as it happens we have these skills and the workforce, and it will only be necessary to employ foreign works for jobs that the Dutch don't want to attempt to do ie., collecting refuse, or even in the buliding trade or any other manual labor.So Mr.Galea you have a point there my friend, but what goes round comes round don't forgret and eu members have the F.O.M.(Freedom of movement) in all eu countries. Ofcourse Malta is a small island and its people come first i grant you that and its only common sence, Malta is well over populated and not enough to go round for the well being of its nation.

r cini

Apr 2nd 2009, 14:05

J Laus - this is not a comment by PL yes.
But what you conveniently ignore is that Malta's rate is much much lower than EU/euro area average..
(ok, Try tell that to the unemployed...i know, but figures are figures afterall)

Colin Camilleri

Apr 2nd 2009, 13:51

@Pierre,
the government is not even in a financial position to give back WHAT it already took off from the people. aka the 50m€ in VAT on registered cars. Let alone give something for the people to cope with.
But lets not be pessimistic. Worst case scenario, Malta can have 405,000 people unemployed and still be less than the millions unemployed overseas. So will the GonziPN argue.

emmanuel zammit

Apr 2nd 2009, 13:18

thank god our MR GONZI TOLD US NOT TO WORRY!!!!

pierre borg

Apr 2nd 2009, 13:15

dear mr. Laus
it is not a jolly thing that unemployment is on the rise but the worldwide situation is not help and i am sure that it is the major issue for this situation.
just remember that between 1996-98, the unemployment too rose over 7000 and utilities were phenomally increased, and we had non of this worldwide crisis, but one crisis that AS was PM.
we need to be realistic and not ride on every issue to take political mileage.

jLaus

Apr 2nd 2009, 12:43

So unemployment registered in feb,2009 is well over 7100,,,,this is not a figure which was invented by PL for political reasons but in a statement issued by NSO.So please Net;tv and radio 101 and PN ,inform your media listeners.and tell them the truth,and for once admit that not everything is going right under the GonziPn government.

pierre borg

Apr 2nd 2009, 12:41

it is not a coincidence that we are having a rise in unemployment, there is a very clear feeling that there is a slow down in economy both local and also companies who depend on export. we are having companies suffering the effect of the sterling gravely. so to be honest at least the government should do is easy on other costs like ulitilies. both for families and commercial establishments, i know that the rates were reduced, but i do not know if it is enough. it is also true that what the government subsides we taxpayers have to pay, if not from one pocket from the other. but maybe at this moment if the government can give that extra incentive it will help holding to employment then when the sky is clear and shining then the government can take back what he gave. i think it is only fair.

Kenneth Galea

Apr 2nd 2009, 12:23

Government should tighten up the working permits for foreign nationals who hail from outside the EU. It sounds to me that the unemployment saga continues and it is spreading across most sectors.
Maltese nationals should be given priority for local jobs providing they have the relevant skills of course. Hiring foreign LEGAL workers should be a last resort in these difficult times.