Prime Minister Joseph Muscat yesterday rolled out the Jobs+ programme, an initiative intended to boost employment and an active economy by making “it pay to work”.
The Government has to make sure there is this shift from benefits to good jobs
“We will send out the message that it’s worth going out to work. With all the social partners, in a mature and unprecedented move, we will work to increase jobs through motivation and employment programmes that will supply the market with its needs,” Dr Muscat told a press conference at Lufthansa Technik.
Drafted by the Union Ħaddiema Magħqudin, the policy document had been signed in January by all the social partners in the Malta Council for Economic and Social Development and also endorsed by the political parties.
In the presence of the social partners and former finance minister Tonio Fenech and Alternattiva Demokratika acting chairman Carmel Cacopardo, Dr Muscat said the endorsement was “an unprecedented move”.
With the first step taken in the previous legislature, the Labour Government was taking it a step further by “ensuring it isn’t just another document that is never implemented”. An action committee has been set up, headed by Clyde Caruana who was economic consultant to the UĦM, with social partners on board, and would oversee and monitor the implementation of the programme.
Dr Muscat said the Jobs+ programme was the first step against fighting poverty by providing skills and jobs.
The Government’s focal point would be the Education Ministry and the Employment and Training Corporation, which had to focus on becoming more proactive and less on crisis management.
All initiatives, which would also involve other ministries and departments, would be coordinated by Mr Caruana.
Dr Muscat explained the first step in the process was the preparation of the work programme for the EU budget for the next seven years. The Government would then apply to use EU funds and there would be a specific focus on initiatives to increase women’s participation in the labour market and free childcare centres among other things.
“Specific programmes will be identified and implemented from next year,” Dr Muscat said. The concept behind Jobs+ programme was to motivate people to work again.
“There is a punitive approach by reducing social benefits and the Government is not going to take that road,” he said.
Offering free childcare and removing precarious jobs, for example, would entice people to make that shift from living off social benefits to finding a job.
The long-term effect of the programme was to increase and have a highly skilled work force and reduce those dependent on social benefits.
“We cannot burden the private sector – the Government has to make sure there is this shift from benefits to good jobs”.