The full-time gainfully occupied population in August 2009 totalled 144,549, down by 1,711 when compared to the previous year and by 411 over the previous month, the NSO said today. The main drops were in the transport and tourism sectors.

"This drop was the result of a decrease of 1,711 persons, or 1.2 per cent, in the full-time gainfully occupied population, and an increase of 1,322 persons, or 21.6 per cent, on the unemployment register," the NSO said.

Jobs within the private sector went down by 401 persons or -0.4 per cent. Accordingly, the private sector employed 103,896 persons on a full-time basis in August 2009. Concurrently, employment in the public sector fell by 1,310 persons, or -3.1 per cent, in the twelve-month period under review.

Between August 2008 and August 2009 many of the economic activities within the production sector reported a decrease in full-time employment, with the following activities having the main drops: manufacture of other transport equipment (-916 persons), manufacture of radio, television, and communication equipment and apparatus (-473 persons), and manufacture of rubber and plastic products (-326 persons).

There was an increase in jobs in the manufacture of basic metals (+73 persons), publishing, printing and reproduction of recorded media , and manufacture of chemicals and chemical products (+25 persons).

The construction sector reported a drop of 341 persons in employment when compared to the corresponding month in the preceding year.

The health and social work activities sector grew (+224 persons), and recreational, cultural, and sporting activities (+210 persons).

Hotels and restaurants registered a decrease in full-time employment of 636 persons.

In the 12 months to August, part-time employment increased by 1,647, with nearly half having their part-time job as their main employment. The increase was mainly in education (517) and wholesale and retail (391).