Il-kelliem tal-AD ghall-energija, l-industrija u l-infrastuttura Ralph Cassar esprima t-thassib ta’ Alternattiva Demokratika dwar it-telf t’impjiegi mill-kumpaniji Actavis u Arrow – wara li dawn il-kumpaniji inghaqdu f’entita wahda.

“It-telf t’impjiegi fosthom dawk fir-ricerka u l-izvilupp f’Actavis u issa f’sezzjoni ohra, din id-darba mill-fabbrika tal-Arrow f’Hal Far huwa ta’ inkwiet ghalina aktar u aktar ghax dan qed isir minn kumpaniji li kemm separatament u anke maghqudin taht l-istess sidien keinu u qed jaghmlu profitti kbar. Ghalkemm il-Gvern indika li nstabu impjiegi alternattivi ghal l-ahhar grupp ta’ haddiema, il-problema hija li dawn il-kumpaniji, qed jissensjaw lill-haddiema minkejja li hadu incentivi kbar. Il-mistoqsija inevitabbli hi jekk dan huwiex abbuz tal-incentivi li qed jithallsu mill-kaxxa ta’ Malta.”

“Ta min ifakkar li kemm Actavis u kemm Arrow Pharm gawdew minn rati ta’ taxxa vantaggjuzi, sussidji kbar ghat-tahrig tal-haddiema, kif ukoll rati sussidjati fuq l-uzu ta’ art pubblika ghall-fabbriki taghhom. Alternattiva Demokratika jidhrilha li l-Gvern ghandu jara li l-ghajnuna pubblika tkun marbuta ma obbligi socjali lejn il-haddiema, aktar u aktar ghax tali ghajnuna pubblika fissret profitti kbar ghall-istess kumpaniji.Il-Gvern ghandu jippubblika informazzjoni dwar l-ghajnuniet kollha li hadu Actavis u Arrow Pharm tul is-snin.”

“Fuq bazi Ewropea l-European Greens qeghdin jaghmlu proposti biex l-ispekulazzjoni fis-swieq finanzjarji – fejn l-interess huwa fi profitti kbar fl-aktar zmien qasir possibbli ghas-skapitu tan-nies – titrazzan. AD tappoggja dawn l-inizjattivi, li huma wkoll appoggjati mit-trade unions Ewropej, hlief ghal dawk Maltin, flimkien mall-PL u l-PN. Huwa inaccettabbli li filwaqt li inkomplu nissussidjaw l-industrija bi flus pubblici, ma l-ewwel cans din tahsel idejha mill-obbligi socjali taghha sahansitra meta tkun qed taghmel profitti kbar.”

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AD spokesperson on energy, industry and infrastructure Ralph Cassar expressed Alternattiva Demokratika’s concern regarding the job losses from Actavis and Arrow Pharm – after these companies were merged into one entity.

“The loss of jobs including those in research and development at Actavis and now in another section, this time at the Arrow factory in Hal Far is of concern for us, more so because this involves companies which both separately and merged under the same owners were making huge profits.  Although the Government indicated that alternative jobs have been found for the last group of workers, the problem is that these companies are firing workers even though they have been granted publicly funded fiscal incentives. The obvious question is whether profit making companies who fire workers even though they received state aid.”

“It should be remembered that both Actavis and Arrow Pharm benefited from advantageous tax rates, large subsidies for the training of employees, as well as subsidised rates on the use of public land for their factories.  We call on the Government to see how to tie public aid to social obligations towards workers, especially since this public aid meant huge profits for the same companies. The Government should publish information about all the aid received by Actavis and Arrow Pharm over the years.”

“On a European level, the European Greens are making proposals so that speculation on the financial markets – where the main interest is to make huge profits in the shortest possible time  – is curtailed. AD supports these initiatives, which are also  backed by European trade unions, apart from Maltese ones, together with PL  and PN. It is unacceptable that while we continue subsidising industry with public funds, at the first opportunity it neglects its social obligations especially when it is making huge profits.”