An extra 2-weeks holiday, no reduction in salary
Government and opposition have agreed, in a rare show of national unity, to set an example to all workers during these times of economic hardship.
While workers’ holidays have been reduced in recent years on the pretext of making Malta more competitive in the international markets and more attractive to foreign investors, our elected members of parliament have decided to grant themselves additional vacation leave stretching from February 10th to March 01st; this, of course, without a concomitant reduction in salary.
While regretting this forced leave of absence from parliamentary duties, Foreign affairs Minister Tonio Borg, on behalf of all the MPs, explained that this was actually a case of force majeure, as a casual election was to be held to fill the seat vacated by John Dalli. It appears that the sorrow generated by his departure and the tangible void of his vacant seat will lead to a gloomy environment in parliament, thus breaching the Health and Safety Regulations that cover places of work. A psychiatrist was reported as saying: “Unhappiness in one’s workplace can lead to chronic depression, which can easily be avoided by the therapeutic benefits of being out in the open.” In view of this advice, our MPs might prefer to relax on the benches of a refurbished St George’s Square just outside the palace doors – I now cannot but admire the foresight of this administration when it undertook the upgrading of the square.