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U-turn on Maltese language requirement must be explained – Labour
Labour MP Gavin Gulia has called on government to explain why it took a decision to remove the Maltese language from the requisites for the recruitment of Air Malta cabin crew.
Air Malta has reversed a decision to remove the Maltese language as a requirement for the recruitment of airline cabin crew.
The Labour spokesperson for tourism accused both government and Air Malta of committing a U-turn on its previous decision to remove the Maltese language as a requirement for cabin crew recruitment.
Gulia claimed the decision was only changed after Opposition leader Joseph Muscat harshly criticised this measure last Sunday.
Gulia also questioned the reason behind the original decision especially when the airline was currently shedding jobs held by Maltese nationals and at the same time recruiting foreign nationals.
Gulia reiterated the Labour party's commitment to defend jobs for all Maltese and Gozitan citizens. "We certainly believe the Maltese are not idiots."
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For me this goes even further than that!! We take the Maltese language as a second class language by having both English and Maltese as our national languages. We should move the English language as a secondary language and make Maltese as our national language. This way all and sundry should be made to at least speak Maltese. We are becoming a satellite of the UK with many British (and other nationals) coming here to work and they cannot communicate in our national language. In fact many would quite bluntly tell you to speak in English as they do not give a damn of the Maltese language!
Now do not get me wrong, I am not saying that learning English should be stopped. No but we should make all and sundry that come here to stay to learn Maltese so that we start respecting our own language just as they have to respect our laws!!
I am sick and tired of going to shops and offices, hotels etc.. and they demand that you speak in their language. I think that we should start boycotting such establishments and only choose those that can communicate with Maltese in Maltese
Those that come to Malta to work only come here to improve their economic status and not to help us poor Maltese to get richer, so they should make the effort of learning our language!
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@vuci ta sens-So you think its right to employ someone on our national carrier who does not speak his native language?For me this is unacceptable,I cannot imagine any respectable national company who can go so low. I already do not agree having to attend for any job interview and finding a "tal-pepe" type infront of you and having to speak "his english"without a choice. I am qualified in 4 languages but I feel comfortable expressing myself in my mother tongue and whenever I came across these instances I always felt in a disadvantage. If it was my call I would ensure that when going in for the interview one must be asked in which language he would like to go ahead,except when the interviewer is not a local as that is understandable,exceptable and not discriminative.
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Most people travelling abroad use English anyway. Slapping Maltese as a requirement on positions all and sundry , especially when its not used (or rarely used) is a sure way to dilute the available talent pool. What of emigrants returning to Malta (their children for instance)? Perhaps that's what the government meant -
