[WATCH] Farsons boss highlights need for foreign workers during Adrian Delia’s brewery visit

Without its complement of foreign workers, Farsons would not have managed to keep up with the demand for its products last year, Nationalist Party leader Adrian Delia was told on Wednesday.

The stark reminder of the business world's dependence on foreign labour came from Farsons chairman Louis Farrugia, a week after Delia raised the spectre of a foreign threat to Malta's identity and culture.

Delia visited several parts of the brewery and was given a brief explanation on the operations.

At one point, while touring the warehouse, Farrugia asked the head of logistics to tell Delia how many people worked in that particular part of the company and how many of them were foreigners.

Delia was told by the management that Farsons employed individuals from many different countries including Italy, Serbia and the Philippines, and that without foreigners working side by side with its Maltese employees, the company would not have been able to cope with last year’s export demands.

Despite Malta’s above-average economic growth, which has resulted in a need for more workers in every sector, Delia has on a number of occasions sought to appeal to voters who remain concerned with foreigners and migrants. He has also warned that Europe would likely no longer be Christian by 2050.

Farrugia made several references to the foreign workers employed by the Farsons group throughout the tour and all the while Delia stood in silence, nodding his head.

Louis Farrugia showing the PN leader a model of the Farsons building in Mrieħel, including the planned expansion

Giving an overview of the company, Farrugia said that over the last 10 years, Farsons had invested more than €100 million in new facilities to ensure that the company remained competitive, and able to grow its business in Malta as well as other markets.

He said that Farsons had always sought to implement good human resource practices, with ongoing training and re-skilling programmes offered to its 800-strong workforce.

On his part, Delia stressed the importance of Maltese business people in creating wealth and employment, adding that Farsons was a testament to the best of Maltese investment and entrepreneurship.

“[The investment being made] is clear sign of faith in the country,” said Delia, adding that it was commendable that Maltese investors believed in Malta.

He said that despite the fact that Farsons had clearly invested heavily in technological developments and automation, it still required workers with specialised skill sets.

The PN leader was accompanied by MPs Kristy Debono and Karl Gouder, executive committee president Mark Anthony Sammut and other party functionaries.