New minister backs job creation drive

PALMA
RECENTLY appointed regional minister for Employment and Training, Joana Barcelo, said yesterday in Palma that in the face of the current economic crisis, her first task is to seek ways of kick starting a fresh employment drive in the Islands. .

Barcelo, who has left her post of leader of the Council of Minorca to replace outgoing Employment minister, Margarita Najera, was sworn in yesterday at government head offices witnessed by all regional ministers along with union and business representatives. Barcelo thanked Balearic president Francesc Antich for the “honour” he had bestowed upon her, and praised Margarita Najera for setting her a fine example to follow.

The new minister said she saw the challenge she was facing as being split into two camps. The first was to seek answers to the urgent questions of unemployment, and the second was to tailor training schemes to meet the demands of new job trends. Barcelo said she believed that work and training are “the guarantee of social cohesion of a community,” and therefore need to be “the key concerns of today's citizens.” She added that she was well aware of the pressing challenge ahead of her and was therefore prepared to give her utmost commitment to the work that may lie ahead.

Barcelo asserted that new bridges for the future need to be built with the backing of all the government, not just her own party. Agreements also have to be reached with professional and social institutions, and “in particular” with unions and business associations.

Barcelo concluded to resounding applause from attendees: “For me, it is an honour and an enormous pleasure to be at the service of the people of the Islands.” President Antich said that he had never presided over such a “happy and positive” change of ministerial position because Najera, Barcelo's predecessor was moving on to spearhead a central government project to reform the Playa de Palma - part of a national programme of upgrading tourist zones of the country that have become slightly “jaded” and “out of date” with the passing decades.

He claimed that Barcelo was the right person for the job in terms of leadership ability at a time that is proving a testing ground for all in government.