PL pledges 10 days of sports leave for athletes
BMI measurements in schools and free obstacle course gym memberships under new PL government
A re-elected Labour government will give athletes 10 days of sports leave to participate in international competitions.
Robert Abela made the pledge during a Labour Party discussion on wellbeing in Santa Venera.
He said the leave will be available for all athletes travelling to participate in international competitions on a European or world association level.
This sort of leave already exists in the civil service, but Abela said it will start being offered in the private sector, with the government covering the cost.
Abela made several other health-related pledges on Monday.
One of the pledges is a new school initiative to start measuring kids’ BMI levels in schools. Kids at risk of obesity will be referred to a dietician who will carry out further tests and, if needed, draft a dietary and physical activity plan for the child.
A newly elected Labour government will also extend the free gym membership to hybrid and functional training facilities, such as obstacle course gyms.
Labour also plans on increasing the tax refund for parents whose children participate in extracurricular activities. The refund will go up to €400 from the €300 it is today.
Earlier, Abela noted that the measures published in the Labour Party manifesto will not only be costed but measured according to a ‘wellbeing index’.
He said that strenghtening wellbeing required ensuring families are in a good financial position to be able to enjoy their lives. This was why the Labour Party had focused on financial measures during the first week of the campaign.
“I’m not saying that financial standing alone is what leads to full wellbeing, but it’s one of the dimensions that can lead to holistic wellbeing,” he said.
One of the latest financial pledges, announced on Monday is a €1,000 ‘super bonus’ payment that will be sent to the bank accounts of every working person in Malta.
Clint Azzopardi Flores announces candidature
During the activity in Santa Venera, Clint Azzopardi Flores made a brief intervention about his work as an economist focused on environmental, social and governance frameworks.
He used the opportunity to announce that he will submit his candidature for the election in the 2nd and 9th districts.
The economist previously ran on the PL ticket in the 2024 European Parliament elections.