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My former employer ( in malta ) hired me specifically to work with Vehicle tracking and monitoring systems as well as design, build and maintain digital cctv networks for both private industry as well as government offices, due to my specialized background in the industry.

I said yes, Ill take the job, I was very excited and it was all downhill from there..

Unorganized, chaotic, cheap, rude and insulting are only a few of teh words I can use to discribe (company name)..  after 20+ countries I have never seen so many good hard working people being managed by a bunch of a$$h0***.  Seriously I dont know if upper management in malta are born that way or if they work at it all their lives.   

Maltese management 101:

1. don't except blame for the simplest mistake, instead try and make someone else look worse and kick them while they are down if you have the oppritunity.

2. insulting the people you manage motivates them.

3. keeping the unknown "theres a recession and we may have to let people go someday" keeps people working harder.

4. FORCING people to work after hours is acceptable because without you they wouldbt have a job.

5. hireing a receptionist because she's attractive even though she is not qualified and you dont need one is ok, mamagement deserves a bit of eye candy.

6. telling your employees tehy need to be at work evry day 30 minutes before they are required to be there ( hence volenteering ) is acceptable.

7. If we give you a company car we are taking 20 euro out of your check each month to pay for fuel, and not giving a raise for upgrading your responcibility.   That is just good business!

OK there are more, but I have found ( MY EXPERIENCE ) that attitudes like this are just the norm and acceptable in Malta.

what are your experiences?

Chad

8. "And if you don't like it, why don't you f**k off to your own country - we don't need foreigners to tell us what to do" - that's a good motivator as well

hehe  Sounds like an English company I know.  They even went so far as to say "I pay your mortgage so without me your family would be on the street, so do what I ***kin tell you or go find a cardboard box to live in".  The guy they said this to wasn't even in trouble, just happened to question a slightly dodge practice he was asked to perform.



:edited due to illiteracy.....doh

I have so many bad stories Chad that it would take me forever to write em all down. I seem to be one of the downers on this site so maybe it's just best I keep my mouth shut but when these types of topics come up I canÂ’t seem to resist.

I could say my worst jobs were working as a receptionist for 6 months w/o pay. My bad for staying so long but we (all 5 employees) were too trusting and thought all would work out in the endÂ…NOT!!! Apparently itÂ’s not uncommon to go months w/o pay here. Unfortunately, I canÂ’t live like that.

My second worst job was working at a nursing home...I loved working with the elderly and the management was pretty good, but it became very clear...very quickly...that I wouldnÂ’t be accepted by my Maltese co-workers. I didnÂ’t have the stomach to deal with them everyday so I didnÂ’t last long.

OKÂ…SCHOOLING is a major issue with me. You can just look at my past post to see how I feel about Public Schooling in Gozo...not happy at ALL!!!


Driving.....NO COMMENT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Nasty business Chad. I've got tons in any category, where should I begin

I went shopping for bread sometime back, and stopped in the local bakery asking if they had any brown bread. She said she would check, so she popped into the back and came out holding a loaf in her hands seeming quite thrilled.

So I politely asked if I could have one that she wasnt going to handle with her uncovered hands. I didnt mention anything about hygiene etc and  considering the humid and sweaty conditions of Malta.

Her boss a lady flew into a rage on hearing my request, and promptly said that in Malta everyone can touch the bread. She then went on to physically touch all the loaves on display and even the ones the other customers had. The other worker did the same.

The other customers looked at her like she was nuts, but held on to their loaves. I didnt have the stomach to take home all the friendly bacteria and left .

So how many hands have handled your bread today

Hi Chad,

I know exactly where you're coming from with the Maltese management approach!

Out of interest are you still working for the same company or did you leave?

N

Very interesting post.... what i believe is that one should stand up for his rights: I refuse to work for a management that treats me like that - anyone agreeing to those conditions won't make you much different than a slave on a plantation. So guess it's up to the individual person to submit to such treatment or tell them to get a life.

On the other hand, this high and mighty attitude isn't just found in Malta.. In the US, you're practically 'owned' by your employer.. you object and they tell you 'you should thank God you're employed in the freest country in the world'- you meet your targets, they add more, give you a laptop and tell you 'you have the weekend, so work at home' - not to mention being given just 10 days of vacation leave a year and only thanksgiving and 4th of July as a public holiday - LOL so much for 'freedom'

... In Europe everyone is quoting the 'recession' to get their way with workers. Like anywhere else.. you'd find good people and bad people.. I suggest one Must make some research about the company they are moving to before you make the move - if it has a bad reputation, no use accepting the job and be unhappy.

10 days vacation in US seems like a luxury. At my last job, I was offered 7 days, after a full year of work, and they were encouraged to be broken down into days, to be enjoyed throughout the year. Like an addition to the weekend. Just to mention, this was a nice office job, which I otherwise liked, but doesn't it seem a little unhumane? Well, a little off track with the Malta topic...

IrinaC wrote:

10 days vacation in US seems like a luxury. At my last job, I was offered 7 days, after a full year of work, and they were encouraged to be broken down into days, to be enjoyed throughout the year. Like an addition to the weekend. Just to mention, this was a nice office job, which I otherwise liked, but doesn't it seem a little unhumane? Well, a little off track with the Malta topic...

hey Irina.. thanks for sharing....and NOOOO it's definately not off track at all on the Malta topic, as we are just sharing our experiences and just comparing them to the treatment we sometimes get in this country. LOL.. no Maltese would accept JUST 7 days VACATION LEAVE IN A YEAR..that's for sure, no matter what the salary is like! And besides.. it is criminal for an employer to be able to do that, and in that respect, Malta is definately more human and safeguards the workers' rights.

Definitely Malta's not a heaven on Earth, far from it, but lower salaries apart, there are some good positive points that puts it way in front of other supposedly industrialized  and rich countries. As with any other place.. you find some good people..and some really rotten ones. Just have to be careful like any other place, and do your research - as starters,  people on here are very helpful.

I do agree with you. I've only been here for a couple of months, but have already met so many helpful people. This is very contrary to what you would find in the US, where people are required to be nice as a good customer service, but you just know that for the most part it's artificial. For instance, I have never seen anywhere else but in Malta so far that a person apologized several times for not being able to help you when approached with a directions question on the street. So, everything is relative, really.

I cannot stand the way we 'foreigners' are discriminated against here in Malta, particuarly since it is part of the EU.

How can it be right to charge us (I am English) more to use buses, for medical care, for fruit and veg, taxis, rent, etc etc???!!!  This is simply not acceptable.

And don't get me started on the whole registration of cars here ... I have been informed that my (UK plated) car will cost in exess of euros 10k to register here, owing to her age and engine size, their reasoning being that because of the aforementioned, her emissions must be high.  My car is as clean as a whistle and passes her emissions tests in the UK with flying colours every time, yet they refuse to emission test her here.  Now, compare my car with at least 50% of the local vehicles on the road here, (many of which being unroadworthy anyway), which belch out noxious fumes all the time.

Grrrrr ...

Nicky777 wrote:

I cannot stand the way we 'foreigners' are discriminated against here in Malta, particuarly since it is part of the EU.

How can it be right to charge us (I am English) more to use buses, for medical care, for fruit and veg, taxis, rent, etc etc???!!!  This is simply not acceptable.

you aren't charged more for buses (or electricity) because you are foreign, but because you are not resident - Maltese without ID card also pay the higher bus fare

as for rent, if anything, I've found foreigners pay less as landlords find them better tenants

not sure what you mean by medical care

taxis - never had an issue

georgeingozo wrote:

Nicky777 wrote:

I cannot stand the way we 'foreigners' are discriminated against here in Malta, particuarly since it is part of the EU.

How can it be right to charge us (I am English) more to use buses, for medical care, for fruit and veg, taxis, rent, etc etc???!!!  This is simply not acceptable.

you aren't charged more for buses (or electricity) because you are foreign, but because you are not resident - Maltese without ID card also pay the higher bus fare

as for rent, if anything, I've found foreigners pay less as landlords find them better tenants

not sure what you mean by medical care

taxis - never had an issue

George no matter what slant you put on bus fares (i agree with the statement of the current rules) but it is still discriminatory. The same thing applies to utility bills....as for the malti paying the same as a non res persons - thats rubbish we see them converse fluently every day and never see them show a card of any sort - malti for malti am afraid...wrong oin so many levels and they still want EU status but they really want the best of both. 

and one more point i hate being referred to as the foreigner  - we are all EUropeans but when i remind them of that fact and despite being a guest in their country they do not like being reminded and then resort to the old saying !" if you dont like it then leave" but thats juts a red rag to an old bull like me.

sorry george but these things have to be said and resolved to all EUropeans satisfaction not just to the Maltis own set of rules - they have to accept that they ARE part of the EU...and stop bending the rules to suit themselves and the political coffers making rakes of money out of the foreigner infidel.

Nicky,

have to agree with George...

A Maltese ID card will get you cheaper bus travel ....

"...The government rejects any discrimination claims arguing that the tariffs only distinguish between residents and non-residents, independently of their nationality, something the EU rules allowed...."

Now if your in the UK and your over 65 you dont have to pay at all for the buses.... see how things are realistically the same elsewhere....

I understand what you are also saying Toon, but the fact is that this is the way they are.....

I am British, I own a property in Malta and I pay the Local Electrical Tariff... the reason is that I work here, Pay tax here and I have Ordinary residential Status...

The Car side of it.... its been in place for some time now, If you have purchased your car more than 2 years ago you will not have to pay any importation tax although if its a big Petrol Guzzler then the Road tax will probrably be a lot...

Taxis have fixed prices from the airport etc .... havent had any issues with them either...

Never rented so unfortunatley I cannot comment on that either... there doesnt seem to be any discrimination in the South of the Island re this...

Medical care is Free on the RHA if you are British... If you work and pay Social Security then you have the same rights as the Maltese.

Fruit and Veg..... Really ?????

I must have been very lucky as i check how much a certain car would cost me to bring in with Importation tax using the Malta registration website... didn't lie about anything on it i.e. mileage, etc... then i purchased the car, brought it in to Malta, and actually paid less because the mileage was more than I stated because I hadn't included the drive to Malta, I even check on the Annual tax for it and it was exactly the same...

Yes its  difficult to wonder why you get charged for bringing a vehicle you own into another EU member state... but that the rules of this country... and unfortunatley when we are in other countries we abide by their rules.... Shame the UK wasn't as stringent eh !!!

I suppose that the fact there is no council tax and that you have your garbage collected daily is of no consequence....

Yes they Bend the rules to Suit, but if you go with the flow there seems to be ways to do things....

This is Malta and it wont change overnight... It will change though and really... I think it was better when it wasn't in the EU !!



Julian

Scoobs - fruit and veg - yes definitely - my missus used a local shop to buy two or thee fresh peppers and was initially asked for 1.50euro...then when she told the shop owner that we lived in the village the price was immediately adjusted to 75c...so there you have it.

as a consequence of that and any other shop and there a re a few who do this in this village - we refuse to shop there and never ever recommend them to anyone....one shop here even deliberately left a bag of grapes on the counter and successfully charged two customers for them including my ma in law... i spotted this and said nowt...he then proceeded to charge me the same - then when i queried the price he asked for - he pointed to "my" grapes - he was most displeased and angry that i caught him and he had to then refund me my ma in law and the one in front of her...theres no room on this island for traders like him but unfortunately they do exist....and sadly get many good traders a bad name and certainly doesnt do the islands tourism any favours

Discrimination per se is not illegal - differentiating between people based on residency (or, indeed age) is generally legal discrimination - whether its moral is another issue.

"one more point i hate being referred to as the foreigner " -  of course legally we are foreigners, and will be unless we take Maltese citizenship - of course, some Maltese still would call you a foreigner as they see Maltese as not just being about citizenship, but appearance (and religion) as well. I understand what you mean though, and its really nice when occasionally my neighbours say I'm now half Gozitan (Gozitan, not Maltese....).

I was just talking to a "Local" here in work and as I thought this is really a tourist area thing and its not known to happen in the DEEP South etc..

It is a shame but it seem to happen, I have been protected from this by living in Birzebbuga and not th tourist areas...

We are classed as local around our area..... (Not Gozitan though )

One thing I do manage to get is 25% off drinks and food at a bar in St Julians, but thats because when I work at the Dive centre at weekends we send all the Divers there... See I am almost Maltese

J.

georgeingozo wrote:

Discrimination per se is not illegal - differentiating between people based on residency (or, indeed age) is generally legal discrimination - whether its moral is another issue.

"one more point i hate being referred to as the foreigner " -  of course legally we are foreigners, and will be unless we take Maltese citizenship - of course, some Maltese still would call you a foreigner as they see Maltese as not just being about citizenship, but appearance (and religion) as well. I understand what you mean though, and its really nice when occasionally my neighbours say I'm now half Gozitan (Gozitan, not Maltese....).

good to hear George  - music to my ears

scubaboy wrote:

I was just talking to a "Local" here in work and as I thought this is really a tourist area thing and its not known to happen in the DEEP South etc..

It is a shame but it seem to happen, I have been protected from this by living in Birzebbuga and not th tourist areas...

We are classed as local around our area..... (Not Gozitan though )

One thing I do manage to get is 25% off drinks and food at a bar in St Julians, but thats because when I work at the Dive centre at weekends we send all the Divers there... See I am almost Maltese

J.

am sure there a good and bad - just got to weed them out...and live a great life with their help....and participation in enjoying the malta experience...good and bad...did any readers watch that tv prog called the ethical hedonist on the travel channel..interesting first port of call Malta and GOZO.

Being called a foreigner is rather like being called black or gay - its a statement of fact (assuming its true). It depends on the context, but normally its meant in a derogatory manner, otherwise why mention it.

However, in local shops I'll be called "Inglese" but purely in a descriptive neutral way, normally meaning come to the front of the queue as we are gossiping.

so i am fine with calling them a foreigner as thats what they are to me....

whilst in Malta they are not foreigners

they are to me - they are foreign to me - whats good for the goose George.

and if they dont like what i call them then thats just touche.

...did any readers watch that tv prog called the ethical hedonist on the travel channel..interesting first port of call Malta and GOZO.
missed it - writeup sounds interesting

1 Malta

On arrival, Bob Kelly checks out all that Malta has to offer: historical recreation shows, ancient sites, beautiful beaches and sunset cocktails, before deciding to dig a little deeper. He meets a Maltese marquis before enjoying a gourmet lunch with a fellow ethical hedonist at his organic farm. Heading over to the island of Gozo, Bob lends a slightly disastrous hand at the goat farm of local slow food champion Rikkardo. Back on Malta, Bob meets a local journalist and activist who enlightens him to the issue of bird hunting and wildlife on Malta, and decides to volunteer as a labourer for a day with Birdlife Malta, before rewarding himself for all his hard labour by booking a private sailing trip to the third island in the Maltese trio.
Duration: 60'

toonarmy9752 wrote:

they are to me - they are foreign to me - whats good for the goose George.

and if they dont like what i call them then thats just touche.

good luck with that one

georgeingozo wrote:

toonarmy9752 wrote:

they are to me - they are foreign to me - whats good for the goose George.

and if they dont like what i call them then thats just touche.

good luck with that one

No i dont actually use it all the time - only to those who use the term foreigner to me.....

georgeingozo wrote:

...did any readers watch that tv prog called the ethical hedonist on the travel channel..interesting first port of call Malta and GOZO.
missed it - writeup sounds interesting

1 Malta

On arrival, Bob Kelly checks out all that Malta has to offer: historical recreation shows, ancient sites, beautiful beaches and sunset cocktails, before deciding to dig a little deeper. He meets a Maltese marquis before enjoying a gourmet lunch with a fellow ethical hedonist at his organic farm. Heading over to the island of Gozo, Bob lends a slightly disastrous hand at the goat farm of local slow food champion Rikkardo. Back on Malta, Bob meets a local journalist and activist who enlightens him to the issue of bird hunting and wildlife on Malta, and decides to volunteer as a labourer for a day with Birdlife Malta, before rewarding himself for all his hard labour by booking a private sailing trip to the third island in the Maltese trio.
Duration: 60'

its repeated on the travel channel at 9pm i think
next ones are on 30 31 jan and then again 0n 4 5 6 7 of feb - def worth a viewing - plus its on sky 28e encrypted and also FTA on 13e

Talking about psychotic episodes, today a 20 minute bus trip took 45 minutes, because the driver felt like stopping on the way and talking with the oncoming truck and bus drivers, for a minute or so with each one, blocking the traffic, and really didn't seem to care.

IrinaC wrote:

Talking about psychotic episodes, today a 20 minute bus trip took 45 minutes, because the driver felt like stopping on the way and talking with the oncoming truck and bus drivers, for a minute or so with each one, blocking the traffic, and really didn't seem to care.

You should have taken his number and reported him. Problem in the country is that everyone moans and nothing is done about it. That is how things change

Problem in the country is that everyone moans and nothing is done about it. That is how things change

I agree, but the number one rule of this island is better the devil you know.

Things I dislike about Malta:

1. Never getting a straight answer.
2. Incredibly bad manners.
3. Being called a foreigner.
4. Terrible food in restaurants.

Things I like about Malta:

1. Never having to answer a direct question.
2. Being ultra-polite and receiving excellent service because of it.
3. Being a foreigner; I can leave or stay as I choose.
4. Very hospitable friends.

There are positives and negatives to everywhere, and in the  'moments of Malta madness' it's best to have your sense of the totally and utterly ridiculous close at hand, because that's what a lot of it is, a Monty Python sketch on grand scale.

I think this article from the Times:



goes some way to explaining the overall mentality of the indigenous population.

I am, in fact, resident here and hold a Maltese ID card.  However, for the first year that I was here, I was unaware of the duality in terms of a whole range of prices for utilities and services that exists. 

It was only when a friend enlightenend me that I became aware of the fact that I had been systematically ripped off since my arrival on the island.  She informed me that for a lot of fruit and veg stall-holders and taxi drivers there is a three-tier system, ie, one charge for Maltese, another for 'foreign' residents and another for tourists/non-residents.

I therefore now make a point of saying that I am a resident and flashing my ID card ...

What is the website I use to find out how much my car in the UK will cost in registration in Malta?

Nicky777 wrote:

I think this article from the Times:



goes some way to explaining the overall mentality of the indigenous population.

I am, in fact, resident here and hold a Maltese ID card.  However, for the first year that I was here, I was unaware of the duality in terms of a whole range of prices for utilities and services that exists. 

It was only when a friend enlightenend me that I became aware of the fact that I had been systematically ripped off since my arrival on the island.  She informed me that for a lot of fruit and veg stall-holders and taxi drivers there is a three-tier system, ie, one charge for Maltese, another for 'foreign' residents and another for tourists/non-residents.

I therefore now make a point of saying that I am a resident and flashing my ID card ...

Eh. Am I being naive then ?

Or are you saying that it's the additional "income" from foreigners that's failing to be recorded ?

I dont think its about being naive, just ill informed or didnt know that these systems for ripping off "the foreigner" exist. My watchword has always been if its not openly and clearly priced dont buy it. If you do take the risk and you find out you have been ripped off never ever go back to them....then tell everyone you know of your experience.....words like these get round the ex pat populace very quickly....unfortunate;y the tourist is unlikely to get that benefit, and inmy experience of speaking to tourists here theyre usually not bothered as their response is usually "we are on holiday who cares"

I think you may have misunderstood me toon. I'm very much a proponent of "buyer beware". If you get mugged it's invariably your own fault. I just didn't see how the newspaper article tied into the complaint about "tiered" pricing.

aha i see- just read the article - as the article appears to eb about the black economy.....then am sure that many traders dont put everything through the books so to speak..(i personnaly know businesses that do this, some is recorded via the their books/tills other transactions dont)..maybe as you said the tiered pricing is just another way of increasing the traders already potentially undeclared income

Not come across tiered pricing where I am at all... sames prices for me and my maltese neighbour...

Do you think that this is just set to the Tourist area's ??

Julian

hi julian  - i have come across it in st venera qormi zejtun and a few other areas hardly tourist areas.

but am sure its more prevalent in the touristy spots...but thats hardly a reason to justify it.

when we first got here we had to go and get a couple of fresh peppers for a meal and we were asked for 1.50e..when we pointed out that we lived here - the price immediatley dropped by 50%.

suffice to say we never use that shop as well as a few others in the village. plus i warn everyone we meet.