A Partnership Agreement was signed today between the Malta Maritime Forum (MMF) and the Malta Employers’ Association (MEA). The agreement was signed by MMF Chairman Judge Emeritus Joseph Zammit McKeon and Mr. Joseph Farrugia, the MEA Director General.
Mr Farrugia explained how the agreement specifically supports the MMF’s initiative to “fly the flag” for the Maltese maritime community through various established instruments such as the online MEA Index platform and the popular MEA TV programme.
For the last three years, the Meaindex online toolbox for business entrepreneurs has been a prime resource and sign-posting instrument for the business community and potential entrepreneurs. No less than 15 different national entities have already partnered with the MEA as main collaborative partners and are continuously sharing relevant information for the benefit of this online platform subscribers. The platform is available to all and subscription is free of charge. The online platform, has so far, already reached the 55,000 followers, and over a 200,000 webpage hits.
Besides the Meaindex.com online platform and various other services, the MEA is also the sole producer of the MEA TV Programme, now in its 17th consecutive season of weekly programmes transmitted on Public Broadcasting Services. Since its start, MEA TV has dealt with 208 different topics, with the participation of more than 800 invited experts for a total length of TV content approaching 5,000 minutes of unique material. It is estimated that the programme attracts a weekly audience of around 20,000 viewers.
In light of the impressive traction achieved by the MEA through its media, Judge Emeritus Joseph Zammit McKeon expressed delight at the striking of the agreement and commented that “Exposure on these established and much-followed channels will allow the Malta Maritime Forum to continue to gain traction for its messages in favour of the Maritime Industry, the importance of which is regretfully often overlooked”.
“Given the MMF’s conscious mission to maintain a vertical focus on the maritime industry, it has found an ideal partner in the Malta Employers’ Association which keeps a general overview of Malta’s socio-economic development at a macro level. The MEA is a consistent winner of the National Business Support Award and we are delighted to team up with the MEA to combine our mutual strengths with a view to provide better value to our respective membership bases whilst fully respecting our individual missions and objectives” concluded Judge Emeritus Joseph Zammit McKeon.
Echoing the sentiment of the MMF Chairman, MEA’s Director General, Mr Farrugia said that such an agreement will serve to continue to strengthen the networking capacity of his Association amongst the business community and facilitate their access for information. He praised the professional approach of the Malta Maritime Forum. He commented about the strong membership base of the MMF which was made up of the pioneers and prime movers in the maritime industry and which, in themselves constituted a minefield of contacts and specialised knowledge which the MEA members could now tap into. Mr Farrugia emphasized the importance for employers to be continuously kept updated with all business-related developments and reiterated the MEA’s objective to ensure that information and services given by different entities are synergized. “Given Malta’s scarce resources, the MEA believes there is far more merit in consolidation of effort rather than working in silos which is often not very productive”.
The Malta Maritime Forum joins a portfolio of distinguished partners which have already chosen to partner with the Malta Employers’ Association. These also include the University, Jobs Plus, Malta Enterprise, the National Foreign Direct Investment Screening Office and several others. With the addition of MMF to this prestigious line-up, the MEA has enhanced its position to provide sterling value to its members.
