Li jkollok saqaf fuq rasek hu dritt. Imma f’soċjetà kapitalista bħal dik Maltija dan id-dritt ukoll hu soġġett għall-ispekulazzjoni. Ma hemmx biżżejjed kontroll dwar kirjiet u prezzijiet ta’ bini. Kulħadd ifajjar kif ifettillu l-aqwa li jkun akkomodat l-iżvilupp u tingħata l-impressjoni li bosta huma sinjuri żgħar jgħixu minn fuq il-kirjiet. Imma n-numri u l-fatti juru mod ieħor. Dan qaluh kelliema tal-ADPD-The Green Party f’konferenza tal-aħbarijiet quddiem il-Ministeru tal-Politika Soċjali fil-Belt Valletta dalgħodu.
Id-Deputat Segretarju Ġenerali ta’ ADPD-The Green Party Mario Mallia qal li dak li ġara Ħal Qormi hu eżempju ta’ kif l-aktar batut jiġi kkriminalizzat u arrestat u mtella’ l-qorti. Il-kriminal mhuwiex dak jew dik bla saqaf fuq rashom, imma l-istat li ppermetta li dan iseħħ.
Hemm ħafna fatturi li jwasslu biex bniedem jittallab. Mard mentali, vizzji bħad-droga u faqar in ġenerali juru fejn aħna bħala soċjetà għandna naħdmu aktar. Apparti x-xogħol kbir li jsir minn NGOs bħall-YMCA u s-soup kitchens hemm bżonn li l-gvern jaffronta r-realtà tal-faqar u tan-nies bla dar u mhux iserraħ il-kuxjenza billi kultant jagħti xi ftit għotjiet lill-volontarjat li qed jimla vojt kbir li qiegħed dejjem jikber .
Veru li tittallab illegali imma li wasalna f’dan il-punt aħna għandu jixgħel bozza ħamra ta’ twissija: irridu nistaqsu lilna nfusna għalfejn wasalna f’dan il-punt. Il-gvern ħareġ b’liġijiet biex jipprova jnaqqas l-abbuż speċjalment dwar dak li għandu x’jaqsam kirjiet u anke jissussidja kirjiet imma jidher li dan mhuwiex biżżejjed biex jassigura li kulħadd jista’ jaffordja li jkollu saqaf fuq rasu. L-iżvilupp tal-bini sar biss spekulazzjoni u mhux mod kif wieħed jassigura id-dritt ta’ saqaf fuq rasek. Is-suq ma jsolvi xejn ħlief inaqqas ftit l-għatx ta’ dawk li moħħhom biss biex jimpalaw il-profitti a skapitu tas-soċjetà.
Iċ-Chairperson tal-ADPD-The Green Party Sandra Gauci qalet li skont rapport li ħarġu il Grant Thornton flimkien mal-agenzija tal-propjetà Dhalia, il-prezz tal-proprjetà sploda b’125% mill-2013 l’hawn. Meta tara kemm għoliet il-ħajja speċjalment post-Covid flimkien mal-fatt li l-pagi ta’ Malta huma fost l-aktar baxxi fl-Ewropa ma hemmx wisq biex niskantaw li hawn tallaba fit-triq. Anzi hawn ftit għall-ħsara li qed titħalla issir. F’Malta l-kera tiekol 56% tal-paga li skond Jake Azzopardi CEO tal-Fondazzjoni għal Djar Affordabbli hija għolja wisq. Biex bniedem jgħix b’dinjità trid tkun mhux iktar minn 30% tal-paga. F’Malta hi kważi d-doppju. Mhux talli qed inħallsu aktar mid-doppju ta’ dak li hu raġonevoli f’kera imma anke l-prezz tal-bini irdoppja u qed nixtru primarjament appartamenti żgħar ħafna. L-iskema tal-‘first time buyers’ mhix effettiva għax l-għajnuna prattikament qed tmur direttament fil-but tal-iżviluppatur u l-għajnuna hija negliġibbli meta tara l-prezzijiet mitluba. Ftit huma dawk li jaffordjaw terraced house, per eżempju.
Li jkollok saqaf fuq rasek hu dritt. Imma f’soċjetà kapitalista bħal dik Maltija dan id-dritt ukoll hu soġġett ghall-ispekulazzjoni. Ma hemmx biżżejjed kontroll dwar kirjiet u prezzijiet ta’ bini. Kulħadd ifajjar kif ifettillu l-aqwa li jkun akkomodat l-iżvilupp u tingħata l-impressjoni li bosta huma sinjuri żgħar jgħixu minn fuq il-kirjiet. Imma n-numri u l-fatti juru mod ieħor. L-ispekulazzjoni fis-settur tal-bini qed tħalli l-vittmi tagħha li llum qed narawhom fit-triq jittalbu. Id-dar mhix lussu. Il-kriminal mhux min m’għandux saqaf fuq rasu, imma stat li jippermetti li fis-sena 2025 għad hawn in-nies jittalbu, barra fit-triq, bla saqaf fuq rashom. Meta se jirrealizza dan il-pajjiż, li ma jagħmilx sens li jkunu kriminalizzati l-vittmi, temmet tgħid Gauci.
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It’s not criminal to be homeless, but it’s criminal for the state to allow this to happen
Having a roof over your head is a right. But in a capitalist society like Malta, this right is also subject to speculation. There is no control over rent and the price of property. Pricing of rent and real estate is a ‘free for all’ as long as development is allowed, giving the impression that many are well-off because their main income is renting out property. However, the numbers and facts show a different picture altogether. This was highlighted by speakers for ADPD – The Green Party in a press conference in front of the Ministry for Social Policy this morning in Valletta.
ADPD-The Green Party Deputy Secretary General Mario Mallia said that what has happened in Ħal Qormi is an example of how the most vulnerable are considered criminals to be arrested and taken to court. The criminal is not the person without a roof over their head, but the state that allows this to happen. There are many factors that may make a person beg. It could be mental illness, poverty, or drug addiction, which shows that we as a society must work harder. Besides the valuable work of NGOs such as YMCA and the soup kitchens, there is the need for the government to admit that poverty is a reality. It is not enough to clear one’s conscience by donating money to voluntary groups whilst the problem is clearly worsening.
Whilst it is true that begging is illegal, this may be taken as a sign that things are not what they seem. In fact, we must ask ourselves why we have come to this point. The government has created laws to keep any abuse at bay, especially those concerning rentals, even subsidizing rent, but it seems that not even this is enough to guarantee that everybody has a roof over their heads. Development has become speculating, and not a means by which one can guarantee a roof over your head. The market has solved nothing except to ease the greed of those who are only concerned with profits at everyone else’s expense.
ADPD-The Green Party Chairperson Sandra Gauci said that according to a report issued by Grant Thornton in collaboration with the real estate agency Dhalia, the price of property has increased by 125% since 2013. When you see how the cost of living has gone up, especially post-COVID-19, together with the fact that wages and salaries in Malta are amongst the lowest in Europe, we shouldn’t be surprised that there are beggars on our streets. There are not many when compared to the damage that is being created.
According to Jake Azzopardi, CEO of the Foundation for Affordable Housing, rents can easily cost 56% of your monthly paycheck. For a person to live in dignity it must not be more than 30% of a person’s monthly salary. In Malta, it’s nearly double that rate. Not only are we paying twice what is reasonable in terms of rent, but the price of housing has doubled, and we are buying mainly apartments. Few can afford a terraced house. The first time buyers’ scheme is not effective because the assistance is practically going straight into the pockets of the developers and the assistance is negligible when you hear the prices being quoted.
To have a roof over your head is a right. However, speculation in the building sector is leaving victims pushed out into the streets. A home is not a luxury. A person not having a roof over their head is not a criminal, but rather it is the state that allows this to happen in 2025. Having people homeless and begging in the streets is deplorable. When will this country realise that it does not make sense to treat victims as criminals, concluded Gauci.
