The title given to the government’s budget ‘Malta ġusta’ (A fair Malta), shows that government has a dual personality; on the one hand we have the message they are trying to convey during the budget speech and on the other hand, we have the reality of government’s attitude throughout the year. Whatever government ministers say, and no matter its handouts, the truth is that this government is involved in collusion with those who literally stole hundreds of millions from the public coffers. A government that preaches fiscal prudence in the budget, but then, in practice, throughout the year squanders public funds like there’s no tomorrow. In this context even objectively fair measures assume additional significance because they form part of a political plan that wants to create a culture of dependency. This was the main message during a news conference addressed by ADPD-The Green Party spokespersons.
ADPD Deputy Chairperson, and candidate for the European Parliament, Mina Jack Tolu said that the case of the hospitals is fresh in our minds. The court of appeals concluded that the government, instead of looking out for the public interest, defended those who were perpetrating fraud on the Maltese people. Even after such massive theft, including the 100 million Euros ‘side-letter’ through which Konrad Mizzi secretly blackmailed the Maltese public, the Police Commissioner continues to drag his feet and does not initiate the necessary investigations. His excuse is that the magisterial inquiry has not been concluded. The fact is that Police can still conduct their own investigations. The truth is that the magisterial inquiry came about because the Police Commissioner he neglected his duty and sat things out.
It is therefore more than pertinent to ask: A fair Malta for whom? Fair with the strong and severe with the small fry? The culture of impunity that reigns in the country has led to scandals such as the social benefits fraud, with the intent of guaranteeing people’s votes. So far, some of those fraudulently receiving benefits have been brought to justice, however the fixers and enablers of this fraud have not been charged yet. What’s fair in all this?
Where’s justice and fairness for those who use the roads and have to deal with people who were given a license without merit because they are close to political power? How fair is it to Jean Paul Sofia who was buried under concrete because the laws, regulations and enforcement remain lax or effectively non-existent?
Indeed, Malta should be fair with those who pay taxes in a fair and just manner, with those who acquire a license with merit, with those who wait their turn to access public services. Malta should be fair with our children and future generations who have a right to a healthy environment, concluded the spokesperson.
Carmel Cacopardo, ADPD-The Green Party Deputy Chairperson went on to explain how the budget speech, once again, promoted a culture of dependency. There is too much emphasis on handouts and far less on what is rightfully ours. The phrase ‘give us our rights, not handouts’ assumes significance even in this context.
For years now, our party, has insisted on a general review of the minimum wage so that it reflects today’s needs and the need for a decent living. The various Caritas studies have always emphasized the fact that substantial increases in the minimum wage are necessary. The latest Caritas report, based on real documented needs, shows that a decent minimum wage would need to increase by €4,000 per year, apart from the increase in the cost of living, to ensure a decent level of ‘living’ for a family of two adults and two children. This translates into the need for an increase of €78 per week in the minimum wage. This contrasts greatly with the increase agreed between the social partners in the MCESD. The €18 per week increase spread over 4 years is insufficient and continues to undermine the dignity of work. It is better than nothing but still woefully insufficient.
Government’s refusal of a serious revision of the minimum wage means that there is no political will to make work pay. This is because the Government prefers a politics of handouts and subsidies to continue strengthening a culture of clientelism and dependence.
This is a budget that reinforces a culture of dependence on the benevolence of the Government. This policy of dependence started as a response to the Covid emergency and is now being continued because it is politically convenient.
We want justice not dependence, and in the light of this we are pushing forward a policy that should strengthen the minimum wage with permanent increases so that it is a really and truly a living wage, on which a can live decently without having to wait for Government cheques. This is everyone’s right. Dependence on Government benevolence should decrease not increase.
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Budget 2024 – kultura ta’ dipendenza
It-titlu mogħti lill-baġit ‘Malta ġusta’ huwa xhieda ta’ gvern b’personalità doppja; min-naħa dak li qed jipprova jagħti x’jifhem waqt il-baġit u mill-banda l-oħra, dak li joħroġ mill-atteġġjament tal-gvern matul is-sena. Jgħid x’jgħid il-gvern, u jroxx kemm iroxx, ma jistax jinfatam mill-konsegwenzi li ġab fuq il-pajjiż frott mhux biss ta’ inkompetenza, imma ta’ kollużjoni ma’ min seraq lill-poplu Malti. Gvern li fil-baġit jipprietka l-prudenza fiskali, imma mbagħad, fil-prattika, matul is-sena kollha mogħti għall-ħela u t-tberbiq. F’dan il-kuntest anke miżuri oġġettivament ġusti jassumu sinifikat addizzjonali għax jiffurmaw parti minn politika li trid toħloq kultura ta’ dipendenza. Dan kien il-messaġġ ewlieni f’konferenza tal-aħbarijiet indirizzata minn kelliema ta’ ADPD-The Green Party.
Id-Deputat Chairperson, u kandidat ta’ ADPD għall-Parlament Ewropew, Mina Jack Tolu qal li l-każ tal-isptarijiet huwa frisk f’moħħna. Il-qorti tal-appell saħansitra ikkonkludiet li l-gvern iddefenda lil min kien qed iwettaq frodi fuq il-poplu Malti, flok ma qabeż għalih, bħal ma kien dmiru li jagħmel. Anke wara serqa kolossali bħal din, inkluż il-100 miljun Ewro ‘side-letter’ li permezz tagħha Konrad Mizzi rrikatta lill-pubbliku Malti bil-moħbi biex jgħatti xturu, il-Kummissarju tal-Pulizija qed jibqa’ jkaxkar saqajh u ma jagħmilx l-investigazzjonijiet neċessarji sakemm, skont hu, tintemm l-inkjesta magisterjali. Il-fatt huwa li l-inkjesta ma żżommux milli jieħu passi, imma fuq kollox l-inkjesta filfatt qed issir għax hu naqas minn dmiru u ma għamel xejn.
Għalhekk tqum waħedha il-mistoqsija: Malta ġusta għal min? Ġusta ma’ min huwa b’saħħtu u severa mal-ħuta ż-żgħira? Il-kultura ta’ impunità li tirrenja fil-pajjiż wasslet għal skandli bħal dak tal-benefiċċji soċjali mogħtija bħala pjaċiri, inkluż biex jinxtara l-vot tan-nies. Sallum, bdew jitressqu l-qorti l-persuni li ħadu il-benefiċċji soċjali bla ma ħaqqhom imma dawk li għamlu dan is-serq possibbli jibqgħu ma jittressqux. Fejn hi il-ġustizzja f’dan kollu?
X’ġustizzja hi ma’ min juża t-toroq u jkollu jitqanna b’persuni li ingħataw il-liċenzja bla mertu għax jinsertaw qrib il-poter politiku? Kemm hi ġusta ma’ Jean Paul Sofia li indifen taħt il-konkos għax il-ligijiet u r-regolamenti u l-infurzar jibqgħu laxki jew effettivament ineżistenti?
Tabilħaqq, Malta għandha tkun ġusta ma’ min iħallas it-taxxi b’mod rett u ġust, ma’ min liċenzja jakkwistaha bil-mertu, ma’ min iżomm il-kju biex jinqeda kulħadd meta jmissu u mat-tfal tagħna u l-ġenerazzjonijiet futuri li għandhom dritt għal ambjent sura u b’saħħtu, temm jgħid il-kelliem.
Carmel Cacopardo, Deputat Chairperson ta’ ADPD-The Green Party kompla jispjega kif fid-diskors tal-budget, għal darba oħra ġiet imsaħħa l-kultura ta’ dipendenza. Hemm wisq emfasi fuq l-għotjiet u ferm inqas fuq dak li hu tagħna bi dritt. L-għajta “mhux pjaċiri, imma drittijiet” għandha sinifikat anke f’dan il-kuntest.
Issa ilna s-snin, bħala partit, nisħqu fuq il-ħtieġa li jkun hemm reviżjoni ġenerali tal-paga minima u dan biex din tkun tirrifletti l-ħtieġijiet tal-għajxien ta’ ħajja diċenti. L-istudji diversi tal-Caritas dejjem emfasizzaw il-fatt li hemm bżonn żidiet sostanzjali fil-paga minima. Fl-aħħar rapport tal-Caritas kienet indikata l-bżonn ta’ reviżjoni, a bażi ta’ ħtiġijiet reali dokumentati, ta’ €4,000 fis-sena, u dan apparti ghaż-żieda tal-għoli tal-ħajja biex ikun assigurat livell diċenti ta’ għajxien għal familja ta’ żewġ adulti u żewġt ulied. Dan jittraduċi ruħu fil-ħtieġa ta’ żieda ta’ €78 fil-ġimgħa fil-paga minima li jikkuntrastaw bil-kbir ma’ dak miftiehem bejn is-sħab soċjali fl-MCESD. It-€18 fil-ġimgħa żieda mifruxa fuq 4 snin huma insuffiċjenti u jkomplu jimminaw id-dinjità tax-xogħol. Huma aħjar minn xejn imma huma insuffiċjenti.
It-tkaxkir tas-saqajn tal-Gvern biex ikun hemm reviżjoni bis-serjetà tal-paga minima ifisser li ma hemmx volontà politika li bix-xogħol tgħix, jew kif jingħad ‘making work pay’. Dan minħabba li l-Gvern jippreferi l-politika tal-għotjiet u sussidji biex ikompli jsaħħaħ kultura klijentelari ta’ dipendenza li dejjem u konsistentement imexxi ‘l quddiem.
Il-baġit, f’dan is-sens huwa baġit li jsaħħaħ kultura ta’ dipendenza fuq il-benevolenza tal-Gvern. Din il-politika ta’ dipendenza bdiet bħala rispons għall-emergenza tal-Covid u issa qed tipperpetwa ruħha għax hi politikament konvenjenti.
Fid-dawl ta’ dan aħna nmexxu ‘l quddiem politika li għandha ssaħħaħ il-paga minima b’żíediet permanenti biex din tkun paga li biha familja tista’ tgħix mingħajr ma toqgħod tistenna ċ-ċekkijiet tal-Gvern. Dan huwa dritt ta’ kull wieħed minna. Id-dipendenza fuq il-benevolenza tal-Gvern għandha tonqos mhux tiżdied.
