“With the spiralling increase in the price of essential commodities that is also expected to continue in the coming months ADPD considers that the cost of living increase should not be tied to the end of year budget announcement but also awarded mid-year”. This was stated by two ADPD – The Green Party spokespersons – Chairperson, Carmel Cacopardo and the Deputy Secretary General, Sandra Gauci at a press conference in Ħamrun this morning.
ADPD – The Green Party Deputy Secretary General and candidate Sandra Gauci said that everybody is aware of the increase in the price of essential commodities. It is not luxury items that we are talking about here but daily necessities such as food. Vulnerable people are being overburdened with these month-on-month price increases so much so that sustenance becomes the only ‘luxury’ they can afford. This is especially hard on those dependent on minimum wages who have to cater for food allergies or those with babies and infants. The prices of items such as nappies and milk powder have also shot up. Although government cannot control what happens abroad it can take the required mitigating measures in Malta.
“At a difficult time for Malta and the world, Maltese citizens should be respected. If you are struggling and trying to make ends meet on a wage you cannot accept that others close to government ministers have €163,000 contracts as in the case of the CEO of the Foundation for Medical Services controlled by the Ministry of Deputy Prime Minister Chris Fearne. Instead of ensuring that you are using the country’s resources diligently such action is insulting the honest worker who only gets €1.75 increase while government spends lavishly on their close friends. We are insisting that in the present circumstances of spiralling costs of essential commodities the COLA increase should be awarded twice a year.”
ADPD – The Green Party Chairperson, Carmel Cacopardo said the need for a decent basic living income is an all-time important issue among those who have a social conscience. However, it assumes more importance in times like these, when prices of essential goods are spiralling upwards, almost out of control. This has impacted daily needs such as bread, milk, pasta and butter.
Three Caritas studies published to date have revealed a widening gap between the official minimum wage and the decent basic living income needed by three different categories of vulnerable households. In the case of a household consisting of 2 adults and 2 children this gap is approximately 40 per cent, at 2020 prices. The minimum wage is not a living wage.
The current price rise of essential goods, averaging close to a 25 per cent rise in a number of cases, (although a number of items have had much steeper price increases) brings to the fore another worry. Cost of living adjustments to wages and pensions are effective at the beginning of the calendar year, and reflect the cost of living of the previous twelve months.
We should not keep accumulating the cost-of-living dues and carry out adjustments to the minimum wage and pensions on the following January. ADPD is of the opinion that the cost of living adjustments to the minimum wage as well as to pensions should be carried out twice a year, towards the end of June and towards the end of December. In times of steep price increases, as at present, such an initiative could make a substantial difference to the vulnerable and those on low income.
It is also essential that the basket of goods and services utilised to measure the actual cost of living is updated on a regular basis in order to ensure that the results obtained are realistic and reflect actual needs.
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Iż-żieda għall-għoli tal-ħajja (COLA) għandha tingħata darbtejn fis-sena
“Biż-żidiet sfrenati fil-prezzijiet essenzjali li mistennija jkomplu fix-xhur li ġejjin ADPD jidhiriluli ż-żieda għall-għoli tal-ħajja m’għandhiex toqgħod tistenna il-baġit ta’ kull sena imma għandha tingħata ukoll f’nofs is-sena”. Dan qaluh iż-żewġ kelliema ta’ ADPD – The Green Party – iċ-Chairperson Carmel Cacopardo u d-Deputat Segretarju Ġenerali Sandra Gauci f’konferenza stampa dalgħodu fil-Ħamrun.
Id-Deputat Segretarju Ġenerali u kandidata tal-ADPD – The Green Party Sandra Gauci qalet li bħalissa kulħadd qed jinnota żieda fil-prezzijiet tal-prodotti essenzjali għall-ħajja. M’aħniex qed nitkellmu fuq kapriċċi imma neċessitajiet bħall-ikel. Kull xahar dan il-piż qed ikompli aktar jagħfas l-isfel lill-batut li l-uniku kapriċċ li baqagħlu hu li jitrejjaq. Imsieken min bil-paga minima jrid jipprova jkampa xahar sħiħ speċjalment dawk li għandhom xi allerġiji għal ikel partikolari jew dawk li għandhom trabi u tfal żgħar, meta l-prezzijiet ta’ affarijiet bħal ħrieqi u trab tal-ħalib komplew jisparaw ‘l fuq. Filwaqt li l-gvern ma għandux kontroll dwar x’jiġri barra minn Malta, iva għandu kontroll dwar x’jiġri Malta.
“Minn hawn nitolbuh rispett lejn il-poplu f’dan iż-żmien diffiċli għad-dinja u għal Malta. Meta int ħaddiem jew self-employed bil-paga qed tara kif se tkampa u fl-istess ħin jkollok nies qrib ministri li jkollom kuntratti ta’ €163,000 Euro bħal fil-każ tas-CEO tal-Fondazzjoni tas-Servizzi Mediċi li taqa’ taħt il-kontroll tal-Ministeru tad-Deputat Prim Ministru Chris Fearne. Flok ma turu galbu lejn il-flus tal-poplu qed tisparpaljaw il-kaxxa ta Malta għall-ħbieb tal-qalba filwaqt li l-ħaddiem onest li jaqlagħha u jiekolha qiegħed dejjem ikompli jitgħaffeg u jiġi insulentat b’żieda ta’ €1.75. Aħna qed nitolbu li fiċ-ċirkustanzi attwali li qed iwasslu għal żieda kbira fil-prezzijiet tal-affarijiet essenzjali din iż-żieda għandha issir darbtejn fis-sena. ”
Iċ-Chairperson ta’ ADPD – The Green Party, Carmel Cacopardo qal li l-bżonn ta’ dħul diċenti minimu huwa punt importanti għal dawk kollha li għandhom kuxjenza soċjali. Fiż-żminijiet ta’ bħalissa dan jkun aktar importanti speċjalment meta l-prezzijjiet ta’ oġġetti essenzjali qegħdin jisparaw ‘il fuq, kważi bla kontroll. Fost il-ħtiġijiet essenzjali milquta hemm il-ħobż, il-ħalib, l-għaġin ul-butir.
Tliet studji ppublikati mill-Caritas urew li hemm differenza dejjem tikber bejn il-paga minima uffiċjali u d-dħul bażiku meħtieġ għal għajxien diċenti ta’ tliet kategoriji ta’ familji vulnerabbli. Fil-każ ta’ familja b’żewġ adulti u żewġ t’itfal fis-sena 2020 din id-differenza kienet dik ta’ 40%. Il-paga minima mhix suffiċjenti biex tgħix.
Iż-żieda kurrenti fil-prezzijiet ta’ bżonnijiet essenzjali ta’ madwar 25 fil-mija (u f’diversi każijiet ħafna iktar) tħassibna ukoll għar-rigward kif jingħataw iż-żidiet għall-għoli tal-ħajja. Dawn iż-żidiet fil-pagi u pensjonijiet li jingħataw fil-bidu tas-sena jirrifletti dak li jkun seħħ fit-tnax-il xahar ta’ qabel.
Nemmnu li wasal iż-żmien li ma nibqgħux infaddlu dawn iż-żidiet sal-aħħar ta’ sena biex imbagħad naġġustaw il-paga minima u l-pensjonijiet f’Jannar ta’ wara. ADPD jidhrilha li l-aġġustament fil-paga minima u l-pensjonijiet għall-għoli tal-ħajja għandha tibda ssir darbtejn fis-sena – lejn l-aħħar ta’ Ġunju u fi tmiem is-sena. Fi żminijiet ta’ żieda esaġerata fil-prezzijiet din il-miżura tista’ tagħmel differenza kbira lil dawk vulnerabbli u fuq dħul baxx.
Hemm bżonn ukoll li l-baskett ta’ prodotti u servizzi li bih jitkejjel l-għoli tal-ħajja jkun aġġornat regolarment biex ikun assigurat li l-kejl tal-għoli tal-ħajja huwa wieħed reali li jirrifletti il-bżonnijiet tal-mument.
