In view of the proposals of the Pension reforms Working Group, Alternattiva Demokratika Chairperson, Prof. Arnold Cassola, said: 

“While the thrust of the reforms proposed goes in the right direction, Alternattiva Demokratika feels that there are still two areas which are not being tackled sufficiently and which are already a source of discomfort and preoccupation for pensioners today.  If not tackled appropriately, the hardship will increase in the future.

The Working Group has proposed  a weekly rise of 20 Euros for future pensioners.  Whilst still not adequate enough, this is a step in the right direction. The Group however is ignoring the plight of the over 22000 pensioners who are already today on a less than 500 Euros a month (? 4 weeks) pension, and are therefore already unable today to make ends meet till the end of each month.  One must keep in mind that today pensioners are one of the most vulnerable sectors of society and therefore most susceptible to falling beneath the poverty level.

Alternattiva Demokratika considers that those pensioners who are already today on a less than 500 Euro a month pension should qualify immediately, for  a 20 Euro a week raise.

In order to make this raise sustainable, the 20 Euro raise could be financed through a rise in the income tax rate or social security for high income earners.

The second issue concerns the second pillar pension, which is ignored by the recommendations.  Alternattiva Demokratika believes that for those born after 1963, the second pillar pension should be introduced. This would be financed through contributions by the employer, the employee and the government.

Unlike the present first pillar pension scheme, where contributions go into a common general fund, the second pillar contributions would be invested  in funds in the individual name of each person, to ensure a healthy income for the said individual at retirement.

The lack of implementation of a  second pillar pension scheme will lead to further poverty and erosion of pensions income in the future. It is irresponsible to continue to ignore the writing on the wall”, concluded Prof. Cassola.

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“Pensjonanti bi dħul baxx ukoll għandhom jieħdu żieda”,tgħid AD

Fid-dawl tal-proposti tal-Grupp dwar ir-riforma fil-pensjonijiet, Alternattiva Demokratika Chairperson, il-Prof. Arnold Cassola, qal: 

“Filwaqt li in ġenerali ir-riformi huma fid-direzzjoni t-tajba, Alternattiva Demokratika tħoss li għad hemm żewġ oqsma li mhux qegħdin jiġu ndirizzati b’mod suffiċjenti u li diġa huma kawża ta’ problema u ta’ preokkupazzjoni għal ħafna pensjonanti illum.   Jekk dawn ma nindirizzawhomx kif suppost, it-tbatija se tiżdied fil-futur. 

 Il-Working Group ippropona żieda ta’ 20 Ewro għal pensjonanti futuri. Filwaqt li din probabbli mhix bżżejjed, dan huwa pass pożittiv.  Il-Grupp iżda qiegħed jinjora il-problema ta’ aktar minn 22000 pensjonant li llum jgħixu fuq pensjoni ta’ anqas minn 500 Ewro fix-xahar,u għalhekk diġa qegħdin iħossuha bi tqila biex ilaħħqu mal-ħajja sal-aħħar tax-xahar.  Irridu niftakru wkoll li llum il-ġurnata l-pensjonanti huma fost dawk l-aktar vulnerabbli fis-soċjeta’ u ħafna diġa jgħixu taht il-livell, jew huma aktar fir-riskju li jaqgħu taħt il-linja tal-faqar. 

Alternattiva Demokratika għalhekk tissuġġerixxi li dawk il-pensjonanti li llum diġa qegħdin jgħixu fuq pensjoni ta’ inqas minn 500 Ewro fix-xahar ukoll għandhom jikkwalifikaw biex, minn Jannar 2016, jingħataw żieda ta’ 20 Ewro fil-ġimgħa.

Biex din iż-żieda tkun sostenibbli,  l-20 Ewro żieda tista’ tkun iffinanzjata permezz ta’ żieda fit-taxxa tad-dħul jew bolla ta’ dawk li għandhom dħul għoli. 

It-tieni kwistjoni hija dwar il-pensjoni tat-tieni pilastru, li hija injorata kompletament fir-rakkomandazzjonijiet. Alternattiva Demokratika temmen li għal dawk li twieldu wara l-1963, jeħtieġ li tkun introdotta il-pensjoni tat-tieni pilastru. Din tkun iffinanzjata minn kontribuzzjonijiet minn min iħaddem, mill-ħaddiema u mill-gvern. 

Għall-kuntrarju tal-ewwel pilastru tas-sistema preżenti, fejn il-kontribuzzjonijiet imorru f’fond komuni u ġenerali, il-kontribuzzjonijiet tat-tieni pilastru jiġu investiti f’fondi li jkunu f’isem kull individwu biex ikun assigurat dħul diċenti għal dawn il-persuni meta jirtiraw. 

In-nuqqas tat-tieni pilastru fl-iskema tal-pensjonijiet ser iwassal għal aktar faqar u tnaqqir fid-dħul tal-pensjonijiet fil-futur.  Huwa irresponsabbli li tkompli tinjora din il-problema li qegħda ċara quddiemna”, temm jgħid il-Prof. Cassola.