Waqt li f’Malta tinxetered b’mod kważi ossessiv il-propaganda li qegħdin fl-aqwa żmien u dwar kemm hawn ġid u flus fl-idejn, l-istatistika uffiċċjali ppubblikata dan l-aħħar turi xenarju li jikkuntrasta ferm ma’ din l-idea li aħna ‘sinjuri żgħar’. In-numri juru li l-affarijiet mhux sbieħ daqskemm qed ipinġuhom. Anzi, l-istatistika turi storja ferm differenti mill-propaganda tal-Gvern u s-satelliti tiegħu. Dan qaluh kelliema ta’ ADPD-The Green Party  f’konferenza tal-aħbarijiet dalgħodu l-Belt Valletta.

Is-Segretarju Ġenerali ta’ ADPD – The Green Party Dr Ralph Cassar qal li skont l-aħħar ċifri li ħarġu mill-NSO, il-faqar f’Malta żdied b’0.2% aktar fl-2024 meta kkumparat mas-sena 2023. Dan kien studju b’indikaturi soċjali li juru li n-nies f’riskju ta’ faqar kif ukoll ta’ esklużjoni soċjali żdiedu b’0.1% bejn is-sena 2023 għas-sena 2024 biex issa jlaħħqu 19.7% tal-popolazzjoni. Is-setturi ta’ nies li huma fl-aktar riskju ta’ faqar huma t-tfal u l-anzjani. Ix-xejra hija ‘l fuq hija ċara. Għandna ekonomija mibnija fuq l-ispekulazzjoni tal-art, fuq industrija tat-turiżmu li fil-fatt hija wkoll spekulazzjoni tal-art, u fuq setturi oħra li jagħmlu l-profitti għax iħallsu pagi baxxi. L-hekk imsejjaħ ‘tkabbir’ qed jinħataf mill-ispekulaturi. Anke l-iskema infami tal-bejgħ taċ-ċittadinanza Maltija u Ewropea intiża fuq kollox biex tħaxxen il-bwiet tal-ispekulaturi tal-propjetà.

L-ogħla rata ta’ fqar tinsab fin-naħa ta’ fuq ta’ Malta. Dan mhu xejn ta’ stagħġib meta għal darboħra l-paga minima f’Malta tibqa’ waħda mill-aktar baxxi fl-ewropa. Skont il-Eurostat infatti l-paga minima f’Malta hi ta’ 961 Euro fix-xahar li hija minn tal-qiegħ fl-UE. Biss biss statistika għas-sena 2023 turi li mas-16% tal-impjegati bilkemm jlaħħqu l-€1000 fix-xahar. Altru milli ‘tkabbir’ li jgawdi minnu kulħadd.

Iċ-Chairperson ta’ ADPD – The Green Party Sandra Gauci qalet li dan kollu jfisser li l-ekonomija kif jifimha il-Prim Ministru Abela, flok tkattar il-ġid qegħda kulma tmur tkattar il-faqar. Ma nistgħux indawru wiċċna n-naħa l-oħra u nibqgħu għaddejjin hekk, qisu mhu qed jiġri xejn. Il-gvern għandu bzonn ta’ reality check u fl-aħħar jirrealizza li ekonomija ibbażata fuq iċ-cheap labour u l-ħolqien ta’ xogħol li jitħallas bi ftit qed joħloq ġid biss għal grupp żgħir u limitat ta’ nies. In-numri juru li qed jinħoloq faqar fost pajjiż li hu fgat bin-nies, bil-bini u bit-traffiku, u dan kollu biex igawdu l-ftit. 

Hemm bżonn bidla fir-rotta tal-ekonomija li toħloq aktar xogħol ta’ kwalità b’pagi li jirriflettu dan. Il-pajjiż u n-nies ma jifilħux għal aktar. Irridu li l-paga minima ssir living wage li biha tkun tista’ tgħix, żidiet tal-għoli tal-ħajja kull sitt xhur u aktar xogħolijiet u taħriġ  li jagħtuk ċans tiżviluppa l-kapaċitajiet tiegħek fuq il-post tax-xogħol tieghek u mhux tibqa’ fejn int. Huwa b’dan il-mod biss li nistgħu naraw li l-famuż ġid li tant jiftaħru bih jintlaħaq minn kulħadd specjalment mill-batut. S’issa l-batut minsi. U mhux talli hekk: in-numru tal-batuti qiegħed jiżdied. Sur Prim Ministru biddel ir-rotta!

***

 Despite the Prime Minister’s rhetoric, the Maltese economy serves the few

Whilst government propaganda in Malta has focussed on the belief that we are living in the best times that the country has ever seen, with significant wealth and money flowing around the country, recently-published statistics show a different scenario which is in deep contrast to the idea that we are all collectively well off. In fact, the numbers show that the reality is a far cry from what government propaganda is implying, as highlighted by speakers for ADPD-The Green Party in a press conference this morning in Valletta. 

ADPD – The Green Party Secretary General Dr Ralph Cassar said that an NSO study revealed that during the year 2024, poverty in Malta increased by 0.2% when compared to the previous year. The same study also reveals that the number of people at risk of poverty and social exclusion has increased by 0.1% over the same period, which is now 19.7% of the population.  People most likely to be at risk of poverty are children and the elderly. The upward trend is clear. We have an economy based on creating value through land speculation, on tourism which is just a cover for more land speculation, and on whole sectors in which profit is based on low wage labour. So called ‘growth’ is being hijacked by the few. Even the infamous citizenship-for-sale scheme is just another tool to favour property speculation.

The highest concentration of poverty is in the north of Malta. This is not surprising given that the minimum wage in Malta is amongst the lowest in Europe. According to Eurostat, the minimum wage in Malta is 961 Euro per month, amongst the lowest in the EU. Indeed statistics reveal that in 2023 some 16% of employees barely made €1000 a month. Is this the so-called ‘growth’ from which everyone benefits?

ADPD-The Green Party Chairperson Sandra Gauci said, “The Prime Minister may view a growing economy as a means of creating wealth, but in reality, it is creating poverty. We cannot turn our gaze the other way and pretend that this is not happening.  The government needs a reality check and realise that an economy based on cheap labour and the creation of low-paid jobs is creating wealth for the few.  The numbers do not lie, and they show that the poverty in a densely-populated country heavily congested with construction activity and traffic, all this for the benefit of the very few.”   

“There is a need for a change in the direction that the economy is taking by creating quality jobs that have quality pay.  The people and this country cannot take the current situation anymore.  We want a living wage with which you can live, cost of living adjustments every six months and more job and training opportunities which will allow you to develop your skills for work to progress.  This is the only way for us to truly see and experience the wealth that has been touted as the miracle of the decade.  We want this wealth to be enjoyed by everybody, especially the vulnerable and poor. So far, the vulnerable and poorly have been ignored and forgotten.  Not only that, but the numbers are on the increase.  Mr Prime Minister, change our economic direction!”