Sandra Gauci has been elected as the new Chairperson of ADPD-The Green Party during its annual statutory general meeting held this morning where the party’s executive committee meeting was approved as listed below. When addressing the press at the end of the meeting, Gauci said that people demand what is theirs by right and not cheque handouts, to live in a country where the rule of law reigns supreme, where one advances on merit and not on one’s connections, and where the quality of life is safeguarded in practice.

Sandra Gauci has been active in ADPD for three years and is known for being a voice of the people through her weekly videos “ABS news”. Sandra holds a B.Ed. (Hons.) in Italian, and an MA in Italian Literature, and was awarded a scholarship by the University of Siena on teaching Italian through film. Sandra is a teacher of Italian in public schools with 21 years of experience. Her interests include rule of law, social justice, and media freedom. She will be contesting next year’s European Parliament elections on behalf of ADPD together with Dr Ralph Cassar and Mina Jack Tolu.

Addressing the general meeting, Gauci referred to the surveys that that have repeatedly reported a consistent number of people that feel ‘orphaned’ by the two traditional parties who no longer represent them. ADPD, Gauci said, will continue to seek to build bridges with these people that feel abandoned, forgotten and voiceless. She also referred to the constitutional case on the electoral system that ADPD filed after the 2022 election, about which the first judgement should be announced in the coming months.

She stated that as a party we shall continue to work on important issues such as the fight against corruption, safeguarding the rule of law, protection of our natural and historical environment and the shift towards sustainable modes of transportation to free up our grid-locked roads.

She indicated the cost of living as the greatest challenge being faced by those who are vulnerable. She insisted that the minimum wage regulation should be reformed to that of a living wage. If the government is judicious in its spending and carries out tax collection assiduously this measure could be implemented in a timely manner. Gauci insisted that it was imperative that the government keeps us all informed on the studies being carried out with respect to the living wage – these studies are being financed from public funds after all!

She also referred to the need for the COLA (Cost of Living Adjustment) mechanism to be updated to reflect today’s living requirements. She noted with satisfaction the fact that ADPD’s proposal for the COLA to be granted twice a year has also been welcomed by the trade unions as a practical way of alleviating somewhat the burden on workers.

“People demand what is theirs by right and not symbolic cheque handouts. They want to live in a country where the rule of law reigns supreme, where one advances on merit and not on one’s connections. The increased erosion of our quality of life should should be reversed and we should become hopeful in the country’s future once again,” concluded Gauci.

The general meeting also approved the party’s executive committee members as follows:

Sandra Gauci – Chairperson; Mina Jack Tolu – Deputy Chairperson; Carmel Cacopardo – Deputy Chairperson; Ralph Cassar – Secretary General; Mario Mallia – Deputy Secretary General (Organizational and Administrative); Melissa Bagley – Deputy Secretary General (Policy); Brian Decelis – Public Relations Officer; Luke Caruana – Treasurer; Mark Zerafa – International Secretary; and Marcus Lauri and Matthew Mizzi – Members.

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Chairperson ġdid għall-ADPD-The Green Party

Sandra Gauci inħatret bħala Chairperson ta’ ADPD-The Green Party waqt il-laqgħa ġenerali annwali statutorja li nżammet dalgħodu u li fiha ġie ukoll ikkonfermat il-kumitat eżekutiv tal-partit kif indikat hawn taħt. Meta indirizzat konferenza stampa fi tmiem il-laqgħa, Gauci qalet li n-nies iridu drittijiet mhux ċekkijiet kif ukoll li jgħixu f’pajjiż fejn tirrenja s-saltna tad-dritt bis-serjetà, fejn il-mertu u mhux il-ħbieb tal-ħbieb ikunu l-kejl li fuqu bniedem jimxi ‘l quddiem, u fejn il-kwalità tal-ħajja tkun verament imħarsa.

Sandra Gauci ilha attiva fl-ADPD għal dawn l-aħħar tliet snin u magħrufa bħala l-vuċi tan-nies bis-saħħa tal-videos li ittella’ onlajn ta’ kull ġimgħa imsejħin ‘ABS news’. Sandra għandha Baċellerat fl-Edukazzjoni fit-Taljan u Masters fil-Letteratura Taljana, kif ukoll borża ta’ studju mill-Università ta’ Siena fuq it-tagħlim tat-Taljan permezz taċ-ċinematografija. Hija għalliema tat-Taljan fl-iskejjel pubbliċi b’21 sena esperjenza. Jinteressaha l-aktar oqsma bħal ma huma l-istat tad-dritt, il-ġustizzja soċjali u l-libertà tal-istampa. Hija se tikkontesta l-elezzjoni għall-Parlament Ewropew tas-sena d-dieħla f’isem ADPD – The Green Party flimkien ma’ Dr Ralph Cassar u Mina Jack Tolu.

F’diskors fi tmiem il-laqgħa ġenerali, Gauci irreferiet għas-sondaġġi li ripetutatment qegħdin juru li numru konsistenti ta’ nies għarfu li ż-zewġ partiti tradizzjonali ma jirrappreżentawhomx u jħossuhom orfni. ADPD, qalet Gauci, se jkompli jfittex li jkunu mibnija l-pontijiet ma’ dawn in-nies li jħossuhom imwarrba u minsija u li m’għandhomx biżżejjed saħħa biex jingħataw widen. Irreferiet ukoll għall-kawża kostituzzjonali dwar is-sistema elettorali li ADPD fetaħ wara l-elezzjoni ġenerali li għaddiet u li dwarha huwa ittamat li jkollna l-ewwel deċiżjoni fix-xhur li ġejjin.

Hija qalet li bħala partit se nkomplu naħdmu fuq temi importanti bħall-ġlieda kontra l-korruzzjoni, favur il-ħarsien tal-istat tad-dritt, il-ħarsien tal-ambjent naturali u storiku, kif ukoll li nkomplu nahdmu favur modi sostenibbli ta’ trasport f’pajjiż li kulma jmur qed jispiċċa ġġamjat.

Hija indikat l-ikbar sfida li għandu l-pajjiż hi dik li ntaffu kemm jista’ jkun il-piż tal-għoli tal-ħajja b’miżuri li jgħinu lil min hu l-aktar vulnerabbli. Miżuri li jgħinu lil dawk li jaqilgħu paga minima li teħtieġ tkun riformata f’living wage. Jekk ikun hemm galbu fl-infieq tal-gvern u il-ġbir ta’ taxxa jsir bis-serjetà, din il-miżura ta’ introduzzjoni ta’ living wage tista’ tiġi implimentata fuq perjodu ta’ żmien, sostniet Gauci. Huwa essenzjali, insistiet Gauci li l-Gvern iżommna infurmati bl-istudji li għaddejjin dwar din il-living wage, studji li huma iffinanzjati minn fondi pubbliċi.

Hija irreferiet ukoll għall-mekkaniżmu tal-COLA (Cost of Living Adjustment Mechanism) li għandu bżonn jiġi aġġornat biex jirriffletti l-istil ta’ ħajja tal-familji tal-lum. Laqgħet bi pjaċir il-fatt li il-proposta ta’ ADPD li l-COLA tingħata darbtejn f’sena ntgħoġbot anke mill-Unions li irreferw għaliha bħala alternattiva prattika biex ittaffi ftit mill-piż fuq il-ħaddiem.

“In-nies għandhom bżonn ta’ drittijiet mhux ċekkijiet. Iridu jkunu moħħhom mistrieħ li qed jgħixu f’pajjiż fejn hemm l-istat tad-dritt, fejn il-mertu u mhux il-ħbieb tal-ħbieb ikunu l-kejl li fuqu bniedem jimxi ‘l quddiem. Irridu npoġġu fuq quddiem il-kwalità tal-ħajja li f’dan il-pajjiż qegħda tittiekel b’pass mgħaġġel u nerġgħu nibdew inħarsu b’tama lejn il-futur ta’ pajjiżna,” temmet tgħid Gauci.

Il-laqgħa ġenerali approvat ukoll il-membri tal-kumatit eżekuttiv tal-partit kif elenkat hawn taħt:

Sandra Gauci – Chairperson; Mina Jack Tolu – Deputat Chairperson; Carmel Cacopardo – Deputat Chairperson; Ralph Cassar – Segretarju Generali; Mario Mallia– Deputat Segretarju Generali (Organizattiv u Amministrattiv); Melissa Bagley – Deputat Segretarju Generali (Policy); Brian Decelis – Uffiċjal għar-Relazzjonijiet Pubbliċi (PRO); Luke Caruana – Teżorier; Mark Zerafa – Segretarju Internazzjonali; u Marcus Lauri u Matthew Mizzi – Membri.