In a statement on the crisis that is affecting certain economic sectors, and in light of European Union financial aid including that announced by the Government, AD Chairperson Carmel Cacopardo said that Alternattiva Demokratika calls for additional measures, namely:
1. Help given to businesses should only go to those which have suffered a drastic reduction in their income compared to last year. We note that the aid announced yesterday is predominantly focused on facilitating loans from banks. While this is an important measure, in this crisis direct aid that goes towards wages of workers is essential. Any direct assistance to businesses should be linked to the obligation of protecting jobs;
2. AD is also concerned about several freelance workers and even casual labour and workers on zero-hours contracts. They are bearing the brunt of the very sharp decrease in work and of income. Aid to these categories should be a guaranteed income scheme for the coming months; these categories are the most vulnerable which nobody is talking about;
3. The lease contracts for tenants should be automatically renewed until the crisis passes. There is also a need for a greater commitment by the government to offer adequate and decent housing to the most vulnerable.
AD considers the crisis’ impacts on employment is showing the structural defects the country has in the social field. We are not the only country to have this problem. It is important that like in countries such as Sweden, Norway, and the city of Utrecht in the Netherlands, guaranteed income schemes known as Universal Basic Income and Guaranteed Minimum Income are discussed in depth and seriously in Malta too. It would be wise to start considering such schemes for the future.
Ultimately, AD appeals that starting with government ministers themselves, everyone avoids discourse which verges on the racist. It is never the time to threaten those who contribute so much to our economy with expulsion. It is the opportune time to make more effort to achieve true integration in our society to make those who have built their lives here feel included and respected.
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L-għajnuna fil-kriżi għandha tkun għajnuna diretta li tmur għall-pagi tal-ħaddiema
Fi stqarrija dwar il-kriżi li jinsabu fiha ċerti setturi ekonomiċi, u fid-dawl tal-għajnuna finanzjarja mill-Unjoni Ewropea, u dik mħabbra mill-Gvern, Carmel Cacopardo, Chairperson ta’ AD qal li Alternattiva Demokratika jidhrilha li għandhom jittieħdu numru ta’ miżuri addizzjonali, fosthom:
1. Għajnuna lin-negozji għandha tmur biss lil dawk li batew tnaqqis drastiku fid-dħul tagħhom meta mqabbel mas-sena l-oħra. Alternattiva Demokratika tinnota li l-għajnuna mħabbra ‘l bieraħ hija iffukata l-aktar fuq faċilitazzjoni ta’ self mill-banek. Filwaqt li din hija miżura importanti, f’dan il-waqt għajnuna diretta li tmur lejn il-pagi tal-ħaddiema hija essenzjali. Kull għajnuna diretta lin-negozji għandha tintrabat mal-obbligu tal-ħarsien tal-postijiet tax-xogħol;
2. Alternattiva Demokratika hija wkoll imħassba għal diversi ħaddiema freelance u anke ħaddiema każwali. Dawn qed jispiċċaw b’tnaqqis drastiku ħafna ta’ xogħol u dħul. L-għajnuna lil dawn il-kategoriji għandha tkun dħul garantit għax-xhur li ġejjin; dawn huma kategorija minn l-aktar vulnerabbli ghax m’hu qed jitkellem ghalihom hadd
3. Il-kuntratti tal-inkwilini f’propjetajiet mikrija għandhom jiġġeddu awtomatikament sakemm tghaddi l-krizi. Dan apparti bżonn ta’ impenn akbar mill-gvern biex joffri housing diċenti u adegwat lill-aktar vulnerabbli.
Alternattiva Demokratika jidhrilha li dawn l-impatti fuq id-dinja tax-xogħol juru diffett strutturali fil-qasam socjali. M’aħniex l-unika pajjiz li għandna din il-problema. Huwa importanti li bħal f’pajjiżi bħall-Isvezja, n-Norveġja u l-belt ta’ Utrecht fl-Olanda, jiġu diskussi fil-fond u bis-serjeta’ f’Malta wkoll skemi ta’ dħul garantit għal kulhadd magħrufa bħala Universal Basic Income u Guaranteed Minimum Income. Ikun għaqli li nibdew nikkunsdraw din it-triq għall-futur.
Fl-aħħar mill-aħħar Alternattiva Demokratika tappella biex kulħadd iqis diskorsu, ibda minn Ministri tal-Gvern innifishom. Qatt m’huwa ż-żmien biex min jikkontribwixxi lejn l-ekonomija jitkasbar u jiġi mhedded li se jitkeċċa. Huwa ż-żmien opportun biex isir aktar sforz għall-integrazzjoni vera fis-soċjetà tagħna lil min ilu jibni ħajtu fostna.