The social security net should be updated for today’s realities; the current crisis can also be an opportunity for environmental improvements.
When addressing a press conference in front of Parliament in Valletta on Saturday morning, ADPD – The Green Party Chairperson Carmel Cacopardo said that as we approach the middle of the year the increase in the cost of living is being felt by all. In spite of all the subsidies granted mid-year vulnerable people are still feeling the brunt of it all and do not expect to wait another six months to receive the relative Cost of Living adjustment (COLA). There is absolutely no justification to wait till the end of the year for those living on the minimum wage, a pension or social benefits to be able to make essential purchases.
ADPD – The Green Party Deputy Chairperson Sandra Gauci emphasized that the increase in the cost of living is hitting hard in spite of Malta having one of the lowest rates of inflation. One-off assistance is not enough. There is the need for an instrument that is more robust to sustain those who are downtrodden, pensioners, those on the poverty line that are increasing day by day. That is the reason why we insist that the Cost of Living adjustment (COLA) should not be delayed till the end of the year. We would have expected that a serious government would have raised the minimum wage, pensions and social benefits from the 1st of July in order to minimise the impact of what we are going through.
Gauci emphasized that it was imperative that the minimum wage as well as pensions and social benefits ensure a decent living. Those dependent on the minimum wage, pension or social benefits in order to sustain himself/herself and their family need assistance today and not in six months’ time!
We are astonished that a government that claims to be inspired by social democratic principles does not take immediate steps to ensure that wages and pensions are adequately to assure a decent living. This is reflected by the fact that in the social vision for the next 15 years just published by the government for public consultation there is no mention to this basic issue, concluded Gauci.
Carmel Cacopardo said that the current crisis will be a prolonged one. Therefore, it provides us with an opportunity to consider whether subsidies should, in the long term be better applied, in particular those applied to petrol, diesel and electricity. International prices will remain high for the foreseeable future.
While it is imperative that basic domestic electricity consumption should remain subsidised, other subsidies for electricity and fuel usage should be considered better. There are better ways how the government can reduce the burden that people are facing. One may consider that if we do away with fuel subsidies this could lead to less cars on the road with a greater use of public transport leading to a better air quality for all. The current crisis therefore becomes an opportunity to reduce our dependence on private vehicles, increased investment in safe roads for clean energy transportation methods, and more bus lanes. It is the opportune time for setting up a Bus Rapid Transit scheme – a system with special bus routes. This is an opportunity that can lead to substantial environmental benefits that should not be missed!
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Issa l-waqt li naġġornaw ix-xibka soċjali għar-realtajiet tal-lum
Issa l-waqt li naġġornaw ix-xibka soċjali għar-realtajiet tal-lum; is-sitwazzjoni preżenti tista’ ukoll tkun opportunita’ għal titjib fil-qasam ambjentali.
Qegħdin kważi f’nofs is-sena u l-morsa tal-għoli tal-ħajja qegħda tinħass minn kulħadd. Minkejja s-sussidji li qed jingħataw f’nofs is-sena l-vulnerabbli iħossuhom mgħaffġa u bi dritt jistennew li m’għandhomx jibqgħu jistennew sitt xhur oħra biex ikunu mgħejjuna biż-żieda għall-għoli tal-ħajja. Ma jagħmilx sens li noqgħodu nistennew sal-aħħar tas-sena għax min qed jgħix b’paga minima inkella bil-pensjoni jew servizzi soċjali ma jistax joqgħod is-sitt xhur li ġejjin jistenna ż-żieda għall-għoli tal-ħajja biex ikun jista’ jixtri l-affarijiet essenzjali.
Dan qalu Carmel Cacopardo, Chairperson ta’ ADPD – The Green Party, s-Sibt filgħodu fil-Belt Valletta, quddiem il-Parlament.
Sandra Gauci, Deputat Chairperson emfasizzat li b’waħda mill-aktar rati ta’ inflazzjonijiet baxxi fl-Europa xorta l-poplu qed iħoss il-morsa tal-għoli tal-hajja dejjem tagħfas u li l-għajnuniet ta’ darba kultant mhumiex biżżejjed. Hemm bżonn xi ħaġa aktar b’saħħitha li tgħolli lil min hu batut ‘il fuq, lill- pensjonanti, lill-dawk fil-faqar jew xifer il-faqar, li kulma jmur qed jiżdiedu. Hu għalhekk li f’dawn iċ-ċirkustanzi partikolari qed ninsistu li ħadd m’għandu jitħalla jittewweb sal-aħħar tas-sena biex jieħu ż-żieda tal-għoli tal-ħajja. Konna nistennew li Gvern serju iżid il-paga minima u l-pensjonijiet u s-servizzi soċjali mill-1 ta’ Lulju biex id-daqqa kbira li ġiet fuqna intaffu ftit l-effetti tagħha.
Hu meħtieġ, żiedet temfasizza Sandra Gauci li l-paga minima kif ukoll il-pensjonijiet u s-servizzi soċjali jassigura livell bażiku ta’ għixien diċenti. Min hu dipendenti fuq paga minima, fuq il-pensjoni jew fuq is-servizzi soċjali biex jgħix hu jew hi u l-familja jeħtieġu għajnuna kbira issa, u mhux sitt xhur oħra!
Aħna sorpriżi li Gvern jiddeskrivi ruħu bħala li hu spirat minn prinċipji soċjaldemokratiċi ma jagħmilx iktar emfasi fuq il-ħtieġa li l-paga u l-pensjoni jkunu ta’ livell diċenti biex tgħix bihom. Dan hu rifless fil-viżjoni soċjali għall-15-il sena (Viżjoni Soċjali għal Malta 2035) li ġejja li l-Gvern ippubblika għal konsultazzjoni pubblika li dwar dan kollu ma fih xejn, ikkonkludiet Sandra Gauci.
Il-kriżi li qegħdin fiha, żied jgħid Carmel Cacopardo mhux se tispiċċa malajr. Hu għaldaqstant il-mument ukoll li niffukaw fuq jekk hemmx metodi aħjar dwar kif jistgħu jintużaw is-sussidji b’mod partikolari dawk applikati għall-petrol, dijżil u elettriku. Il-prezzijiet internazzjonali se jdumu għoljin.
Bla dubju, l-konsum bażiku tal-elettriku għad-djar, għandu jibqa’ jkun issussidjat imma l-bqija tas-sussidji għall-elettriku u l-fuels għandhom ikunu studjati aħjar. Hemm modi aħjar kif il-Gvern jista’ jnaqqas il-piż minn fuq spallejn in-nies. Flok is-sussidju tal-petrol u d-dijżil għal karozzi jkun floku li nqisu li fuel għola jkun ifisser possibilment inqas karozzi fit-toroq u iktar nies jagħmlu użu mit-trasport pubbliku, aktar spiss bi kwalità tal-arja aħjar għal kulħadd. Hi opportunità unika li nużaw il-kriżi attwali bħala għodda kontra d-dipendenza fuq il-karozzi, u għaldaqstant issa huwa ż-żmien għal investiment f’toroq u rotot aktar sikuri għal mezzi nodfa ta’ trasport, u għal rotot fit-toroq riservati għal karozzi tal-linja. Issa huwa l-waqt għal investiment f’sistema ta’ Bus Rapid Transit – sistema b’rotot speċjali għal karozzi tal-linja. Hi opportunità li jekk użata tajjeb tista’ tagħti benefiċċji ambjentali sostanzjali.