New Publication on Discourse Analysis

My latest paper, WASP (Write a Scientific Paper): Discourse Analysis has been published in Early Human Development, a peer-reviewed journal published by Elsevier (Science Direct).

The paper argues that discourse analysis enables the identification of what social actors say and do but also of what they represent in terms of values and motivation Such an analysis can also unearth ideological representations which legitimize the reproduction of social structures, irrespective of whether such representations reflect some objective reality or not. In their turn, such structures are contingent and incomplete, and are subject to changes. Discourse analysis examines their political and historical construction and functioning. What this approach does is help us understand how certain facts and non-facts make it to the political agenda whilst others do not, and how they are interpreted within the public sphere.

DOI: 10.1016/j.earlhumdev.2019.03.014

Link: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0378378219301835?via%3Dihub

Tnaqqis inkwetanti fil-pagi - Michael Briguglio

L-istatistika uffiċjali turi li Malta kienet l-uniku pajjiż tal-Unjoni Ewropea li kellu tnaqqis fil-pagi fl-2018. Tabilħaqq, it-tnaqqis ta' Malta kien ta' -0.5 fil-mija, meta r-rata ta' tkabbir annwali fuq il-livell tal-Unjoni kienet kważi tlieta fil-mija. Ir-Rumanija, il-Latvja, il-Portugall u l-Litwanja rreġistraw rati ta' tkabbir ta' 'l fuq minn għaxra fil-mija fl-ispejjeż tax-xogħol fis-siegħa.

It-tnaqqis tal-ispiża tax-xogħol fis-siegħa f'Malta seħħ fis-settur privat, fil-kostruzzjoni u fis-servizzi rispettivament. U filwaqt li kien hemm żidiet żgħar fis-settur pubbliku u l-industrija, ir-rata ta' inflazzjoni ta' Malta qiegħda xxejjen dawn iż-żidiet. Tabilħaqq iċ-ċifri uffiċjali għal Frar 2019 juru l-ogħla żidiet minn Jannar 2017 'il hawn. L-inflazzjoni fi Frar kienet ta' 1.92 fil-mija, li joħloq diffikultajiet akbar għall-familji, il-ħaddiema, il-pensjonanti u ż-żgħażagħ fejn tidħol in-nefqa bażika fuq oġġetti bħall-ikel, il-prodotti mediċinali, is-servizzi tas-saħħa, it-trasport, il-manutenzjoni tad-dar u l-kera.

Ftit xhur ilu, il-President Marie Louise Coleiro Preca saħqet dwar it-tbatija ta' dawn in-nies meta rreferiet għal studju mill-Osservatorju Nazzjonali għall-Għajxien b'Dinjità u ċ-Ċentru Nazzjonali għar-Riċerka dwar il-Familja, li t-tnejn li huma huma entitajiet ta' riċerka fi ħdan il-Fondazzjoni tagħha għall-Ġid tas-Soċjetà.

L-istudju juri li familji ta' erba' persuni f'Malta jkollhom jonfqu aktar minn €500 kull xahar biex jixtru ikel tajjeb għas-saħħa. Din hi nefqa kbira wisq għal bosta familji, speċjalment meta nqisu nfiq ieħor bħal dak imsemmi hawn fuq u meta nqabbluh mal-pagi f'Malta. Il-matematika ma tigdibx.

Malta bħalissa għaddejja minn sfidi soċjali li kienu saru xi ħaġa tal-imgħoddi: pereżempju persuni ta' bejn 25 u 35 sena li jibqgħu jgħixu mal-ġenituri tagħhom mhux għax jixtiequ iżda għax il-prezz tal-akkomodazzjoni huwa sempliċiment għoli żżejjed. L-importazzjoni ta' ħaddiema għal xogħol bl-irħis qiegħda twassal ukoll għal tellieqa sal-qiegħ bejn il-ħaddiema akkost tal-kwalità ta' ħajja tagħhom.

Qed isir dejjem aktar ċar li t-tkabbir ekonomiku rapidu ta' Malta qed iseħħ akkost tal-ġustizzja soċjali u l-ambjent. Huwa veru li hemm min qed igawdi f'dan il-mudell, iżda huwa veru wkoll li ħafna qed ibatu: il-ħaddiema fqar u dawk li l-qagħda tagħhom sejra għall-agħar, li qed jobdu r-regoli iżda jitilfu l-logħba.

Wasal iż-żmien li l-Gvern jikkunsidra bis-serjetà l-proposti tal-għaqdiet tal-ħaddiema, tal-ekonomisti u tas-soċjologi għal reviżjoni realistika u sostenibbli tal-aġġustament għall-għoli tal-ħajja (COLA) ta' Malta. Il-mod kif jitkejjel bħalissa jidher li ma jikkorrispondix għar-realtajiet li jħabbtu wiċċhom magħhom il-ħaddiema u l-pensjonanti, u jwassal għal kumpens negliġibbli għall-prezzijiet ogħla tal-oġġetti u s-servizzi. Il-Gvern għandu wkoll jikkunsidra serjament il-ħolqien ta' skemi ta' ħlas lura jew skontijiet għall-anzjani u dawk bi dħul baxx għal oġġetti u servizzi bażiċi bħall-kontijiet tad-dawl u l-ilma.

Bħala kandidat għall-Parlament Ewropew qiegħed nipproponi wkoll li l-baġit tal-UE jkun aktar flessibbli għall-ħtiġijiet ta' gżejjer żgħar, li, pereżempju, huma aktar vulnerabbli għal pressjoni inflazzjonarja minħabba l-kontenut ta' importazzjonijiet għoli.

Ir-riformi ekonomiċi promossi mill-Kummissjoni Ewropea għandhom jiġu ssorveljati fuq il-livell tal-istati membri, fejn is-soċjetà ċivili għandu jkollha rwol attiv għal riformi sostenibbli u soċjalment ġusti.

Malta teħtieġ viżjoni ekonomika li ma tqisx biss ir-rati ta' tkabbir tal-prodott gross domestiku iżda li tqis ukoll il-kwalità tal-ħajja tal-persuni. Id-dimensjoni soċjali u dik ambjentali ma għandhomx jiġu ssagrifikati għall-benefiċċju ta' viżjoni ekonomika li mhijiex ugwali u mhijiex sostenibbli.

Dan l-artiklu deher fil-Mument 31 ta' Marzu 2019

Worrying wage drop means we must look beyond GDP – Michael Briguglio

Official statistics show that Malta was the only EU country to experience a contraction in wages during 2018. Indeed, Malta’s decrease was of  -0.5 per cent, when the annual growth rate at an EU level was almost 3 per cent. Romania, Latvia, Portugal and Lithuania recorded double digit hourly labour cost growth rates.

Malta’s hourly labour cost drop featured in the private sector, in construction and services respectively.  Ans while the public sector and industry experienced small increases, Malta’s inflation rate is overshadowing this. Indeed official figures for February 2019 show the highest increases since January 2017. Inflation during February read 1.92 per cent, putting greater hardships on families, workers,  pensioners and youth on basic expenditure on items such as food, medicinal products, health services, transport, home maintenance and rent.

A few months ago, President Marie Louise Coleiro highlighted the plight of  such people when she referred to a study by the National Observatory for Living With Dignity and the National Centre for Family Research, both of which are research entities within her Foundation for the Well-being of Society.

The study shows that four-person families in Malta have to spend more than €500 a month for healthy food. This is too high for many families, especially when one considers other expenditure such as that referred to above in comparison to Malta’s wages. The math is clear.

Malta is now witnessing social challenges that had been a thing of the past: For example persons in the 25-35 age bracket who keep living with their parents not out of choice but because the cost of housing is simply too high. The importation of workers for cheap labour is also resulting in a race to the bottom between workers at the expense of their quality of life. 

It is becoming clearer that Malta’s fast economic growth is coming at the expense of social justice and the environment. True, there are winners in this model, but it is also true that many are losing out: The working poor and the downwardly mobile who are playing by the rules but losing the game.

It is about time that the Government gives serious consideration to the proposals by trade unions, economists and sociologists for a realistic and sustainable revision of Malta’s Cost of Living Allowance (COLA). Its current measurement seems out of synch with the realities faced by workers and pensioners, resulting in negligible compensation for higher prices of goods and services.  Government should also seriously look into the creation of refunds or discounts for elderly persons and low income earners for basic goods and services such as utility bills.

As a candidate for the European Parliament I am also proposing that the EU budget should be more flexible for the needs of small islands, which, for example, are more susceptible to the inflationary pressure due to high import content.

Economic reforms pushed by the European Commission should be monitored at member state level, where civil society should play an active role for sustainable and socially just reforms.

Malta requires an economic vision that does not simply look at GDP growth rates but that also factors in people’s quality of life. The social and the environmental should not be sacrificed for the benefit of an unequal and unsustainable economic vision.

Real people in real Malta – Michael Briguglio

Real people in real Malta: Persons with specific life stories, experiences, needs and opportunities. Persons living unique everyday lives and who share commonalities and differences with others. Some are not experiencing the best of times.

For example, the sickly man who is almost fifty years old and who lives with a sickly mother in her mid-seventies. She had to sell everything to bury her husband and they are now facing eviction whilst waiting for social housing together with many others in the waiting list.

The single mother who takes care of her children and her wheelchair-bound mother. They live in sub-standard property which is unaffordable and which they will soon have to move out from.

The single working woman who lives in social housing built a few years ago. Only that its walls are full of mould due to water that seeps in.

The elderly couple who dread the arrival of utility bills. The husband’s only hobby is to meet his elderly friends in his workshop. Will he have to relinquish this to afford utility bills? 

The man who lives close to illegal development which has been facing enforcement notices since 1997. In the meantime, cement is being manufactured in an agricultural area. Dust and noise galore. In the same village, other illegalities persist as the Authorities rely on bureaucratic excuses to do nothing.

The architect who refused to certify bad workmanship, got transferred and had to quit the public sector as work conditions became unbearable.

The young man who lives with his parents as he cannot afford to rent or purchase property, despite being a middle-income earner reading for a Doctorate. 

The elderly women with three-slip discs who urgently requires a carer. And the myriad of elderly persons who are lonely amid the urban townscape.

The activists and scholars whose proposals were ignored or used as photo opportunities.

The Labour-leaning worker at Wasteserv who is shocked at the mismanagement and poor practices at Magħtab.

The separated mother of three in her fifties who manages to earn 1,200 Euro a month but whose rent bill reads 850 Euro a month.

The woman with disability who is given a weekly allowance of just 20 Euro and 38 cents. 38 cents more than what she was given a year before.

The civil servant who cannot speak up due to fear of repercussions.

This is a small sample of the people I recently encountered. Politics, sociology and activism enabled me to encounter many people in the past twenty-five years. Sometimes you can follow up and assist, at other times you feel powerless and can only empathise.

Such people deserve dignity. They deserve to be listened. The forgotten woman and man deserve empathy and action, and not preaching from the high chair.

On-the-ground politics actively encounters people to actively seek the myriad realities today.

For without real knowledge of one’s society, it is difficult to devise politics with a social dimension.

Nies ta’ veru f’Malta ta’ veru – Michael Briguglio

Nies ta’ veru f’Malta ta’ veru: persuni bi stejjer tal-ħajja, esperjenzi, ħtiġijiet u opportunitajiet speċifiċi. Persuni li lkoll jgħixu ħajja ta’ kuljum unika, u jaqsmu affarijiet komuni ma’ ħaddieħor kif ukoll differenzi minn ħaddieħor. Xi wħud mhumiex għaddejjin mill-aqwa żmien.

Pereżempju, ir-raġel marradi li għandu kważi ħamsin sena u li jgħix ma’ ommu marida li għandha ‘l fuq minn sebgħin. Kellha tbigħ kollox biex tidfen lil żewġha u issa hi u binha qed iħabbtu wiċċhom ma’ żgumbrament filwaqt li jistennew akkomodazzjoni soċjali flimkien ma’ bosta oħrajn fuq il-lista ta’ stennija.

L-omm single li tieħu ħsieb lit-tfal tagħha u lil ommha li tuża siġġu tar-roti. Jgħixu fi proprjetà substandard iżda ma jistgħux ilaħħqu mal-prezz tal-kera u dalwaqt ser ikollhom jitilqu minn hemm.

Il-ħaddiema single li tgħix f’akkomodazzjoni soċjali li nbniet ftit snin ilu. Iżda l-ħitan mimlijin moffa minħabba l-ilma li jgħaddi minnhom bil-mod il-mod.

Il-koppja anzjana li jibżgħu mill-wasla tal-kontijiet tad-dawl u l-ilma. L-uniku passatemp tar-raġel huwa li jiltaqa’ mal-ħbieb tiegħu anzjani fil-workshop tiegħu. Ser ikollu jiċċaħħad minn dan biex ilaħħaq mal-kontijiet tad-dawl u l-ilma?

Ir-raġel li jgħix viċin żvilupp illegali li ilu jaffaċċa avviżi ta’ infurzar mill-1997. Sadanittant, qed jiġi mmanifatturat is-siment f’żona agrikola. Ħafna trab u storbju. Fl-istess raħal, ikomplu jsiru illegalitajiet oħrajn għax l-Awtoritajiet jagħtu skużi burokratiċi biex ma jagħmlu xejn.

Il-perit li rrifjuta li jiċċertifika xogħol ħażin, ingħata trasferiment u kellu jitlaq mis-settur pubbliku għax ma setax jissaporti l-kundizzjonijiet tax-xogħol.

Iż-żagħżugħ li jgħix mal-ġenituri tiegħu għax ma jistax ilaħħaq mal-prezz tal-kera u ma għandux il-mezzi biex jixtri proprjetà, minkejja li għandu dħul medju u qiegħed jagħmel dottorat.

Il-mara anzjana bi tliet slip discs li għandha bżonn urġenti ta’ carer. U l-ħafna persuni akbar fl-età li jħossuhom waħedhom qalb il-pajsaġġ urban.

L-attivisti u l-akkademiċi li l-proposti tagħhom ġew injorati jew intużaw biss bħala opportunità għal ritratt.

Il-ħaddiem tal-Wasteserv li jissimpatizza mal-Partit Laburista u jinsab ixxukkjat fuq it-tmexxija ħażina u l-prattika fqira fil-Magħtab.

L-omm separata ta’ tlett itfal li għandha ‘l fuq minn ħamsin sena li jirnexxielha taqla’ 1,200 euro fix-xahar iżda li l-kont tal-kera tagħha huwa 850 euro fix-xahar.

Il-mara b’diżabilità li tingħata allowance ta’ 20 Euro 38 ċenteżmu biss fil-ġimgħa. 38 ċenteżmu aktar milli kienet tingħata sena ilu.

Il-ħaddiem fiċ-ċivil li ma jistax isemma’ leħnu għax jibża’ mir-riperkussjonijiet.

Din hi parti żgħira min-nies li ltqajt magħhom dan l-aħħar. Permezz tal-politika, is-soċjoloġija u l-attiviżmu stajt niltaqa’ ma’ bosta nies fl-aħħar ħamsa u għoxrin sena. Kultant tkun tista’ tagħmel xi ħaġa dwar il-problema tagħhom u tgħinhom, filwaqt li drabi oħra tħossok bla setgħa u tkun tista’ biss tempatizza.

Dawn in-nies jistħoqqilhom id-dinjità. Jistħoqqilhom li jinstemgħu. Il-mara u r-raġel minsijin jistħoqqilhom empatija u azzjoni, u mhux priedki minn fuq pedestall.

Il-politika fi ħdan il-komunità tfisser li l-politiċi jiltaqgħu b’mod attiv man-nies biex attivament isiru jifhmu l-firxa wiesgħa ta’ realtajiet li għandna fostna llum il-ġurnata. Għax mingħajr għarfien veru tas-soċjetà tagħna, huwa diffiċli li titfassal politika b’dimensjoni soċjali.

Dan l-artiklu deher fil-Mument, 17 ta' Marzu 2019 

Għaliex Għawdex ma ngħaqadx ma’ gżejjer oħrajn tal-UE fit-tranżizzjoni għall-enerġija nadifa? Michael Briguglio

Ftit jiem ilu, 26 gżira Ewropea nedew tranżizzjoni għall-enerġija nadifa bl-appoġġ tas-Segretarjat tal-Kummissjoni Ewropea għall-Enerġija Nadifa għall-Gżejjer tal-Unjoni Ewropea.

Il-gżejjer huma Hvar, il-Kroazja; New Caledonia, Franza; Pantellerija, l-Italja; A Illa de Arousa, Spanja; Brač, il-Kroazja; Kreta, il-Greċja; l-Azores, il-Portugall; Gotland, l-Iżvezja; Korčula, il-Kroazja; Samos, il-Greċja; Ibiza, Spanja; Öland, l-Iżvezja; Kökar, il-Finlandja; Cape Clear, l-Irlanda; Mallorca, Spanja; Orkney, ir-Renju Unit; Marie-Galante, Franza; Favignana, l-Italja; Menorca, Spanja u grupp ta’ gżejjer Skoċċiżi mhux konnessi mal-grid tal-enerġija, ir-Renju Unit.

Il-qarrejja Għawdxin u Maltin minnufih ser jintebħu li ż-żewġ gżejjer huma nieqsa mil-lista. Filwaqt li seta’ kien diffiċli li Malta tippreżenta strateġija għal tranżizzjoni fl-enerġija għall-gżira kollha, kif kienet l-enfasi tal-ewwel fażi, dan faċilment seta’ kien possibbli għal Għawdex. Inċidentalment, il-gvern Malti kien wieħed minn dawk li oriġinarjament iffirmaw id-dikjarazzjoni dwar il-Gżejjer ta’ Enerġija Nadifa fl-2017. Iżda, mbagħad, l-istess gvern ma applikax għal fondi għall-enerġija nadifa għal Għawdex.

Dan huwa ferm diżappuntanti. Għawdex qed jiġi mċaħħad minn triq sostenibbli li twassal għal aktar awtosuffiċjenza fl-enerġija, enerġija aktar nadifa u l-ħolqien ta’ postijiet tax-xogħol ekoloġiċi. Kif nistgħu nieħdu lill-gvern Malti bis-serjetà dwar il-miri tiegħu b’rabta mat-tibdil fil-klima meta jeskludi lill-gżira tiegħu stess, Għawdex, mil-fondi tal-UE għat-triq lejn enerġija nadifa?

Nittama li d-deċiżjoni tal-gvern ma kinitx imsejsa fuq il-fatt li rabat lil Malta biex tiddependi minn gass bi prezz għoli mill-Ażerbajġan, li qed jiswa lil min iħallas it-taxxa miljuni ta’ euro żejda kull sena u li qiegħed iwassal għal kontijiet ogħla tad-dawl u tal-ilma.

Sadanittant, personalment staqsejt lis-segretarjat tal-inizjattiva Enerġija Nadifa għall-Gżejjer tal-UE jekk għadx għandna ċans napplikaw għal proġetti ta’ finanzjament. Ġejt mgħarraf li aktar tard din is-sena tabilħaqq ser ikun hemm sejħa oħra għal applikazzjonijiet għal appoġġ għal proġetti speċifiċi ta’ enerġija rinnovabbli. Proġetti li jinvolvu varjetà ta’ partijiet interessati differenti (mis-soċjetà ċivili,  kunsilli lokali, negozji lokali sa istituti edukattivi lokali) ser ikunu jistgħu jirċievu pariri teknoloġiċi u/jew finanzjarji mmirati apposta għalihom. Proġetti kemm minn Malta kif ukoll minn Għawdex jistgħu jikkwalifikaw għal din l-inizjattiva. Nistenna bil-ħerqa li l-gvern Malti jiżgura li l-partijiet interessati kollha jkunu infurmati sewwa dwar l-opportunitajiet u li jitressqu għadd ta’ applikazzjonijiet biex titgawda din l-opportunità strateġika għat-tranżizzjoni għall-enerġija nadifa fil-gżejjer tagħna.

Hija l-pożizzjoni tiegħi bħala kandidat għall-Parlament Ewropew li l-investiment fir-riċerka dwar l-enerġija għandu jkun imqassam b’mod aktar bilanċjat madwar l-UE; li l-investiment fl-enerġija għandu jagħti prijorità lil forom ta’ enerġija rinnovabbli, l-effiċjenza fl-enerġija u l-konservazzjoni tal-enerġija; li l-għajnuna lill-industrija għandha tqis ir-realtajiet fil-gżejjer żgħar; u li l-mikroinvestiment fl-enerġija rinnovabbli għandu jkollu aktar opportunitajiet għal fondi tal-UE.

Nemmen f’Unjoni Ewropea fejn il-gżejjer żgħar ikollhom leħen qawwi. Ejjew niżguraw li kemm Għawdex kif ukoll Malta jgawdu l-benefiċċji ta’ strateġija bħal din.

Dan l-artiklu deher fil-Mument

Why hasn’t Gozo joined other EU islands for clean energy transition? Michael Briguglio

A few days ago, 26 European islands launched a clean energy transition with the support of the European Commission’s Clean Energy for EU Islands Secretariat.

The islands are Hvar, Croatia; New Caledonia, France; Pantelleria, Italy; A Illa de Arousa, Spain; Brač, Croatia; Crete, Greece; Azores, Portugal; Gotland, Sweden; Korčula, Croatia; Samos, Greece; Ibiza, Spain; Öland, Sweden; Kökar, Finland; Cape Clear, Ireland; Mallorca, Spain; Orkney, UK; Marie-Galante, France; Favignana, Italy; Menorca, Spain and Group of Off-Grid Scottish Islands, UK.

Gozitan and Maltese readers will immediately notice that both islands are not on this list. While it could have been difficult for Malta to present a strategy for energy transition for the whole island, as was the focus of this first phase, this could well have been possible for Gozo. Incidentally, the Maltese government was one of the original signatories of the Clean Energy Islands declaration in 2017. But then, the same Government did not apply for clean energy funds for Gozo.

This is very disappointing. Gozo is being denied from a sustainable path that leads to more energy self-reliance, cleaner energy and the creation of green jobs. How can the Maltese government be taken seriously on its climate change goals when it excludes its own Gozo from EU funding to embark on a clean energy path?

I hope that Government’s decision was not based on the fact that it has bound Malta to be dependent on expensive gas from Azerbaijan, which is costing the taxpayer millions of euros extra every year and which is resulting in high utility bills.

In the meantime, I have personally checked with the secretariat of the Clean Energy for EU Islands initiative on whether we are still in time to apply for funding projects. I was informed that later this year there is indeed going to be another call for applications for support on specific renewable energy projects. Projects that involve a variety of different stakeholders (from civil society, local municipalities, local businesses or local educational institutes) will be able to receive targeted technological and/or financial advice. Projects from both Malta and Gozo could qualify under this initiative. I look forward to the Maltese government ensuring that all stakeholders are well informed of the opportunities and that multiple applications are presented to reap this strategic opportunity for transition to clean energy on our islands.

I believe that investment in research on energy should be more even across the EU; that investment in energy should prioritize renewables, energy efficiency and energy conservation; that assistance to industry should take into account the realities in small islands; and that micro-investment in renewable energy should have more opportunities for EU funds.

I believe in a European Union where small islands have an important say. Let us make sure that both Gozo and Malta reap the benefits of such a strategy.