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.

Tnaqqis fil-pensjonijiet fl-aqwa żmien – Michael Briguglio

Ftit ġimgħat ilu, il-Prim Ministru Joseph Muscat wissa li jekk il-Maltin ma jridux aktar barranin, jistgħu jinsew il-pensjonijiet. Żied li, kieku Malta kellha tmur lura għas-sitwazzjoni li kienet fiha qabel, il-pajjiż ma jkunx jista’ jħallas għall-pensjonijiet u jkollu jiżdied il-piż fuq min iħallas it-taxxa.

Kien hemm reazzjonijiet negattivi għal din l-istqarrija minn kull naħa: l-Oppożizzjoni, is-soċjetà ċivili u l-mezzi tax-xandir. Fit-Times of Malta tal-11 ta’ Frar, Carmel Mallia, il-president tal-Alleanza tal-Organizzazzjonijiet tal-Pensjonanti, qal li l-organizzazzjonijiet tal-pensjonanti huma mweġġgħin ħafna minn din l-istqarrija u mħassbin ferm dwarha għaliex, għal darb’oħra, il-pensjonanti qed jingħataw it-tort għall-qagħda soċjali u ekonomika preżenti.

Żied li, f’dawn l-aħħar ħames snin, il-pensjonanti saru dejjem ifqar hekk kif il-prezzijiet tal-prodotti, is-servizzi, il-kera u s-saħħa, fost oħrajn, sparaw ‘il fuq. Fakkar lill-qarrejja tiegħu li, skont il-Eurostat, wieħed minn kull erba’ pensjonanti f’Malta uffiċjalment jinsab f’riskju ta’ faqar minkejja l-boom ekonomiku tal-pajjiż.

Fl-aħħar nett, stieden lill-Prim Ministru jkun trasparenti dwar is-sitwazzjoni preżenti u jiddikjara li l-eżempju tiegħu meta semma l-pensjonijiet ma għandu qatt jitqies bħala theddida għall-pensjonijiet u l-pensjonanti.

Iċ-ċifri uffiċjali b’rabta mal-Att dwar is-Sigurtà Soċjali jistgħu jagħtuna tagħrif siewi. Jekk inħarsu lejn iċ-ċifri l-aktar reċenti, ippubblikati fid-29 ta’ Marzu 2018 fil-Gazzetta tal-Gvern ta’ Malta, insibu li l-fondi mill-kontribuzzjonijiet għas-sigurtà soċjali u l-kontribuzzjoni diretta tal-Istat jammontaw għal €875,053,633. In-nefqa totali għall-pensjonijiet taħt l-iskemi kontributorji tilħaq €749,667,709, u b’hekk tindika bilanċ pożittiv bejn il-kontribuzzjonijiet u n-nefqa fuq il-pensjonijiet. Huwa biss meta jitnaqqsu l-ispejjeż amministrattivi (€8,132,555) u s-servizzi rikorrenti tas-saħħa (€670,074,218) li tirriżulta diskrepanza ta’ €544,688,294 fis-sigurtà soċjali.

Dawn iċ-ċifri juru li kieku l-gvern juża l-kontribuzzjonijiet għall-pensjonijiet, ma jkunx hemm defiċit fil-pensjonijiet. Għalhekk, mhuwiex ġust li t-tort għall-problema li hemm fil-pensjonijiet bħalissa jingħata lill-pensjonanti.

Tabilħaqq, kif xi wħud kitbu tul is-snin li għaddew, il-leġiżlazzjoni ta’ Malta (L-Att dwar is-Sigurtà Soċjali, Kap. 318) ma tawtorizzax li s-servizzi rikorrenti tas-saħħa jitħallsu mis-sigurtà soċjali. Tassew li f’Malta hawn kunsens nazzjonali biex din in-nefqa tiġi ffinanzjata mill-fondi tal-Istat, iżda għaliex għandha tiġi ffinanzjata minn dħul allokat għall-pensjonijiet?

B’rabta ma’ dan, fl-1979, il-prim ministru ta’ dak iż-żmien, Dom Mintoff, neħħa l-Fond għall-Assigurazzjoni Nazzjonali, u l-kontribuzzjonijiet kollha għas-sigurtà soċjali minn min iħaddem, l-impjegati u l-gvern ġew inklużi fil-Fond Konsolidat ta’ Malta, fejn setgħu jintużaw għal spejjeż oħrajn. Barra minn hekk, ir-riformi ta’ Mintoff kienu jfissru wkoll li l-pensjonijiet il-ġodda ‘taż-żewġ terzi’ kienu limitati minkejja l-kontribuzzjonijiet tal-persuna, u li parti min-nefqa tal-gvern kienet titħallas minn dawk li kienu intitolati għal pensjoni mingħand min kien iħaddimhom, kif inhu l-każ tal-pensjonanti tas-servizz li ġew imċaħħda parti mill-pensjoni tal-Istat tagħhom li kemm huma kif ukoll min kien iħaddimhom ikkontribwixxew għaliha.

Qabel l-1979, dawk li kienu ħaddiema taċ-ċivil kienu jirċievu din il-pensjoni tal-assigurazzjoni nazzjonali flimkien ma’ pensjoni tas-servizz mit-Teżor. Il-valur reali ta’ din tal-aħħar ikompli jonqos kull sena. Il-pensjonanti f’din is-sitwazzjoni ilhom iħallsu l-kontribuzzjoni kollha kemm hi għal aktar minn 40 sena iżda jirċievu biss ammont żgħir għal dan. Qiegħdin jikkofinanzjaw pensjonijiet oħrajn permezz tal-kontribuzzjonijiet tagħhom, allura għaliex qed jiġu mċaħħda dak li hu tagħhom bi dritt?

Ta’ min niftakru wkoll li, kif qal Albert Cilia-Vincenti, il-president tal-Assoċjazzjoni Nazzjonali tal- Pensjonanti tas-Servizz, fit-Times of Malta (28 ta’ Jannar), il-gvern ta’ Malta jnaqqas ukoll il-pensjoni kontributorja tas-sigurtà soċjali ta’ Malta għal dawk li jirċievu wkoll pensjoni tas-servizz minn pajjiż ieħor tal-Unjoni Ewropea. Ftit ġimgħat ilu, ktibt lil-Ministru għas-Solidarjetà Soċjali Michael Falzon dwar dan iżda, sa issa, ma ngħatat ebda tweġiba.

Inħoss li l-gvern qiegħed jikkalkula b’mod kliniku li din id-demografika qiegħda tonqos u għaldaqstant qiegħda progressivament titlef l-impatt elettorali tagħha. Għall-kuntrarju, għandna nuru solidarjetà bejn il-ġenerazzjonijiet u niżguraw li l-pensjonanti jgħixu f’dinjità.

Dan l-artiklu deher fil-Mument, 24 ta' Frar 2019

Pension cuts in best of times - Michael Briguglio

Times of Malta, 18 February 2019

A few weeks ago, Prime Minister Joseph Muscat warned that if Malta does not want more foreigners it can say goodbye to pensions. He added that if Malta had to go to back to its previous situation, it would not be able to pay for pensions and would have to increase the burden on the taxpayer.

There were negative reactions to this statement from all quarters: the Opposition, civil society and the media. Writing in the Times of Malta (February 11), Carmel Mallia, president of the Alliance of Pensioners Organisations, said pensioners’ organisations are “very much hurt and concerned by this statement because, once again, pensioners are the scapegoats of the prevailing social and economic situation”.

He added that, in the last five years, “pensioners got poorer and poorer as prices of goods, services, rent, health etc. went sky-high”. He reminded his readers that, according to Eurostat, one out of four pensioners in Malta is officially at risk of poverty in spite of the island’s economic boom.

Finally, he invited the Prime Minister “to be transparent on the prevailing situation and declare that his example referring to pensions should never be considered as a threat to pensions and pensioners”.

Official figures in terms of the Social Security Act can provide some valuable information. If one looks at the most recent figures, published on March 29, 2018 in The Malta Government Gazette, one finds that funds through social security contributions and the direct contribution of the State amount to €875,053,633. Total expenditure for pensions under the contributory schemes amounts to €749,667,709, thus indicating a surplus between contributions and expenditure on pensions. It is when administration expenses (€8,132,555) and health recurrent services (€670,074,218) are deducted that a welfare gap of €544,688,294 results.

These figures show that if the government used contributions for pensions, there would not be a pensions deficit. So, it is not fair to blame pensioners for the current pensions issue.

Indeed, as some have been writing during past years, Malta’s legislation (The Social Security Act, Cap. 318) does not authorise the charging of health recurrent services to social security. Sure, Malta has a national consensus to finance such expenditure from State funds but why should revenue earmarked for pensions finance this?

In this regard, back in 1979, then prime minister Dom Mintoff removed the National Insurance Fund and all social security contributions by employers, employees and the government were included in Malta’s Consolidated Fund, where they could be used for other expenses. Besides, Mintoff’s reforms also meant that the new ‘two-thirds’ pensions were capped despite one’s contributions and that part of the government’s expenditure was paid by those who were entitled to a pension from former employers, as is the case with service pensioners who were denied a portion of their State pension to which both they and their employers had contributed.

Pre-1979, former civil servants receive this national insurance pension together with a service pension from the Treasury. The real value of the latter keeps decreasing every year. Pensioners in this situation have been paying national insurance in full for over 40 years but they only receive a pittance in return. They have been co-financing other pensions through their contributions, so why are they being denied what is theirs by right?

Let us also keep in mind that, as Albert Cilia-Vincenti, president of the National Association of Service Pensioners, remarked in the Times of Malta (January 28), Malta’s government also “deducts the Malta contributory social security pension of those who also receive a service pension from another EU country”. A few weeks ago, I wrote to Social Solidarity Minister Michael Falzon about this but, to date, no reply has been forthcoming.

My feeling is that the government is coldly calculating that this demograph is decreasing and will, thus, progressively lose its electoral impact. To the contrary, we should show cross-generational solidarity and ensure that pensioners live in dignity.

Is the economy improving your quality of life? - Michael Briguglio

The Labour Government is taking the easy route to economic growth: One that is based on the sale of passports, importation of cheap labour and overdependence on construction projects.  These methods are reflected in Malta’s high level of economic growth, but people’s quality of life is being affected negatively in various other respects: From an increase in the cost of living to a deterioration of the environment.

Indeed, the situation on the ground in Malta confirms the paradox that while GDP may be increasing, the quality of life may be deteriorating. The Sustainable Development Vision for 2050 published by the Church’s Environment Commission exemplifies this hypothesis.

Official EU data shows us that Malta tops European levels of built-up areas and pollution. In the meantime, registration of cars keeps increasing, and Government’s main mitigation measure is to widen roads. EU funding in this regard was obtained by the previous Nationalist administration. Surely, it can be used in a more sustainable manner than is currently the case by Labour. In the current scenario, it seems to be the case that Labour’s policies are based on electoral cycles, thus postponing today’s problems and irresponsibly handing them over to tomorrow’s administration and society.

For example, the upgrading of the Kappara junction ignored recommendations by stakeholders such as bicycle users, rendering it unsafe for cyclists and pedestrians. Subsequent projects by Infrastructure Malta are side-lining local councils, experts and civil society. Here one asks whether it is wise to focus entirely on satisfying the appetite for more cars and ignoring erstwhile modal shift methods such as an underground rail system. The fact that government is not even considering alternatives justifies the concerns of the Church Environment Commission.

The same Commission also rightly points out that Malta is overdependent on construction projects. Again, these may inflate economic growth figures, but society is paying the cost of its negative impacts. People around Malta and Gozo are witnessing a deterioration of quality of life courtesy of dust and noise pollution, shadowing, uglification and crumbling infrastructure. Roads and pavements are being left in a very bad state. Urban sprawl is eating up green areas, and permits are not being subjected to proper analysis of their cumulative impacts.

In the meantime, Malta is crying out for a more sustainable vision, and the Nationalist Party promises to implement it. A vision that does not simply look at GDP growth rates but that also factors in people’s quality of life. One that balances economic, social and environmental considerations: Policy making based on evidence, impact assessments and economic diversification rather than overdependence on quick fix methods.

This article appears in the Times of Malta under a different title.