Budget with positive, vague and missing measures – AD

Alternattiva Demokratika – The Green Party said the budget had a mix of measures, some of which were positive, whilst others being rather vague. The budget also missed out from taking concrete action in certain social and environmental matters.
 
Michael Briguglio, AD Chairperson, said: ‘It is positive that in a context of global economic difficulties, Government is aiming to reduce the deficit. Hopefully, Government’s expenditure programme will be more sustainable’.
 
‘We also agree that Government shall pay workers on minimum wage who undergo training programmes, and that Government will make life easier for people on social assistance who choose to work. On the other hand, AD strongly believes in an increase in the national and hourly minimum wage, including that for part-timers and contractual workers on a pro-rata basis. AD also augurs that Government’s enforcement against employers who exploit foreign workers is effective’.
‘As regards cost of living and social benefits, we agree with the increase in supplementary benefits and in expenditure aimed at vulnerable groups such as fostered children. We would however have expected more expenditure on disabled persons and the inclusion of vulnerable groups such as those with ME and FB for entitlement of disability benefits’.

‘As regards health, it is also positive that Government shall investment in the Cancer Centre at Mater Dei Hospital. In this regard, it is important to note that cancer should also be confronted through better environmental policy which is currently lacking. Government should also do much more to tackle costly medicinal prices, including considering importing them itself alongside importers from the private sector’.

‘Alternattiva Demokratika believes that it would have been better if Government put even more investment in public education and childcare centres rather than incentivising private education’.
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Ralph Cassar, AD Secretary General, said: ‘As regards environmental policy, we strongly believe that Government should do much more for sustainable development, for example by reactivating the national commission for sustainable development. Government’s expenditure on renewable energy is simply not enough, especially when one keeps in mind the dirty fuel which shall be used in the power station extension. Government should also elaborate on the assistance schemes for sustainable energy’.
‘Government should also have introduced fiscal measures on property speculation, from the third vacant property onwards, particularly when one considers that Malta is a perpetual building site where a quarter of properties are vacant. Fiscal mechanisms should encourage the renting and selling of properties which are kept vacant for speculation purposes and the use of existing buildings rather than building more areas’.

‘AD also supports the investment in farmers’ markets and in animal welfare centre. It is also positive that Government shall introduce incentives encouraging cleaner transport. Till now details are too vague to comment in detail.’
 
 
Baġit b’taħlita ta’ miżuri pożittivi, vagi u nieqsa – AD

Alternattiva Demokratika – The Green Party qal li l-baġit kellu taħlita ta ‘miżuri, li wħud minnhom kienu pożittivi, filwaqt li oħrajn huma pjuttost vagi. Il-baġit ukoll ma ħax azzjoni konkreta fuq ċerti materji soċjali u ambjentali.

Michael Briguglio, AD Chairperson qal: “Huwa pożittiv li f’kuntest ta’ diffikultajiet ekonomiċi globali, l-Gvern qed jimmira li jnaqqas id-defiċit. Nawguraw li l-programm ta’ infiq tal-Gvern ikun aktar sostenibbli “.

“Aħna wkoll naqblu li l-Gvern iħallas ħaddiema bil-paga minima li jagħmlu programmi ta’ taħriġ, u li l-Gvern se jagħmel il-ħajja eħfef għall-persuni fuq assistenza soċjali li jagħżlu li jaħdmu. Min-naħa l-oħra, AD temmen li għandu jkun hemm żieda fil-paga minima nazzjonali u bis-siegħa, inkluż dak għall-part-timers u ħaddiema kuntrattwali fuq bażi pro-rata. AD tawgura ukoll li l-infurzar tal-Gvern kontra min iħaddem li jisfruttaw ħaddiema barranin ikun effettiv “.

“Fir-rigward ta’ l-għoli tal-ħajja u l-benefiċċji soċjali, aħna naqblu maż-żieda fl-assistenza supplimentari u fin-nefqa għall-gruppi vulnerabbli bħal tfal fostered. Iżda konna nistennew ukoll nefqa ikbar għal nies b’diżabilita’ u  li l-Gvern jinkludi gruppi bħal dawk li jbatu bl-ME u l-FM ma dawk intitolati għall-benefiċċji ta’ nies b’diżabilita’”.

“Fir-rigward tas-saħħa, huwa wkoll pożittiv li l-Gvern qed jinvesti fiċ-Ċentru tal-Kanċer fl-Isptar Mater Dei. F’dan ir-rigward, huwa importanti li wieħed jinnota li l-kanċer għandu ukoll ikun kkonfrontat permezz ta’ politika ambjentali aħjar li bħalissa hija nieqsa. Il-Gvern għandu wkoll jagħmel ħafna aktar biex jiġu indirizzati prezzijiet mediċinali għaljin, inkluż li jiġi kkunsidrat l-importazzjoni tagħhom flimkien ma’ importaturi mis-settur privat’.

“Alternattiva Demokratika temmen li kien ikun aħjar jekk il-Gvern jinvesti aktar fl-edukazzjoni pubblika u childcare centres minflok fl-edukazzjoni privata”.
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Ralph Cassar, Segretarju Ġenerali ta’ AD, qal: “Fir-rigward tal-politika ambjentali, aħna nemmnu bil-qawwa li l-Gvern għandu jagħmel ħafna aktar għall-iżvilupp sostenibbli, per eżempju li jerga’ jattiva l-Kummissjoni Nazzjonali għall-Iżvilupp Sostenibbli. In-nefqa tal-Gvern dwar l-enerġija rinnovabbli hija sempliċement mhux biżżejjed, speċjalment meta wieħed iżomm f’moħħu l-fjuwil maħmuġ li se jintuża fl-estenzjoni tal-power station. Il-Gvern għandu jelabora wkoll dwar l-iskemi ta ‘assistenza għall-enerġija sostenibbli’.

‘Il-Gvern naqas milli jintroduċi miżuri fiskali fuq l-ispekulazzjoni tal-propjetà, mit- tielet propjeta vojta ‘l fuq, partikolarment meta Malta u Ghawdex huma sit tal-bini perpetwu u meta kwart tal-propjetajiet huma vojta. Mekkaniżmi fiskali għandhom jinkoraġġixxu l-kiri u l-bejgħ ta’ propjetajiet li huma miżmuma vakanti għal għanijiet ta’ spekulazzjoni u uzu ta’ bini ezistenti milli l-bini ta’ aktar postijiet’.

‘AD tappoġġja wkoll l-investiment fis-swieq tal-bdiewa u fiċ-ċentru għall-ħarsien ta’ l-annimali. Huwa wkoll pożittiv li l-Gvern jintroduċi inċentivi li jħeġġu trasport aktar nadif. S’issa d-dettalji huma vagi wisq biex nikkummentaw f’aktar dettall’.