Charity: supplementing the welfare state

We are long past the day when charity was the only help available for those in need and the vulnerable! Over the past days I have come across a number of comments on the social media pointing out that if we pay taxes there is no room for charity. These comments emphasise that our taxes, funding the welfare state, should be enough to assist those in need and the vulnerable. Unfortunately, reality is quite a different matter, as we can see day in day out.

The welfare state may be just enough for the average person. But it is not sufficient, as no one fits the average person!  The welfare state, as most other state initiatives, is generally a one size fits all exercise, supplemented in specific circumstances.

Individual and institutional charitable acts and initiatives supplement and buttress the welfare state. This has been going on for years. In fact, charity and charitable institutions preceded the advent of social services by many years.  Unfortunately, it has been identified, over the years, that a number of people slip through the protective net of the welfare state. In such instances charity and the initiatives of charitable institutions are indispensable.

Christmas time, the solidarity season, is when all this comes to the fore. L-Istrina on Boxing Day, the Franciscan soup kitchen initiative in Valletta, the Siġġiewi Dar tal-Providenza, Hospice Malta and Puttinu Cares are some of the very worthy charitable initiatives which over the years have bridged the gap and reached many of the neglected corners of social needs in Malta.

It is right to supplement the welfare state in the short term. However, in the longer term, the welfare state should be tweaked in order that its reach is extended to the neglected corners which are identified from time to time.

One can say that, in a sense, charity and charitable institutions are the red light which indicate areas where the welfare state has so far failed to make a difference.

Personalisation of welfare, when this is possible, generally makes the difference on the effectiveness of welfare.

Consider, for example, the Franciscan soup kitchen initiative which has been launched in the past months in Valletta.  It started off as a soup kitchen providing a hot meal to those who need it: some 90 persons every day. The availability of facilities for taking a shower as well as the services of a psychologist are being added, as a result addressing this basic neglect of human dignity which our effluent society has developed. In the process it may be possible to identify, and in some cases address the root cause as a result of which, some of us are not being protected by the welfare net.

L-Istrina on Boxing Day funds the Community Chest Fund, now incorporated as a foundation. The Community Chest Fund, under the direction of the Presidency of the Republic, throughout the year supplements the gaps of the health authorities, primarily through funding expensive medication and supplementing the assistance received from the state by those seeking medical treatment abroad.

Apparently, I am informed, the Community Chest Fund is no longer distributing white goods nor is it offering scholarships. Fortunately, the Presidency has the capability of learning through the mistakes of its past occupants.

On the other hand, the health authorities should pull their socks and start shouldering the expense due for these expensive medicines. Is not this why taxes are paid? Should the health service be reliant on charitable donations in the long run?

This leads to one crucial issue: taxation.  Parliamentary political parties have for some years been competing in dishing out promises of tax reductions. It has to be underlined that without adequate funding the welfare state cannot keep up with the needs of the vulnerable and the neglected amongst us.

Taxes have to be reasonable but they have to be collected.  Addressing adequately tax evasion, including that encouraged by the state, would go a long way in funding the welfare state gaps.

This would not eliminate the need for charity and charitable institutions. They are here to stay, being an integral part of our society. Rather, they will have more time and resources to identify and address other areas which the welfare state, inadvertently, ignores or neglects.

published in The Malta Independent on Sunday: 2 January 2022

Il-Milied it-Tajjeb

Illum, Jum il-Milied, hu Jum is-Solidarjetà. Fi ftit kliem hu żmien fejn infittxu iktar mis-soltu li nagħtu l-għajnuna lil min jeħtieġa.

Mhux biss lil ta’ madwarna, imma iktar lil hinn ukoll.

Dan hu is-sinifikat ta’ riflessjoni fuq il-ġrajjiet ta’ 2000 sena ilu meta Betlehem kienet full-up, ma kienx hemm post għal min kellu bżonn saqaf sigur fuq rasu.

Fost affarijiet oħra l-Milied it-Tajjeb ifisser li Malta mhiex bħal Betlehem ta’ 2000 sena ilu, mhiex full-up. Dejjem hemm spazju fejn ngħinu lil min jeħtieġ.

Awguri ghal Milied hieni u sena mimilja risq.

Il-pandemija u l-kummerċ tal-Milied

Bħala riżultat tal-pandemija Covid-19, dan il-Milied ser ikun wieħed differenti minn dawk li ġew qablu.  Normalment il-Milied  huwa ż-żmien meta  nissoċjaliżżaw iktar mill-bqija tas-sena. Żmien li fih niltaqgħu iktar mal-ħbieb u mal-familjari. Huwa ż-żmien li fih hu normali li niltaqgħu fi gruppi għal attivitajiet differenti.  

Dan hu kompletament bil-maqlub tal-mod kif issa jeħtieġ li naġixxu biex nikkumbattu kontra l-coronavirus. Li nnaqqsu drastikament u possibilment nevitaw il-kuntatti tagħna hu l-minimu meħtieġ f’dawn iċ-ċirkustanzi biex tonqos l-imxija tal-coronavirus.  Bosta minna hekk jagħmlu, minkejja li l-Gvern kontinwament jagħtina sinjali konfliġġenti.   

Wieħed minn dawn is-sinjali konfliġġenti ngħata waqt il-konferenza stampa biex ikun imniedi  Christmas in the City iktar kmieni din il-ġimgħa. Il-Ministri  Josè Herrera u Julia Farrugia-Portelli, imwieżna miċ-Chairman tas-Super One Jason Micallef, u oħrajn, tkellmu dwar il-ħinijiet tax-xiri u dwar kemm ser ikun faċli l-parking għal min jitħajjar imur il-Belt biex jixtri r-rigali tal-Milied. L-ispirtu tal-Milied xejn ma jiddependi mis-siegħat ta’ xiri fil-ħwienet. L-anqas ma jiddependi minn kemm ikollna aċċess faċli għall-parking.  

Is-sinifikat propju tal-Milied hu tal-istaġun tas-solidarjetà li fiċ-ċirkustanzi preżenti, maħluqa mill-pandemija, hu importanti iktar minn qatt qabel.

Fl-istess ħin li l-Ministri Herrera u Farrugia-Portelli kienu kienu qed jitkellmu dwar Christmas in the City, epidemologisti kienu qed iwissuna li matul ix-xahar ta’ Diċembru r-rata tal-imwiet f’Malta mill-Covid-19 mistenni li tiżdied bi tlett darbiet: minn żewgt imwiet kuljum għal sitta kuljum. In-numru tal-imwiet mill-Covid-19 diġa żdied b’mod konsiderevoli sa minn meta tnaqqsu r-restrizzjonijiet f’Lulju li għadda. Fil-ħin li qed nikteb in-numru ta’ mwiet ħtija tal-Covid-19 laħaq il-108, u sa x’ħin dan l-artiklu jinqara n-numru sfortunatament ikompli jikber.

Fid-dawl ta’ dan ma jagħmilx sens li tistieden lin-nies biex jinżlu l-Belt għax-xiri tar-rigali tal-Milied. Huwa l-waqt li nagħmlu eżatt bil-maqlub:  innaqqsu l-moviment tan-nies bit-tama li dan jgħin fit-trażżin tal-pandemija.  Huwa dan li messu qed iħeġġeġ il-Gvern.

Ikoll nirrikonoxxu li l-pandemija kellha impatt qawwi u negattiv fuq l-għixien ta’ bosta.  Is-setturi tal-ikel u tal-ospitalità  kellhom sfida qawwija matul ix-xhur tas-sajf. Iż-żmien meta normalment imorru tajjeb, kien iż-żmien meta qalgħu l-ikbar daqqa.  Iktar ma noqorbu lejn il-Milied mhux talli l-pandemija ma naqqsitx, talli donna iktar irrankat. L-irkupru ekonomiku jidher li għad baqalu.

In-numru ta’ dawk li qed ikunu infettati qiegħed jikber.  Fl-istess ħin lkoll nifhmu li l-iskop wara x-xewqa li jkunu mħajra n-nies lejn il-Belt u ċ-ċentri kummerċjali hi motivata mill-ħtieġa tad-dinja tal-kummerċ biex ittaffi d-daqqa li qalgħet billi tipprova issarraf ftit mill-kummerċ li normalment jiġġenera l-Milied. Il-konsiderazzjonijiet ta’ saħħa, imma, għandhom dejjem jibqgħu l-prijorità: issa mhux iż-żmien li jkunu nkoraġġiti l-ebda tip ta’ celebrazzjonijiet.  Flok ma ninkoraġixxu lin-nies biex tersaq lejn ic-ċentri kummerċjali l-Gvern għandu jkun fuq quddiem biex iħeġġeġ l-attenzjoni u prudenza. Mhux Ministru wieħed, imma l-Gvern kollu! Il-vouchers, l-għotjiet, l-għajnuniet u s-supplimenti għall-pagi li l-Gvern qed iqassam f’isimna lkoll, wara kollox, għandhom l-iskop li jtaffu dan il-piz li nħoloq bħala riżultat tal-pandemija.

Għalfejn f’dan il-mument kritiku narmu l-kisbiet li ġibna bis-sagrifiċċji ta’ bosta? Għax huwa dan li nkunu qed nagħmlu kull meta jingħata ħjiel li wara kollox tajjeb li ninġabru u niċċelebraw. Issa mhux il-waqt għal dan.

Il-Covid-19 mhux ser joqtol il-Milied jekk inqas nies jixtru ir-rigali! L-ispirtu tal-Milied ma jitkejjilx  mill-volum ta’ rigali li jinxtraw imma minn kemm aħna kapaċi nkun solidali mal-vulnerabbli tal-lum.

U issa?

L-ikbar att ta’ solidarjetà, bħalissa, hu li harsu lill-vulnerabbli fostna billi nimxu mad-direttivi tal-awtoritajiet tas-saħħa intenzjonati biex iżommu lill-pandemija milli tkompli tixtered.  Il-vaċċin jidher li hu fil-qrib. Dan inissel tama li possibilment matul l-ewwel nofs tas-sena l-ġdida nibdew l-ewwel passi fil-mixja bil-mod lejn in-normalità.  

Imma sadakinnhar hu obbligu tagħna li nħarsu kemm lilna nfusna kif ukoll lil ħaddieħor b’imġieba prudenti. Din hi s-solidarjetà prattika li dan l-istaġun tal-Milied jistenna minn għandna.

Ippubblikat fuq Illum: il-Ħadd 22 ta’ Novembru 2020

Covid-19 and the City

As a result of the Covid-19 pandemic, this Christmas is essentially different from all past ones.

Christmas is normally time for meeting with friends and family, for socialising. It is the time when we normally gather in large groups for a variety of purposes. This is exactly the opposite of what is required to combat the spread of the coronavirus. Avoiding and reducing unnecessary contacts to the bare minimum helps to prevent the further spread of Covid-19. That is what we all say and believe, notwithstanding government’s continuous conflicting signals. 

One of the last such conflicting signals was given during a Press Conference launching Christmas in the City earlier this week. Ministers Josè Herrera and Julia Farrugia-Portelli, buttressed by Super One Chairman Jason Micallef and others spoke about shopping hours and parking requirements when launching Christmas in the City.  The Christmas spirit is not dependent on shopping hours, nor does it have any parking requirements.

In my book Christmas is the solidarity season which in the context of the current Covid-19 pandemic assumes additional significance.

Almost simultaneously with the Christmas in the City launching, epidemiologists were warning us that the daily number of deaths from Covid-19 in Malta was expected to triple during the month of December: from two to six deaths daily. At the time of writing the Covid-19 death count is 106 and rising. The death count has increased substantially since restrictions were reduced in July 2020.

Within this context it is not on to encourage large numbers to descend on Valletta for their Christmas shopping. It is the time to do exactly the opposite: discourage movements, hoping that as a result, movements are restricted to the bear minimum.

All of us acknowledge that Covid-19 has seriously impacted the livelihood of many. Economic sectors such as the food and the hospitality industries have experienced severe challenges during the summer season, when ordinarily this business would have been booming. As we approach Christmas, the pandemic not only does not show any sign of slowing down: it may well spike once more. An opportunity for economic recovery remains under threat.

More people are succumbing to the virus every day. The desire to draw people to Valletta and other commercial centres in an effort to tap the Christmas spirit for commercial gain, thereby providing a lifeline to businesses is understandable. Health considerations should however take priority: now is however not the time to encourage celebrations of whatever nature. Instead of encouraging people to get out to the commercial centres, government should encourage more cautious behaviour. Government handouts and wage supplements have the specific purpose of helping shoulder the burden created by all this.

Why do we threaten the sacrifices of the many at this critical time by encouraging unreasonable behaviour?

Covid-19 will not kill Christmas if fewer people do their Christmas shopping. The Christmas spirit is not measured in terms of the volume of Christmas shopping but in terms of our acts of solidarity.

Where do we go from here?

The greatest act of solidarity, at this time, is to protect the vulnerable amongst us by following the advice of the health authorities intended to contain the Covid-19 spread as much as possible. A vaccine may be on the horizon, possibly heralding the beginning of a slow return to normality in the first half of the new year.

Until then, it is our duty to take care of ourselves and others by ensuring cautious behaviour. This is the practical solidarity expected from all of us this Christmas season.

published in The Malta Independent on Sunday : 21 November 2020

Fil-festa tal-Milied: l-ipokrezija madwarna

Għal uħud il-ġranet tal-Milied huma festa ta’ rigali u divertiment. Bonanza ta’ kummerċ.

Imma forsi hemm min hu konxju li l-Milied li nikkommemoraw ukoll bil-presepju hu ukoll okkazjoni ta’ reflessjoni dwar l-għar ta’ Betlehem: dwar kif u għaliex bnedmin iwarrbu u jistmerru lill-oħrajn.

Il-Milied hu ukoll il-festa tar-refuġjati u tal-immigranti madwarna maħrubin minn pajjiżhom għal elf raġuni: persekuzzjoni, faqar, tiftix ta’ ħajja aħjar.

Il-presepju hu xbieha ta’ familja li m’għandiex saqaf fuq rasha u sabitu fi stalla qalb l-annimali. L-istatwi fil-presepju huma riflessjoni ta’ din ir-realtà li għadha magħna u tibqa’ minkejja kull progress li niftaħru bih.

F’dawn il-ġranet tal-Milied aħna u nosservaw il-biżibilju presepji fil-gżejjer Maltin ikun tajjeb jekk nirriflettu ftit kif naħsbuha fuq ir-refuġjati u l-immigranti fostna.

Il-Milied it-tajjeb.

Il-Milied it-tajjeb

Nawgura l-Milied it-tajjeb lil kulħadd. Nawgura li l-ispirtu tal-Milied idum iktar minn 24 siegħa u li dan jinfirex matul is-sena kollha.

Il-Milied għandu jfisser sliem u solidarjetà, li lkoll ngħixu bħal aħwa.

Għalhekk nawguralkom li l-valuri tal-Milied inġorruhom magħna matul is-sena kollha, matul kull wieħed mit-365 jum tas-sena 2018.

Il-Milied it-tajjeb lil kulħadd: kemm lil dawk ta’ rieda tajba kif ukoll li dawk li m’għandhomx rieda tajba. Għax dawk ta’ bla rieda tajba huma l-iktar li-għandhom ħtiega li jiddakkru mill-ispirtu tal-Milied.

Solidarjetá staġjonali?

Is-solidarjetá, bla dubju, hi waħda mill-karatteristiċi ewlenin ta’ pajjiżna f’dan iż-żmien tas-sena. Dan hu tajjeb u ilu hekk għal żmien twil.

Din is-solidarjetá timmanifesta ruħha b’diversi modi, imma prinċipalment permezz tal-ġenerożitá, bosta drabi qawwija, favur kawżi ġusti. Matul dawn il-ġranet, isir ġbir sostanzjali għall-Community Chest Fund, għad-Dar tal-Providenza u anke għal diversi kawżi ġusti oħra. Hi solidarjetá staġjonali, solidarjetá għax-xahar tal-Milied.

Filwaqt li dan huwa kollu pożittiv, ikun tajjeb kieku naħsbu ftit kif nistgħu mmorru lil hin minn solidarjetá staġjonali, għal solidarjetá li tkun preżenti fl-istaġuni kollha. Għax filwaqt li hu tajjeb li fi żmien il-Milied nieqfu ftit u ndaħħlu jdejna fil-but biex inkunu ta’ għajnuna għal min għandu bżonnha, ikun floku iktar jekk nirrealizzaw li l-ħtieġa għall-għajnuna qegħda hemm fil-bqija tal-ġranet tas-sena ukoll. Għax is-sena fiha 364 jum ieħor, barra mill-Milied! U f’sena bħall-2016, ikun hemm ġurnata żejda ukoll.

Il-ħajja hi mgħaġġla. Fl-inħawi mibnijin b’mod intensiv f’dawn l-aħħar snin, naqas sewwa s-sens ta’ komunitá li kienet tinħass ferm iktar meta l-komunitajiet fl-ibliet u l-irħula tagħna kienu ħafna iżgħar milli huma illum. Fi blokki kbar ta’ flats, wieħed ħdejn l-ieħor, ħafna drabi qieshom gallinari tal-konkos, illum l-individwu jintilef fil-massa u mhux dejjem faċli li nindunaw b’dawk fostna li jkunu jeħtieġu l-għajnuna fil-mument li dawn ikunu jeħtiġuha. Ħafna drabi, lanqas ma huwa possibli li dawk li jmexxu s-servizzi li jipprovdi l-istat jindunaw mill-ewwel b’dawk li jkunu jeħtieġu l-għajnuna.

Il-Kunsilli Lokali jista’ jkollhom rwol importanti f’dan ir-rigward. Rwol li uħud minnhom, minkejja l-limitazzjoni ta’ riżorsi, diġa qed jippruvaw jiżviluppaw bil-mod. Mertu għal dan, huwa s-sens ta’ inizjattiva li għandhom uħud mill-kunsilliera lokali tagħna u l-imħabba tagħhom lejn lokalitajiet ħajjin li jagħtu kontribut siewi biex jissaħħu l-egħruq tal-komunitajiet tagħna . Għax il-politika soċjali, biex tkun mill-iktar effettiva, teħtieġ li tkun applikata l-iktar viċin possibli tal-egħruq tas-soċjetá. Hemmhekk, fejn il-biki jinstema’ mill-viċin u fejn l-uġiegħ jinħass sewwa.

Il-biki u l-krib ta’ min qiegħed ibati u l-uġiegħ tal-imġarrab ma jeżistux biss fil-ġranet tal-Milied. Jeżistu ukoll matul l-istaġuni l-oħra, meta l-parti l-kbira tagħna, inkunu għaddejjin bil-ħajja “normali”.

Anke f’dawk il-ġranet hemm ħtieġa tas-solidarjetá.   Għax l-ispirtu tal-Milied għandu japplika matul is-sena kollha.

Ippubblikat fuq Illum – Is-Sibt 24 ta’ Diċembru 2016

Deheb, inċens u birra

Is-sinifikat tal-Milied inbidel drastikament tul is-snin. Minn festa reliġjuża assoċjata mal-paċi u s-solidarjetá, illum il-ġurnata, donnu li iktar assumiet tifsira ta’ xalar, divertiment u rigali. Mhux għal kulħadd.

Anke jekk il-paċi u s-solidarjetá mhumiex xi monopolju reliġjuż. Hemm mumenti fejn is-sinifikat tas-solidarjetá jidwi, imma sfortunatament jgħaddu l-festi u ftit jew wisq jintesa. Sa sena oħra.

Flok id-deheb, l-inċens u l-mirra li jingħad illi ġarrew is-slaten magi illum issir l-adorazzjoni tad-deheb, l-inċens u l-birra. Id-deheb simbolu tal-korruzzjoni, l-inċens simbolu tal-adorazzjoni tal-poter u l-birra li tissimbolizza x-xalar eċċessiv.

Is-solidarjetá żmiena s-sena kollha, mhux biss fil-ġranet tal-Milied.

Il-Milied it-tajjeb lil kulħadd.

 

 

 

 

Il-Milied it-tajjeb

Nawgura l-Milied it-tajjeb lil kulħadd. Milied li jġib is-sliem. Sliem dejjiemi.

Festa tas-solidarjetà, mhux festa ta’ kummerċ.

Hi ħasra li l-messaġġ reali tal-Milied, ingeżwer kif inhu fit-tlellix, jintilef wara ftit siegħat biex jerga’ jitfaċċa sena oħra. Hemm bżonn li l-valuri tal-Milied, s-sliem u s-solidarjetà, jkunu ċċelebrati kuljum, 366 darba matul is-sena 2016.  Il-Milied it-tajjeb lil kulħadd: kemm lil dawk ta’ rieda tajba kif ukoll li dawk ta’ mingħajr rieda tajba.

 

 

Il-Milied it-tajjeb

Hu tajjeb li dawn il-ġranet ikunu dejjem iktar festa ta’ solidarjetà. Imma is-solidarjetà huwa meħtieġ li tinfirex b’mod konsistenti matul il-bqija tas-sena ukoll.

Għax is-solidarjetà u s-sliem huma l-unika sinifikat veru ta’ dawn il-ġranet. Mhux xieraq li f’dawn il-ġranet nuża l-ispazju għal argumenti u polemiċi. Avolja anke s-solidarjetà u s-sliem huma sors ta’ polemika.

Il-Milied it-Tajjeb.