Beyond roundabouts and flyovers

 

The need for adequate traffic management is apparently, at last, very high on the list of matters preoccupying the Maltese public. The solutions to the problems we face, however, depends on the behaviour of each and every one of us.

Traffic congestion is a constant irritation, as our roads are clogged for longer periods of time and in addition to wasting an ever-increasing amount of time in traffic, we are simultaneously constantly reducing the quality of the air we breathe.

Tackling traffic management adequately would hence address two fundamental issues: air quality and our clogged roads.

I do not dispute that improving the road network eases the flow of traffic. However, it has to be stressed that this is only a short-term measure. Adjusting the roundabout at Manwel Dimech Street in Qormi or the traffic lanes close to the airport or constructing flyovers at Kappara and Marsa will address and rationalise traffic movement now.

However, this further development of the road infrastructure is simply an encouragement for more cars to use our roads. It is only a matter of time when it will be the turn of the new developments to burst at the seams.

The present state of affairs is the direct result of the long-term neglect of transport policy. Public transport – as well as alternative means of transport – has been given the cold shoulder for far too long.

We require a transport policy that actively encourages the reduction of the number of vehicles on the road. Having around 800 cars on the road for every one thousand people in a small country is ridiculous. The small distances between localities in Malta and Gozo should make it much easier to encourage a reduction in dependence on the privately-owned car. Initiatives can be taken on a local level as well as between neighbouring localities. In such instances, it can be much easier to encourage the use of bicycles or the use of public transport or even to walk short distances: our health will surely benefit.

Isn’t it about time that we claim back ownership of our streets? We need more pedestrianised streets inaccessible to cars at any time of the day in every locality in Malta and Gozo. More streets need to be traffic-free, safe for children and parents to walk to school and back. We also need wider pavements for the use of pedestrians (not for tables and chairs to service catering establishments).

In the 2016 Budget speech, Finance Minister Edward Scicluna announced that, during 2017, government entities should be finalising sustainable transport plans. In the coming weeks these should be made public and, as a result, we expect that all government entities will commence addressing the mobility requirements of their employees and their customers. If carried out properly, this exercise could also impact on the private sector thereby (hopefully) substantially reducing a substantial number cars from our roads at peak times. In turn, this could have a considerable impact on public transport because with fewer cars on the roads, it should be more efficient.

Concurrently, government should also address the proposal to electrify the whole private transport sector through banning petrol and diesel cars from our roads, after a reasonable transition, and switching over to cars running on electricity. In Malta, this proposal was launched as part of Alternattiva Demokratika’s 2017 election manifesto. Since then, it has also been taken up by the French and UK governments. Removing petrol and diesel cars from our roads would substantially improve the quality of the air we breathe in all our localities and consequently in the long term will contribute to a considerable reduction of respiratory ailments.

This is the only way forward by which traffic is brought under serious control simultaneously ensuring sustainable mobility and improving the quality of our air.

 

published in The Malta Independent on Sunday : 10 September 2017

Il-mina bejn Malta u Għawdex

 

Ma nafx jekk il-Ministru tal-Finanzi kienx jaf x’inhu jgħid meta qal li l-feasibility study “ikkummissjonat minn Transport Malta u l-Gozo Business Chamber” dwar il-mina bejn Malta u Għawdex kien lest. Imbagħad fis-sentenza ta’ wara jgħidilna li l-pass li jmiss issa huwa l-istudju tekniku u ġeoloġiku dwar il-mina.

Il-mistoqsija toħroġ waħedha: kif tista’ tagħmel feasibility study sura, jiġifieri studju dwar jekk jaqbilx li jsir il-proġett, meta għadek ma lestejtx l-iktar studju importanti: dak ġeoloġiku.

Dan ilu żmien jingħad minn kull min jaf l-affarijiet.

Jiena ktibt dwar dan kważi ħames snin ilu.

Iktar importanti milli ktibt jien, illum tkellem mat-Times il-ġeoloġista Peter Gatt. Tkellem ukoll mat-Times nhar it-3 ta’ Frar 2011.

Dr Peter Gatt jispjega fit-Times tal-lum għaliex qabel ma jsir l-istudju ġeoloġiku ma tista’ tikkonkludi xejn. Dan l-istudju hu “a vital first step”. Dan minħabba li l-istudju ġeoloġiku, jekk isir sewwa, jidentifika l-problemi ġeoloġiċi fuq ir-rotta li tkun ser titħaffer. Min-naħa l-oħra, jispjega Dr Gatt, jekk l-istudju ma jsirx, jew ma jsirx sewwa l-ispejjes tal-proġett jimmoltiplikaw. Kif ġara, jgħidilna Dr Gatt, fil-mina bejn Delimara u l-Marsa [bejn iż-żewġ power stations] li swiet id-doppju ta’ dak ippjanat minħabba li, billi ma kienx hemm informazzjoni ġeoloġika adegwata f’idejn min fassal il-proġett, kien hemm kollass tal-blat f’diversi partijiet tal-mina.

Dr Gatt isemmi l-eżempju tal-istudju ġeoloġiku li sar bi preparazzjoni għaċ-Channel Tunnel bejn l-Ingilterra u Franza. Dan l-istudju dam 50 sena biex sar u minkejja dan, l-ispiża taċ-Channel Tunnel xorta varjat bi 80% mill-istima oriġinali.

Meta wieħed iqis dan kollu ma nafx x’feasibility study sar!

Qalulna ukoll (mhux fil-baġit) li l-mina ser tiġi tiswa madwar €250 miljun. Meta tqis l-ispejjes li jistgħu jkunu meħtieġa minħabba l-kundizzjonijiet ġeoloġiċi taħt il-Fliegu bejn Malta u Għawdex, naħseb li din l-istima hi baxxa ħafna. Fil-fatt jiena fl-artiklu tiegħi tal-2011 kont għidt li probabbilment li l-ispiża tkun bejn €1 biljun u €1.5 biljun. Dan kont ibbażajtu fuq l-ispiża stmata għall-mina bejn il-gżira Daniża ta’ Lolland u l-gżira Ġermaniża ta’ Fehmarn li kienet qed tkun diskussa f’dak iż-żmien. Għalkemm dawn huma stimi imma xorta hemm diskrepanza kbira li mhiex ġustfikata.

Hemm dawn il-problemi kollha u għandna ma bdejniex nitkellmu dwar impatti ambjentali, li minnhom hemm bosta.

Il-mina, biex issir, ser tiġġenera kwantità kbira ta’ blat imqatta. Dan ivarja skond id-diżinn u jista’ jammonta sa żewġ miljun metri kubi ta’ blat. Hemm ukoll is-siti Natura 2000 li qegħdin viċin ħafna taż-żona fejn ser tiżbokka l-mina fl-inħawi taċ-Ċumnija limiti tal-Mellieħa.

Imma l-feasibility study lest, qalilna l-Ministru!

Stennejt xi ħaġa aħjar minn Simon Busuttil

 

Fid-diskors tal-Kap tal-Opposizzjoni Simon Busuttil bi tweġiba għall-baġit issemmew qraba ta’ politiċi u dan in konnessjoni ma ħatriet f’Bordijiet fis-settur pubbliku.

Dak li ser ngħid m’huwiex rifless la fuq l-integrità tal-politiku u l-anqas tal-qarib jew qariba.

Huwa ħażin, fl-opinjoni tiegħi, li argument validu favur tmexxija tajba (good governance) jiddawwar f’battibek li jipprova jagħti l-impressjoni ta’ nuqqas ta’ integrità, b’mod partikolari meta ma hemm xejn li jagħti l-iċken indikazzjoni ta’ dan.  Għalhekk naħseb li l-Kap tal-Opposizzjoni qiegħed il-kliem b’mod żbaljat u b’hekk il-kontribut tiegħu għal diskussjoni serja dwar din il-materja kien wieħed kompletament inkorrett. Stennejt xi ħaġa aħjar minn Simon Busuttil.

Din mhiex l-ewwel darba li qraba ta’ politiċi kienu taħt l-ispotlight. Hi issue li tista’ tinqala’ minn żmien għal żmien kważi taħt kull amministrazzjoni.  Il-mistoqsija ta’ dejjem hi dwar fejn għandha tinqata’ linja.

Il-Kodiċi tal-Etika tal-Ministri, per eżempju, fir-regola 23 tiegħu jinsisti li safejn hu possibli l-Ministri (u allura anke s-Segretarji Parlamentari) għandhom jevitaw li jappuntaw qraba bħala membri tas-segretarjat privat tagħhom.

Safejn naf jiena dik hi l-unika limitazzjoni bil-kitba li hemm dwar ħatriet ta’ qraba ta’ politiċi f’Malta. Ma jfissirx imma li ħatriet oħra jistgħu jsiru, iżda jfisser li jekk ikunu ikkunsidrati għal xi ħatra oħra għandu jkun hemm attenzjoni kbira. Bil-fatt li l-Kodiċi tal-Etika tal-Ministri kważi jeskludi l-ħatriet tal-qraba mis-segretarjat privat tal-Ministru (u tas-Segretarju Parlamentari) qed jingħata messaġġ ċar li l-politiku m’għandux jaħtar lill-qraba tiegħu bħala l-għajnejn u l-widnejn tiegħu fid-dikasteru li għalih huwa responsabbli. Ir-raġuni għal dan hi ċara: id-demm qatt ma jsir semm. Il-lealtà familjari, fil-ħajja pubblika, hi ostaklu għal tmexxija tajba.

Meta qraba ta’ politiċi li jkollhom is-setgħa eżekuttiva jinħatru f’Bordijiet fl-istess Ministeru tal-politiku qarib tagħhom, jinħoloq konflitt ta’ interess reali bejn il-lealtà familjari u l-lealtà lejn id-dover pubbliku. Tipprova kemm tipprova tegħleb dan il-kunflitt, dan dejjem ser jibqa’ hemm. Huwa kunflitt reali li jitfa’ dell bla bżonn fuq il-ħidma tal-persuna li tinħatar. Għalhekk biss, kapaċi kemm ikun jew kemm tkun, dawn il-ħatriet m’għandhomx isiru u dan fl-interess tal-amministrazzjoni pubblika korretta.

Qiegħed nillimita ruħi għal ħatriet li jkunu fl-istess qasam ta’ responsabbiltà tal-politiku għax ħatriet f’oqsma oħra, anke ta’ qraba ta’ politiċi, m’għandhomx ikunu imwarrba sempliċiment għax huma qraba. Pajjiżna hu żgħir wisq u ma jistax jeskludi wisq nies minn ħatriet ta’ din ix-xorta.

Il-qarib tal-politiku li jingħata ħatra fl-istess Ministeru tal-qarib tiegħu jew tagħha qatt ma jista’ jkun gwardjan effettiv tal-interess pubbliku. Id-demm qatt ma sar semm. U mhux ser jibda illum.

Il-baġit u l-ilma

Il- baġit jiddiskuti l-Korporazzjoni għas-Servizzi tal-Ilma, iktar milli l-ilma innifsu. Jagħmel dan fil-paġni 37 u 38 tiegħu fi ħmistax il-linja.

L-ilma tal-pjan, ir-riżerva li tipprovdilna n-natura, l- baġit ftit li xejn jinteressah. Jgħidilna li għandna nnaqqsu d-dipendenza tagħna fuqu. Il-bqija, mill-baġit ma tirriżultax il-ħtieġa li nagħtu importanza lill-miżuri biex jiġi eliminat is-serq tal-ilma tal-pjan. M’hemm l-ebda referenza għall-eluf ta’ boreholes imħaffrin b’mod illegali f’kull rokna ta’ Malta u Għawdex li permezz tagħhom dan ir-riżors naturali tal-pajjiż għadu qiegħed jinsteraq għall-gwadann privat.

L-anqas imkien ma hemm referenza għall-obbligu li Malta tosserva d-Direttiva tal-EU dwar l-Ilma [Water Framework Directive] fil-politika li tiddetermina l-prezz li bih jinbiegħ l-ilma.

Fi ftit kliem l-impatti ekonomiċi ta’ din ir-riżorsa naturali huma għal darba oħra injorati minn dan il- baġit.

Wara li smajt lill-Kap tal-Opposizzjoni jwieġeb id-diskors tal-baġit, jidher li l-anqas l-Opposizzjoni ma’ jidhrilha li l-ilma hu importanti. Wara kollox x’ilna li smajna lil Simon Busuttil jiftaħar bil-proġett li permezz tiegħu l-ilma tax-xita, fil-parti l-kbira tiegħu jispiċċa l-baħar?

Il-baġit hu wieħed nej

 

Il- baġit fih diversi ingridjenti tajbin. Iżda m’humiex imħalltin tajjeb. M’hemmx ħsieb biżżejjed. L-anqas m’huma msajra biżżejjed. Kif ngħidu bil-Malti: il-baġit hu nofsu nej.

F’dan l-artiklu ser nillimita ruħi għal uħud mill-proposti ta’ natura soċjali.

Nibda bil-paga minima. F’Malta din ġiet introdotta fl-1974 mit-tieni Gvern tal-Perit Mintoff.  Dakinnhar kienet stabilita għall-ammont ta’ Lm10, jiġifieri €23.29. Ovvjament Lm10, dakinnhar, kienu jiswew u bihom kont tixtri ferm iktar mill-tixtri illum. Kull sena, din il-paga minima tiżdied b’ammont li jikkumpensa għaż-żieda fil-għoli tal-ħajja. L-ammont jitħabbar fil- baġit. Iż-żieda b’effett minn l-1 ta’ Jannar li ġej ser tkun €1.75 biex b’hekk il-paga minima għal persuna ta’ il-fuq minn tmintax-il sena għal ġimgħa xogħol ta’ 40 siegħa issa ser tkun €168.01. Ma din irid jiżdied il-bonus statutorju.

Il-paga minima teħieġ li tkun reveduta. Meta tfasslet fl-1974, tfasslet għall-ħtiġijiet ta’ dakinnhar.

Illum, wara 41 sena teħtieġ titfassal mill-ġdid skont il-ħtiġijiet tal-lum. Fil-fatt studju li kien ippubblikat mill-Caritas f’Marzu 2012 kien jistma illi hu meħtieġ li jkun hemm żieda ta’ 13.8% fil-paga minima biex l-iktar persuni vulnerabbli jingħataw in-nifs.  Ir-rapport kien intitolat A Minimum Budget for a Decent Living. A research study by Caritas Malta focusing on three low-income household categories.

Il-Gvern,(kemm dak tal-lum kif ukoll dak tal-bieraħ) ma jaqbilx ma dan. L-argument politiku tagħhom hu li bit-taħriġ u l-investiment iffokat fuq il-kisba ta’ ħiliet, ikun possibli li taqla’ l-persuni fuq il-paga minima u ċċaqlaqhom ‘il-fuq fis-sellum tal-ħajja. Din hi idea nobbli imma fil-prattika, iddum ma tagħtik ir-riżultati. Sadanittant min hu vulnerabbli jispiċċa dipendenti mill-ħarsien soċjali u għajnuniet supplimentari. Jintgħaġen fid-dipendenza. Il-paga għal dawn in-nies mhiex biżżejjed għall-minimu neċessarju tal-ħajja. In-nuqqas tal-istat li jintervjeni biex il-paga minima toffri l-protezzjoni minima meħtieġa, hu messaġġ li bix-xogħol ma tistax tgħix meta dan jitħallas bil-paga minima li għandna illum.

Huwa neċessarju li nżewġu flimkien it-taħriġ, ma’ paga minima suriet in-nies li tkun rifless tal-ħtiġijiet minimi għall-bniedem tal-lum. In-nuqqas tal- baġit li jagħraf din il-ħtieġa u jagħġina bħala parti integrali mill-viżjoni tiegħu jagħmlu l-baġit wieħed nej.

Il- baġit jirrikonoxxi l-ħtieġa li togħla l-pensjoni minima nazzjonali biex din eventwalment tasal sa 60% tad-dħul medju f’pajjiżna.  Jagħmel  l-ewwel pass  billi jipproponi żieda fil-pensjoni minima għall-dawk li għandhom il-bolol tas-sigurta soċjali mħallsa b’tali mod li l-anqas pensjoni kontributorja ser tkun €7,280 fis-sena.  Dan hu pass tajjeb. Ħadd ma jistenna li l-aġġustament meħtieġ isir kollu f’daqqa. Imma l-pensjonanti tagħna li bnew  lil Malta kif inhi illum, bi dritt jippretendu li jkun stabilit żmien raġjonevoli sa meta l-pensjoni minima nazzjonali tkun 60% tad-dħul medju f’pajjiżna. Mhux biżżejjed li l-baġit  jgħid li dan it-tragward nilħquh sal-2027. Ikun xieraq li l-pensjonanti tagħna jingħataw lura d-dinjità w ir-rispett li jistħoqilhom. Anke hawn il-baġit kien jonqsu ftit ieħor biex isir. Għadu nofsu  nej.

L-aħħar eżempju li rrid insemmi huwa dwar il-persuni b’diżabilità. Il-baġit isemmi l-ħolqien ta’ hub għal persuni b’diżabilità. Il-baġit hu xott mid-dettalji u fil-fatt jiddedika biss 6 linji għal din il-proposta fil-paġna 77 tiegħu. Dawn id-dettalji imma kienu biżżejjed biex nhar il-Ħamis li għadda, l-eks-chairman tal-Kummissjoni Nazzjonali għall-Persuni b’Diżabilità Joseph Camilleri jiddeskirivi dak propost bħala attentat biex tkun introdotta s-segregazzjoni bis-serqa (Segregation by stealth. Times of Malta, October 15, 2015).

Joseph Camilleri jargumenta li għad hawn min ma jistax jaċċetta l-fatt li l-persuni b’diżabilità ukoll għandhom l-istess aspirazzjonijiet bħal kull wieħed u waħda minna. Għaddew minn istituzzjonijiet edukattivi li taw importanza ikbar lill-inklussività, u dan b’differenza kbira minn dak li rċevew il-ġenerazzjonijiet passati.

Il-proposta fil-baġit li toħloq dan il-hub għall-persuni b’diżabilità hu għaldaqstant pass retrogradu, nieqes mill-ħsieb u huwa anke perikoluż.  Is-soċjetà Maltija tant imxiet il-quddiem, li d-Dar tal-Providenza, il-pijuniera f’Malta tal-kura għall-persuni b’diżabilità, illum il-ġurnata qed tiffoka l-enerġija tagħha fuq inizjattivi bbażati fil-komunità li joffru opportunitajiet għal għixien indipendenti lill-persuni b’diżabilità.

Anke hawn il-baġit hu nej għax huwa nieqes mill-ħsieb. Post il-persuni b’diżabilità hu magħna fil-komunità u mhux ġo gaġġa bil-vireg tad-deheb. Għax is-segregazzjoni tibqa’ gaġġa u irrispettivament mill-kwalità għolja tas-servizz mogħti, tibqa’ ħajja f’gaġġa li toqtol l-aspirazzjonijiet tal-persuni b’diżabilità. Qed nitkellmu dwar persuni, mhux dwar numri.

Għalhekk, u għal bosta raġunijiet oħra, l-baġit ta’ nhar it-Tnejn kien wieħed nofsu nej.

Ippubblikat fil-gazzetta Illum, il-Ħadd 18 t’Ottubru 2015

Traffic and the budget

The Budget acknowledges that traffic is a problem; unfortunately it fails to present a vision for the future, as Transport Malta has yet to carry out a consultation exercise.

Acknowledging that Malta’s roads are bursting at the seams is one small step in the right direction. Simultaneously, however, the Budget goes in to propose various measures, amongst which a couple which will definitely increase traffic. Providing more parking spaces, widening roads and improving junctions through the provision of flyovers will improve traffic flow, but it will also increase vehicular traffic.

It is not rocket science to conclude that a long-term plan to reduce car ownership is the only way forward. Currently, with around 341,000 cars on our roads, car ownership in Malta stands at 802 per thousand population. In contrast, the figure for the UK is 516, for Italy 682 and for the USA 786. If Malta’s car ownership profile were to be reduced to a reasonable 500 cars per 1000 population, this would signify that there are currently 130,000 more cars on our roads than is reasonable.

Given the short travelling distances in Malta, public transport should normally be sufficient for most of our needs. Car ownership has increased exponentially over the years as public transport was found lacking – even for such short distances and it  got worse over time.

The recently published White Paper by the Education Ministry pointed out how schools are affected by traffic congestion. They are not, in fact, a  cause of traffic congestion; rather, they are one of its many victims. Introducing a coordinated scheme providing school transport to serve both private and public schools could reducing traffic during rush hours.

The same could be stated in regarding the accessibility of industrial estates. If these were suitably serviced by public transport routes, a substantial reduction in traffic generation could be achieved.

The budget also refers to alternative means of transport. Reinforcing sea links across Grand Harbour between Valletta and the Three Cities as well as across Marsamxett Bay between Sliema and Valletta, could also contribute substantially to a reduction of traffic movements. Various attempts have been made over the years to restore such links but they were not as successful as had been hoped due to the fares having generally been considered as being on the high side.

Reintroducing these maritime links across the harbours on a sound footing would provide a long-term alternative public transport service that would substantially reduce travel time for all its users. However, it would not be reasonable to expect this to be completely self-financed, at least not until such time as it has attracted custom and established itself as a reliable and efficient public transport service.

The budget also encourages the use of small-capacity motorcycles by reducing their annual road licence fee to €10. This reduction would certainly be an encouragement, even though it could very easily been removed completely!  However, as was pointed out – even in the budget speech itself – such a measure can only be effective if it is reinforced by an improvement in the  behaviour of  road-users as well as through better maintenance of our roads.

Improving the use of the existing road infrastructure would be effective as a short-term measure. The proposal to introduce the “tidal lane” in a number of ours roads would  certainly reduce congestion through facilitating traffic flow. It will not, however, reduce vehicle movements.

The EU -funded study entitled The External Costs of Passenger and Commercial Vehicles Use in Malta carried out by the Institute for Climate Change and Sustainable Development at the University of Malta examined the economic impact of traffic in Malta. Such impact included not only time lost due to heavy traffic, but also excessive fuel consumed and the effect on health of the resulting air and noise pollution.  The estimated impact is substantial and add up to around four per cent of GDP. This would completely cancel out the projected 2016 increase of 3.6 per cent in Malta’s GDP.

The current extent of the traffic problem in Malta is due to the failure on the part of the state over a number of years. The mismanagement of public transport has created a vacuum, as a result of which cars have been permitted to take over our roads. Reversing the process is possible, but it will not be easy: it will require a coordinated approach and clear thinking. At the end of the day, all the measures taken must have one clear objective: replacing the private car as the preferred means of transport. It is the only way forward.

published in The Malta Independent on Sunday, 18 October 2015

Iż-żewġ verżjonijiet tal-budget

 

L-iżbalji jagħmilhom kulħadd. Peró fuq materji ta’ serjetà kbira bħalma hu l-budget hemm Dipartiment sħiħ tal-Gvern li suppost għandu jnaqqas il-possibilità ta’ żbalji kbar.

L-iżball jidher li kien illi l-verżjoni tad-diskors li ttieħdet biex tkun stampata kienet waħda bikrija, u mhux l-aħħar waħda. Bil-konsegwenza li l-kopja tad-diskors li ngħatat kmieni lill-Opposizzjoni kif ukoll dik li tqegħdet fuq il-mejda tal-Parlament kienet il-kopja żbaljata. Anke l-kopja li għal xi ħin kienet online kienet dik żbaljat.

Id-diskrepanza eżatta għadni ma nafx x’inhi imma jidher li hemm differenza ta’ madwar 50 miżura bejn iż-żewġ verżjonijiet tal-budget. Matul il-ġranet u l-ġimgħat li ġejjin, bla dubju nisimgħu iktar dwar dawn id-diskrepanzi.

Konna nafu li nqala’ xi ħaġa għax sal-ħin li qed nikteb dan il-blogpost għad m’għandix kopja stampata tad-dokumenti tal-budget. Qed nagħmel użu mill-verżjoni elettronika li kif tafu mhux dejjem hi l-aħjar verżjoni li tuża meta tkun qed tagħmel użu minnha fit-tul.

Il-Ministru Scicluna m’għandu l-ebda tort li sar l-iżball. Peró seta evita li jħalli l-inċident jikber kieku spjega mill-ewwel x’ġara nhar it-Tnejn qabel ma beda jaqra l-budget.

Bla dubju, daqsxejn umiltà kienet tagħmel il-ġid.

 

BAĠIT NOFSU NEJ

Alternattiva Demokratika tħoss li filwaqt li il-baġit fih miżuri fid-direzzjoni t-tajba, dawn il-miżuri ma jmorrux lilhinn biżżejjed biex l-impatt taghhom ikun iktar deċiziv u dejjiemi. Għalhekk hu nofsu nej.

Fuq livell socjali, jibqa’ l-fatt li l-Gvern qed jibqa’ jħalli lil min għadu fuq paga minima li jiddependi mill-ġenerożita` ta’ baġit wara ieħor biex jinqala’ mir-riskju tal-faqar. Huwa ta’ għajb li wara 40 sena għadha qatt ma saret valutazzjoni tal-paga minima biex tigi aġġornata għaż-żminijiet tal-lum kif issuġġeriet il-Caritas ftit tas-snin ilu meta pproponiet li il-paga minima kien jeħiġilha tiżdied b’madwar 13% biex il-persuni vulnerabbli jkollhom lqugħ xieraq. Inħossu wkoll li l-pass li ntagħżel mill-Gvern fl-implimetazzjoni tar-rakkomandazzjoni biex il-pensjoni minima nazzjonali tkun 60% tad-dħul medju nazzjonali, ser timxi bil-mod wisq. Din il-mira għandha bżonn tkun mgħaġġla iktar sabiex iktar pensjonanti jintrefgħu mir-riskju ta’ faqar iktar malajr.

Fuq livell ambjentali, il-Gvern qed jagħti messaġġi konfliġġenti. Filwaqt li jirrikonoxxi l-problema tat-traffiku, fl-istess ħin titkellem fuq infieq infrastrutturali u iktar parkeġġ li jagħmilha iktar faċli biex it-traffiku jiżdied, mhux jonqos. Daqstant ieħor ma nistgħux naqblu mat-traħħis tal-fuel, li għaldaqstant jinċentiva flok jidiżinċentiva l-użu tal-karozzi. AD ma tistax tifhem kif b’miżuri bħal dawn il-Gvern qatt jista’ jnaqqas l-ammont ta’ 40 karozza ġdida kuljum fit-toroq tagħna. AD tħoss li il-Gvern kellu jħalli l-prezz tal-fuel kif kien sabiex dak li jdaħħal minn din il-miżura jużah għal titjib bżonnjuż fis-servizz tat-trasport pubbliku u s-sostenn ta’ forom alternattivi ta’ trasport.

Mhux biżżejjed li jingħataw inċentivi fiskali zgħar għar-roti u roti elettriċi mingħajr ma jsir investiment sostanzjali fuq infrastruttura serja. Hija daħka fil-wiċċ li l-Gvern jalloka 30,000 euro lill- Kunsilli Lokali għal dan il-għan li jammonta għal miżerja ta’ 450 euro għal kull wieħed mis-67 Kunsill Lokali.

Hemm bżonn li l-Gvern jiftakar li filwaqt li huwa pożittiv li l-GDP ta’ pajjizna huwa proġettat li jiżdied bi 3.6%, is-sitwazzjoni drammatika tat-traffiku qed tispiċċa tiekol madwar tlieta fil-mija minnu.

Il-miżuri biex jiġu riġenerati ċ-ċentri urbani permezz ta’ inċentivi li jiffaċilitaw id-dħul fis-suq ta’ propjetajiet vakanti minħabba tilwim dwar eredità` huwa pożittiv. Iżda nħossu li seta’ sar iktar billi jiġu ndirizzati kategoriji oħra bħal ngħidu aħna propjetajiet li n-numru ta’ eredi tagħhom huwa kbir u li jkun kważi impossibbli li jkun hemm qbil bejniethom jekk ma jkunx hemm inċentivi fiskali.

L-introduzzjoni tat-taxxa fuq it-turiżmu hija pożittiva. Fl-istess waqt, m’għandhomx ikunu l-MHRA biss li jikkomponu l-Fondazzjoni li tamministra l-fondi. Hemm bżonn li jkunu involuti prinċipalment il-komunitajiet permezz tal-Kunsilli Lokali.

Huwa skandaluż kif il-baġit ma jsemmi xejn fuq is-sostenibbilta` fl-użu tal-ilma u s-serq tal-ilma tal-pjan permezz ta’ boreholes illegali. Nuqqas ta’ politika ċara u skjetta fuq l-ilma hija ta’ theddida għall-futur sostenibbli ta’ pajjiżna u għandha effetti ekonomiċi kbar.

Fuq il-prekarjat, il-Gvern m’għamel xejn iktar ħlief li ndirizza l-pjaga li inħolqot mill-Gvern stess permezz tas-sistema tat-tendering. Iz-zero hour contract li wkoll huwa s-sors tal-prekarjat baqa’ ma ġiex indirizzat.

B’sodisfazzjon ninnutaw li l-qagħad naqas anke permezz ta’ programmi bħall-Youth Guarantee. Filwaqt li huwa tajjeb li child care centres ser jiżdiedu, nħeġġu lill-gvern biex jinvesti ukoll fil-kwalita` tas-servizz mhux biss il-kwantita`.

Kollox ma kollox, filwaqt li il-bagit fih miżuri pożittivi, jidher ċar li l-Gvern mhux qed jisfrutta it-tkabbir ekonomiku li jiftaħar bih biex jagħlef viżjoni iktar ambizzjuża.

***Joseph u l-istilel tas-settur privat***

Qed isiru diversi laqgħat minn esponenti tal-Gvern mal-korpi kostitwiti bl-iskop li jiddiskutu miżuri li għandhom ikunu kkunsidrati fil-Budget li ġej, ġimgħatejn oħra.

F’laqgħa li l-Prim Ministru Joseph Muscat kellu l-bieraħ mal-MHRA (l-Assoċjazzjoni Maltija għal-Lukandi u r-Restoranti) il-Prim Ministru hu rappurtat mill-Malta Independent li qal li ma jistax ikollok lukanda ta’ sitt stilel imbagħad ambjent ta’ tlett stilel madwarha.

Inews ikkwota lill-Prim Ministru jgħid hekk: “meta jiżdiedu t-turisti donnu ż-żibel ma jinġabarx u din issa se tkun fuq l-aġenda”.

Billi kellu lil Winston Zahra (President tal-MHRA) quddiemu, u lil Edward Zammit Lewis Ministru tat-Turiżmu ħdejh kien ikun għaqli kieku l-Prim Ministru staqsihom ftit biex jgħidulu x’jagħmlu r-ristoranti bl-iskart li jiġġeneraw, primarjament fiż-żoni turistiċi.

Seta staqsihom jekk hux veru li dawn fil-liċenzja tagħhom li toħrog l-Awtorità Maltija tat-Turiżmu (MTA) għandhom kundizzjoni li teħtieġilhom li jkollhom kuntratt ma’ operatur privat tal-iskart (li jħallsuh huma) li jieħu ħsieb jiġbor l-iskart li huma jkunu ġġeneraw u jiddisponi minnu.

Dan l-obbligu li għandhom is-sidien tar-restoranti qiegħed jiġi onorat? 

Il-Ministru tat-Turiżmu naħseb li jaf li l-MTA f’diversi lokalitajiet m’hiex tinforza din il-kundizzjoni tal-liċenzja. Minflok  l-iskart iġġenerat qed jispiċċa fit-toroq, piz żejjed fuq il-Kunsilli Lokali. Tajjeb hekk Joseph? Dan m’huwiex servizz ta’ tlett stilel mis-settur privat. Għax l-anqas jikkwalifika għal stilla waħda.

Joseph jekk irid jista’ jdur dawra għall-għarrieda u jkun jista’ jara b’għajnejh. Forsi l-ħmar ma jibqax iwaħħal f’dembu. Imbagħad naraw min jara l-istilel.

Għax qabel ma jigglorifika lis-settur privat ikun aħjar kieku Joseph jara li dawn jerfgħu r-responsabbiltajiet tagħhom.

 

 

 

Transport planning : a long-term view required

 

The pre-budget document for 2016 published by the Finance Ministry projects a real GDP increase of 3.2 per cent the year 2016, yet at least half of this projected increase will be wiped out as a result of the impact of traffic congestion in the Maltese Islands.

In fact, earlier this year the University of Malta’s Institute for Climate Change and Sustainable Development published an EU funded study entitled The External Costs of Passenger and Commercial Vehicles Use in Malta. This study estimated that 1.7 per cent of our GDP is wasted annually as a result of traffic congestion, a conclusion reached after taking into account both the fuel wasted as well as the time lost.

It is in this context that one has to consider the Education Ministry’s White Paper entitled School Opening Hours and Traffic Congestion, published earlier this week. Unfortunately, the Education Ministry had to fill the void created by the Transport Ministry.

Traffic congestion is not caused by school transport alone – this is just one of many causes. The solution advocated by the Transport Ministry over the years has been to focus on the effects rather than the causes, with the result of even more space being ceded to cars. It has opened up more roads, widened existing ones and introduced flyovers. These “solutions” have encouraged more cars so that our roads are now bursting at the seams, with 340,981 licensed vehicles on the road at the end of the second quarter of this year.

This translates into 802 cars per thousand population, and most probably is the highest vehicle ownership profile in the world. It is even higher than the vehicle ownership profile of the USA (786). Comparing it to other EU countries, the figure for Italy is 682, the UK 516, Spain 592 and Switzerland 573. Even Luxembourg – at  741 per thousand is lower than Malta.

Such a large number of cars is not an indication of affluence. It is rather a clear indication of the failure of the state of Malta to realise that the smallness of these islands was an untapped benefit in developing policies that ensure sustainable access.

It is clear that, over the years, the state of public transport has been the single biggest incentive to private car ownership and use. Cars have been allowed to fill the void and take over our streets.

The cumulative impacts of this take-over has been a reduced access to public spaces in our towns and villages, a general deterioration of air quality and the associated respiratory diseases and accelerated urban decay in such areas as Pietà, Ħamrun, Msida, Paola, Fgura and Marsa.

This present state of affairs is the result of a lack of long-term planning. Transport planners in Malta preferred the easy way out: the construction of new roads, tunnels and flyovers engulfing more land as well as the creation of more parking spaces. The resulting impact compounded the problem: In the 25 years since 1990, the number of vehicles on the Maltese Islands roads increased by a staggering 145 per cent.

The situation was made worse by the removal of a number of bus termini in a number of localities, the decisions to build a number of schools in the middle of nowhere and having industrial zones not serviced by public transport.

In addition, the lack of enforcement of speed limits for vehicles making use of our roads served to squeeze out bicycles and small motorcycles as alternative means of transport.

This is the situation which has to be addressed.

The long term solution is an efficient public transport system and a corresponding decrease in the number of vehicles on the road.

The White Paper published by the Education Ministry is one such exercise, intended to reduce the number of vehicles on the road as a result of ferrying school children to and from schools in their parents’ private cars.

Better organisation of school transport, as well as more incentives to encourage its use, is a definite step forward. In addition, the  Education Ministry could try to ensure that the catchment areas of its secondary schools are not spread over a very wide area as this is one other contributory factor that has not yet been identified as an additional culprit.

The debate, however, has to be much wider than schools, because, at the end of the day, our schools are just victims of the accumulated lack of transport planning.

published in The Malta Independent on Sunday – 6th September 2015