Beyond GDP

“The GDP measures everything except that which makes life worthwhile.” This was stated by Robert Kennedy at the University of Kansas 52 years ago in what is known as his GDP speech!

In what was a highly charged US Presidential campaign, during which he was assassinated, Robert Kennedy had further explained that the GDP “does not allow for the health of our children, the quality of their education or the joy of their play.  It does not include the beauty of our poetry or the strength of our marriages, the intelligence of our public debate or the integrity of our public officials.  It measures neither our wit nor our courage, neither our wisdom nor our learning, neither our compassion nor our devotion to our country.”

We may use different language or emphasise different aspects to explain the problem, but not much has changed since: The GDP measures everything except that which makes life worthwhile!

Pursuing economic growth as the single most important policy goal is in conflict with the earth’s limited resource base. It contrasts with the fragile ecosystem of which we are a part and on which we depend for our survival.

Economic growth is supposed to deliver prosperity. Instead it has delivered unbridled climate change, fuel insecurity, sky-high commodity prices, collapsing biodiversity, reduced access to depleted water resources or clean air, and an ever-increasing global inequality. Is this measured by the GDP? Definitely not.

The GDP is just concerned with material wealth, ignoring in the process our health, our education, the safety of our streets, the social tissue of society, the state of our families, the devastation caused by all forms of hatred …………… GDP includes the production of armaments and the destruction of the environment carried out in the name of “progress” as well as the television programmes that glorify violence in order to sell toys to our children.

The earth’s resources are limited and, consequently, they cannot fuel infinite economic growth. There are practical limits to growth, which should lead our economic planners to consider decoupling prosperity and economic growth.

This is the context in which Greens welcome the Justice and Peace Commission of the Church in Malta looking beyond the GDP. It is welcome not only because it is the correct approach but also because we have been at it for so long, mostly practically on our own.

The 54 page published Church Commission study entitled Beyond GDP – A framework to gauge Malta’s success through quality of life justifiably argues that limiting ourselves to gauging progress through the use of the GDP leads to a situation where other factors leading to a satisfactory quality of life can be easily disregarded.

The study, supported by EY, APS Bank and Seed Consultancy is a very valid contribution to a mature political debate which we lack so much.

The insistence that we should go beyond GDP in gauging our quality of life is not an exercise in diminishing the importance of the economy. Rather, it signifies the determination that the economy should not be seen in isolation but that it should be viewed within a realistic context. Social, environmental and cultural dimensions are extremely relevant, as much as economics, in the gauging of our wellness, or the lack of it.

A more just economy needs to look at the bigger picture and not limit itself to the GDP to get its bearings right. This is another way of emphasising the need for a sustainable development, a term which is much in use nowadays but unfortunately not sufficiently understood or catered for. Going beyond GDP in measuring our state of wellness would definitely yield more realistic indicators which we urgently require. 

Published in the Malta Independent on Sunday: 29 November 2020

L-Aħrax tal-Mellieħa: tagħna lkoll?

 

 

Id-diskussjoni ta’ hawn fuq saret qabel l-elezzjoni tal-2013.

Il-bieraħ waqt id-diskussjoni li ġiet organizzata mill-Kummissjoni Ambjent tal-Knisja dwar l-enċiklika tal-Papa Franġisku Laudato Si Simon Busuttil ammetta li l-PN fil-Gvern għamel l-iżbalji dwar il-boathouses tal-Armier. Offra l-kooperazzjoni tal-Opposizzjoni lill-Gvern biex dawn l-illegalitajiet jitneħħew.

Joseph Muscat qal li ma jridx jibda mill-Armier. Iżda minn każijiet ferm iktar gravi.

Bdew jiċċaqalqu t-tnejn li huma. Forsi l-ewwel pass għaqli jkun li kemm il-PN kif ukoll il-PL iħassru kull ftehim li għandhom ma’ dawk li bnew il-boathouses.

Anke l-Knisja hemm bżonn li tieħu posizzjoni. S’issa l-illegalitajiet ġew imbierka mill-Knisja li torganizza attivitajiet reliġjużi fl-Aħrax tal-Mellieħa.

L-Aħrax tal-Mellieħa jixraqlu jkun tagħna lkoll.

 

Estremist jew …………….. imdawwar bil-poodles

 

Ġieli qalulna ukoll fundamentalisti. L-aħħar titlu hu estremisti. Hekk irrappurtat it-Times online illum diskors dal-għodu ta’ Joseph Muscat. L-Independent min-naħa l-oħra  uża l-kelma “absolutism”.  Il-Malta Today irrappurtat dak li ntqal b’video li jaqbel ma dak li qalet l-Independent.

Ir-realtà hi li l-valur tal-ekoloġija hu wieħed assolut. Għalhekk din l-opposizzjoni li bdiet u nittama li ma tieqafx.  Il-ħerba ekoloġika madwarna qed tikber kontinwament, għax hawn wisq politiċi irresponsabbli bħal Joseph Muscat jiġru mas-saqajn. Tkun irresponsabbli jekk tħares sal-ponta ta’ mnieħrek. Jekk tħares lejn il-gwadann immedjat u tinjora, jew aħjar tagħlaq għajnejk għall-ħsara irreparabbli li qed tiżviluppa bil-mod u fit-tul.

Il-proposta tal-hekk imsejjaħ kompromess li qed jimbotta ftit ftit Joseph Muscat, fis-sens li jibni biss parti mill-campus tal-“Università” fiz-Zonqor u l-kumplament x’imkien ieħor hi proposta irresponsabbli. Għax jekk Muscat qed jagħraf li hemm validità fl-argument li l-Università għandha titbiegħed miż-Żonqor, din għandha titbiegħed kompletament. Mhux biċċa biss biex taparsi kien qed jisma’.

Tajjeb li l-Gvern jisma’. Imma hu iktar importanti li jagħti każ. Li ma tkunx trid  tisma’ hu ħażin. Imma li tisma’ u ma tagħtix każ hu agħar għax turi li taparsi qed tisma’.

Pajjiżna ma jistax jitlef iktar raba’. Tilef iktar minn biżżejjed tul is-snin. Dak li ntilef ma jistax jinġieb lura.

Ir-raba’ taż-Żonqor m’huwiex biss sors ta’ għajxien għall-bdiewa. Huwa ukoll bejta tal-bijodiversità li qed tinqered ftit ftit.

Li topponi li l-ġungla tal-konkos jibla iktar raba’ m’huwiex estremiżmu. Huwa sens ta’ responsabbiltà kbira favur żvilupp sostenibbli. Għax l-iżvilupp għaqli m’huwiex li tibni iktar imma li tkun kapaċi tutilizza dak li hu diġa mibni biex taqdi l-ħtiġijiet tal-lum.

Dan ma jgħoddx biss għaż-Żonqor imma jgħodd ukoll għall-iskejjel li trid tibni l-Knisja f’Ħal-Ghaxaq. Ankè dawk, m’għandhomx jinbnew. Għandhom jinstabu soluzzjonijiet oħra, avolja diffiċli.

It-titlu ta’ estrimist fejn jidħol l-ambjent xejn ma jdejjaqni. L-importanti l-konsistenza li min huwa mdawwar bil-poodles m’għandux idea xi tkun.

Issa li l-Arċisqof irriżenja ……………..

 

L-Independent tal-lum qed jgħidulna li l-Papa taptap fuq spallejn l-Isqof t’Għawdex Mario Grech wara d-diskors li dan ta’ l-aħħar għamel waqt is-sinodu tal-isqfijiet f’Ruma.

L-Isqof Grech kien rappurtat li għamel diskors li fih saħaq fuq il-ħtieġa ta’ kemm il-Knisja trid toqgħod attenta dwar x’lingwaġġ tuża’. Meta tqis li waqt il-kampanja dwar id-divorzju l-Eċċellenza Tiegħu uża kliem iebes ħafna fil-konfront tal-kampanja favur l-introduzzjoni tad-divorzju, jidher li dan hu progress kbir.

L-anqas ma jista’ wieħed jinsa li l-ET l-Isqof t’Għawdex f’pontifikal fil-parroċċa tal-Munxar ftit wara r-referendum tad-divorzju kien rappurtat li ma kellu l-ebda dispjaċir minn dak li qal u li jekk meħtieġ kien lest li jirrepetieh.

 

Logħba Ċess fil-Kurja tal-Arċisqof

 

Mill-kummenti diversi fil-gazzetti jidher ċar li fil-Kurja tal-Arċisqof għaddejja logħba Ċess.

Il-kliem li qed jintuża fil-kitba hu indikattiv ta’ dak li għaddej minn moħħ min qed jgħidu. Ir-Rev. Joe Borg per eżempju jiddeskrivi lill-Knisja Maltija bħala li qegħda fl-istess stat li kien il-Partit Nazzjonalista wara l-elezzjoni ġenerali tal-1976. Jiġifieri, r-Rev  Joe Borg qed jgħid li l-Knisja hi b’Kap iżda bla tmexxija, b’viżjoni imċajpra u bis-segwaċi imgerfxin.

Analiżi iebsa li iżda taqbel mad-deskrizzjoni tal-Knisja Maltija bħala waħda li ġiet imsikkta. Din hi deskrizzjoni ta’ Simon Busuttil u ta’ oħrajn fil-PN xi xhur ilu.

Minbarra din il-kritika hemm oħra bħal dik tar-Rev Rene Camilleri dwar il-prokrastinazzjoni tal-Arċisqof biex jagħmel it-tibdil meħtieġ fil-Kurja kif ukoll il-kummenti validissimi ta’ Fr Joe Inguanez fuq l-istess linja.

It-tmexxija tal-Knisja f’Malta kienet komda għal ħafna snin. Għax minbarra l-Arċisqof fil-Kurja kellha ukoll ieħor jilgħaba tal-Arċisqof, għal ħafna snin, fil-Berġa’ ta’ Kastilja.  Il-protezzjoni li l-“Arċisqof Lawrence Gonzi” , kif ukoll il-predeċessur tiegħu ta lill-Knisja Maltija tul is-snin billi rreżista t-tibdil soċjali spiċċa iktar għamel ħsara mhux biss lill-Knisja imma anke lis-soċjeta’ Maltija. Għax it-tibdil li seta tħalla jseħħ bil-pass tiegħu, minflok qiegħed iseħħ f’daqqa u b’ritmu mgħaġġel. Mhux kulħadd hu ippreparat għal dan it-tibdil.

Il-protezzjoni artifiċjali tagħtik sens falz ta’ sigurta’. Sigurta’ li fil-fatt ma teżistix. Meta l-poplu allura xeba’ u ivvota favur l-introduzzjoni tad-divorzju nhar it-28 ta’ Mejju 2011 il-protezzjoni tal-Arċisqof Lawrence Gonzi spiċċat.

It-tmexxija tal-Knisja li jrid r-Rev Joe Borg tikkuntrasta ma dik tal-Prof Victor Axiaq. Ta’ l-ewwel irid Knisja mhiex siekta fuq materji ta’ interess pubbliku. Tat-tieni jrid Knisja mhedija fl-ispiritwalita. Ikolli ngħid li dawn iż-żewġ veduti m’humiex inkompatibbli. Id-diffikultajiet iżda jmorru lura s-snin sa żmien l-Arċisqof Gonzi l-ieħor.

Għax dan pajjiż li mhux dejjem tista’ tifhmu: kellna Arċisqof li kien politiku u politiku li iktar kien jidher qiesu l-Arċisqof!

Sadanittant għaddejja l-logħba ċess. Uħud iżommu s-skiet bi prudenza jew iktar b’makakkerija. U l-Arċisqof Pawlu Cremona, skond Joe Borg, qiesu George Borg Olivier, jistenna li jew jitlaq inkella itellquh.

Wara kollox anke fiċ-ċess hemm 4 isqfijiet, tnejn fuq kull naħa  !

Ippubblikat fuq iNews, il-Ħamis 21 t’Awwissu 2014

Id-dissens fil-PN

 

Id-dissens fil-PN hu trattat bħalma l-Knisja f’Malta kienet tittratta lil min ma jaqbilx magħha. Interdett. Skomunika.

Dan li jfissru l-kundanni tal-Eżekuttiv tal-PN fil-konfront ta’ JPO, Franco Debono u Jesmond Mugliette.

Jiena naħseb li qatt ma stajna nistennew mod ieħor kemm ilu l-PN immexxi minn ex-President tal-Azzjoni Kattolika.

Fl-Ewropa dħalna, imma fis-seklu wieħed u għoxrin għadna ma dħalniex!

Enough space exists for schools

 

The refusal by the Malta Environment and Planning Auth­ority’s board last week of the proposed extension to St Augustine’s school at Pietà is a decision that makes sense.

The Mepa board was correct in refusing the application on planning grounds even though there are valid educational reasons that justify the need for more space in the school. The proposal is not compatible with the residential area in which the school and the proposed extension are located. Considering an alternative site would be appropriate.

The application considered by Mepa was to add a primary school to the secondary school already existing on site. The extension was to have six floors, four of which above road level. The proposed development was to be constructed in what is now a garden area that serves as the neighbourhood’s lungs.

As stated by the Planning Directorate, the proposal for the extension, if approved, would have been a case of overdevelopment of the site.

The Church school authorities need to delve deeper in order to plan the educational services they provide after taking into consideration all the impacts of their proposals. Ignoring the impacts on the residents is not an option.

A school, irrespective of its catchment area, should be an integral part of the community where it is located. Ideally, it should be possible for its facilities to be utilised by the community after school hours. It, hence, follows that the manner in which schools are constructed and their relation to the community should be such that a mutually beneficial relationship between the school and the other local institutions can be nurtured.

It seems that this aspect has not been given much thought at St Augustine’s. The school seems to be detached from the community where it is sited. As a consequence, the development can also be viewed as a reduction in the quality of life of the community.

The Church school authorities cannot view St Augustine’s school on its own as an isolated case.

The expansion of the Minor Seminary at Tal-Virtù, for example, was carried out in contravention of the provisions of the Local Plan as detailed by the Mepa audit officer after carrying out a thorough investigation.

The Mepa audit officer had then pointed out that no analysis of traffic impacts had been carried out. He also noted that, with a rapidly declining birth rate, the construction of new schools, except as a replacement for existing inadequate buildings, can hardly be justified anywhere.

The issues to consider are various.

The impacts on third parties need to be given their due weight. Residents close to existing schools like St Augustine’s are already impacted by excessive traffic, even if this is for a limited time in the morning and early afternoon. This impact would increase 100 per cent if the proposed extension were approved, making matters considerably worse.

In addition, the use of facilities after hours when schools are insensitively located in residential areas will impact negatively the community in the area.

Increasing the height of existing buildings or constructing buildings higher than the existing residential surroundings will lead to shadowing of the low-lying residential property. Consequently, as a result of reducing the incidence of direct sunlight on existing residential property, one would be precluded from using equipment utilising solar energy to heat water or to generate electricity. This would signify increased electricity bills for the residents.

The proposed extension for St Augustine’s school at Pietà ignored all these issues.

If the Church schools, as a result of an increased demand, desire to expand it is pretty obvious that the resulting influx of students in these schools would signify a corresponding reduction in the population of state schools. Coupled with the reduction in birth rates, this would mean that there will be substantial empty space in some of the existing state primary schools in years to come.

This could indicate that, rather than developing extensions incompatible with existing residential areas or, worse, developing virgin land, a possible solution to the expansion requirements of schools such as St Augustine in Pietà would be to enter into an agreement with the state to ensure better utilisation of the buildings used as state primary/secondary schools where this is possible. If we agree that more than enough land has been developed in Malta, the redevelopment of some of these sites could be an option worth considering as an alternative to the development of virgin sites and/or the overdevelopment of other sites.

There are valid educational reasons which justify the increase in space that schools such as St Augustine’s are requesting. However, the right of Church schools to provide an education, separate and distinct from that provided by the state, does not, in any way, mean that the rights of residents should be ignored.

Fortunately, it is possible to look elsewhere. Better utilisation of sites already committed to educational use could solve the issue reasonably for all concerned: the schools, the students and the residents.

Published in The Times, February 11,  2012