Thursday, 2nd October 2008

Thousands of pensioners facing sorry plight

Joseph Azzopardi, honorary secretary, Alliance of Pensioners' Associations, Rabat

Carmel Cauchi (Pensioners Below The Poverty Line, September 26) is not alone in drawing the Prime Minister's attention to the sorry plight of thousands of pensioners.

The Alliance of Pensioners' Associations has once again insisted with the government that as from January the national minimum pension should not be less than 60 per cent of the median income. This would ensure that the 16.3 per cent of pensioners at risk of poverty (NSO figures, not ours) would seize to be at such risk.

We hope that our reasoned pleas will not again fall on deaf ears.

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Article © Allied Newspapers Ltd., printed on Saturday, November 21, 2009. This article is for personal use only, and should not be distributed.

Comments

D Fenech (on 2/10/08)

The issue is one of dignity and respect for those dearest to us!
It breaks one's heart to see an old pensioner struggling to make ends meet.
It should not be so!

Louis Gatt (on 2/10/08)

Government is with his ears to the ground, but unfortunately issues which carry most votes are important to politicians! Pensioners are of secondary importance. Pensioners are not known to be floating voters, so our rights are abused. We've been deprived of full cost of living allowance for so many years! All pension scales are overdue for revision as even the highest one is not enough. But we humble mortals don't deserve as our political counterparts!

Johnny Smith (on 2/10/08)

I too agree with MR. Azzopardi of the Alliance of Pensioners' Association and being neither a member of this organisation, I thing that that thousands of pensions if they are left in the poverty line, then when there would be another election, they might prefer as to change votes. Although I hope that this does not happen and Government would realize their importance within our society. One hopes that these comments are read by Government and that he would ensure that their national minimum pension be up-dated to ensure their rightful proper pension.

l Galea (on 2/10/08)

Cannot agree more with you.
The problem is that the government is supposed to be listening with its ears to the ground, but it seems that it needs a hearing aid.