Malta has second lowest birth rate in EU

Raymond Sammut

Dec 17th 2008, 06:02

@ Vincent Galea

Please think a little before making a statement like "The low birth rate in the western world is an indication of contemporary decadence."

Enough to mention the scientific fact that both ice caps and the Himalayan peaks are melting at unprecedented rates, and there is a direct link between this environmental deterioration and human activity. Meeting energy needs of larger populations will greatly aggravate this deterioration.

You blame "decadence" for the Roman Empire demise. This claim has never been substantiated. There is scientific evidence to suggest a number of possible causes.

One is the spread of killer mosquitoes in southern Italy, which back then had large expanses of wetlands. Another is the aftermath of the Krakatoa catastrophic eruption, causing climatic changes which favoured Vandal, Hunnic, and Islamic cavalry oriented armies.

Population size is a major factor that will determine whether nations will succeed or fail. Population size is a critical mass to the economy of every country, and needs to be optimised. I believe that the Maltese government continues to drift away from this optimum, and the Maltese people need to draw attention to this negative trend.

lgalea

Dec 17th 2008, 00:52

Conway Wigg
I know that but that's the stupidity of the eu and its dictatorship and one-size-fits-all policies.
We do not have enough space and work for OUR own Citizens, so how can we keep packing more people on this tiny Island?
You don't regret Malta joining the eu but I and many others do.
Membership was only obtained by deceit and treachery as all the Maltese people who are not blindfolded can see as can also be seen the disaster being made of our country by the eu.
May we see the day when we get rid of the eu colonialism and again obtain our freedom to do what is necessary and in our own interests and not in the interests of foreigners.

Marianna Galea Xuereb

Dec 16th 2008, 20:42

….. (continued) The state should educate children and teenagers (not just adults) about the link between congenital defects / later health problems and environmental degradation, known teratogens, pre-conceptual nutrition and lifestyle and also the “grandmother effect” i.e. a women’s ova are formed when she is still in her mum’s womb - so unhealthy practices during a woman’s pregnancy may eventually harm her daughter’s offspring even though the daughter may seem perfectly healthy.

Marianna Galea Xuereb

Dec 16th 2008, 20:41

We need to reduce the Maltese Islands’ resident population and promote social responsibility and voluntary simplicity for real sustainability. Illegal immigrants should be repatriated.

People will not willingly sustain pensions unless they are reasonably fit and healthy, very hard working, socially responsible and altruistic. Only proper and diligent upbringing by good role models can go some way towards achieving that situation.

So the State must take steps to discourage people who have never paid NI contributions from siring children at tax payers’ expense. There are already ample birth control methods and several DNA tests available to help responsible individuals to decide whether they ought to risk siring children or not well before they embark on a sexual relationship……(to be continued)

Vincent Galea

Dec 16th 2008, 17:34

Comfort may be very nice. It is not the ultimate pleasure. A person who goes through life chasing comfort will be very disappointed at the end - because if you spend your life avoiding pain, you will also avoid the deepest pleasures.
Pain is unavoidable.Eliminating pain entirely is impossible. All of life's lasting pleasures, good relationships, succesful careers, requires a lot of effort to achieve. When an entire society makes comfort it's primary goals that's dangerous.The Roman Empre collapsed because of decadence........they got too comfortable.
The low birth rate in the western world is an indication of contemporary decadence.
I ask newly married girls friends of ours: How many children you want? "One or perhaps two"...because I love children and I want them to have the best school, the best clothes, the best computer. " "All right I'll give you 10,000 euros for one of your siblings.You've got three others,you won't miss her.She'll be very well looked after.....But you won't see her again".
"Are you crazy? Ghandek cans that's my sister and I won't trade her for a milion euro.
Do you see if you run from pain, you'll be running from pleasure.

Denis Catania

Dec 16th 2008, 15:50

@Conway Wigg: We are fine with LEGAL immigration as we can control it. It's the ILLEGAL immigrants that Malta can't withstand.
The Maltese citizens is doing their part in keeping the population down. Now the politicians has to step up and do their part to stop ILLEGAL immigration.

CH.Harris

Dec 16th 2008, 14:19

Although Malta has the 2nd lowest birth rate in EUROPE its also one of the Smallest countries in EUROPE - so use our brain man what does that tell you: comparing it with say Britain, France and Germany?

Conway Wigg

Dec 16th 2008, 13:49

Igalea - Malta can't tell the EU 'NO' to legal migration. Freedom of movement is one of the principles of the EU and those principles are what we voted for in the referendum. So, just like my wife and I can come to London or Brussels like hundreds of other Maltese so anyone else can come to Malta. If that's a big problem for us we should have thought about it before we joined (not that I regret for a minute).

M. Mercieca

Dec 16th 2008, 13:19

What the above report didn’t mention is how our population had increased. If the population increases by 25-30 % unknown fathers babies or out of wed-lock babies this is a self-devastating situation in terms of welfare system.

In last budget Minister Fenech suggested Long-term unemployed to do community work, this is a very good step forward. Hopefully, in the coming budget we will have some tough measures for single parents. If such measures implemented co-habitations and irresponsible sexual-relation would be discouraged. Unless we tackle all these forms of abuses the whole system will collapse!

lgalea

Dec 16th 2008, 12:21

albert attard
Economists cannot they see that the bigger the population the more problems there will be?

Malta's population should be reduced not increased.

Re legal immigration, the Government should tell the eu that NO, we cannot accept even legal immigration when we do not have enough space and work for our own people, let alone for other immigrants from other eu countries.

RE ILLEGAL immigration, it goes without saying that this should be stopped once and for all and all illegal immigrants repatriated. Not one single illegal immigrant must be allowed to stay in Malta.

Political parties who disregard the people on the issue of illegal immigration will be doing so at their elections peril.

albert attard

Dec 16th 2008, 11:57

And economists keep saying population needs to keep on growing so we have young people to sustain pensions and keep the economies going. For how long please? Malta already feels like we are living on top of each other and globally forests and wilderness are decreasing at an alarming rate besides the huge pressure on recourses such as food and fresh water with a balance of Forest to keep the climate healthy not to mention the contamination and pollution brought about by the so called good standard of living.

Raymond Sammut

Dec 16th 2008, 10:53

Owing to continuing environmental pressures, Malta should strive to reduce its population by a significant amount. A stable population size of, say, 350K to 380K, could be optimal.

This would allow more room for tourism daily movements, land availability for produce, less pressure on utilities, less road congestion, and so on.

Pollution and energy costs will be major determinants over the next 2 to 3 decades, while labour shortages could be managed through automation and short term contract labour imported from larger countries.

Sandro Pace

Dec 16th 2008, 10:20

Malta cannot sustain a permanent population increase, neither naturally nor through immigration.
This reasoning was understood way back half a century ago by the colonial government, and it cannot be wrong. Also because it stands to reason.

As for natural increase, it is common to have rises and falls accordingly. This is determined by economic and other factors. For example, the affordable houses available today can barely accommodate a family of four or five. Urban footprint is decreasing, if we are not to encroach on rural.

Illegal immigration, probably the highest immigration contributor for this increase, has to be controlled by political means. And this is imperative.

Ours and future quality of life, (and not just economic), can only be ensured by a stable population.