25% of births were outside wedlock last year

GiovDeMartino

May 17th 2009, 10:12

U irringrazzjaw 'l Alla li sirna moderni!!!!!!!!!!!

Marianna Galea Xuereb

May 16th 2009, 16:32

@Sandro Grech

“The solution is simple - remove benefits to single parents and children allowances will be issued only to married parents” Sorry I do not agree because that would still encourage the existence of “married families” living as pure parasites of society.

In my opinion one solution would be to deny benefits – including so-called “children’s” allowances (which is frequently squandered on trivialities for the parents rather then real children’s needs anyway) – to people who have never worked and paid national insurance and taxes. No individual will be allowed to claim child benefit before he/she has worked and paid national insurance / taxes for a total of at least four years. This will ensure that child benefit may be claimed only by parents who at least know what it means to have to earn one’s own living

1. Marriage ought never to be a license for irresponsible siring of children.

2. The state should stop the present practice of positive discrimination in favour of single, ever unemployed teenage parents (or older ones for that matter) and negative discrimination against working married couples.

See also http://www.maltatoday.com.mt/2009/01/04/l3.html

Marton Saliba

May 16th 2009, 16:17

Some comments hurt me, I'm a single parent child, from a time when "fatherless" children we're still a tremendous taboo...and my mther was NOT a teenager.

And I know contemporary single-parent children, and I can lightly say that only a handful do babies ot of wedlock for the benefits.
Other's are merely victims of the local 21st century culture...lack of/improper education.
Most of them are still though that sex is like a bad thing...but when the situation with a partner unfolds, its a such a new, and nice, experience that they just go along with it without thinking of aftermath.

@Dr C.Borg: Thankg for giving a more decent retrospestive of contemporary single parents, a actually enjoyed reading your thread, unlike others.

@C.Caruana
"Fejn qaghad smajna kummenti (mhux minn dil-gazzetta) bhal "Kull ma jtini pjacir naghmlu!""
You're a strange person to thing that a preventive measures actually cause stuff...quite amusing.
"Lex Talionis", Law of survival, this includes Pleasure. The more pleasure, the more the survival. So Its about thime we heare these quotes, if you don't like DON'T LISTEN/READ

Joe Fenech

May 16th 2009, 14:54

Why help single mothers more than other mothers? The fathers should still be accountable for their children.

Marianna Galea Xuereb

May 16th 2009, 00:54

@ Karl Tanti
“……We, the state, give welfare to mothers with 3 or 4 children from different fathers not because we want to reward the mother....but because we are concerned about the welfare of the children. …..”

If we really had such children’s long term interest at heart we would actually take them away from such selfish and irresponsible purely biological mothers and put them in the care of well screened foster or adoptive parents where they will stand a chance of being raised as healthy, responsible citizens and not as pure parasites of society who do not even know what it takes to maintain a stable hetero-sexual relationship simply because they were not given the chance to grow up within a real, stable family.

Tell me Mr. Tanti: How many such mothers do you know who are raising “3 or 4 children from different fathers” and imparting to them anything resembling a decent, socially responsible and acceptable upbringing despite all the money the state squanders on them?

Joe Fenech

May 15th 2009, 01:49

No divorce, no marriage!

edwin formosa

May 14th 2009, 23:44

'divorce' , 'sex education' , 'choice' , 'social rights'. U f'liema pajjiz dawn "is-soluzzjonijiet" solvew din il-problema ?? Anki bl-abort accessibbli ghal-kollox u ghal kulhadd. Meta nehhejna l-assolut ta x'inhu tajjeb jew x'inhu hazin, allura nista nohloq "id-drittijiet illegitmi " tieghi u niskarta r-responsabilta tieghi. U mhux biss tfal barra z-zwieg ikollna !!

N Borg

May 14th 2009, 23:26

@ Keith Ciantar

1. Who smokes gets to pay tax on every single packet of cigarettes
2. Who gets fat, it is his life and he's not ruining the life of a baby with him.

Anyway, I have my reserves regarding free healthcare. I think people should start paying for their own healthcare too or get insured.

And by the way, healthcare is different to teenage pregnancy. It is a basic human right. I am not sure if it is a basic human right to go round and have yourself stuffed with babies at the age of 14.

Did I get your point?

John Borg

May 14th 2009, 22:29

Dr Borg, thank you for your sensible and informed comments. Makes a change from some of the nonsense that was written so far by people who are simply reacting rather than thinking.

D.Galea

May 14th 2009, 21:24

Missu jisthi min jghid li jien, haddiem li inhallas it-taxxi u nikkontribwixxi bhal hadd iehor, missier li jirrikonoxxi u jrabbi it-tfal tieghu u jhobbi il-partner tieghu ghandna nigu diskriminati ghax sempliciment iddecidejna li ma nizzewgux, iva HUWA DAN GHANDU DEJJEM JIBQA DRITT TAGHNA ghax bhalkhom ahna nikkundannaw l-abbuzi.

Nirringrazzjaw l-Alla li ahna imharsin taht certu ligijiet barranin li hawn Malta ghadna wisq arkajici u injoranti biex nikkunsidraw indahluhom. Ghal-informazzjoni ta kulhadd jien u l-partner qatt ma konna mizzewgin qabel, ghandna dritt ghal l-ghazliet tagnna u daqsna it-tfal taghna.

Marcel Dingli

May 14th 2009, 20:47

Jeremy J Camilleri AN is one.

Joanne Micallef

May 14th 2009, 19:37

Re AN and single mothers, as I do support the party I can tell you that AN never referred to ALL the single mothers, but ONLY to those that claim FATHER UNKOWN. So please try to get the facts right before trying to discredit the party.
Re this article, like some already mentioned, since in Malta we do not acknowledge cohabitation one has to keep in mind that unless a mother is married to the father of her child, unfortunately that child is still considered as born ‘out of wedlock’

C Borg

May 14th 2009, 18:37

@Gregory Farrugia
As a doctor I see loads of single mothers and mothers-to-be.

-Many are youngsters with no proper sex education who are totally shocked when they are pregnant! They are glad to get some financial help, as having a baby costs money. But they would prefer not to be pregnant in the first place. (LACK OF SEX EDUCATION)
-Others come from deprived areas of Malta where unwed pregnancy is the normal pattern of life. It is as normal as going to University and getting married is in the rest of the country(POVERTY AND LACK OF EDUCATION)
-Another small group are planned as the parents wish to get married but cannot. These usually do not need and do not get welfare. (LACK OF DIVORCE)

It is the second group who actually plan to live off welfare, if they did not get welfare they would probably just deprive their children further. The first group would still be pregnant if there was no welfare, as this for them is a mistake. As they are not in a stage of their life where they can afford a baby welfare eases this a bit.

Keith Ciantar

May 14th 2009, 18:20

@N Borg
You are right...
We should also not pay for medical treatment to anyone who gets sick because of smoking.
Nor, should we pay for medical treatment to someone who is fat or gets diabetes because he eats too much.
Nor, should we treat for free anyone who gets sick because of a drug addiction, or alcohol abuse.
What about those involved in accidents because they were over-speeding or wreckless at work? We shouldn't treat them for free!
And no invalidity pensions either to anyone who gets a stroke because of his smoking or ends up in a wheelchair after a traffic accident if it is his fault.
What about people who get AIDS through irresponsible sex?
And what about those who can't get a job because they did not study at school? It is their fault!

Thanks for enlightening us Mr Borg!!

Jeremy J Camilleri

May 14th 2009, 18:07

As for Charmaine magro....I think that your suggestion is valid and rational. Good to see some people here think before they type!

Jeremy J Camilleri

May 14th 2009, 18:05

Dear Gregory, the world doesn't revolve around what we think.

You state that you are sure that a vast number of the 25% are abusing the system. COuld you provide research to prove your point? If yes, I shall take back my words.

Marcel DIngli, which AN are we talking about?

Andrew Cassar

May 14th 2009, 18:04

@Marcel Dingli
Can you tell me exactly on what points were AN proven right? That there are a lot of unwed mothers? Or that abuse of social services needs to be addressed?

All that AN does is point at problems and come up with draconian solutions. We are not Iran, Afghanistan or Saudi Arabia thank God!!! All we ask from our polticians is to protect and educate all children in need, and try to curb abuses.

Charmaine Magro

May 14th 2009, 17:46

I honestly believe that today, most ''single parents'' are simply playing this game in order to get social security benefits. There are, however, genuine cases as well. The solution, in my opinion, is very simple. The government should open good nurseries, with service given round the clock. Give the single parents the allowance only until the child is a certain age, maybe three years old - then the government should just give the single parent free childcare, on a daily basis, at whatever time the service is needed - to make it easy for them to go out and earn their living like the rest of us, and face their responsibilities.

Gregory Farrugia

May 14th 2009, 17:38

Dear Jeremy
As I quoted way down I was complaining not to social benefits itself but for the abuse. Those figures shown can only suggest the abuse is on the increase, so in my opinion this abuse should be tackled sooner rather than later.
As for the social benefits I get, I would rather do without cause its not something that someone plan to benefit from, spending time in hospital or get sick to stay back home. And i didn’t get married for that small cheque either.
I am more than sure that a huge percentage from that 25% are doing it on purpose, raising a family out of wedlock to benefit from it.

N Borg

May 14th 2009, 17:26

THIS SERVES US RIGHT. We should stop paying young girls for having a baby! What sort of welfare state this is? Who does wrong gets rewarded from my tax.

Maria Calleja

May 14th 2009, 16:35

[quote] "Persons living in single parent households were found to be most at-risk-of-poverty."
Perhaps that is because their 'single' parent should go out and find herself a job ... rather than riding the wave of the social security system which is giving single parents way too much support. What about support to parents who opt to stay together and raise their children in two parents households? Should they too be given support? I strongly believe the present system has done nothing but create an unbalanced society, and the authorities are doing even less in levelling out this imbalance. So much talk about bringing the bench those who abuse the welfare system, and yet I still hear unemployed single mothers advising each other on how to drink the Maltese welfare coffers dry.

Marcel Dingli

May 14th 2009, 16:20

@ Karl Tanti
If you and others prefer not to listen its up to you.
@ Jeremy J Camilleri
The amount of votes obtained by Azzjoni Nazzjonali is irrelevant. To date AN has been proved right on ALL their points. If the people choose to be stubborn, then let them be.

Muscat E

May 14th 2009, 16:10

I agree with all who wrote - no wonder these births are on the increase - Who wouldn't do it when you get 'paid' for it.!! This entitles 'single parents' to get children's allowance - from our taxes - getting priority over every tax paying citizen to get a place to live in - just for the sake of being 'single'. Well in this day and age falling pregnant is the sole responsibility of whoever becomes pregnant and it is of no excuse to say 'miskina inqabdet tqila' - she knew all along what she was doing !!! And they will keep doing it for as long as these benefits continue to be given to them. So I agree 100% with Mr Grech - remove all benefits and we'll see if the percentage of births will increase next time such a survey is conducted !!!!

Moses Mula

May 14th 2009, 15:45

These comments are simply shocking. Remove benefits and children allowance to single parents? It is criminal just to suggest that. And is there evidence that married couples love there kids more than unwed couples or single parents, or that they raise them better? I am not married but still live with my girlfriend and we are doing fine in raising our daughter who is 10 and autistic as well. A wedding certificate would not make love my daughter or girlfriend for that matter in a different way. And ths is my family, wedding or no wedding. About single parents, of course they will need extra benefits when only one person is providing for the child, its only logical. I cannot understand this disgust towards these people. In the 1920`s some women used to get married at 14 due to society pressure and there used to be arrainged marriages as my grandmother told me. Now that is disgusting. Maltese whine so much about taxes. What would you have done if you paid 35-40% taxes like many people do in Sweden? And here you do not see people whine as much for doing so.

Andrew Cassar

May 14th 2009, 15:41

@Sandro Grech

Very humane suggestion indeed...many single parents are dependent on social welfare becuase they come from poor, uneducated backgrounds. Cutting these people's income would make their children's lives even more miserable and deprived, only for the cycle to repeat itself with more uwanted children to bring up in poverty. What these people need is good social work, support and education. Social welfare is not intended as a prize for having children within marriage! I'm afraid to tell you that in countries where there is no social welfare single parenthood is still above 5% and many times above 25%. Your argument does not hold water!

Ramon Casha

May 14th 2009, 14:39

Solutions:
1. Introduce divorce. That is one of the things working against marriage.
2. Neither reward nor punish single unwed mothers because of their marital status. We don't want to swing to the other extreme - marriages of convenience.

F.Borg

May 14th 2009, 14:29

Ray Micallef has a point. We must further motivate the 25% figure, at least to distinguish between:

a) Children born to single parents

b) Children born to cohabiting parents, who may live a normal life like any other married couple, but their children are still classified 'out of wedlock' due to lack of proper legislation to recognise contemporary forms of family units. Had divorce been part of our legislation, a good number of these children born 'out of wedlock' would be listed as 'in wedlock'.

The figures themselves are showing that every year, more and more children are being born without full recognition so we can't just stay put and play for time.

Joseph Tonna

May 14th 2009, 14:24

Illum hawn hafna uzu bla razan ta internet, tv, diversi media etc... ghal kulhadd. Iz-zghazagh qet jithallew johorgu u sahansitra idumu hafna barra , xi kultant f ' postijiet li ma jistax jidhlu ghax ikunu ta eta zghira.
B ' hekk iz-zghazagh tana qet jigu aktar mhajrin ... b' hekk jigu t-tfal barra z-zwieg.
Hafna drabi t-tfal qed jispiccaw irabbu lit-tfal.
Ma nahsibx li b'social benefit tkun f qada li trabbi jekk ma ikunx hemm pjanar serju ...
Jitrabbew imma fil-faqar. Trid trabbi hekk ???

R. Mifsud

May 14th 2009, 14:23

Why don't the goverment take the money for supporting that child from the father. Like in England there is the Child Support Agency (CSA), it makes the father to pay a fee out of his wages to go to that child. But cut all benefits from the tax payer going to the mother and child, they can only be supported by the father. The child its their responsability. I think you'll find they soon realise when all their wages are going to support their children. They'll soon learn to keep it in their trousers!!!!!

C.Caruana (323)

May 14th 2009, 14:19

U zgur! L-iktar kif qed jirragunaw it-tfajliet tal-lum! Kollox xejn mhu xejn! U s-soluzzjonijiet li qed jipproponu tas-sahha huma ghar mill-problema!!
Fejn qaghad smajna kummenti (mhux minn dil-gazzetta) bhal "Kull ma jtini pjacir naghmlu!"

Sewwa qal il-papa li l-condoms izidu l-mard! Viva l-papa!!

Chris Grech

May 14th 2009, 14:14

Great idea Sandro Grech, Let's discriminate even more against children why don't we.

Karl Tanti

May 14th 2009, 14:14

@Marcel Dingli
We do not need AN to tell us anything about unmarried mothers. We, the state, give welfare to mothers with 3 or 4 children from different fathers not because we want to reward the mother....but because we are concerned about the welfare of the children. They are already disadvantaged, all they need is a mother in deeper poverty than she most probably already is!!!

Cutting abuse and giving money only to people who need it is the answer. Another thing is the lack of divorce. I'm sure that many of these births would be within marriage if the parents could get married!

LGalea

May 14th 2009, 14:01

Stop paying children allowance and any other benefits to single parents unless and until the father is made known and shoulders reponsability.
Check those who are separated and get social security benefits and yet they still sleep together as soon as it is dark or give a separate number for their house, such as registering their ID Card address on a back door or garage of the same house or a summer residence.
Employ all those registering for work with local councils to embellish the localities until they find a proper job. It will only cost a little more if given minimum wage and they pay NI contributions and possibly IT back.

josephine cachia

May 14th 2009, 13:45

Children allowance should only be given to married parents.Some people need to learn to be responsable.

Jeremy J Camilleri

May 14th 2009, 13:42

Yes, Sandro Grech, , the freedom to choose not to marry should be taken away, and as such their kids should be punished!

How is life on Mars?

D.Galea

May 14th 2009, 13:39

@Sandro Grech

And what if I DID NOT want to get married!? I am a honest citizen a parent who happens not wanting to get married? Should I or my children be discriminated against because of our choice? Don´t I pay as much taxes as you do!? Isn´t this a free democratic EU country!?

While I would NEVER condone abuses let us remind ourselves that choices & equal right is what democracies should be all about!

Janet Sptieri

May 14th 2009, 13:12

"Persons living in single parent households were found to be most at-risk-of-poverty."
May I ask the authority to CHECK how much in reality are these people actually at any risk!! It is us taxpayers who are actually at risk, and not these 14% or 25% mentioned in this article!!! Many, and believe me, MANY of them plan to have a child so as to earn money through benefits and would never dream of marry someone ... otherwise allowances would stop! Maybe it is about time such benefits are revised once forever! If one has to visit the waiting area of well-baby clinic and just listen to how "wise" many of these single teen-age mothers are ... one just remains with an open mouth astonished what difference in one's pocket would a wedding-ring make!!!!!!!
... and about this poverty issue ... just look at many of these single mothers during weekends and just look at the branded clothese they and their children wear. Here I am not generalizing but please, dear authority, we live in community and could witness facts with own eyes!

Sandro Grech

May 14th 2009, 13:09

The solution is simple - remove benefits to single parents and children allowances will be issued only to married parents. I will bet my money that the percentage will drop to 5% in one year.

Jeremy J Camilleri

May 14th 2009, 13:07

Yes, Alleanza Nazzjonali are to be taken very seriously......as seriously as the number of votes gained dictates.

As for Gregory Farrugia, every person on this island benefits from some form of social benefit, including yourself.

So Gregory, if you have ever been to hospital, I have paid for you. If you have ever reported sick to work, I have paid for you. If you are married and granted a small cheque, I 've paid for that.

If you have children and claim childrens allowance, don't worry, I'll pay for them as well.

I am single, not married, and have not fathered any children, but well, I am used to living in a society where burden sharing is the norm, so I won't be complainin when paying taxes to help people in need.

Its the abuse that bothers me, but thats another subject altogether.

Mario Tabone-Vassallo

May 14th 2009, 13:03

Min hu mignun jizzewweg il-lum meta jista’ jghix mal-mara qiesu fiz-zwieg, jaghmel tfal kemm irid u l-boloh li jizzewgu jhallsu ghat-trobbija taghhom u hu jibqa’ frisk bhal-hassa

Marcel Dingli

May 14th 2009, 12:47

Gregory Farrugia, didnt Azzjoni Nazzjonali tell us ? There are single mothers who are taking benefits when having children from 3 or 4 different men.

Gregory Farrugia

May 14th 2009, 12:27

25% - And are they all benefiting from some kind of social benefit? No wonder the percentage will increase every year. I think its about time that the burden falls on the individual himself and leave us ‘the tax payers’ out of this. Stop those benefits and the percentage will go down.

Ray Micallef

May 14th 2009, 12:23

Interesting article. Is this high percentage a result of a social decandance or is it a result of something else, e.g. the absence of a divorce legislation in Malta or the lack of proper sex education to our kids in school.

It would be good to know how much of these births are from persons living together that cannot marry because there is no divorce in Malta or for some other reasons, e.g. social benefits abuse, poor sex education, ignorance, social instabilty due to marriage seperations.

Is it high time for political parties to start scrutinising the reason of this yearly increase of births outside wedlock?

I say "what's keeping them? Wake up!!!!"

The social and moral aspects in Malta are changing whether we like it or not. Let's roll up our sleeves and see what needs to be done as there are going to social costs later on which all of us have to pay.