North-south divide confirmed in NSO study

Joe Fenech

Dec 18th 2009, 19:06

In Malta, there are the cavemen and the slightly better ones. But the Maltese is really one of a kind!

Neville Calleja

Dec 18th 2009, 07:27

The North-South divide is nothing but South Harbour versus the rest of Malta. Condemning the entire south is nothing short of unfair. Indeed this culture fuelled by newspapers and some exponents in the media, including certain programmes on one television station based in the South of Malta, is detrimental to the people living in the south of Malta and, amongst other things, artificially drives down property prices in the South and artificially blows up the prices of hazardous shacks in the North.

Having lived in both St Paul's Bay and Tarxien and having worked in the community both North and South regions, I can safely conclude that there are as many, if not slightly more, social problems in the North than in the South. Nevertheless this may be out of point as the discussion here is on benefits.

Refreshingly, one notes that Mgarr has made it into the 'affluent' list.

d. borg

Dec 17th 2009, 22:52

whatever the reasons, it shows what classes of people abuse the system in malta and it shows the unwillingness of the govt (whoever is in power) to investigate if all the cases are legitimate. in any case they are afraid to loose votes as usual while people like me and many others who prefer earning their own money ( we wouldn't live on that little anyway....) are paying our taxes for theese blood suckers....

if im wrong then the poor gozitans are all mentally unstable and many unmarried mothers in the areas mentioned are sleeping around like crazy!!!

joseph saliba

Dec 17th 2009, 19:42

Dear mr n. saliba please provide us with the statistics pre 1987 that we may compare. Has anyone got them?

n. saliba

Dec 17th 2009, 18:39

@Peter Korsten Perhaps you are one of those who once they reach the roundabout at Marsa do not proceed any further, but turn back to the North.

Jesmond Micallef

Dec 17th 2009, 15:35

Dear Mr Peter Korsten,

I have never had allergies before. I have been living in Germany since these last 4 years and have developed allergies that need medicinal treatment. There were times were I had sleeping problems because I couldn't breath properly and my eyes itchy and as red as they can get !! Malta is a dusty environment no doubt, but also a "green" environment has its drawbacks too, so I have discovered.

I do agree with your remark about some roads in Malta. But again thats Malta !!!

r pace bonello

Dec 17th 2009, 14:17

How much longer are the 'poor' Gozitans taking the Maltese taxpayer for a ride. They are always complaining yet it appears that they are far better off than the average Maltese, certainly as far as home ownership is concerned. I remember years ago when an employee of the then MMU was always in the small hotel he owned. Of course they have the money, they 'work' in the public service, they board themselves out, everybody farms and, as evidenced time and again, avoid paying VAT. What about Income taxes?

Smart Island, indeed! Do I hear that now some brilliant politician is proposing that they should not pay customs duty?

We should all pack up and go to Gozo.

Peter Korsten

Dec 17th 2009, 13:42

@Paul Casha:

It's 51.4 per 1000, not per 100. So it's just over 5%. Still, that's a lot.

@N. Saliba:

Now I can't comment on the other points, but I live in Attard, I've developed asthma there (mostly after a neighbour started digging a pool) and the roads are rubbish everywhere. Driving from Msida Valley Road to Attard is not nice for your suspension, something I find out every day.

Joe Azzopardi

Dec 17th 2009, 13:31

@ N Saliba
How right you are.

Edward Gatt

Dec 17th 2009, 13:11

@ Paul Caruana

Please note that Ghasri does not have the highest number of persons on invalidity pernsions, it has the highest percentage. I hope that you know the difference between the two.

Notwithstanding this, it is curious how the top 5 localities with the highest percentages of people on invalidity pensions are all gozitan.

Phil Press

Dec 17th 2009, 12:53

Maybe figures, for vehicle ownership and people owning second homes. Should make interesting reading.

david borda

Dec 17th 2009, 12:33

I had conducted a study for my Masters thesis over 5 years ago. So this article is not a surprise to me.

You can find a copy of my thesis in Melitensia at the University of Malta apart of the articles I had written on the Sunday Times.

My study: "Regionalism in the Maltese context:a myth or reality?" puts together people's perception of the North/South divide with Statistics.

n. saliba

Dec 17th 2009, 12:08

Seeing these stats somehow make me think that the Maltese population is experiencing the reuslts and effects of PN's 22 years in government, strategy.

I have a feeling that if one would take a look at some others stats, like those areas with the highest rates of cancer, asthma, roads with potholes, abandoned areas, industrial zones, rubbish dumps etc. etc. etc., these will aslo reflect a north/south divide.

What do you think???

Paul Caruana

Dec 17th 2009, 11:54

The mind boggles......if the tiny hamlet of Ghasri, with its miniscule population has one of the highest numbers of individuals on invalidity pensions for ALL of Malta and Gozo, it follows that the majority of individuals in this beautiful, stress free village (no prizes for guessing why) live on government benefits.