No games with politicians’ salaries, please

Tomorrow, Parliament will be discussing a motion on politicians’ salaries. It is shameful that Cabinet ministers received a €500 weekly increase when a good number of Maltese people cannot make ends meet.

The Labour Party proposal for a commission to study ministers’ and MPs’ salaries makes a lot of sense but any salary increase should be related to the quality of the work delivered by all MPs, who should become full-timers. MPs who work part-time do not deserve any rise.

What is unacceptable in the PL motion is that the Leader of the Opposition is given a salary rise and honoraria so the party can then distribute this public money to charity. Political parties should not be involved in charity giving because this can have serious political repercussions.

The Maltese state has already got institutionalised structures, such as the Community Chest Fund and the Good Causes Fund, to help those in need. If anything, these institutions should be strengthened.