Poverty runs deep in Qawra, Ħamrun
Poverty areas breed crime
“Another world”... Okella Agius in Ħamrun is a poverty cluster and no-go area, according to new research which identifies several other such zones around the island. Photo: Chris Sant Fournier
One of the country’s most intense concentrations of deprivation is in the tourist resort of Qawra, which exhibits 16 times the national poverty standard, according to preliminary research to identify such clusters.
Rental costs in Qawra and Buġibba are low compared to other localities, attracting the subjects of the study, lone parents on social welfare assistance.
Tourist Street turns out to be home to a multitude of social problems, according to Caritas researcher Leonid McKay.
He pointed to the “rampant abuse” in the locality, where landlords rule as opposed to a more regulated system in housing estates. They present inflated utility bills of about €200 a month and kick tenants out because they cannot pay the rent, resulting in six apartment changes in a year in some cases.
The findings are emerging from a social policy study in progress, looking into the spatial landscape of poverty and to what extent its clustering affects quality of life.
In its mapping of Malta’s poverty, it pinpoints seven localities – some known, others off the radar – that have the highest concentration of people on social benefits.
But it also zooms into the streets and even properties, singling out Ħamrun’s Okella Agius, in Qormi Road, which Mr McKay describes as “another world”.
“I never believed I would find what I found,” he said, adding that the situation had not improved over the last 40 years except for the number of syringes.
“The rats are still there and the kitchens still double as bedrooms – and toilets.”
The study attempts to show that the concentration of poverty magnifies the problems of the poor.
Together with Saviour Formosa, Mr McKay has analysed the distribution of 8,645 incidences of legally separated females and single, unmarried parents on non-contributory welfare benefits.
Together with Qawra, Valletta also tops the list that focuses on separated females, with 15 times the national standard poverty rate, while the social housing estates of Pembroke and the urban sprawl of Marsascala exhibit pockets at high risk of poverty clustering.
In terms of single, unmarried parents on welfare benefits, Valletta has the highest concentration, with four pockets showing a poverty incidence of more than eight times the national standard rate, with the most significant concentration in one particular area showing 17 times more.
Mr McKay has established an indicator of poverty, based on statistics showing that members in single-parent households are at the highest risk of poverty in Malta, but he is as yet unable to divulge the national standard rate.
Another locality of “extremely” high risk is in an area of Xgħajra, where former boathouses have been turned into homes. Areas in Qawra, Ħamrun/Marsa and Cospicua exhibit high risk rates.
“Generally, these pockets are either concentrated in social housing, rented estates or in urban sprawl, where housing rent is available and affordable,” Mr McKay said.
In Pembroke, the poverty clusters are close to the villas and only visible once indoors, he said.
Mr McKay has visited these areas and observed that some are visibly depressed, mostly no-go locations and highly likely to be crime hotspots. In some cases, the environment was nasty, he said, so much so that not even doctors would enter.
Speaking at a seminar on the global phenomenon of the feminisation of poverty, organised by the Ideat Foundation, at Melita Gardens in Attard, Mr McKay said urban sprawl, characterised by anonymous environments, provided escape routes for non-conformists, areas to live with social equals and part-time, or sometimes undeclared, precarious jobs closer to home.
“Here, the poor are likely to lack close ties with their extended family but find support from neighbours and friends,” he said.
The study is now in the second phase and Mr McKay is carrying out one-to-one interviews with lone mothers from the identified pockets. He has stumbled upon a “closed-curtain” environment. But beyond the doors, the interviewees are “talkative” about prostitution, drugs and domestic violence.
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Joe Fenech
Mar 20th 2012, 09:35
Before the government inspects the buildings in these kind of areas, he should inspect the way some of the people live, check on why many don't work, do drug raids, check on illegal dealings, check on benefit fraud.
Hossam Helwani
Mar 20th 2012, 08:52
there is a lot to say about poverty. The real scare is the education system. There is no discipline so students are allowed to do what they like because teachers have no say in the matter. If a teacher dares to correct a student he gets into trouble and the system as it is , students know too well how to avoid their school responsibilities.
These students are growing up fast, they are breeding , and thanks to the mentality of social welfare a new mentality of abuse is inbred in these people. They feel it is their divine right to declare unknown fathers and get social housing social benefits. Of course the majority of them are not unknown, They use this fault in the law and they get away with our taxes.
They breed children with this mentality , so automatically a new culture is erupting thus endangering the social order. It is useless turning a blind eye at this reality, but drastic measures have to be taken to control this emerging monster.
I know that no political party is going to take measures to control this ugly new way of life. But it is useless for us moaning and groaning about poverty. The real poverty is not financial, the real poverty is lack of education.
John Demanuele
Mar 20th 2012, 13:06
Well said Mr. Helwani
Simon Cutajar
Mar 20th 2012, 08:31
Naqbel hafna ma Mr.Bugeja . naf hafna nies jiregistraw u jahdmu w jdahhlu paga daqs bank manager ! Hawn min jaghmel xoghol ta tibjid u tkahhil u jitlghaq min fuq il-post tax- xoghol biex jiregistra u jerga immur lura qisu qatt ma kien xejn. Single Mothers jiehdu il- " full " beneficji socjali iwwaslu it- tfal l-iskola u tarhom jigru ghax-xoghol . Wahda taghmel ma l-elf euro fix-xaghar bhala xoghol li tmur tnaddaf go djar u ufficini u hames mija u hamsin f'beneficji socjali inkluz childrens allowance u ma jinkludux xi manteniment li jihdu minn taht biex ma tonqos is- somma tal- beneficji ! U l- kbira hi li HADD ma jaqbadhom ! U jien inhallas it- taxxa u l-bolla !
P. Ciantar
Mar 20th 2012, 08:23
Jien nghati tort il permessi bla sens li harget il Mepa ta tlett sulari u pent house li gabu dan dizastru urban f postijiet bhal qawra u marsascala. Il vera tal misthija !!!!!
Reinhard Azzopardi
Mar 20th 2012, 08:07
Shocking stories indeed however, taking a quick glance a the comments below, there's a common school of thought.... many people are on the dole and live in poverty yet they work their butts off and earn good money. In 2006 I lost my job and had to register for work for 6 weeks. The vast majority of people who registered for work used to turn up driving one of two vehicles.... highly polished luxury cars or pick-up trucks covered in a layer of dust and cement. They were always in a massive hurry (why, I cannot understand). Others, stood about at the job centre and swore their heads off whenever they were sent to a meeting or siminar. Others, used to look at me and tell me "issa ibqa hekk ta. mhux komdu hekk?"! I can assure you that on any given Monday (when I used to go to register), only ten people out of 100 or so were genuine job seekers. One fine day, there was a power cut and the punch clock didn't work. I was in no hurry. I was unemployed. So I took my book out and started to read. Chaos reigned supreme. Hideous swearing could be heard from a mile away. Why? Because all those who were in the building industry were in a hurry to get back to work!
Christine Zerafa
Mar 20th 2012, 13:15
In Australia if you want to register, you have to go every single day and you are given a different time each day! This meaning that you must really be unemployed! If only it was the same in Malta!
Martin Formosa
Mar 20th 2012, 07:48
There is poverty in practically every area of the island, it is not fair that you should pin point and taint these 2 spots in Malta. If it was so bad, why do many Maltese from all over come on the weekends to relax in Qawra, not to mention thousands of tourists a year mainly from the UK.
Rats are found everywhere, when people are dirty in their homes, even in the best of areas, so get your so called studies right. Lastly, if there are open areas in Qawra and Bugibba which are dirty and I am sure there are because I go past them everyday, then the local council should take heed of this and get it cleaned up, especially it being the tourist hub of Malta.
Michael Bugeja
Mar 20th 2012, 07:33
Hawn nies li jirregistraw u jahdmu ghomorhom kollu ,u qatt ma jinqabdu.Mela le, hawn min hu nieqes mill flus ,imma jekk inti b'sahhtek, qum u mur fittex ix-xoghol, u tkunx choosey , besta ddawwar ir-rota, u ma taghmilx hsara ghall sahhtek.Kif nara nies barranin jahdmu ninharaq ,u mbaghad nisma' b'maltin bla xoghol.
John Azzopoardi
Mar 20th 2012, 00:13
I am totally shocked at this article if it's true we have such poverty when we are taking in and giving money to a large number of illegal migrants. I think if this is not true, a minister should rebut the allegations. It's absolutely a shame if we have these large number of poor persons in our midst.
anthony bartolo
Mar 20th 2012, 00:00
@GIOV DE MARTINO
HAWN IL FAQAR U TAL LABOUR SER JERGGHU JIGBRU L-FLUS.
Pippo DeMarco
Mar 19th 2012, 23:17
Mahatma Gandhi said "You can judge a society by how they treat their weakest member" After reading some of the comments below, I wonder what Gandhi would have made of us ?
It's easy to be smug when you're fortunate, but it's never easy being poor.
anthony bartolo
Mar 19th 2012, 23:12
@D.A Agius
How qualified are the people doing the survey and what bench marks did they use?
Schembri Ray
Mar 19th 2012, 22:06
I think that although the study was conducted by an expert; I have doubt how certain questions were answered honestly.
Yesterday I was at Rabat. As soon as I parked next to Domus Romana, a parker wearing shaggy clothes and looking poor came forward begging money for parking "Xi ħaġa għal-parking plijżż". Considering the cars parked there, he easily made 500 euros in a day.
My point is that certain people play that they don't have enough and doesn't have a cent debt; while others look they are richer, and have a lot of debt.
Gustav Svensson
Mar 19th 2012, 20:27
As a foreigner I'm chocked about the hard attitudes on people living in poor conditions. Make sure everyone who should be paying tax does it and then increase the support to single mother and others in need as well on homes for elderly.. Also very strange why the Church does not drive these issues.
P Bonnici
Mar 19th 2012, 22:58
The church's priorities are reversed, such as opposition to divorce and civil partnership for same sex couples.
Angus Black
Mar 19th 2012, 23:03
Gustav, the church not only pushes these issues, it directly helps in many ways, softening the impact on the taxpayer.
The 'poverty' issue is nothing new, not in Malta, not in Europe and not in the Americas. Rich or not so rich countries, all have the same problem which was mainly brought upon the establishment of 'Welfare States'. There is nothing wrong with helping the genuine needy, but abusing the system by preferring to hold one's hand out for 'assistance' from the taxpayers' pockets has reached epidemic proportions.
As I have written before the welfare system should not study, many times over, how many poor people there are or where they live but rather WHY are they poor, WHAT, if at all, are they doing to get out of the rut, WHETHER they are willing to work and do they really WANT to change their lifestyle?
In Malta there are just about as many foreign nationals working here in jobs which some locals refuse to do, as the number who register as 'unemployed'. Why? Because it is easy to get a handout, work under the table, cheat on taxes and then have the cheek to damn the system.
In the meantime, many 'poor' have enough money for drinks, smokes and perhaps do dope as well. That's smart!
carlos ellul
Mar 20th 2012, 00:17
Everyone should shoulder his own responsibility whether in paying taxes or raising a kid. The government should help people in need but they should do their share both towards society and their
own family. No one owe you a living.
Hossam Helwani
Mar 20th 2012, 09:44
@ p bonnici!!! do you blame the church? The church is highly against this new emerging social order!!!
The Church is still against divorce! Divorce brings more poverty. I am not denying that there are serious cases which deserve attention, but if one is honest enough the crux of the whole situation lies in the family. There are no excuses . The Government cannot dish out more social benefits. These ruin the whole order. They should create drastic measure to curb this growing single mother convention which is a blatant lie!
Daniel Diacono
Mar 19th 2012, 18:34
jien nghid li kull kaz ghandu il-mertu tijaw. vera li hawn hafna faqar mohbi fdan il pajjiz u nattuh biex il gvern jider sabih u jpingina ta genna li mahnix.
imma taf xnaf ... li tkun toqod go r-rukella u jkollok a/c bhal ma jidru fir ritratt hawn fuq ax nies halja taghom nfusom. biex tkun toqod gor rukella, tghaddi bir relief u teqred li qijed tejx go kundizjonijiet mandra u li d-dawl qed jigik gholi imbad twahhal a/c ax huma nies halja. tghidli mela xjamlu jhossu s-shana - LE fis sajf mandomx ihossu shana imma flok tamel a/c jezistu fannijiet commercial li anki fnofs awissu trid titfa bicca lizar fuqek ax tirzah
hawn hafna nies fqar li jridu jghaddu bil pensjoni tar romol u relief u ax mohhom fpostu u jafu li huma vera maghkusin ma jmorrux jwehhlu a/c halli fis sajf joqod paxxuti bhas sinjuri !!!
anthony bartolo
Mar 19th 2012, 22:58
Dawk il -laghba ftit il -boghod min fejn gbidtu r-ritratt ma rajtuhomx? Dawk taht liema katagorija ta faqar jaghqghu? dawk is-single mothers li jkollom tnejn jew tlieta tfal with unknown father (JAHASRA) biex jiehdu l'allowence,dak faqar?Dawk li j'morru jirregistraw u jmorru jahdmu minghajr ma jhallsu bolla / taxxa anzi jiehdu l'ghajnuna u jkollohm xi BMW ukoll dak faqar? Dawk tal boathouses tal qawra bil A/C u sattelite dish u speed boat fil bahar ma jafx is-sur MACKAY li dawk summer houses? Niskanta kif jighd li ma sarx tibdil ghal ahjar f'dawn l-ahhar 40 sena.
MALCOLM SEYCHELL
Mar 19th 2012, 18:05
These are pure lies. Nobody can say the realistic situation on poverty. Many who claim that are poor are single mothers who register their children with an unknown father, seperated people who are still with their partner, people claiming they are unemployed and then work in the black market etc.
All these 3 categories of people get more money then someone working with a minimu wage. We have hardly any people who are really living in poverty. If people have rats in their houses it is simply because they are dirty.
D. A . Agius
Mar 19th 2012, 19:06
Poverty has many different faces. Some of it is intellectually and honestly, I think your arguments show a lot of that. Saying it's pure lies based on a newspaper article is the proof. Read the full report and then comment. Your ideas do not qualify as facts.
Education is probably the biggest issue. Whilst not mentioned in the above article, I trust that this figures in most of these cases, as previous reports did show.
MALCOLM SEYCHELL
Mar 19th 2012, 20:57
Another point is that poor people should get their priorities right. I know tens of people who are on social benefits and go twice a week to the hairdresser, use mobiles,smoke cigarettes, go to Pv to drink , sometimes go on holiday and party etc etc....
I
Joseph Grech Attard
Mar 19th 2012, 21:55
OMG Mr Seychell! That poverty has increased in Malta and throughout the world is a fact that no one can deny! And the main reason for poverty is corruption, which also has increased in Malta and in the whole world. It is true that no one is dying from hunger in Malta, but lack of proper sanitation, misuse of finances through lack of proper education, illiteracy, low income, marginalisation, etc all contribute to poverty and, hence, crime! If we continue to deny such facts and close our eyes to them, there shall be in a short time areas which shall be very much in line with the famous favelas of South America, mostly Brazil! Then, there shall be no cure!
Martin Formosa
Mar 20th 2012, 09:33
Sure we do have poverty in Malta and in all parts of the island. I have lived in Rome 'The Eternal city' for the past 16 months after living in Canada for over 30 years, there is no comparisn on the visual amount of poverty you see in Malta comparied to Toronto and Rome, the Maltese don't realize how lucky they are, even our so called poor have it good.
Claire Busuttil
Mar 19th 2012, 17:59
imnalla hemm il par idejn sodi!
Mr mario aquilina
Mar 19th 2012, 17:57
Most have got their priorities wrong. I would not give any handouts to anyone in good health. Those getting benefits should be made to do at least 20 hours per week of community work.
The trouble is, that on the other hand, going to work for under 4 Euros an hour is an insult to mankind in this day and age. Some won't bother getting out of bed for that amount. But then again, why should one do community work, when most of those on a wage employed by the government, do not give back a decent days work per week.
The bit of black economy that was available, has now been filled by people of the same colour.
Vince Cachia
Mar 19th 2012, 17:44
Slums are not born naturally. They are created by the people living in them!! I can only speak for Hamrun's Okkella Agius and another block of flats nearby. Okkella Agius was refurbished some years ago and every two flats arranged as one with new bathrooms and kitchens and sleeping quarters!! Who entered in those flats had a new airy and spacious flat!! Look at them now!!! The other block of flats nearby was completely demolished and rebuilt somre years ago like Okkella and the new tenants managed to turn them upside down with filth and drugs!!!....PIGS ARE ONLY MEANT TO LIVE IN A STY NOT NEW BLOCKS OF FLATS !!!
Joe Fenech
Mar 20th 2012, 00:17
SPOT ON !
Audrey Ledgard
Mar 19th 2012, 17:03
only one thing to do let the people here exchange their life for 3 months for some single mother,unempleoyed person .see how they like it
carlos ellul
Mar 20th 2012, 00:11
You are asking people to act irresponsibly
Charles Massa
Mar 19th 2012, 16:59
U Gonzi jghid li l Maltin sinjuri!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Mela haseb li kulhadd bhalu hadu ero 500 zieda fil gimgha
anthony farrugia
Mar 19th 2012, 17:28
Issa dalwaqt jaghmilna sinjuri Joe (emails) Muscat!!!! L-aktar jekk jghidilna li sab hofra fil-finanzi biex isib skuza.
David Magro
Mar 19th 2012, 19:45
Sur Farrugia,Gonzi PN ghandu rekord li rega gab il-faqar f`Malta, dan wara li kien qatghu Dom Mintoff. Dan hu fatt! Sur Farrugia inti temmen fuq il-principju ta`Kristu ..ghin lil fqir....minn ghandu hafna jehtieg li jghin lil minn m`ghandux ? Dawn il-principji huma l-pedament tal-Partit Laburista....u mhux l-Individwalizmu li dahhal fis=socjeta taghna GonziPN
Joseph Grech Attard
Mar 19th 2012, 22:02
@ David Magro - il-Kapitalizmu sfrenat tal-PN u GonziPN jghidelk li r-religjon m'ghandiex x'taqsam mal-politika! Tista', iva, tikkundanna il-hazen tad-divorzju, zwieg civili, l-omosesswalita', id-dagha, is-Socjalizmu, izda affarijiet ohra bhal korruzzjoni, gideb, weghdiet feirah, qliegh zejjed, faqar, etc dawk huma validi ghax dik hija l-politika u kulhadd hekk jaghmel!!
anthony bartolo
Mar 19th 2012, 23:18
MELA QED TIGHX TAHT L'ART HABIB?
M. Bezzina
Mar 20th 2012, 07:10
Charlie x ma tkunx siinjur 500euro fil gima mhux tajjeb jew...meta hawn min qieghed jaghqla 700 fix xahar!!!!
Joseph Camilleri
Mar 19th 2012, 16:38
Faqar?! Jien naf wiehed, irrelevanti il kulur politiku tieghu... Jahdem fil kcina f'restaurant, jirregistra ghax-xoghol u jiehu ir-relief, jaqla madwar 250 Euro f'idejh, MA JIDRUX mix-xoghol li jinsab fih jahdem illegalment u joqoghod f'kerrejja... u dan imnizzel bhala fqir u ghandu bejn 30 - 40 sena!
Din gustizzja fuq min ihares il ligijiet, u jhallas it taxxi?!
Dak hu l'faqar li hawn f'Malta... l'ABBUZZ!
Nazzareno Cortis
Mar 19th 2012, 17:53
Joseph Camilleri------inti hati daqsu---ghax taf b'dan l-abbuz (dejjem skont inti) u ma tirrapurtahx---telefonata tmur fin nofs,u min hu responsabbli jghamel id-dover tieghu!!! Jekk jinstab hati,jkollu jrodd lura l-flus li ha!!! Mela kuragg siehbi---kuragg!!
Mr mario aquilina
Mar 19th 2012, 19:12
U jahasra kemm hawn minhom dawk. Il-Gvern imisshu ghandu l-inspectors tieghu u ir-rapporti jaghmluhom huma. Hawn impjegati mal-gvern li ilhom snin ma jmorru ghax xoghol u jiehdu il-paga min halq il poplu u fl-istess hin ghandhom cash job iehor, u ma jisthux jghidu.
Ara ma tahsibx li l-gvern dawn in-nies ma jafx bihom. Hallina siehbi! Tkellem u taqla xi wahda fuq ghajnejk.
D Borg
Mar 19th 2012, 19:16
@ Camilleri
Nifhem ir-rabbja tieghek. Sfortunatament min hu onest ibati f dan il-pajjiz. Mhux ta b'xejn qedin kif ahna f'dan il-pajjiz. Naqbel ma Sur Cortis. Telefonata tmur fin-nofs.
MALCOLM SEYCHELL
Mar 19th 2012, 21:08
il gvern irrid jaqta l abbuz. jafu min jahdem bla ktieb u ma jsir xejn
Joseph Grech Attard
Mar 19th 2012, 22:06
@ Joseph camillleri. Veru hawn ftit li jabbuzaw, izda ma ninsewx li l-eccezzjoni taghmel ir-regola, izda MHIX ir-regola! Il-faqar f'pajjizna u fid-dinja kollha kiber, minhabba l-korruzzjoni. Tinqata' dik, u l-faqar jonqos. Ma ninsewx li dak li jkun qed jabbuza, jaf ikun protett minn xi hadd "tal-qalba!" Allura mhux lilu trid trazzan, izda lil "tal-qalba!" Il-brinba trid toqtol u mhux tnehhi l-ghanqbuta!
P Bonnici
Mar 19th 2012, 23:02
Joseph Camilleri
The person you are talking about is stealing YOUR money, you are duty bound to report him, at least anonymously. He is stealing money from the most deserving - the poor. Please do your duty.
Charles Muscat
Mar 20th 2012, 00:34
I don't agree with you at all. The last time I went to see a doctor in Qawra I paid 10 euros no receipt no nothing. Fine example, why should I be honest if I know that you are not? To make it even more dirty and it is understandable politicians know about this and they never done anything about it.
Live and let live.
Simon Cutajar
Mar 20th 2012, 08:42
ghazziez sur Nazzareno Cortis u int tahseb li ser jaghmlu xi haga ? dawn ikunu nies grieden li ma tlahhaqx maghhom ! dawn jaghmlu minn kollox biex jiskappaw ! tirrapurthom MITT darba f'xaghar u ma jinqabdux ! anzi meta xi hadd ikollu bzonn xi bajjad iqabbad lilhom ghax irhas minhabba li bla VAT ! Mur bil- qeda f'xi ufficju tas- sigurta socjali u oghqod isma lil dawk li ikkunu ser jiregistraw x' jibdew jghidu bejnithom , u il- pulizija li jkun hemm ghassa jitqilhom ! ghidli int kif irridu nimxu ?
Jan-Wouter Stigter
Mar 25th 2012, 16:51
@Charles Muscat - Doctors are exempt from giving receipts. Secondly, what makes you think this doctor doesn't pay his taxes? Thirdly, try and see a doctor for 10 euro in Northern Europe. Good luck.
Eve Axiaq
Mar 19th 2012, 16:23
Il- faqar tal- lum gej mil- injoranza(neskludi l- mard fiziku u mentali). Tfal jitrabbew fl-injoranza difficli tghallimhom mod iehor ikun min ikun fil- gvern. Money management u family planning ma jafux x'inhu u l-injoranza hi ma jkunux iridu jafu mod iehor.
Alexander Brincat
Mar 19th 2012, 17:07
Veru li il-faqar jigi mill injoranza izda hemm min (jew ahjar issemmi s-sistema) fejn jaqbillu li jkun hawn l-injoranza ghax minn fuqha jaghmel kemxa flus. Ma tistax issemmi z-zewg gvernijiet ghax ghal dawn l-ahhar 25 sena lil PN biss nafu fil gvern. Il-Partit Laburista nehha lin-nies mill faqar. Dawn regghu qieghdin idahhlu l-faqar inkiss inkiss. L-ewwel li jrid ikun hawn social policy b'sahhitha li bhallissa ma tezistix. L-edukazzjoni tfisser li ma thallix l-ispekulaturi jghamlu xalata mill-middle class u mill-foqra, ghax inkella ma jibqax middle class u foqra imma sitwazzjoni fejn tezisti biss klassi imwahhla ma' hajja impossibbli.
P Bonnici
Mar 19th 2012, 23:05
Alexander Brincat
Poverty cannot be eliminated overnight and there is no easy solution to poverty. There is worse poverty in the UK, USA and now Greece, believe me.
Poverty is mainly due to global and not local events.
Moira Heath
Mar 19th 2012, 16:20
To all those blaming the government for the "poverty" mentioned in this article, go to Facebook and read the comments under the TOM's link to this article. Straight from the horse's mouth ! Not only do these people not feel poor but they are feeling insulted that they are being labelled as such. Maybe they do not live in villas, maybe they do not even have jobs and live on social benefits, but one fact is true.... they do not feel poor. So I would call for everyone to go back to the drawing board and redefine poverty.
Rich Brad saunders
Mar 19th 2012, 17:56
we lived in various different part of the UK, mainly up north and the midlands, and if you chaps want to really see poor people all cramped up in pigeon boxes as we call them, one should pay a visit to the UK and see what poor actually means. Sorry but i have visted Malta many times and to be honest although some people label themselves as poor its not quite the same or on the same scale as in Britain who are even poorer.
Bill Khan
Mar 20th 2012, 14:29
@Moira Heath
Since they do not feel poor and also we cannot define poverty, the job of the governments become that much easier. there is then no need to improve housing, education and social conditions of the 'alleged' poor. Further Governments should stop insulting them i.e no more injection of funds to help alleged deprived areas.
Poverty existed only in the novels of Charles Dickens and we all now know how badly he treated his wife.
You are right until we dedfine poverty we should be reconciled to the fact that it does not exist.
mark borg
Mar 19th 2012, 16:01
U kieku ma kienx Mintoff Prim Ministru ta Malta ghal xi 16 il sena shah u gab Malta Comprehensive welfare state...kieku tlet kwarti ta Malta tghix f dawn il kundizzjonijiet .
GRAZZI MINTOFF TALLI TWELIDT HAWN MALTA !
George Mifsud
Mar 20th 2012, 07:09
Grazzi Mintoff talli hallejtna nghixu fl-injoranza - ghax lanqas calculator ma stajtx ikollok fis sebghaijiet. Imma in-nies jinsew kollox
mark borg
Mar 19th 2012, 15:58
dan wara 22 sena taht il pn nehhi is sentejn ta Alfred sant.....meta telghu il pn f 1987 wara 16 il sena gvern tal labour kien hawn dak iz zmien kwazi kulhadd jghix fi djar dicenti u kbar bil gonna bi ftit dejn u it tallaba bahh mit toroq ,dan wara il faqar li sab li hallew il pn tas sittinijiet .....
il pn naqra naqra qerd il middleclass li gab mintoff hawn malta fdawn l-ahhar 20 yrs.
Dalwaqt ikun hawn jew sinjuri sew jew faqar,ambjent tipiku ghal gvernijiet stil tal pn.....
Issa nistennew l-argumenti stupidi tas solitu li taht mintoff ma kiex hawn x tixtri ,u dan ghax kien jiprova jiprotegi l-industrija u jobs hawn malta wara li sa zmienu ma kienx kwazi hawn wahda,ghax dalk iz zmien kien ghadu mhux zmien li tiftah berah ghal importazjoni la l-industrija ma kinetx bizzejed b sahhita.
Mhux hekk nieklu dufrejna konna ..thares lejn in nies malajr kont tinduna .......insomma bil pn ghal 5 snin ohra mil hamrun u il qawra il faqar se jinfirex sewwa!
P Bonnici
Mar 19th 2012, 23:08
I wonder what Dr Muscat's solution to poverty would be. I am curious to learn what he has up his sleeves to combat poverty.
Victor Buhagiar
Mar 19th 2012, 15:50
This is what the PN and its new face GonziPN managed to give us, yes we got the mobile and the chocolate bars but we also got socity's biggest cancer POVERTY. Dr Gonzi it is easy to preach but difficult to do it seems.
Paul Smith
Mar 19th 2012, 15:43
Globalization slowly caught up with Malta-Oh my, my!!!
Antoine Vella
Mar 19th 2012, 15:24
This study was presented during a Labour Party activity so I take it with a pinch of salt.
If Dun Victor wants to be taken seriously he should keep away from partisan politics.
Nazzareno Cortis
Mar 19th 2012, 18:08
Antoine Vella-----are you serious???? What about all the Kuria and all those political PN priests in the 60's??? They kept helping PN in every election ever since!!!!! Don't you listen,or read blogs ??? If you do,I am sure you know what I am talking about!!!! You must be ashamed to talk about Dun Victor the way you did!!! and you should apologise!!! By the way,don't get me wrong------those episodes of the 60's were the result that I have deserted church activities since then!!!!! At that time I was only 14 years of age----- and I was not given absolution,was interdicted (because I used to read and buy (Il-Helsien" an MLP paper!!!! and I never regretted my decision!! By the way-----I feel I am in peace with the true GOD----
joseph muscat
Mar 19th 2012, 18:48
A Vella,you should have said that in the70s+80s when 100 per cent of the GONZI`S clergy were against the Partit Laburista ta Mintoff.Was`nt that a disgrace for MALTA.
rose dunphy
Mar 19th 2012, 15:24
It does not matter who is in government these days. The Politicians are the same all over the world no matter which Party is in power. Workers loose jobs but not the politicians. They give themselves raises and no one can do anything about it. The politicians have too much rope and the citizens are the ones being hanged.
Mr Michael Pace
Mar 19th 2012, 14:36
Don't blame the poor for poverty. Poverty is not the result of laziness; it's usually the other way round. Poverty breeds hopelessness.
Poverty results chiefly from our heartless world economy. People commented on there being so many cars about, foreign travel, etc. Poverty is the result of bad distribution of wealth. Today's economy is based upon cut-throat competition, heartlessness and the exclusion of everybody who does not produce (wealth for the already wealthy).
Europe is rich, the United States are richer, but poverty is on the increase in Europe (including Malta), and was never lacking in the USA. The idea that the solution is a balanced budget is typical. Governments cannot spend on the poor. Market forces are the solution. The result is that whoever is weak, underprivilieged or late in starting keeps getting ever more excluded from the rat race, and nobody really cares.
Of course there are exceptions. But the tendency is for poverty to grow, no matter which govrernment is in power, unless the whole economic picture is drastically changed.
Here in Latin America we call it 'structural sin'. When the economic and social models are wrong, starting off from the wrong premises, and not caring at all for human suffering, good intentions result only in palliative solutions. All of us must get involved not just in getting our party elected, but in having it fight - against very strong odds - for a juster world. Otherwise we shall go on seeing poverty grow, social services diminish, and the privileged few getting ever fewer and richer.
Emma Xerri
Mar 19th 2012, 22:27
Exactly. The real problem is we are following an economic model that creates poverty. People have to take a better interest in what our politicians are really doing and who in fact is calling the shots in the world. This model came from across the pond and is being sold to governments through IMF and other forces.
Bill Khan
Mar 20th 2012, 12:26
@Michael Pace,
Well said. You hit the nail on the head.
Our focus seems to be always on the poors who actually feed on just 1% of the wealth. twenty percent of the population on the bottom heap just have 1% of the total weath to fight for. The top 1% have 83% of the wealth in their possession. the twnety percent fighting over just a small a,ount of wealth leads to crime and as we say the dodgy activities. We tend tio forget the amount of tax evasion dodgy activities conducted by the very rich. For the rich minority we even bail them out when the Banks threaten to collapase.
Today we have an unholy alliance (call it prostitution) of the middles classes and the filthly rich 1%.
The focus is always the poor. But we never talk of the system causing their misery. Poverty as you say is on the increase all across the world. The new untouchables.
Michael Grech
Mar 20th 2012, 15:09
At last some sense!
Michael borg
Mar 19th 2012, 14:26
Its a disgrace that such a subject has become a problem larger than it used to be in areas were no body could have imagined that such poverty/ mafia exist it is shameful for an island state in the 21st century to be in such dire state . The Maltese government is failing his objectives, even though this is a problem which existed in every Maltese government be it PN Or Labour. But now in my opinion its a shame much more than ever
Sean Grima
Mar 19th 2012, 14:26
first of all, anyone commentinh should first have the deceny of going through the report whih must have taken months tom compile - http://www.caritasmalta.org/?m=news&id=44.
as the report states, the concept of poverty is difficult to define in a univeral way. some people may be materially rich, but ignorant in terms of education and culture. some people consider prostitution a form of poverty, but some prostitutes own beautiful cars and wear nice clothes.... some people may be very well educated, but materially poor..perhaps this is less the case today, but in the past many artists, authors, poets, painters and composers died materially poor. one can also think of spiritual poverty.
Mr Ernest Vella
Mar 19th 2012, 13:24
Issa bil-paroli politiku ha taghmlu d-differenza...illum hawn il-faqar ghax kollox sar bzonn...bid-dixx, bil-cable, bil-mobile bil-car...u ma jaghmlu xejn. Imma li tghid fi zmien il-lejber ma kienx hawn faqar kbira ehhh...u zgur li kien hawn il-faqar...missieri biex kien jibghatni ghand is-sorijiet skola kellu jaghmel xoghol u part-time, ommi kienet tmur tnaddaf ghand in-nies, gieli lhaqna bl-ezatt fix-xahar, imma mbaghad ma konniex immorru niggerrew barra, mutur kull ma kellu missieri, u nieklu b'kemm nghixu. Nista nghid li l-faqar naf x'inhu wkoll...imnalla s-sorijiet kienu jiehdu hsiebna u gieli anke kilt ghandhom.
Illum ghal grazzja t'Alla, nghixu tajjeb...m'ahniex sinjuri imma nistghu nfaddlu...meta ma kellniex ghexna u meta kellna konna ghaqlin fadalna...dik id-differenza. Min irid jghix fit-telqa ghax irid hu, ghax id-dar u l-ambjent tal-madwar jekk ikun mitluq ghax hallejtu jsir hekk.
B Attard
Mar 19th 2012, 13:55
Ma naqbilx mieghek Sur Vella. Qabel kulhadd kien batut u konna naccettaw lil xulxin, izda llum jekk ma jkollox introjtu tajjeb ma tistax taghti edukkazzjoni tajba lil uliedek, ghax bil-ftahir kollu rigward edukazzjoni biex jirnexxu t-tfal belli liri trid thallsilhom fi privatijiet. Jekk ma jsibux impjieg tajjeb hemm cans kbir li dawn se jaqwghu fil-faqar u fil- kriminalita
Kleaven Maniscalco
Mar 19th 2012, 18:28
@B.Attard
Mr. Attard jien ghandi hbieb tieghi avukati, tobba, spizjara, periti etc etc u kollha hargu minn skejjel tal-gvern, u il-familji taghhom kollha kienu average jew ma jistghux. Imma dawn nies li irnexxew. Nahseb li l-edukazjoni tal gvern tajba hafna, imma certu fallimenti jigu minn familji hziena jew tfal li ma jkunux iridu jitalmu.
Narcy Calamatta
Mar 19th 2012, 12:55
"Am I my brother's keeper?". The wisest answer to that question should be, "Yes indeed I am!"
Those who have never experienced a whole 12 months looking for work and not found it, or those who have been forced to close their business because of market forces, are unwise to compare the poor to pigs in Buckingham palace or to gambling, drunkard prostitutes. When a bread winner is poor the whole family is poor. Being poor is not only when you lack money it could be that you may become poor in health or poor in companionship or poor in education and culture. Poor is the lack of opportunity to become like unto God who is perfect. I do not judge those who are writing with disrespect to those classified as poor in the Caritas study. Those who jump quickly to negative conclusions are also poor in itelligence, class, wisdom and charity. I love you too not in spite of your poverty of judgement but because of it. Now I feel needed as you helped me identify my duty to help you educate yourself in how to look at your brother, who is poorer than you, with charity. Thank you Caritas.
Bill Khan
Mar 19th 2012, 14:05
@Narcy Calamatta
Unfortunately we have moved well into the the 'I am not my brother's keeper' attitude. these days the attitude also is 'i am not my childrens' , keeper' either. The gap between the very rich and the poor was narrowest in the early seventies. Today the gap is the widest since the first war and getting wider still.
Pockets of poverty are to expected in our cities. pockets of crime too. The rich seldom come in contactr with it any way. So there is no harm. Poverty and crime are the side effects of fundamental capitalism.
The rich 1 % of the population have 83% of the wealth. the poor 20% of population ahve access to just 1% of the wealth. Unless socialism is re-ignited new pockets of poverty will grow across the Island.
Without equitable distribution of wealth poverty and crime will continue to increase.
Victor Pulis
Mar 19th 2012, 12:06
It's the people who make the slums not the other way round. Put a pig in Buckingham palace and it will turn it into a pig sty. Building (or converting barracks into) housing estates and dumping slum dwellers into them doesn't solve the problem. Eduction and prioritzing one's life is the key.
john pritchard
Mar 19th 2012, 18:27
Well said Victor,I totaly agree.
Bill Khan
Mar 19th 2012, 19:02
@Victor Pulis
Take away the millions going into the Buckingham palace, and it will turn into a pig sty without having to introduce any pigs from the outside.
A system of equitable wealth distribution is required to reduce the misery of the crime infested poors.
They need help not abusive slogans against them. Only a very minute percentage of population lives in extreme luxury cushioned by the middle classes. We can direct resources to the poors not abusive slogans at them.
Victor Pulis
Mar 19th 2012, 19:55
@ Bill Khan
I used the pig metaphor not to insult anyone but to make my point that by giving someone a decent house without first providing him with education and life skills is futile. It is like saying casting pearls before swine and you know who said that?I disagree with you when you say that taking away income will turn Buckingham palace into a pig sty. A person can stay clean even with just a glass of water to use another metaphor. Many of the so called poor in our society are not poor at all. They are parasites and the government knows it. How to explain a man who never worked a day in his life driving around in a BMW? How can a woman not know whois/are the father/s of her four children?
pat muscat
Mar 19th 2012, 11:42
Another' milestone' bequeathed to us by successive PN governments! Il-partit Laburista qered il-faqar minn Malta: il-Partit Nazzjonalista dahlu lura!
Peter Bonnici
Mar 19th 2012, 12:15
Don't kid yourself Pat.
I often took a shortcut home through what's known as the Lazy Corner in Sliema on my home from school back in the early eighties. The place stank of poverty - Entire families lived in one room. Kids never went to school it seemed. Doors were left open because the street was part of the living quarters. You'd look in and you'd see beds, cookers, a tub, and of course a picture of Dom Mintoff adorned with flowers and candles. Ignorance surely was bliss for those guys.
Giov DeMartino
Mar 19th 2012, 12:16
Hekka qerdu l-faqar ghax anqas x'nixtru ma konna nsibu. Kien gabna qiesna tribu fil-qalba ta' xi gungla. Faqar! Ghalhekk haw dal-karozzi kollha, divertiment, xalar, xorb, tipjip bla ebda sinjal ta' razan. Miljuni jingabru kull sena daqqa ghal haga u daqqa ghal ohra. Bonds tal-ghvern jinhatfu f'affari ta' sieghat. Safar, ikliet barra....faqar sewwa. Mur arhom fis-supermarkets bi trolleys jesghu daqs van. Ejjew sa l-isptar S> Frangisk ta' Qali u araw il-lussu ghall-klieb kif verament jixirqilhom. Faqar? Mela tlaqna jew?
George Calleja
Mar 19th 2012, 12:38
Veru tghid il-qassatat!! Jigifieri taht il-Labour ma kienx hawn faqar. Mela qatt ma dort dawra sewwa ma posijiet bhal l-Kottonera, il-Mandragg, l-ghajn ta hasselin u tant u tant posijiet ohra!! Mhux il-gvern nazzjonalista gab il-faqar imma s-socjeta permissiva li qed nghixu fiha. Hafna ghamlu d-dinja burdell shih u hafna ohra jikkumpatuhom. Bhalek!!
Michael Grech
Mar 19th 2012, 13:15
@DeMartino, cert li n-nies tar-Rukella l-Hamrun u l-ohrajn tas-survery kollha jiehdu l-kelb l-isptar ta' Ta Qali u ghandhom bonds tal-gvern!
j dough
Mar 19th 2012, 13:18
@giov de martino.
vera qed tghid. sirna ma nqisu zejn l-aqwa nixxghalaw. hlief egoizmu u tberbiq bla razan ma tarax. irruduha ta dallas. had ma ghadu jaf jghix b'l-ijkollu.
pat muscat
Mar 19th 2012, 13:20
Vera tridt tkun bla qalb biex tigi tghid li min hu fqir hu tord tieghu! Mela min jimrad, min jitlef ix-xoghol,min imutlu is-sieheb jew siehba tieghu, min jghaddi min xi disgrazzja, jew ifaqqruh it-tfal u jitlef il-herqa li jghix tord tieghu? Hsieb semplicistiku ghal dinja komplessa; tirragunaw aktar minn Salamun!
B Attard
Mar 19th 2012, 13:58
@giov demartino
Dejn ghejra u ndannazzjoni hawn zgur u tishet is-siegha li titwieled hawn.
Angus Black
Mar 19th 2012, 14:08
Mintoff nehha t-tallaba minn ma Bieb il-Belt, imma l-faqar baqa hemm, zdied imma safa mohbi. Dik hi l-istorja li tal-Labour iridu jdawwruha kif iridu huma w jaghtu l-impressjoni li Mintoff kien xi alla taghhom!
L-Okella Agius, maghrufa lokalmenr bhala r-Rukkella, sa minn meta niftakara jien xi sittin u aktar snin ilu, kienet u ghada l-istess u hemm xi tlett generazjonijiet joqghdu fiha. Min jitrabba fil-faqar, irabbi fil-faqar. Jekk nigu f'dan, u Mintoff vera qered il-faqar, mela x'ghamel fis-sittax il-sena biex il-kundizzjonijiet fir-Rukkella jitjebu? Ir-risposta hija 'xejn'.
Dawn l-inkjesti u statistici huma hela ta zmien u rizorsi ghax ilna nafu li faqar jezisti u billi jissuggerixxu li tizdied il-'minimum wage' ma jiswa xejn. Iridu jsibu x'inhi r-raguni ta dan il-faqar, jekk dawn l-individwi jridux jahdmu, jekk humiex gejjin minn genituri li ghexu fil-faqar u jekk verament iridux itejjbu s-sitwazzjoni taghhom.
Wiehed jista jissimpatizza lill dawn in-nies, imma b'daqshekk ma jkun qed jghinhom xejn. 'Alla jghin lill min jghin lilu nnifsu'. Il-fqar stess iridu jhossu li hemm barra mir-Rukkella hemm hajja ahjar x'wiehed jist jghix jekk hu lest li jahdem ghal dak l-ghan.
Jes Farrugia
Mar 19th 2012, 14:11
@ M Grech, cert li n-nies tar-Rukella l-Hamrun humiex kollha familji mill-Hamrun jew vittmi tad-droga li gew joqghodu hemm b'kera baxxa biex ikunu jistghu jiehdu r-relief.
Giov DeMartino
Mar 19th 2012, 15:37
Xi jhawdu l-ahwa!
Skond is-su Attard hawn dejn, ghira u dannazzjoni! Ma tahsibx li qed tkejjel lil kulhadd b'xibrek?
Is-Sin/na Muscat semmiet min jimrad, min joghrmol, min tigrilu xi disgrazzja. Dak gherf ta' Salamun. Ghax bhallikieku ahna mhux f'dinja qeghdin. Nirringrazzjaw 'l Alla li f'kull kaz hemm beneficcji specjali. Iehor saqsiena jekk dawk tar-Rukella jehdux il-klieb S Frangisk. Jiena x'jaghmlu ma nafx ghax m'ghandi anqas l-icken idea dal-post fejn jahbat Imma jien S Frangisk biss semmejt biex nuri kemm gid hawn?
L-Amerka, mhux is Somalia, l-Amerka hemm eluf jorqdu barra u jmorru bil-borma ghal naqra soppa. Tistghagbu jekk Malta haw familji li jkollhom jikkuntentaw b'karozza wahda, isiefru biss darba fis-sena, ipejpu mhux izjed minn zewg pakketti kuljum, jixorbu whisky irhis.....
pat muscat
Mar 19th 2012, 16:54
Allura, jekk tfal jitwieldu go familja fqira, jew go familja fejn wiehed mill-genitur ikollu problema it -tfal taghhom ghandhom jibqghu igorru d-dnub originali tal-genitur u ikunu ikkundannati ghal dejjem?
@Michael Callejja. 'Dejn ghejra u ndannazzjoni hawn..' Speak for yourself; mela kull minn jitkellem kontra l-faqar hu ghajjur?
Hawn Malta kulhadd kien fqir, sas 60s; l-uniku wiehed jew ftit mill-Maltin li kien 'seriously rich' kien il-markiz Scicluna; il-bqija kulhadd jahdem mas-servizzi inglizi. Kien il-Labour taht Boffa li dahhal l-edukazzjoni ghal kulhadd obligatorja( PN jivvota kontra); kien il-Labour li dahhal il-minimum wage,( il-PN jivvota kontra) il-welfare state( il-PN jivvota kontra) u l-edukazzjoni univiersitarja b'xejn; il-PN-jivvota kontra!
Issa kulhadd socjalist: anke GonziPN...iridt li is-sahha tibqa b.xejn...........dik li dahhal Mintoff!
Michael Seychell
Mar 19th 2012, 19:12
Iktar ma naqra kummenti tieghek iktar nithassrek
Pat Muscat
Michael Seychell
Tal-Pieta
pat muscat
Mar 19th 2012, 20:23
@Michael Seychell. I don't need the pity of a swelled head.
Paul Caruana
Mar 19th 2012, 11:21
For some people, there is no quick fix solution to their problems by giving them more money. While these unfortunate individuals should not be ignored/abandoned by the rest of society, they do require much more than mere financial support to get their lives in order.
carmen delia
Mar 19th 2012, 11:10
Most of these so called poor are like that of their own choice because they spend their money on non essentials and do not want to learn to put their priorities in order
I have yet to hear someone complain at the cost of the hairstylist. the nail technician. the gaming parlour
the tombola and at the top of the list the mobile card which they use irrationally {they are the ones who are always clicking away all day long]
they think they are entitled to a yearly holiday as well
Us taxpayers do not want to make good for people who do not help themselves by finding a job and the message they send is that if they can afford these luxuries they are not poor at all so do not give us this ...!!!
Joseph A Borg
Mar 19th 2012, 12:59
I suggest that before you criticise you walk a day in their shoes carmen…
Charles Muscat
Mar 20th 2012, 00:43
I agree with you entirely and what about cigarettes and alcohol ?
Giov DeMartino
Mar 19th 2012, 11:04
U tkomplux iddahquna! Meta gabuha fuq it-TV Okella Agius hlief GHASS U HMIEG ma deherx. Kulhadd dara jpappiha minn fuq daharna.
MALCOLM SEYCHELL
Mar 19th 2012, 21:15
Prosit Sur Demartino. Jien naqbel li qed jesagerawa pero kuntent li l PN se jitlef l elezzjoni li gejja ghax ilu 25 sena jhalli il dawn jiehdu flus it taxxi tal haddiem onest. Il poplu xeba. Hawn problemi fiil pajjiz imma hafna faqar iggibuh bidejhom in nies.
Joseph Fava
Mar 19th 2012, 11:01
When I was a school boy, I used to passby everyday the Favela of Marsa on my way to Valletta. It was a cluster of tin-roofed huts inhabited by people living in dirt, poverty and disease with an anti-dilluvian mentality. In 1955, Dom Mintoff's Labour Government emolished the Marsa shanty-town, gave its inhabitants decent homes and lifted them out of their miserable conditions. Mintoff also demolished the slums of Valletta and Cottonera and provided hundreds of homes for the ex slum-dwellers. Successive Lbour Governments have proved their commitment to social justice and reform by not onlybuilding vast Housing Estates but also by providing land and money for thousands of first-time buyers who never dreamed that one day theytoo would own their own homes.
The hard fact is that Labour's raison d'etre is to help the needy in climbing the social ladder all the while fostering the idea of a national community in which all feel that they are a part of and not just in, while GonziPN doesn't even want to know that poor people exist. He has other friends, other priorities. The poor and the needy can never offer free travel on luxury yachts and free flights to watch international football.
The fact is that Labour's raison d'etre is the eradiction of poverty and the protection of the helpless, GonziPN has other priorities, other friends....
John Neville Ebejer
Mar 19th 2012, 11:32
I would come to agree with what Mr Fava writes but, would add a new labour government needs to make sure it selects the needy as being so, so as not to repeat what happened at the end of the Labour period when this selection was not based on the needs but on the creed.
The proof of a mature Government mentality needs to be proven this way - you cannot give all your supporters what they want but you can give all the citizens a just prioritasitation of needs and best use of resources. And all this not through the back door of the Minsiter but through the front desk of Government Departments by a healthy civil service.
Joseph Fava
Mar 19th 2012, 15:48
@ John Neville Ebejer,
Just as we do now. Go and tell this to the Marines. The GonziPN system is organised on a Tammany Hall basis. To get something you have to be one of the gang or know one of the gang or pay one of the gang. Front offices indeed. Are you living in Shangri La, Neverland or Malta my dear Mr Ebejer ?
mark borg
Mar 19th 2012, 16:10
SPOT ON !
Joseph Camilleri
Mar 19th 2012, 10:44
This serious problem needs to be tackled from various angles. By a minimum wage adjustment alone, the problem will nevert be solved, and will probably lead to other serious national problems. People's way of living needs to be addressed rather than just pitied. Cases of harmful heavy smoking, drinking and gambling for instance are also commom practices that surely a bearing on this problem.
Mario Sammut
Mar 19th 2012, 10:42
Qawra is not infested with rats . It is infested with lazy people scrounging off government handouts . It is totally unacceptable that our island has become a haven for lazy spongers who while their time away . Most of them are healthy young men who should be rounded up by the authorities and sent out to work for a living . It is a crying shame that we have a generation of people in so called poverty and yet you see them driving cars , drinking , smoking and enjoying the nightlife . And thats not mentioning the offsprings they produce so that they make sure that successive governments inherit their problems , at our cost of course . I say , get them off their backsides and make them contribute towards the economy instead of giving out handouts . SINGLE MOTHERS ? The less said the better .
Trevor Lorenzo Mizzi
Mar 19th 2012, 12:44
What you are describing is the "Detroit" way of life.
Mr Lawrence Mifsud
Mar 19th 2012, 14:37
I would say that, many considered as poor, are in reality society 'suckers' (sic). They do it because, while Govt. gains points for itself when it hands out money, the Opposition keeps harping about poverty, thus posing as their champion. E IO PAGO!!!
J Degabriele
Mar 19th 2012, 10:41
If you give 1000 euros, say, to a number of people, within a few weeks (if not days) some of them will be richer and others already destitute. Most times (unless there's serious illness) it's a question of priorities and personal responsibility.
carlos ellul
Mar 19th 2012, 10:41
Ah the vittmi tas socjeta attitude....
I wasn't born in a rich family but I reached the levels I've reached through hard work and by sticking by the rules. I stirred away from drugs, I didn't had children prior marriage and I worked my way up to the top. Why should I pay now for someone else mistakes? My grandmother used to live in an old building which was far from perfect (one may hesitate to say it was sub standard). However healthwise it was as clean as Buckingham Palace. Poverty doesn't justify neither drugs nor lack of hygene.
What we need is a mentality where no one owes you a free meal. You commit mistakes? You pay for them. The amount of bummers, children with unknown fathers etc is becoming beyond ridiculous and yet, the government keeps issuing cheques funded by OUR Taxes. If there's not enough work then kick the foreigners out (non EU) and make room for the locals. If the locals do not want to work then FORCE them to work.
Mr Henry A. Grima
Mar 19th 2012, 10:38
'The poor will always be with you', said Jesus.
They are here so we, all of us, who are faring better than them, not neccessarily rich, will be tested, to help them out of the rut they are in.
'Rich is in the mind', a millionaire once told a convention of prospective life insurance agents. Later he was declared bankrupt. He didn't live up to his own motto, when he spent more than he earned and the market value of his assets crashed. Truly 'rich is in the mind'!
The main culprit of the poor is low self esteem. They grow in families that do nothing to improve themselves.
Society needs trained people, not necessarily professionals, who can help out these families with budgets, living conditions and education for their children.
Growing up in post war Cospicua, I noticed many families with many children, with just the father working.
Some of these children, when older, have even opened up their own successful businesses.
So there's still hope for these families, if helped with some effort from society, but especially by helping themselves.
Charity begins at home; the poor in Malta are very much nearer, but not neccessarily more visible, than the poor in Africa and around the world.
Poor people are everywhere, even in 'rich' America. Once I saw a young girl rummaging in a trash bin near a KFC, in the hope of finding scraps of food.
Another time I was told by a prospective doctor studying in UK, who used to pick up cigarette butts, and make them into cigarettes he could smoke later.
Truly 'Poor is in the mind' too!
Jonathan Bianco
Mar 19th 2012, 11:20
I agree, but we MUST implement the theory ' give the hungry a fish, and he'll be ok for a day, give him a fishing rod, and he will be ok for a lot longer'. Unfortunately, handouts just do not work, never have and never will. Unless each case is taken under the guidance of proper leaders and each given a time frame in which to adjust, offered and made to attend courses of basic hygene, basic, cooking, basic working, and each thought about the valueof self esteem - we will never be able to help these people rise above their misery.
Raymond Camilleri
Mar 19th 2012, 10:31
Please !
Everybody in Malta is taken care of !
Those in trouble are those who do not know or want to manage their money .
I know alot of people, who complain they are poor, these are alot of people who gamble all the time, drink every night when they still have cash that they receive from social welfare, smoke 1 or 2 packets of cigarettes a day, or are on drugs, and most of all they are lazy and do not want to do anything in life i mean work, they rely on the government meaning us tax payers, do you know that i know people who abuse the system ? even they abuse and rely on the community chest fund, and the european food free benefits, I talk to people like this daily, I even hear these people boast of how they manage to rip off tax payers (the government money) and get away with it, they get free housing free medical free medicine, free dental, free money, free houses, flats , newly built, Today i even heard a woman saying she purposely broke her washing machine because it was 3 years old and the community chest fund had new ones more advanced and she wanted one of those and they said they will deliver her the new one. they do not even bother to try to repair these machines they just throw away complain and change, open your eyes society and let us stop these blood sucking tribes which are emerging and bringing us down.
Having said that I must admit that these last years I suffered very serious medical chronicle illnesses myself and I am on the welfare of the social security because, I really cannot work, I have no vices. I percieve some 350 Euro monthly and with my pension not living extravagant, I get by. Still I eat daily and pay electric bills and eat cooked meals daily at home, no i dont smoke never did drink i dont like it and yes once a week i buy a super 5 ticket, thats all. I do not say I have money left at the end of the month but I get by. I save money when I can by not waisting it and products I buy and by shopping in great cheap priced stores. Careful with electric, and believe me All of you reading, these people are fleas blood sucking fleas on our society, Please before you bombard me with comments on what I said, I need you all to know that I am not pin pointing individuals or saying all these on social benefits are, but believe me the majority 80% or more of those who complain, and nota bene i say those who complain not 80% of those who are on social benefit, but again i say those who complain are those who are bringing down Malta, and do not bring politics in this either, Dr Lawrence Gonzi has his bads, but has alot of goods as well he managed to keep us afloat in this time of recesion globaly distributed, and yes he goofed up too, well as i heard some one say on television today he said if you do alot of things you are bound to be criticized, if you stand there and do nothing you get less criticisim, again I believe Dr Joseph Muscat has Malta's well being at heart as well, and that in my opinion his party will shortly govern our Island, and I wish him Luck, I must say he inspires trust so Come on let tackle our problems locally, VIVA MALTA !!!!!
Ray Camilleri
Mr Lawrence Mifsud
Mar 19th 2012, 14:28
Well said, sir. it is very easy, and convenient, to pretend you are poor. Govt provides well enough for really needy families. Giving out more handouts is not a solution..
Reinhard Azzopardi
Mar 20th 2012, 08:18
You need to make your voice heard more Mr. Camilleri. Ragel bil-ghaqal ta vera!
Lori Massini-Morgan
Mar 19th 2012, 10:17
Single mothers who lie and say they don't know who the father is so they get money. People who say they can't work and sit around all day smoking and posting on facebook collecting benefits. This is what makes me mad.
My husband works for the goverment and we have to buy our daughter second hand clothes. We have never been on one vacation,weekend break. We can't afford it.
There are some who actually need the benefits by all means good for them they deserve it, but the ones who lie and live better than a normal family is not fair.
I have internet, cable and pets that is our splurge.
Poverty is the state of one who lacks a certain amount of material possessions or money.
We consider ourselves on Poverty level.
But there are some who are worse off.
Absolute poverty or destitution refers to the one who lacks basic human needs, which commonly includes clean and fresh water, nutrition, health care, education, clothing and shelter
Jay Oatmon
Mar 19th 2012, 10:32
I agree - I have seen many of the so called 'poor' in the bars drinking - they always find the money for booze but not for their kids etc.
So at least in some cases it is 'self inflicted poverty', but not all are like this of course.
James Dimech
Mar 19th 2012, 10:17
Ok. But why are these people poor ?
If it is because they are irresponsible and mess up their lives, then I barely have any compassion for them. I only have compassion for people who are disabled, for old people who cannot work and for hard working people who make sacrifices and live responsible measured lives for the their own good and that of their family.
Giovanni Rizzo
Mar 19th 2012, 10:10
A very serious matter indeed.
Mr ALBERT LEONE GANADO
Mar 19th 2012, 10:07
My main concern is about deprived and unemployed single parent families for if nothing is done about the present situation their children will grow up to a no prospects future of early school leaving without qualifications, the danger of a life of crime and at best a life of unemployment and state dependence. We must stop the talk and and break this vicious circle of induced poverty. Some positive actions i suggest rather than just talk :
(i) Get social workers to visit ,keep an eye and file regular reports on such state dependent families at least once a month and ensure that these reports are properly assessed to ensure improvement in the circumstances of these families .
(ii) Get the single parents compulsorily back to work and offer attractive incentives for employers to take them on
(iii) Put their children under an educational care order for the whole working day from 8.00 to 5.00 to give these children the opportunity to get a decent education and probably some decent meals and at the same time allow their single parent no excuse in getting back to work.
Mr N Attard
Mar 19th 2012, 10:05
Some 'poor' families I personally know are just sucking social benefits from our taxes, not interested in working, and jointly smoking 3 packets of cigarettes a day. Most probably they also gain single mother benefits as well while the father lives peacefully in the same household.
Jes Farrugia
Mar 19th 2012, 14:19
Very well said!!!!!
mark borg
Mar 19th 2012, 16:17
so true Mr.Attard, there are unfortunately those kind of people and you could never eliminate them , but how could a family today make ends meet with less then 1000 Euros a month ?? A band which apparently amounts to significant percentage i recently found out ...how could they cope with the bills and mortgages plus if needs be pay for medicine etc ???? There is a mentality of the higher purchase and people living off credit cards ...a very dangerous situation and not a sustainable long term neither.
By the way if you know such persons personaly ...what are you waiting to report this abuse ??
stephen koludrovic
Mar 19th 2012, 09:55
Immigration is also reducing the possibility of a certain sector of the Maltese people in getting a job.
Christian Sciberras
Mar 19th 2012, 09:54
Where's the Malta ENVIRONMENT PLANNING Authority (MEPA) when you need it??
Or is it their expertise is limited to nay-saying?
rita Farrugia
Mar 19th 2012, 09:53
Go near the gambling outlets in Qawra as early as 10am. Casino, Bingo, Lotto outlets and see why some people are poor.
Reinhard Azzopardi
Mar 20th 2012, 08:16
Nail on the head! Look at every town and village in Malta and see where bingo is most popular... in the areas closest to government housing.
john vella
Mar 19th 2012, 09:52
Fiona Galea Debono
Allow me to congratulate you for your report. This is not the country that I grew up. Some may call it progress!
A 'Bankrupt Government' with no soul and an opposition that is full of doctors or 'wan a be refered as', with no difference or change between the two at the cross roads.
Gone are the days when the Malta Labour Party leaders dropped their titles and came to our level the like of Mintoff, Carmenu, Fredu.
Same goes with the P.N., take away all the glory in name calling and one get lost to find a Nerik, a George or an Eddie within their rank.
This country is loosing its Christian fibre, its love for our neighbours for the poor.
Look at a parochial paper delivered door to door if it is not filled by writers with university level titles, I guess even Our Lord will get lost if he came to meet them.
The truth is that both parties have become one and the church has changed, grant you sometimes we get a voice from the Bishop of Gozo that calls us to our senses.
Those in need are only available during election otherwise they do not exist. What a shame.
Anna Cassar
Mar 19th 2012, 10:27
Why are you complaining because we have a high standard of education? In life there is always a choice. It's for us to choose.
John Cassar
Mar 19th 2012, 09:45
Where has it gone so wrong? The lure of kick backs and profits has allowed individuals to become greedy. As what is happening around the world, greed is the downfall of humanity. Even communist China is caught up in it. Some individuals treat their pet dog or pigeons better than a fellow human being. And remember, don't judge others unless you are prepared to judge yourself first.
j brincat
Mar 19th 2012, 09:41
Isn't poverty in Malta a mere perception?
(jb)
Karl Consiglio
Mar 19th 2012, 09:32
Thats because they didn't make a little more effort when they were in school.
Renald Borg
Mar 19th 2012, 10:12
a bit simplistic if i may say....
john muscat
Mar 19th 2012, 09:24
Now that we have Dr. Busuttil in charge to see who has a problem and should not grumble, will see to it immediately as Gonzi is unaware of these situations!
vella m
Mar 19th 2012, 09:21
Everything this government is doing seems to be, making money for the rich. :-(
A. Schembri
Mar 19th 2012, 09:59
Thats called elitism, one feature of a far right party, and lately the pn has been showing a lot of it. Malta needs to see a more social democratic party after 25 years of failing at equality
Lets face it gonzi we both know that appointing a special delegate to hear people's problems is not going to solve anything. We already know the people problems...you just refuse to fix them
A Sultana
Mar 19th 2012, 09:20
3 houses in the pic have airconditioners
Reinhard Azzopardi
Mar 20th 2012, 08:12
Exactly, And if you were to go inside, you would probably see large screen LCD TVs with the latest satellite systems, the latest smartphones and sound systems too. Furniture would be a disaster though. I have witnessed these things myself and was left gasping for breath. Cupboards full of sweets, yet nutritious food was nowhere to be found, crates of beer and soft drinks, yet not one single bottle of water. The bathroom had broken tiles and a non-functioning flushing yet large showcases for horse-racing trophies adorned the sitting room.
Only two days ago I heard somebody who lives in a housing estate complain that she was asked to relocate the water tank to the roof of the washroom. She expected the government to do it. However, she owns the blessed flat herself and yet still expects the government to do it! I could go on and on until i go blue in the face.
R. Balzan
Mar 19th 2012, 09:18
Okella Agius in Qormi Road, Hamrun probably ranks as the worst slum house in all of Malta and has been a festering sore in Hamrun for years and years. It's about time the Hamrun Local Council takes the initiative to get the government or some enterprising individual to buy the whole block and either demolished completely or at least refurbished into habitable apartments.
Please choose the reason of your report below: