Woman lives on noodles to afford her utility bills
A woman with respiratory problems, who had an electrically-operated oxygen tank at home, ate cheap noodles every day to be able to afford her utility bill, Labour health spokesman Marie Louise Coleiro Preca said yesterday.
“There are people who are energy poor. I spoke to a woman from Cospicua last week. She needs an oxygen tank at home to live. She just about passes the means test, so she’s not entitled to the energy benefit. She told me she can only afford to eat noodles,” Ms Coleiro Preca said.
She was speaking during a public dialogue on social poverty held at the Fgura PL club.
Ms Coleiro Preca said that during home visits she had knocked on people’s doors to find they were wearing coats indoors. “I’d think they are about to go somewhere but it’s just that they cannot afford to buy gas for heating,” she said.
She accused the government of ignoring the reality of poverty in Malta. In 2000, EU figures already showed that Maltese people were at risk of poverty.
Twelve years down the line, the problem grew. Figures now showed that more than 15 per cent of the Maltese population is at risk of poverty, she said.
Ms Coleiro Preca said the educational system was partly to blame for the increasing poverty rate as it allowed students to slip through the system.
“I know a girl who’s in secondary school now. She needs help but she was never provided with a learning support assistant. Then we wonder why some children remain illiterate,” she said.
She added that the class of the “working poor” had emerged in Malta over the past years. Hard workers were not managing to cope with bills. Some people were facing unfair work conditions.
She said she met a woman, who worked as a supervisor with children at the government support agency Appoġġ, who was employed as self-employed.
A total of 500 care workers contracted to serve in state hospitals remained underpaid and exploited. Last September, a board of inquiry, appointed by the government, recommended that the 1977 regulations governing work conditions of contracted workers be reviewed. However, this had not happened, she said.
Ms Coleiro Preca said an elderly couple told her that a businessman, who owned a home for the elderly, had approached asking them to donate their property to him in exchange of lifetime care.
They had been waiting to get into St Vincent de Paul home for the elderly for years and felt they had no choice but to accept.
Charles Agius, who will be contesting the Fgura local council elections, said that during home visits he met families who had their electricity supply suspended because they did not pay the bill. They took their children to their neighbour’s house to use the computer.
A 50-year-old woman, whose husband passed away and had a son, lived on €400 a month. She was finding it hard to find a job due to her age, he said.
Carmel Azzopardi, a family therapist who will be contesting the general election on the Labour ticket, said the stresses of cost of living were breaking up families. He stressed on the importance of having a family policy.
Labour MP Joe Debono Grech called on his party to reach out to people by teaching people about the history of the party that worked so hard to fight poverty.
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pat muscat
Apr 23rd 2012, 22:18
After 25 years of PN, we are back to the 60s! Mintoff eradicated poverty: Fenech Adami and Gonzi 'social conscience' politics brought it back! Politics of deceit.
Carmel Agius
Apr 23rd 2012, 19:54
Dan zgur ma vvintajniehx ahna !!! Zgur li ma ghamilnhiex hsara lil Malta. Il-hsara lil Malta qed issir minn min sodd widnejh ghal karba tal-poplu. Araw ir-rapport tal-Unjoni Ewropeja l-Ewrostat u taraw sal-2010 kemm kien hawn nies fir-Riskju tal-faqar. 20.6 %. Ahseb u ara llum kemm zdied aktar, minhabba li l-fuel, il-gas, dawl u ilma u l-aktar affarijiet essenzjali tallum gholew b'mod sostanzjalment. U tiskanta l-pagi dejjem jibqghu l-istess. Il-Gvern jaghtik xi haga fil-budget u jehodlok il-mijiet matul is-sena kollha bl-gholi tal-hajja. Bejn l-2009 u l-2010 il-faqar f'Malta zdied 0.4 % u dan hu hafna.
Idhlu hawn u taraw ir-rapport ufficjali tal-Eurostat. :
http://epp.eurostat.ec.europa.eu/cache/ITY_OFFPUB/KS-SF-12-009/EN/KS-SF-12-009-EN.PDF
http://appsso.eurostat.ec.europa.eu/nui/show.do?dataset=ilc_peps01&lang=en
Michelle Grech
Apr 23rd 2012, 18:47
It's funny how some of you people here presumed that just because someone is barely making it through the day it's because either they're single mothers, make wrong use of their money, or use it for some insignificant type of entertainment like 'lotto', 'tombola' or 'coffee mornings'. Well may I just say that this is just pure nonsense! Yes, people like this exist. With some of the wages people get here, the best you can do with it is pay the bills and a loan you had to take so that you can have a roof over your head! Then to bring food to the table you have to rely on your wife's wage or maybe a part time job. Some of you talk like that just because you don't know what 'barely making it' really means, but trust me, it ain't fun searching through your cupboards hoping you have enough ingredients to make dinner.
Godfrey Camilleri
Apr 23rd 2012, 18:30
"Ms Coleiro Preca said an elderly couple told her that a businessman, who owned a home for the elderly, had approached asking them to donate their property to him in exchange of lifetime care."
Is this something unacceptable?! As far as I know this system is extensively used abroad and is already available in at least one house for the elderly in Malta.
Henry S Pace
Apr 23rd 2012, 18:05
' Woman lives on noodles to afford her utility bills '
May I humbly ask what is her budget for Lotto and Tombola parties, coffee Mornings and other way of entertainment/
Peter Zahra
Apr 23rd 2012, 16:43
I know that certain people may find themselves in financial difficulties due to some unfortunate circumstances and I am sure that everyone agrees that these people must be helped to overcome their problems. However, the exceptions are not the rule and every case has its own merit.
One cannot expect to sustain a good financial position if a person goes around drinking, playing lotto, having kids here and there from different relationships etc etc..
If one has any doubt if the majority of the Maltese population is going that bad as Marie Louise Coleiro is trying to picture in this situation, then all he has to do is to go and try to have a lunch without a prior booking on Mother's Day next month and I bet that he will remain very disappointed because all major restaurants will be fully booked two to three weeks in advance !!!
tyson vella
Apr 23rd 2012, 16:23
accetta il realta u mux tinheba wara subajk bhal dal gvern
George Calleja
Apr 23rd 2012, 16:04
Tal-labour ghaddejjin b'propaganda rhisa biex iwettqu x-xewqa li xi darba ikunu fil-gvern!!! Veru hawn ftit familji li huma fil-bzonn imma dawk kollha li tkellmu hadd ma qal x'se jaghmel il-labour ghal dawn in-nies meta jkun fil-gvern. Paroli u jizrhu l-mizerja biss. Tghid se jirduppjalhom il-paga jew il-pensjoni? Tghid se jerga jdahhal il-korpi jew il-'victory kitchen' biex jitma dawn il-povri? Tghid se jwaqqaf it-tombla ma kull rahal halli l-familji ma jiftaqrux jilghabu? Se jnehhi l-lottu? Jghidilna x'se jaghmel mhux iparlaw fil-vojt!!!
Joseph Cauchi Senior
Apr 23rd 2012, 15:55
Aren’t such comments by the MLP damaging the image of Malta, when one knows that such comments can be accessed to by the whole world and are politically motivated; and are very questionable as regards their veracity?
“Tkomplux Tħammgu lill-Malta Tagħna”
-Min jobżoq fis-sema, jiġi f’wiċċu-!
JC.
Lara Vella
Apr 23rd 2012, 16:13
jien nahseb li dawn il kummenti qieghdin biex igibu n-nies f'sensihom li iva, hawn il-faqar f'pajjizna, u jehtieg li naghmlu xi haga malajr fuq is-sitwazzjoni,
kieku kont int flok din il mara kont tiehu pjacir li haddiehor jiddeskrivi s-sitwazzjoni tieghek bhala 'hmieg'?
Mr mario aquilina
Apr 23rd 2012, 14:57
Most of the poor are too ashamed to admit it. They eat and live rubbish indoors, where the neighbours can't see, but put a brave face outside.
I Bugeja
Apr 23rd 2012, 14:28
Sometimes I wonder how people manage to bring up a family with 1000 euros monthly (a wage earned when both go to work). It is not fair for those who are insulting honest workers with sweeping statements - I trust some cases as the ones mentioned above need to be understood on a case by case basis.
HOWEVER I am NOT ready to pay more taxes so that people do not declare their income, I am NOT ready to pay taxes so that single mothers can have a child bearing unknown father, one after another, I am NOT ready to pay taxes so that government housing is vandalised.
Nevertheless it is not always people who have a low income who do these things. Ever been at the dentist, oculist, dental surgeon or other professional without being given a VAT receipt? I have and when I asked for the receipt I was given a piece of paper quoting the expense and being told that my insurance company should accept it!!!!!
Ms Maria Vella
Apr 23rd 2012, 16:59
well said
Bernard Bezzina
Apr 23rd 2012, 22:52
just for the record.........a dental surgeon/dentist (one and the same thing) cannot issue a VAT receipt because he/she hasn't/can't have a VAT book. That's all!!
Bernard Bezzina
Apr 23rd 2012, 14:20
u ajma jien fi zmieni jew kont bravu jew injorant. U hadd ma kien igerger. Illum irridu nkunu kulhadd l-istess. Fill-klassi irridu nippruvaw ingibu lil kulhadd fl-istess livell - kif jista' jkun. Minix nghid inhallu tfal jaqghu lura jew jibqghu illitterati imma nemmen bis-shih li min hu lura sa jibqa' lura jew jimxi ftit 'il quddiem b'mod insinifikanti ghal finijiet akkademici u min hu 'l quddiem jew jipprometti sa jinzamm lura biex nippruvaw inqarrbu lil kulhadd ghal-linja tan-nofs!! Dawn ghalija paprati!!
Franco Farrugia
Apr 23rd 2012, 14:06
This is not meant to be a political comment. However, I see a problem here. While I have the greatest respect towards Ms Coleiro-Preca, I must point out that ... that the people that she is visiting, obviously belong to the same political party as she does and so in all probability, their words cannot be taken 100% as reality. (I am not disputing the fact that there ARE many people suffering from the high utility bills!) So, again with all due respect, I would question the veracity of her examples. Thank you.
Lara Vella
Apr 23rd 2012, 16:15
jien nghidlek li jezistu nies ta' din il-kwalita, sur farrugia, specjalment f'areas partikolari tal-pajjiz. kultant trid tara u ggarrab biex temmen.
Joseph Camilleri
Apr 23rd 2012, 13:59
@ pacifico galea
I'm sorry about the state of your well-being, however don't expect the state to do well for you. Don't be a bluff... politicians around the world have MORE then 1,000 Euro's a week and I agree to this so that politicians will not have some under the counter 'employment' if you know what i mean, however that's an other story...
My point is that if you have children, it is high time that they work to support you, and their mother. After she has raised them it's high time that part of their pay will be given to you in aid of their mother.
I am a gay person, I own a house and live alone... after graduating and now holding a good job earning 1,500 (in hand) ...from this I have to dish out 80 euros monthly on utility bills, 300 euros on my car loan and still half way through my home loan with 550 euros monthly. I also take care of my parents who are sick at home, old age, however I don't leave them to rot. They have raised me, and now it's time to do my bit with them, after they did their when I was younger.
My point is that it's up to you how you manage your money. I only have a mobile phone and no subscriptions with either Melita or GO... just a TV set hooked onto a satellite dish where I get everything and no fancy Internets either! I don't live beyond my means like MOST people do, and then they end up saying that they don't afford!
Unfortunately today we are too dazzled with all that glitters, and after buying the glitter, it's nice for the first 4 months but after it becomes a burden. Charity begins at home... I hope your children are doing good at school if they are still learning... If not, you cannot expect them to have a decent job. One has to work hard BEFORE enjoying the good life, and not the other way round... Most however at the age of 16 get out of school and expect a chair and desk job... and when they don't get it, becuase they don't qualify, it's the government's fault!
Think!
Charles Muscat
Apr 23rd 2012, 13:07
I eat noodles every day whats wrong with that. She is a one luck woman, It was on the news a while back that here in Australia, pensioners eat cat food to survive and to keep up with the poker machines habit.
Kurt Mifsud
Apr 23rd 2012, 13:43
Without going into the content of this article... it's not healthy at all to eat noodles
Mr Slim Bartolo
Apr 23rd 2012, 15:13
G'day mate, me too i just love noodles and i tell what sport, they are alot damn sight healthier then eating meat or rabit rabit and more rabbit.. poor bright eyes from the film WATERSHIP DOWN.
Reginald Borg
Apr 23rd 2012, 11:46
Marie Louise,
Can you please inform us how much money did she play for last Wednesday's SUPER FIVE and for last Saturday's LOTTO draw?
Did you happen to pass by Floriana this week-end for the Feast of St. Publius? All the bars were streaming with your people and not so young drinking heavily till the very early hours of the mornings?
And they say that they do not have enough cash for their bills.
U HALLUNA!
F. Azzopardi
Apr 23rd 2012, 12:15
How insensitive of you to speak like you're sure that this lady plays lotto and super 5!! Unbelievable. How lower can you get Mr Borg?
pacifico galea
Apr 23rd 2012, 12:40
Meta trid sur Borg ejja niltaqu u nurik fil verita dak li qeda tghid is Sinjura Coleiro nurik fid dar tieghi stess fliema sitwazjoni qed jien u il familja tieghi b mara marida serjament u b dizabilita li il gvern qed jghid li maghdix dritt ghal beneficji tal mard ghax jien nahdem il paga tieghi mhix ddik ta 500euro fil gimgha bhal li qed jiehdu gonzi u shabu izda ta fmadwar 10000 euro fis sena u by the way nahdem sibtijiet hdud u festi bi hlas ta siegha siegha mhux bid dopja u jekk tkun festa anke il gurnata leave inqatet wkoll ghax qalulna li il paga li ghanda hija paga tajba THIDLI XEJN XPAGA TAJBA DIN U KUNDIZJONIJIET TITGHAXAQ. . il hajja gholiet mas sema imma il gvern tieghek qed jghid li mhux vera. il fuel listess din is sena ma stajt nixghal il heater id- dar biex inshan il kamra tas sodda imma kelli nuza aktar kutri u b the way biex niflaxia it toilet nuza ilma li nkun inhsilt bih jien jew tal hwejjeg ghax il bqija ilni bla dawl u ilma grazzi ghal gvern tieghek. int mid dehra wiehed min ta gewwa mil mod kif tkelliemt u ghandek il pappa diehla seww. issa nigi ghal punt tal festa ta san publiju ma nafx fejn rajthom ghax jien kont hemm hlief dawk is sinjuri li jghixu il furjana u xi erbgha buisnessmen ma kien hemm jixorbu imma il kumplament xi coca jew ilma setaw jixtru ghax m ghadx ghandna flus min fejn nahlu GHAX GHANDNA XORTI QEDIN NGHIXU AHSEB WARA KEMM INGAWDU GRAZZI GHAL GVERN TIEGHEK LI KISSER LIL MALTA U LIL FAMILJI MALTIN U GHAWDXIN U BY THE WAY JEKK MA TIDHIRX HAWN DIN IL KITBA SE TKUN FUQ FACEBOOK GHAX JIEN MAGHDIX XNAHBI GRAZZI
J. Debono
Apr 23rd 2012, 13:31
@ Pacifico Galea
There is something wrong here and I will quote
"She just about passes the means test, so she’s not entitled to the energy benefit. She told me she can only afford to eat noodles"
The income therefore must be more than 8,000Euros per year, i.e. more than 660Euro per month - and ? she lives alone - it is not specified here.
At 660Euro per month and she only affords noodles, because of electricity/gas bills!!!!
There is something missing. I have a family of 4 - we spend app. 120Euro per month electricity/water/gas.
With 500Euro left per month we wouldn't afford any luxury, it's true, but not cheap noodles!!
Kurt Mifsud
Apr 23rd 2012, 13:38
Jigifieri kull min ghandu problema biex ilahhaq mal-hajja minhabba hekk? Nahseb ahjar thallina int habib!
S.M. Cuschieri
Apr 23rd 2012, 13:51
@ F. Azzopardi
I can understand what reginald means. it does not mean that this poor woman does play super five and lotto and then eats noodles to compensate, but it is very true that people hold back on basic necessities just to play Super five and lottos, especially when the stakes are high. S5 and quaterno are such an addictive hobby, that it totally blinds people into believing they can win. Yes it is true someone out there is lucky but how many of you are that?
Gina bugeja
Apr 23rd 2012, 13:55
agree with you Reginald.go to the bingo halls to see who plays there and most of them you find them moaning about bills!
Franco Farrugia
Apr 23rd 2012, 14:11
@ Pacifico Galea: U mid-dehra, tinteressa ruhek fil-lottu wkoll, ghax tgerger li qed jonqos ir-rebh! Heqqqq!!!!
wendy isaac
Apr 23rd 2012, 11:37
Oh Boy this is very damaging and a reflects a Bad Image to the friendly Maltese and how good the country is doing, it just show Malta that without our British tourists and us expats spending money in your country, you too will be eating noodles, so do not look a feed horse in the mouth friends. Oh & look after your poor and your penioners, i think they deserve a better life and not reverting back to the pre & post war years, after all alot of locals died for a better life, and this certainly doesn't fit their expectations even now in 2012. Just an opinion from a Briton.
S.M. Cuschieri
Apr 23rd 2012, 13:43
British spending money in our country?? Ha Ha ha!! The laugh of the day! I do not count brits as lavish spenders....More the budget holiday and sharing a coke type of holidaymaker. i do not think we have to thank you for that.
J Degabriele
Apr 23rd 2012, 11:26
I don't know about the poverty thing but I DO know various pupils and students WITH an LSA who have remained illiterate! Let's not mix up various things together.
Daniel Mizzi
Apr 23rd 2012, 11:16
Ghaziza Marie Louise Coleiro Preca ghal dawk is-single mothers li xebghu jabbuzaw mill gvern u mis-servizzi socjali u mit-taxxi taghna donnu ma tikkumentawx il-partit tieghek u l-partit nazzjonalista. Izda ghal dawk li minhabba fihom qed ibatu bhal din il mara tikkumentaw.
Issa minflok toqghod tilmenta, uru naqra dixxiplina u l-flus tat-taxxi imorru ghal xi hadd li ghandu bzonnhom vera mhux xi single mother li taparsi ma tafx x'ghamlet.. Meta tara din il-problema u turu naqa dixxiplina tkellmem, hekk jimxi il-pajjiz il quddiem meta dawk li xebghu jitmejlu bil gvern u t-taxxi tal poplu (single mothers, dawk li qatt ma hadmu u ghandhom penzjoni ecc...) jiehdu dak li haqqhom u din il-povra mara tkun tista tghix naqra iktar komda.
Charles Falzon
Apr 23rd 2012, 11:05
Don't try to poke fun at other people's problems. If you have nothing of substance to contribute, keep your thoughts to yourself.
Alexandra MalliaBorg
Apr 23rd 2012, 11:56
With respect to a fellow countryman i presume, before sending in a feed back i think you are refering to the English woman, please read between the lines, we all know she is talking in reality, yes we have still poor people in Malta, the gap between the rich and the poor is very wide my friend and charity begins at home. i felt somewhat ashamed to say i am Maltese to my Australian friends after they refered the item to me a few hours ago. Malta should look after its older generation why is it still possible to have poor pensioners in this dayinage whit all the richness of Malta and all the hype as how good the little lion is doing, and this has nothing to do with politics as i say politics my backside, people are people and should be treated with alittle bit of respect .
Charles Muscat
Apr 23rd 2012, 13:50
Let it be written let it be done.
Charles Falzon
Apr 23rd 2012, 14:35
I intended this reply to a comment posted by Mr. G.Mangion at 09.52
Mark. Galea
Apr 23rd 2012, 10:48
agree that there are some people in real need of help, but what is Joseph and Yana's solution?
Kurt Mifsud
Apr 23rd 2012, 13:39
Zgur mhux joghlli l-fuel bhal-lum gimgha!
Peter Zahra
Apr 23rd 2012, 16:19
simple mate.....take their vote and after the election all excuses come up.....!!
G Mangion
Apr 23rd 2012, 09:52
Woman lives on noodles to afford her utility bills:
Anothe rWeek Marie will be telling not noodles , but NEEDLES !
G. Mangion.
Paul Azzopardi
Apr 23rd 2012, 10:55
I can't understand your humour Mr Mangion, you seem to be doing fine. Its many others are not its a reality and a sad one at that I don't think you need to be insensitive about it. I don't give a hoot about politics, Red or Blue this is a mess any way you look at it and there must be a reason why some of our people are heading onto the poverty track. If someone doesn't do something about it we will soon have people begging on the streets. Mentioning that, I would wish someone to take notice that a couple of sweet Romanian VERY young kids are frequently begging for money on the Sliema front in some well known restaurants , my wife asked them where are their parents, the poor child answered DRINKING IN IMSIDA!!! Can anyone look into this??
Fenech MD
Apr 23rd 2012, 10:59
Kif ma tisthix tkompli titfa' l-melh fuq il-ferita'.
Irrigrazzja 'l Alla li tista' tghix hajja dicent. Sa ftit zmien ilu jien bhalek ma kont nemmen dawn l-affarijiet, ghax ghalkemm m'ghandiex xi paga gholja, ma naghmilx kapricci u l-paga nonfoqha ghall-bzonnijiet. Imma x-xahar l-iehor kienet l-ewwel darba f'hajti li l-paga ma servitniex. U rasek ittik. Bdejt nara f'hiex infaqt il-flus u fejn nista' nnaqas biex ma jigriliex l-istess dax-xahar. Ma nahsilx hwejgi? Ma ninhasilx jien? Ma nikolx? Immur ix-xoghol bil-mixi flok bl-Arriva (mill-Fgura sa' Tas-Sliema mhux boghod!) Ma nhalliex it-tfal juzaw il-kompjuter ghall-iskola?
Forsi G Mangon jilluminani ghax s'issa ghadni ma sibtx risposta.
Nispera ma jkomplix ikun kattiv u jissuggerili niekol in-noodles.
Hans Weber
Apr 23rd 2012, 13:30
I learned one thing Mrs.Wendy Isaac, we are from Austria and spend alot of money on the islands, however in Malta or any other country if you have money you get respect especially from the tax man, however with no money one is nothing less then an animal, so what respect are you talking about ja.
Please choose the reason of your report below: