Greeting the diplomatic corps during the exchange of New Year greetings, our President hit the nail on its head. “Some countries are currently registering economic growth. Unfortunately, millions of people living within these same economic zones are still living in poverty,” the President is reported to have stressed with her distinguished audience.

It was a clear statement regarding social inequality. I fully concur and endorse this statement.

The difference between the rich and the poor is on the increase. The rich are becoming richer and the poor are becoming poorer. The widening gap between the haves and have-nots is undermining decades-long attempts to reduce global poverty. According to a recent report tabled by Oxfam, just 62 people own the same wealth as half the planet. This is not just a statistical fact. Nor is it a meresociological observation. This is a human tragedy. It is a blot on our humanity and on our democratic credentials.

Mainly, social inequality is a direct consequence of social injustices, which in return, is deeply ingrained in selfishness and greed. Sadly, this goes to show the domination of the ‘I’ over the ‘we’. The Lehman Brothers case is the classic manifestation of greed. The human agony experienced in developing countries, in particular in Africa, is well documented. The desperation of well-intended refugees seeking new hope is just one façade of this complex social tragedy. Those who care enough to step out from their own personal encroachment have ample other examples to ponder on. My very own experience in Kenya, years back, was then my first-hand experience in witnessing this unjust social disparity.

A truly successful and strong nation is present when social justice and social equality are truly implemented

It is within this context that politicians need to work harder. As decision makers, politicians need to tackle the very causes that contribute to this social discrepancy. Politicians need to promote fairness and equality for all. They need to work tirelessly to promote the politics of many over the few. Many politicians do. Others unfortunately, can be held responsible for adding more social injustice and social disparity.

Clientelism, as in promoting unmerited self-interests of constituents or by pampering particular lobby groups to the detriment of the common good, is a secure way of affirming further this disparity. This leads to a situation where citizens who are supposed to be equal, end up being more equal than others. In his novel, Animal farm, George Orwell coined the now famous expression that, “all animals are equal, but some animals are more equal than others”.

This is the politics of the exaltation of the few over the many.

For a number of years, Malta has experienced steady economic growth. One would be politically blinkered not to acknowledge that successive administrations worked tirelessly against all odds to raise our quality of life to the standard that it is in today. The recent credit agencies certifications come as no surprise. The Labour government, which should be accredited with some successful measures it introduced, is fortunate enough to reap also the fruits of hard and unpopular decisions taken by the previous Nationalist administration.

Our Prime Minister in his ill-advised, choreographed New Year’s address wanted to impress on us the good feeling factor. Being ‘invited’ into a designer kitchen for a coffee, the Prime Minister wanted to assure the nation that we cannot have it better than this.

Sadly, this is not the case, at least not for all.

Although over the years our standard of living has improved, we also need to acknowledge that poverty in Malta is on the increase too. Poverty has various façades and shades.

The latest data available highlights the fact that in Malta we have 100,000 people in risk of material poverty.

At-risk-of-poverty people are those whose income is below 60 per cent of the national median, after adding social benefits. Some families not only cannot afford a designer kitchen but can hardly make it to the end of the month. Although some may have prejudices or reservations towards these people, those working in the social field can attest that this is a stark reality, hidden for some.

Currently, the elderly, the lower- and some middle-class families, pensioners and other vulnerable persons, in particular persons with mental health issues, are at risk of poverty.

The increase of € 4.15 weekly given only to the pensioners on minimum pension, the €1.75 cost of living adjustment, reduction in utilities services and other financial initiatives given are being quickly absorbed by inflation. We have the highest cost-of-living rate in Europe.

If the economy is doing that well, why is the government then not being more generous, as in the case of the Café Premier bailout handout? Is it ironic that the €4.15 weekly increase to 12,000 pensioners on minimum pension cost €2.3 million, while the failed Café Premier business buddy was handed €4.2 million?

Is the government awaiting election time to regain some lost love? Why is the feel-good factor not trickling down to the low levels of our society?

Will the government reconsider its position on the increase in the minimum wage as advocated by Caritas or the ‘living wage’, which the then Labour Party in opposition invoked?

How about tackling the core of poverty by investing more in education, in particular to combat illiteracy among the children of these families?

To add insult to injury, the Labour government itself is adding to social inequality by giving, up to now, 450 ‘positions of trust’ to party loyalists. Meritocracy, as solemnly promised, doesn’t come into play here. Across the board, ‘positions of trust’ ran the full gamut. Others were handed tailor-made vacancies or granted direct orders and tenders. Others were promoted to ‘consultants’ or given fast-tracked promotions. Some ‘animals’ are truly more equal.

These are all vulgar acts of socialinjustice and contribute further tosocial inequality.

A successful and strong nation is not measured only by credit agencies. A truly successful and strong nation is present when social justice and social equality are truly implemented.

Till then, we all need to work harder.

Albert Buttigieg is a Nationalist Party candidate and a St.Julian’s local councillor.

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