More than one in every 10 people living in Cospicua were handed out food packages as part of a new EU food aid programme for Malta’s most deprived.
According to an exercise carried out by this newspaper based on figures tabled in Parliament this week, 11 per cent of Cospicua’s population received bags of food as part of the Fund for European Aid to the Most Deprived (FEAD) rolled out last month.
The two other localities with the highest concentration of food aid recipients were Floriana (nine per cent) and Valletta (eight per cent).
The statistics tabled in Parliament by Social Solidarity Minister Michael Farrugia listed the number of recipients by location.
St Paul’s Bay scored highest, with a whopping 964 people receiving bags of food, followed by Birkirkara (888 recipients) and Qormi (776 recipients).
The EU food aid scheme, which sees Malta benefit from €4 million until 2020, was meant to be introduced last year but was delayed due to a number of technical hiccups involving tender submissions. Maltese citizens are the overwhelming beneficiaries. FEAD distribution coordinator Stephen Vella said that eligible households included those receiving non-contributory, means-tested benefits and having two or more children below the age of 16, as well as those with two or more children below the age of 16 and with an income not exceeding the minimum wage. Non-single households eligible for non-contributory means-tested age pensions also qualify for the food aid.
Distributed by the Foundation for Social Welfare Services (FSWS), each package consists of cereals, pasta, tuna, nuts, rice and other nutritious foods, weighing some 15 kilograms. Another three distributions are due in April, July and November.
For the forthcoming years, three distributions per year are planned, Mr Vella said.
The FSWS will be providing recipients with printed material and information sessions on healthy and balanced diets, budgeting and positive parenting. The majority of parents who collected the packages also accepted to be contacted by FSWS workers to discuss ways through which their family could move forward and integrate better in society.
“One may justifiably question whether giving ‘hand-outs’ and increasing social benefits could have an adverse effect and make families more dependent on the State,” Mr Vella said.
“Some families are very knowledgeable about the social benefits system and manoeuvre in such a way that they constantly try to take advantage of society’s safety net. Such a mentality needs to be challenged to eradicate the continual attempt to beat the system.”
“Our team admired families who, even though they were deemed eligible, nonetheless opted not to benefit from the scheme as they preferred others who were worse off to be assisted in their stead.
“Unfortunately, we could not do this. The ministry is aware of other families who need similar assistance, but do not fall within the eligible parameters of this programme, and they will be reached through a similar, nationally funded initiative.”
Cospicua archpriest Canon Reuben Micallef said that welfare dependency poverty was a cultural problem which recurred over generations.
“It’s very difficult to change the mentality of such people, although as a parish we collaborate closely with Appoġġ, the Access Centre and the primary school. Such people need positive role models to look up to and learn from.”
Cospicua mayor Alison Zerafa Civelli said that, along the years, Cospicua has welcomed a number of people with social problems.
“We are conscious of the problem and such a statistic inspires me to keep working to get our message across that social housing should not be concentrated in one area. Education and role modelling are crucial.”