Cost of living and utility bills feature high on the list of people’s concerns for the year that has just begun, according to a survey commissioned by The Sunday Times.

While financial and economic matters, including low wages and unemployment, were identified as people’s major concerns for 2011, divorce was the only non-money issue to make it to the top 10 list of concerns.

The survey, conducted by Misco International Ltd, found that 66 per cent of respondents wanted the divorce issue to be resolved this year.

However, despite hoping the issue to be settled this year, only 32 per cent of respondents believe this will actually bethe case.

Nationalist MP JeffreyPullicino Orlando has submitted a Private Members Bill on divorce which is supported by Labour MP Evarist Bartolo.

The survey also showed that people are not expecting the economy to fare well in 2011, despite having grown at a solid rate throughout 2010.

However, this pessimism is countered by optimism when respondents were asked whether they expected this year to be better than the one that has just ended – with almost 56per cent saying they thought it would be.

However, this optimism will not necessarily translate into more holidays abroad. Asked whether they were planning a holiday in 2011, only 27 per cent of respondents answered yes, while 72 per cent said no.

Illegal immigration, which just over a year ago was the second highest concern for Maltese in a Eurobarometer survey, has dropped dramatically down the scale – with only one per cent of respondents identifying it as a matter of concern this year.

A survey published in TheSunday Times last week showed that the majority of respondents believe Christmas has lost its religious significance, with 44 per cent of the opinion that it has become a commercial activity.

ksansone@timesofmalta.com