The government is ignoring the concept of social justice, the shadow minister for social policy Paula Mifsud Bonnici said today.

Addressing a press conference, Dr Mifsud Bonnici said the government has given millions to its inner-circle yet is ignoring those most in need.

Dr Mifsud Bonnici cited a number of instances where the government squandered taxpayers’ money, such as the €3.5 million given to property speculator Marco Gaffarena, the €4.2 million Café Premier bailout and the €30 million subsidy for a subpar bus service.

“The government has got its priorities wrong, it is consciously rewarding its innder-circle to the detriment of everyone else,” Dr Mifsud Bonnici said.

She deplored the government’s “deceptive” marketing about the pension increase during the last budget, saying in actual fact only 12,000 pensioners have benefited from an increase.

The PN’s spokesperson for the elderly Robert Cutajar said the government had failed in its pledge to eradicate poverty.

More people are at risk of poverty now than prior to the March 2013 election, he said.