I cannot but applaud what Minister John Dalli had to say about the spectacular social housing he witnessed at Pembroke.

Azzjoni Nazzjonali has maintained since its inception that the policy behind social benefits has been twisted beyond recognition. What started as a means of helping those in need has now expanded, in its different forms, to represent a large, complex and expensive system of what the Romans called "panem et circencis", the bread and circuses that kept the dangerous Roman mob subservient to their political masters.

It is right for the government to take responsibility for the needy, the poor and the disabled. It is even better when governmental largesse becomes conditional on the poor using the help provided to rise above their state and become contributing citizens; when the needy take the opportunities provided to learn skills that will get them a job; when the disabled are provided with all that it takes to depend not on charity but as much as possible on their own particular contribution to society. The reasons for living off others for life are and should be limited. This is what Azzjoni Nazzjonali meant when it insisted that each and every citizen has the right to enjoy the fruits of his labour. He is not allowed to do that when his money goes to fund "luxury apartments given away for free". He is not allowed to do that when his money is used to cover the costs of the government's inefficiencies. He is not allowed to do that when the government assumes the paternalistic attitude of deciding where the normal citizen's hard-earned money should go.

Yes, let us help those who really need help. But the ever-expanding social services mean that an ever-increasing number of people are riding for free on the bus that has been bought and is being maintained and serviced by the hard-working citizen. The new-found joy of the government ministers in pointing out that in fact the government has no money and is only concerned with managing ours for us holds no water.

Azzjoni Nazzjonali would like to see less government and the introduction of a culture where each and every one assumes responsibility for his actions. The ever-expending social services have made paupers of our people, rendering them completely dependent on the "goodies" they hope to get from the annual budget. Well, the goodies are in short supply at the moment and the mismanagement of the last 20 years must not be allowed to be pushed aside by the international situation. Telling the alleged jobless that they would have to provide community services in return for the dole is a step in the right direction. What is needed is for that philosophy to take root in Parliament itself.