PN Highlights Soaring Cost Of Living In Malta But Provides No Concrete Proposals To Tackle It
“The government is in denial,” said Claudette Buttigieg during a PN conference that highlighted the debilitating issue that is the rising cost of living – yet failed to provide any concrete proposals to tackle it.
Today, The Nationalist Party elaborated on some key points and statistics when it comes to the struggle that people are facing as they find it harder and harder to keep up with the costs of every day items.
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PN candidate Francine Farrugia explained that families struggling to make ends meet was a major problem encountered during home visits.
“People are being forced to choose between paying for car insurance or food for their children,” she revealed.
Farrugia further noted a substantial rise in prices of products that form part of basic everyday purchases: “a product that would’ve cost €9 last week now costs €12”.
Pensioners too are suffering from this ever-increasing cost of living.
Many are struggling to afford medication and other basic needs, while others have even been left without a roof above their heads, she said.
She continued to say that 82,000 Maltese and Gozitan people are currently at a high risk of living in poverty.
However, despite the accurate illustrations and personal familial accounts, the party failed to provide concrete suggestions that the government can potentially adopt and implement.
The opposition is urging the government to recognise and face this problem – which is an essential plea. However, it is one that has been made time and time again by journalists, politicians and the public alike.
What is needed now by the supposedly active opposition party are proposals in areas that the government is sorely lacking – cost of living included.
Universal basic income, an increase in minimum wage and improved benefit schemes are three of many proposals that the opposition should push the government to implement and investigate.
Notwithstanding the party’s openness to discussing specific proposals (like the introduction of a living wage), it is a basic statement that lacks in substance and urgency and thus contradicts the criticism that it is giving the government for ignoring the issue.
Since the opposition seemingly understands the gravity of this issue, why doesn’t it actively propose the changes that it wants to see?
Buttigieg concluded by appealing to all journalists telling them to investigate.
“Don’t just take our word for it.”
What policies do you think the PN should propose to combat the high cost of living in Malta?
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