Pension anomalies remain
The article and explanation by David Spiteri Gingell (August 16) is revealing. It explains factors that contribute to the present anomaly.
Measures suggested by the Pension Reform Group (on which pensioners’ associations were never invited to sit), such as the introduction of a second pillar pension, were not accepted by the government.
On the other hand, measures not suggested by the Pension Reform Group, such as removing pension capping, were introduced by stealth by the government to favour powerful lobbies, such as permanent secretaries and ambassadors, not to mention MPs and members of the judiciary.
The end result: while a few select lobbies enjoy two-thirds of their full salary, pre-1962 born pensioners are being pushed towards the lower end of the poverty level.
Granted that post-1962 born pensioners have paid higher contributions, but the reality is that pre- and post-1962 pensioners, MPs, permanent secretaries and whatnot all buy their fruit and veg and other basic commodities at the same selling price, as established on August 17, 2023.
Hence, the pension anomaly that has been created has to be immediately redressed.
ARNOLD CASSOLA – Swieqi
Pre-1962 born pensioners are being pushed to the lower end of the poverty level. Photo: Shutterstock.comStop ravaging Malta
Wherever you go, whoever you speak to, you can sense a bottled-up rage roiling inside the Maltese population against the relentless deterioration of our country.
Before anyone chooses to give this a political slant, people of both red and blue hues and all the shades in between are expressing disgust at the state our country has been reduced to, just to appease the mighty and greedy monster ‒ mammon.
The Planning Authority keeps on dishing out permits for indiscriminate development and agencies keep on issuing work and residence permits to people from non-EU countries on the premise that businesses cannot find enough workers.
Of course, paying these people peanuts has become very attractive. These poor souls come here thinking they will find a paradise of work opportunities only to be swallowed up in the voracious machine of exploitation and discrimination.
All this is having a toll on the country’s infrastructure and the well-being of the whole population, native and foreign alike.
Is there somebody out there with political clout and a working conscience who is willing to genuinely listen to what the people are saying, stop the lip service once and for all, and do something that will stop the ravaging of the Maltese islands?
ANTOINETTE AZZOPARDI – Nadur
