"The minimum wage does not guarantee a decent living, as each and every person, irrespective of their work, deserves." Alternattiva Demokratika, said today that this is made clear in the report on the 'Minimum Essential Budget for a Decent Living' published today by Caritas on the minimum income for a decent living.

"A country which says that it is doing well economically, is at the same time tight fisted with the poor who earn the minimum wage," said AD.

"Caritas has shown clearly that the minimum wage is not enough for a decent living. The minimum wage has never been reviewed since its introduction in 1971," AD added that, "it is also obvious that 45 years later, the dignity of workers at minimum wage means that it should be reviewed."

AD spokesperson Mario Mallia insisted that, "AD supports the recommendations of the report that the difference between the minimum essential income a family needs for a decent quality of life, and the national minimum wage, is reduced over a reasonably short period. The minimum wage should be increased to reflect the income necessary for a decent and dignified life."

"Increasing the minimum wage would mean raising the general economic wealth since the increase would mean more spending in the economy by more people," he said.

"AD feels that by simply giving out benefits government is subsidising cheap labour and encouraging austerity. The difference in income between the current minimum wage and dependence on benefits is not such as to persuade the dependent to seek employment. It does not pay to work since both dependency on social benefits, as well as on the minimum wage, the risk of poverty still remains considerably high. In both cases the revenue is not enough not even for the essential minimum."

Mario Mallia concluded, "AD also agrees with Caritas that those who genuinely cannot work because of different forms of disability should be guaranteed a decent and dignified life. It is a shame that the benefits for these people are more akin to charity than to the necessary to ensure dignity and social justice for the deserving."

AD Secretary General, Ralph Cassar said, "AD congratulates Caritas for this serious and well researched report and studied. It sheds light on the realities that some find it comfortable to ignore. We hope that the recommendations in this report do not fall on deaf ears as happened with the first report in 2012. Social justice considerations demand otherwise."

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