“As expected, the Government is strengthening various social benefits, including pensions. These affect in particular, rightly so, those categories which were ignored for a number of years,” said Alternattiva Demokratika – The Green Party’s Chairperson, Carmel Cacopardo, in reaction to today’s Budget 2020 speech.

He argued that ” however the Government has once more failed to embark on the process of revising the mechanism used to calculate the minimum wage, in order that this reflects the real needs of workers.”

“This exercise is now long overdue,” said Cacopardo. “Tinkering with income tax payable on overtime is insignificant when compared to what is really required. We need a minimum wage which reflects the real needs of workers.”

Cacopardo continued by saying that “the Minister of Finance is taking everybody for a ride, when on the one hand he speaks of Gozo as an ecological island but at the same time he keeps insisting on the ‘need’ for a tunnel between the islands, which tunnel will only serve to accelerate the environmental degradation of Gozo.”

“We note that Government has almost announced the cut-off date for the importation of cars running on petrol and diesel. But it has not arrived there yet,”stated Cacopardo.

He said that “there is no seriousness in the manner in which this topic is being addressed, because had government been determined in this respect it would have declared an immediate moratorium on the construction of fuel service stations.”

“As an additional bonus payable to every citizen, had it been serous, it would have immediately withdrawn all operating licences of fuel stations which have not been in operation for some time,” he said. “In addition, it would have halted its senseless development of road infrastructure which serves only to increase cars on our roads. The alternative to this, are measures to reduce the number of cars on our roads.”

“The Government has realised, at last, that it needs a ‘Green New Deal’ strategy,” said Cacopardo “That is, a strategy which addresses the impacts of climate change sustainably, economically, ecologically and socially,” he added.

“But for such a strategy to make sense Government should first dismantle its existing strategies which are in direct opposition to a ‘Green New Deal’.

“It does not make sense, for example, for Government to declare the need to protect the environment but then dishes out incentives of all sorts to encourage the property market; nor does it make sense to keep to its programme of intensive development of the road infrastructure, or keep pushing for the development of a tunnel between Malta and Gozo, which only serves the free movement of more cars between the islands,” stated Cacopardo.

He pointed out that “instead of grants for batteries to store electricity generated through solar panels, it would have been much better had Government embarked on a massive investment to ensure the better distribution of electricity, as this would of itself increase the potential for the generation of more renewable energy by households.”

“The lack of effective measures to generate more energy from renewable sources clearly shows that Government is not really committed in implementing a real ‘Green New Deal’ strategy,” said Cacopardo.

Carmel Cacopardo concluded by saying, “This budget is based on glaring contradictions.”

Permalink: A Budget based on glaring contradictions – AD