Government allocates €11 million to past grievances fund

The government will be allocating €11 million to a fund to address past grievances affecting some 6,000 workers and their families. This was announced in a press conference today by Finance Minister Edward Scicluna and Social Solidarity Minister Michael Falzon.

Scicluna said that the fund was meant to address grievous injustices which were committed in the past to former Labour Corps employees, former employees of the Malta Electricity Board, former port workers, and others. The injustices were brought about by changes affecting the pensions system. A number of these employees and their families sought redress in court, but were unable to get compensation.

Falzon explained that over 6,000 past-employees and their families would benefit from the fund. He said that the government was committed to address these injustices which were ignored by previous administrations.

“€8 million had been allocated for this purpose in the 2017 budget, but this has now been increased by €3 million, bringing the total to €11 million”, Scicluna said. “The government feels morally obliged to help these people, although it is not legally obliged to do it, and regardless of what the courts decided in the past, or if the period of prescription has elapsed.”

Scicluna said that the government would be tackling the various cases concerned one year at a time.

“These measures show that this government is truly a government for all, and not a government for the few, like some have claimed”, said Scicluna.