Labour holds 'Fair Society' policy seminar

The Labour Party today held a policy seminar entitled 'Hand in hand - A Just Society' in which a number of invited speakers and civil society representatives discussed various aspects of social policy.

Most notably the seminar dealt with disability, child poverty, vulnerable families, the elderly and social justice.

The first speaker of the evening was University lecturer and media personality, Andrew Azzopardi who said social change comes both the top and the bottom and added that "everybody is an agent for change."

He urged political parties to listen to the grassroots. "Every government has to decide what kind of balance must be reached between the market and the welfare state."

He called on all political parties to involve citizens in all stages of policy making and its implantation. Azzopardi said civil society must play an important role in creating a just social policy that caters for the needs of every member of society.

In his address, Azzopradi also floated the idea to set-up a Commission on poverty and social exclusion.

Angela Abela, the Director of the Centre for Family Studies at the University of Malta spoke about the phenomenon of child poverty and quoting statistics on the matter she said that this issue has not been studied enough in Malta and this is needed to compile a preventive policy.

The problem could be resolved through financial assistance and through education. She insisted that policymakers need to give priority to vulnerable families suffering from poverty, mental illness, disability and other troubles.

Emmanuel Darmanin who works in the disability care sector said the biggest problem persons with disability face is bureaucracy, accessibility and exclusive policies on different levels.

He said accessibility is a structural problem and should be tackled on the local and national levels.

The last invited speaker, Marvin Formosa, a lecturer on social gerontology within the European Centre of. Gerontology, University of Malta said the country has an impressive record in the elderly sector with Malta being among the first countries to introduce an Old Pensions Act.

He noted that Malta also has a high life expectancy rate even when compared to other European and Western nations. However he warned that in years to come the pension and health sector challenges will grow due to the dwindling fertility rate will.

Formosa stressed the importance of social inclusion and participation of the elderly. He added that active ageing, independent living and productive ageing are the key in achieving inclusion.

He explained that the elderly in Malta are at higher risk of social exclusion then the EU average.

The presentations were followed by a short discussion involving the members of the attending public. Labour Party leader Joseph Muscat addressed the seminar at the end of the debate.