PN says 60,000 pensioners did not benefit from Budget

Shadow social policy minister Paula Mifsud Bonnici said that 60,000 of the 83,000 pensioners in Malta are not reaping any benefits from the latest Budget.

Speaking at a press conference, Mifsud Bonnici pointed out that these pensioners would only be getting €1.75, like everyone else.

“Pensioners who are at risk of poverty, will not see an improvement and they will only see an increase in their cost of living allowance,” she said, adding that this was a clear example of how prime minister Joseph Muscat was lying to his people.

She added that only those who had a contributory pension would be receiving €140 according to the social security paid and that those who are at risk of poverty will not be better off.

Spokesperson for the family, Robert Cutajar expressed his disappointment at the fact that the government as persevering with its plans for a disability hub, regardless of the negative reactions the project had received.

“Persons with disability and their relatives want to be a part of the community, but the hub will separate them from the rest of society,” he added.

Cutajar also spoke about the St Vincent de Paul Residence, and appealed to the government to give the residence importance and not let it fall into deterioration. He made particular references to reports suggesting discrimination between residents of the home and other homes, as well as a reduction in the constant watches organized at the residence, which subsequently results in them being tied down to their beds at night.

“PN is concerned about the way Agenzija Appogg is being run,” he said appealing to the agency to keep children as a priority.

Spokesperson for housing and poverty, Stephen Spiteri said that the budget did little to address poverty in the country.

“Muscat has once again ignored the 100,000 people at the risk of poverty and he has chosen to ignore them rather than improve their lives,” he said,quoting NSO statistics that showed that the number of elderly at poverty risk had risen by 2,500.