The demonstration against the increase in the price of fuel and gas, to be organised by the Labour Party next week, will not resolve the situation, but the PL is correct to voice the growing concern among the people about the added costs they have to shoulder.

The international situation is what it is, and the government justifies itself by saying that what is happening here is a result of what is happening elsewhere. But it is not comforting to know that, week in week out, we will have to pay more for products that we need to heat up our homes, cook our food and go from one place to another.

The thing is: the meagre €1.16 weekly increase that we will start getting from our next pay cheque is certainly not enough to cope with the added costs that we will incur or, better, have already started incurring.

Of course, the increase is a cost of living adjustment for what took place in 2010 as per mechanism established. But the rise in the price of gas and fuel, not to mention the water and electricity bills that we are all getting, is much more than €1.16 a week. Let us not forget that these added costs will mean that other products and services will become more expensive because manufacturers and service providers will all pass on their extra expenses on to the consumer.

It is a vicious circle, and the consumer is always the one who gets the short stick.

What is increasing the people’s anger is the fact that while they have to make do with €1.16 extra a week, Cabinet ministers are getting €600 a week extra, and this is backdated to nearly three years ago. Members of Parliament – except those who have refused it – will also be getting a hefty pay-rise.

One of the comments that was frequently made when the news broke about the politicians’ salaries is that they were ill-timed. Well, considering what has been happening in the past weeks, and more so in the first few days of this year, this is an under-statement.

The Labour Party has understood what the people are going through and will take the opportunity to try to score some political points by holding a public demonstration. As said earlier, it will not be a solution to the problem, as the costs will remain what they are, but seeing that no day goes by without some product or service going up in price – today the price of milk will go up too – the situation is worrying, particularly to people with a low income.