From Mr C. Micallef
The Maltese people seem more concerned about the cost of living and how expensive life has become. The situation is definitely not pleasant for most couples who have no other option except to go for bank loans, which they will have to repay for the rest of their lives.
However, in my humble opinion, I think there is one very big problem we are forgetting. This is the Pension Reform time bomb!
Time is so precious! Time is life and a great gift from God! No matter how rich you are, you cannot buy yesterday and today will be history tomorrow! Therefore, time is much more valuable than money itself!
The whole point is that although practically everyone was preoccupied about the four days deducted from their vacation leave, which we lost this year, it seems that people have not realised that we might have to work till we turn 65, whether we like it or not and immaterial of who governs Malta! Or perhaps, they are noting what is happening, but prefer to criticise later, when everything is settled and obviously too late to alter! Different minds, different opinions!
People like me, who unfortunately have to work all year round and have extremely limited vacation leave, do not have much time to enjoy life. Apart from the financial point of view, I find it very risky to go for just a mere two weeks holiday, leaving only about 10 days leave for the rest of the year, as one never knows what could crop up. So, with such limited, precious free time, it makes it even worse to think that I may be forced to deduct four more years from my life span here on earth, and give it to the labour force.
I am not aiming for the ripe old age of 80 or more, but no one has a guarantee that he / she will live till at least 70! So, ethically speaking, what right has a supposedly “sensitive” government to take away from me four precious years of my life? We do not come on earth for eternity. If the government is in desperate need of funds, and although I am not to blame for the current financial situation, I would prefer donating every penny I earn, without further argument, to the government or pensions’ funds and live practically on bread and water (although they are not cheap either) and quit work at 61. Why bother so much about the three-pillar system of the White Paper, or the reduction of bonus payments? Are we going to take a single cent with us when we die? But this precious time is given to us free and we are not aware of what we are going to lose.
How come certain people in Malta protested on the vacation leave issue, and so far have practically kept their mouths shut, when the Pension Reform is a much graver issue? Perhaps because they are in their 50s and will luckily (for them) be unaffected by the new Pensions’ Act. Where are the young people who have just celebrated Youth Day? Aren’t they aware of the fact that they are being discriminated against!
It is nice to read that some unions have still not lost hope and are considering a referendum on public holidays. However, it would be much more interesting if such referendum is extended to cover also the much more serious issue of having to work till the age of 65.
Therefore, before the closing date for feedback submissions (30 April), I urge the general public to put aside their emotions, personal feelings and political beliefs, and focus their minds on www.pensions.gov.mt in order to submit their comments.
Finally, I do hope that this letter has touched the insensitive hearts of whoever is proposing that everyone should work till they turn 65, with the exception of those over 50. Let fairness prevail!
Charles Micallef
FGURA