Żminijietna - Voice of the Left views the 2012 Budget as one which gives more importance to those who are well off, to the detriment of those workers and families who are on low income.

“For the sake of social justice, we insist that, low income families should have been protected, to minimise the impacts caused by the high energy prices, food and other essential items.”

The revision of the tax as proposed, excluded a large number of families and individuals, including those who are no longer raising children, and families with a ‘single wage earner’. The Government has once again given no attention to the national minimum wage.

On the other hand, Żminijietna considers positive, the increased in ‘children allowance’, increased benefits to 80 year old pensioners and the re-introduction of a subsidy home scheme to first time buyers.

Żminijietna appeals to the Government so that the increase in investment in public health, translates itself in an improvement in primary health care, with regard the service and opening hours. Government should re-introduce dentistry service in the community.

We hope that the proposal for increase in maternity leave comes into effect in a short period of time, and this will not find any obstacles in MCESD.

Żminijietna states that the budget does nothing to create a ‘Green Society’ and is in fact a step backwards from this aspiration. The Government has also failed to introduce fiscal measures to incentivise the creation of ‘green jobs’. Without these tax incentives we cannot expect the manufacturing industry to move in this direction.

On a negative note, it’s also a fact that, once again the Government has chosen to reward through tax incentives those families who chose to send their children to private schools, while children attending public schools, at Secondary level, are asked to pay for an opt out ‘white collar’ vocational subject in the field of Tourism, IT, business etc.

Also, ‘Blue collar’ vocational subjects in the field of craft are absent from school, to the detriment of all those students who do not succeed at academic level, and these students are leaving school (early school leavers) without any skills.

David Pisani

Żminijietna – Voice of the Left