Shadow Minister for Social Policy Paula Mifsud Bonnici today questioned why the government has not given more to pensioners if the economic situation is as rosy as the Prime Minister makes it out to be.

Addressing Parliament this evening, Dr Mifsud Bonnici said certain pensions earning around €400 a month will only benefit from a €1.75 weekly increase.

It is wrong that the government is giving the impression that all pensioners will benefit from the rise in pensions, she said.

“The government cannot mislead people and give this impression, acting as if the problem is over and everyone is living comfortably. It is a shame that the government is not sharing the economic wealth equally.”

She pointed out that government MP Marlene Farrugia even took to social media yesterday during the Prime Minister’s budget speech to say that pensioners should have been given more.

Dr Paula Mifsud Bonnici said that in the Finance Ministry alone, an extra €900,000 has been allocated to salaries.

“Every day we hear of a new consultant appointed by the government…

“Would it be such a huge injustice if instead of wasting this on people in positions of trust this amount was given to pensions,” she questioned.

She said the government has given the impression that it would eradicate poverty in one stroke, yet it has clearly not done so.

Dr Paula Mifsud Bonnici hit out at the government’s mantra that being a single parent is not a profession.

She said it is not fair to have a government judging people, as the majority of single parents claiming benefits are genuine.

“I am afraid that with such a mentality government will half social benefits just to show how tough it is.”

At the end of her speech, Dr Mifsud Bonnici hit out at the “disastrous” situation at the Housing Authority.

She said only those in the “inner-circle” are being rewarded at the Authority and minister Michael Farrugia “knows this.”

Dr Mifsud Bonnici said that minister Farrugia has not even answered a PQ asking for the qualifications of the Deputy CEO at the Authority to be tabled.

“Why does he not want to answer a simple question like this, it clearly shows Deputy CEO does not have the experience.”

She said that when a number of vacancies arose at the authority “everyone” already knew who would fill them.