The demonstrations, protests and vigils ably led by the Civil Society Network, which immediately followed Daphne Caruana Galizia’s assassination, compelled the competent authorities to take all necessary actions to bring those responsible to justice.  As a matter of fact, three persons are now charged with the killing of Daphne.  

But this is not, and should not be perceived, as the end of this black episode in our history.  There are loads of investigative questions which need to be answered to get to the bottom of this tragedy which has shocked our small community.      

Daphne Caruana Galizia’s heinous assassination in broad day and the events that followed revealed that our society is in dire straits.  The proceedings following this atrocious murder are still unfolding and developing, and are still very high on the national agenda.  Unfortunately, in addition to the heartache and grief to the members of the Caruana Galizia family and close friends, the murder has done irreparable damage and untold harm to Malta’s reputation.  

The Caruana Galizia assassination has to a large extent captured the attention of law-abiding citizens, irrespective of their political leanings.  The rule of law has also been brought into the equation as a result of the magnitude and the negative effects of the assassination of Caruana Galizia, a journalist who had strived to inform her readers with news items which, in all probability, would have otherwise been swept under the carpet.

But without losing focus on the murder of Daphne Caruana Galizia, there are other issues which merit our attention, one of which is the following. 

Released Eurostat figures corroborated a press statement issued by the National Statistics Office wherein it was reported that during the third quarter of the year, Malta’s economic growth stood at 7.7%, which is an absolute record.  Growth in the first quarter stood at 6.1% and that in the second quarter also stood at 7.7%.   When compared with the average economic growth across the EU of 2.6% in the third quarter as reported by Eurostat, Malta is faring exceeding well.  

In this positive economic climate, what should be questioned is whether the distribution of the generated wealth is being fairly distributed.  

While it should be acknowledged that in the past years people living in poverty and at risk of the poverty trap have decreased, this should not put our mind at rest or allow us to become complacent.  Every effort should be made to ensure that the required safety nets, intended to protect people, are in place.  Not only safety net should be in place but these should be strengthened, either to act as a trampoline to put people back on their feet or to provide a good quality of life to the beneficiaries.  The assistance, which may be awarded in cash and/or in kind or both, should provide vulnerable people the required assistance.    

The current economic growth should make this possible.   

But in contrast, statistics issued by the EU’s statistics bureau late last month showed that 24% of children under the age of 18 in Malta are at the risk of poverty or social exclusion.  Although during the first legislature of the PL an improvement had been registered, with the figure reaching a high of 32% in 2013 and then steadily decreasing on an annual basis to 31.3% in 2014, 28.2% in 2015 and 24% in 2016, EU data shows that 24% of Maltese children are still at risk of poverty or social exclusion. This means that a quarter of our children are living in households that remain at risk irrespective of social transfers, have very low work intensity or are severely materially deprived.   Any one or a combination of these indicators signifies a risk of poverty or social exclusion, as defined by the study.

Unfortunately children are considerably more likely to live in poverty than adults. This is not necessary and it is certainly not acceptable, and we can do something about it.  Growing up in poverty can blight children’s well-being and their future life chances.   Children living in poverty are more likely to have poor physical and mental health, and less likely to achieve their potential at school and in employment.

Unquestionably, Government should endeavour to reduce the number of children in poverty, and that of people at risk of poverty, further.

Despite that many work hard throughout the year, thousands of families will be very tight on cash during the coming festive season.  Unfortunately, the Christmas period may even push the poorest families deeper into debt, further into poverty and at the risk of eviction.

Policy teams must continue to lobby and influence decision-makers so that disadvantaged families are supported and enabled and have access to the services they need to escape poverty and give their children the best start in life.

Everyone deserves a quality of life which at minimum is decent.

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