The PN on Monday condemned Prime Minister Robert Abela for permitting direct orders to those closest to him, whilst Maltese children are deprived materially and socially.

PN MPs David Agius, Graziella Attard Previ, Ivan Bartolo and Albert Buttigieg issued a statement, saying that 6.7% of Maltese children who are less than 16 years old are deprived of basic materials and certain social services.

It said that in Malta and Gozo, two out of ten are at risk of poverty or social exclusion.

The PN said that the study by Eurostat defines material and social deprivation on a scale of 13 goods or services, that if a person cannot afford at least seven of them, then they are considered materially or socially deprived.

The 13 goods or services are:

– The ability to pay unexpected expenses;

– The ability to pay for a week's holiday;

– The ability to pay back debt, electricity bills or rent;

– The ability to eat meat, chicken, fish or a vegetarian meal every two days;

– The ability to keep your home at an adequate temperature;

– Access to a vehicle for personal use;

– The ability to be able to buy new furniture;

– Access to the internet;

– The ability to buy new clothes;

– Access to two pairs of shoes that fit you well;

– The ability to spend a little money every week for personal reasons;

– Access to leisure activities;

- The ability to, at least once a month, meet friends or relatives. 

Last December, the National Statistics Office (NSO) said that according to the EU-SILC 2021 survey, the rate of risk of poverty or social exclusion last year reached 20.3% of the population living in residences in Malta.

More than 100,000 people are in poverty, while those close to government continue pigging out, the PN said.

“At the same time that now independent MP Rosianne Cutajar wrote that everyone pigs out, Robert Abela was being paid €17,000 a month for a part-time job at the Planning Authority,” the PN said.

“The culture of "I don't care, everyone is a pig" is an accurate summary of the last 10 years of the Labour Government and today, Robert Abela cannot believe that he is really there for the workers,” it said.

The PN accused Abela of allowing more direct orders to those closest to him, including former Labour MPs, Ministers’ wives, and former Prime Minister Joseph Muscat, while Maltese children are deprived of basic materials.