PN MP Ivan Bartolo cannot but be lauded for presenting the "Combating of Loneliness and the Strengthening of the Well-being of Society Act, 2026", aimed at tackling loneliness.

Indeed, it reminds me of a similar piece of legislation that Japan introduced in April of 2024, not much before us. It was a law enacted to battle a growing problem of loneliness in this eastern country.

Its target is to prevent loneliness and isolation, problems that affect an estimated 39 per cent of the Japanese population, a percentage similar to, if not lower than, our population.

The law positions "loneliness and isolation" as "an issue for society as a whole", and it obliges local governments to make efforts to establish regional councils comprising support groups for lonely people.

In addition, the central government is committed to training special supporters in each region to help people who are suffering from loneliness and isolation. It also promotes the creation of a database of effective measures taken throughout the country to address the problem.

The law was created out of concern that the problems with loneliness would be aggravated by the COVID-19 pandemic.

It is difficult to single out one factor that causes loneliness, and many people in our small country have problems in multiple areas, such as child rearing, work and poverty. Thus, Ivan Bartolo's piece of legislation must establish the principle of addressing loneliness in all its forms if it is to have any significant positive impact on the loneliness or mental health of older people in Malta.

The law risks having no significant impact on measures of loneliness, social isolation, or levels of depressive symptoms in the over-65s. I envisage that combating loneliness in most older people might require longer periods of exposure, a larger scope of intervention, or more targeted strategies.

Among well-educated and higher-income older adults, the law might slightly reduce loneliness and increase social engagement.

However, the structural causes of loneliness will remain and may not be altered through a single piece of legislation, as it may relate to long-standing living arrangements, patterns of social interaction and changes in family composition, which may be difficult to change through a one-time legislative enactment.

Still, it's always a good start.

                                                       A marginalised and forgotten minority

The National Audit Office has once more come to the rescue of a forgotten minority by highlighting a "dignity gap" among people relying solely on social benefits, concluding that they cannot afford a basic, dignified standard of living.

Latest available statistics show that by late 2021, 4,334 persons were reported as being exclusively dependent on social assistance as opposed to contributory social benefits. It might not appear to be a large number, but it is still a significant group of families that are living below the threshold of material and financial poverty.

This fact jars when considering that Malta has a robust national economy that continues to grow by leaps and bounds.

Surely our national wealth can be better distributed among the different sections of society, with a particular emphasis on those who are truly struggling to make both ends meet. The opposite of poverty is not wealth; the opposite of poverty is enough. Overcoming poverty is not a gesture of charity. It is an act of social justice. Our society's value is measured by how it treats its weakest members.

The coexistence of immense wealth and poverty cannot but be described as a "scandal".

True progress is measured not by adding to the abundance of the rich but by providing for those with too little.

                                                       The Malta Condominium Act reform overview

Malta is reforming the 1997 Condominium Act to address modern high-density living, with proposed changes currently under evaluation. Key reforms focus on establishing a condominium regulator, introducing a dedicated tribunal for disputes, making registration and insurance mandatory for professional administrators, and giving associations legal personality.

The eventual legislative amendments are all aimed at addressing the increased demand for better management in multi-unit developments and are expected to provide greater security and efficiency in property management.

The proposed changes are all necessary, but when compared to the condominium reform currently undertaken in neighbouring Italy, additional necessary changes should also be considered.

For example, among the main reforms proposed in Italy, there will be an obligation for administrators to own a Bachelor's or Master's degree in economics, law, or technical-scientific subjects. A high school diploma will no longer be sufficient, even for those who manage condominiums as a sideline.

Furthermore, on a positive note for the administrators, there will be the automatic renewal of the assignment at the annual meeting, unless the condominium owners decide otherwise, resolving the problem of meetings that do not reach the required majority.

Another interesting proposed reform is that in condominiums with more than twenty units, it will be mandatory to appoint a warranted auditor, responsible for certifying the accuracy of the financial statements and for drawing up the financial situation and the cost distribution statement, with evidence of adjustments. The assignment will last two years and will not be tacitly renewable.

If the assembly fails to appoint the auditor, it may be appointed by the judicial authority upon petition by one of the condominium members.

The Italian reform prohibits cash payments. All sums relating to the condominium must be paid by bank transfer to a current account, whether bank or postal, in the name of the condominium. Furthermore, the bill provides for the fiscal tax deductibility of ordinary condominium expenses, as already happens for healthcare expenses, to encourage regular payments and ensure maximum fiscal transparency.

Finally, one of the most discussed innovations concerns the condominium creditors: they will be able to act directly on the condominium bank account, without having to take action against individual defaulting condominium members. In the event of a deficit, creditors will also be able to recover the debt from the condominium members in good standing, who will maintain a right of recourse towards defaulters for the amount they paid in excess.

These last six proposed Italian reforms should also be considered by our legislators while there is still time.

Dr Mark Said is lawyer