Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/1381190
13 maltatoday | WEDNESDAY • 9 JUNE 2021 OPINION THE politics that I embrace is one of social inclusion. In a soci- ety where the family background has for many years influenced the development of children, we need to see how our politics will be one which recognises the potential of every person and promotes their overall develop- ment. In practice, this is how we can carry out politics that essen- tially puts the human being at the centre of every good deci- sion. This should be the aim of every politician; to see how to drive social politics in a man- ner where no one is left behind. The economic and social de- velopment alongside national economic growth, should offer a balanced approach, where every citizen is considered and recognised through his ability. The state must practice politics which elevates citizens accord- ing to what they have to offer, and in the same way, offer an adequate space so that who does not have the means, will still manage to reach the same horizon. These thoughts are the start- ing point for the proposals which I have pushed forward for many years during my par- liamentary work. They are the foundation of what I want to achieve when the Maltese are ready to entrust the Nationalist Pary in Government. These are ideas that, until that day comes, I must continue to practice and present, so that through all possible means I can influence the thinking of those entursted with the policy making of our country. I want my parliamentary work to be worth, if anything, just that. I strive to work more towards ideas of equality and equity between the social stra- tums of our country, which are becoming more evident, nowa- days. Measures which work accord- ing to your reality I want us to have measures that work and address the dif- ferent realities which exist to- day. The poverty of an 80-year- old is not the same as that of a newly married couple who are workers with a reality of pov- erty in their state. An elderly woman's fear is that she wil suddenly suffer from illness and will not have the sufficient finances to support herself. This is vulnerability at its best; if you do not have money for an emergency, then you are vulnerable! Poverty for a moth- er raising her children alone differs from that of an elderly woman. Poverty for this moth- er is that she will not be able to afford purchasing baby medi- cines and diapers and daily life expenses, which continue to rise, expecially when having newborn or growing up of chil- dren, who are always in need. The measures we present must be simple, but which leave an immediate impact, ac- cording to the reality of the in- dividual in the state he is at the moment. We often see vulner- able people moving from one stage to another, in their life, effecting their habits and living in their actual state, making it impossible for them to come out of poverty, at the first op- portunity they have. Measures must be aimed at elevating individuals from the situation that they are in, rath- er than providing them with temporary healing. The fight against poverty The reality of our country is that we remained dependant on low wages. Moreover, the fact that we have one of the highest rates of early-school leavers, does not help. The present incentives are not bear- ing the necessary fruit. There is an immediate need to review the National Strategy leading to poverty reduction and social exclusion so that it is truly rel- evant to today's life and starts to address the country's social needs in a concrete way. This should cater for the existing needs, as well as for the emerg- ing ones, surely during and af- ter the pandemic (since the gap between those who are well off and those who are at the bot- tom of the social stratum, wid- ened more). It is with the creation of what economists call 'Minimum Liv- ing Income';it is a guarantee of minimum income, that we can begin to raise the living stand- ards of workers and even of various professionals who have to make a living out of low wag- es. Simultaneously, we must ensure that we achieve social justice in those sectors of the population that depend on ob- solete social benefits. Another reality which is leading to poverty amongst the working population is the Government's failure when it comes to social accomoda- tion. We have not yet seen the promised revolution since the start of this administration. An infrastructure which guaran- tees that every type of family or individual which needs help, finds suitable accomodation that already exists in our coun- try. What we do not have yet is the political will and measures in place to make this happen in an equitable way. Fighting social exclusion The pandemic continued to increase the pain of the socially excluded: the elderly, the sick, the disabled and those families with low-income. Here we are talking about thousands of Maltese peo- ple and families. Politics must appreciate more the work of those professionists who work in the social field. The time has come as well for Local Councils to become an instrumental part in the impli- mentation of this social politics so that in every locality, no one is left behind. Leave no one behind Ivan Bartolo Ivan Bartolo is a Member of Parliament for the Nationalist Party