Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/1492490
12 NEWS maltatoday | SUNDAY • 12 FEBRUARY 2023 KURT SANSONE CRIMINALITY and by natural extension, justice, have emerged as the topmost cause for worry in the first MaltaToday con- cerns survey of 2023. 'Justice and criminality' topped the list with 27.6% of all voters flagging the issues as their principle worry. This concern is among the top five for all age groups, across all re- gions and irrespective of polit- ical allegiance. This is the first time that criminality has made it to the top five spots, a probable re- flection of the public outcry and shock that followed three recent incidents – the murder of Pelin Kaya, who was car- rammed by a driver high on drugs; the unprovoked assault by teenagers on children in Valletta; and the acquittal of two men on trial for the mur- der of Sion Grech 18 years ago. The issue even pipped the cost of living to the top spot, an indication of the impact these most recent events had on people. The cost of living, which was the topmost concern in the last survey held in May, slid to sec- ond place with 20.2%. However, the cost of living is a top five concern across all age groups, all regions and irrespective of political alle- giance. The third highest concern is the perennial 'traffic and roads' with 10.8%, followed closely by 'foreigners living in Malta' with 10.1% and 'lack of enforcement' with 7.7%. When compared to the con- cerns survey held in May last year, the 'war in Ukraine', 'health' and the 'inconvenience caused by construction', have exited the top five list. These concerns were replaced with 'criminality and justice', 'for- eigners living in Malta' and 'lack of enforcement'. The only two common top five concerns between now and last May are the cost of living and traffic. Analysing the February re- sults by gender reveals that the top two concerns for both men and women are the same – criminality and justice; and the cost of living. The concern over roads is another common factor. The top five list for women also includes concerns over a lack of enforcement (8.6%) and environmental destruction (7.4%), issues that are missing from the men's list. Instead, men are concerned about 'foreigners living in Malta' (13.9%) and the 'incon- venience from construction' (8.1%). These results suggest that it is mostly men who are con- cerned about Malta's growing foreign population, which is a distinct concern from illegal immigration, an issue that has waned in the face of very few boat arrivals in Malta. Additionally, women appear to be more sensitive to envi- ronmental destruction than men. CRIMINALITY is the topmost concern in four of the six regions with the North- ern Harbour and Western regions re- cording the highest ratios at 34.4% and 33% respectively. The other two regions where criminali- ty tops the list are Gozo and the Southern Harbour with scores of 21.7% and 25.9% respectively. In the Northern and South Eastern re- gions, the cost of living is the topmost concern with 23.5% and 25.5% respec- tively. Criminality in these two regions is the second highest concern. The Northern Harbour region compris- es the vast conurbation from Qormi all the way to Birkirkara and Hamrun, and also includes Msida, St Julians, Sliema and Swieqi among others. The Western region includes the local- ities of Żebbuġ, Siggiewi, Attard, Balzan, Iklin, Lija, Rabat and Mtarfa. The survey shows that at least a third of people living in these two regions consid- er 'criminality and justice' as their prima- ry concern, which is not an insignificant result. The regional data largely conforms to the overall picture although there are some variances. 'Inconvenience from construction' is not a top five concern overall but it still makes the top five spots in four regions – Gozo, Northern Harbour, Southern Har- bour and Western. Similarly, concern over environmen- tal destruction makes the top five in the two northern regions but not else- where. 'Foreigners living in Malta' is a top five concern in three regions – the Northern, Southern Harbour and South Eastern. In the Northern region, foreigners are the second highest concern, at par with criminality, on 19.1%. Gozo Top 5 Concerns 1. Justice and criminality 21.7% 2. Cost of livin 20.4% 3. Traffic and roads 14.4% 4. Inconvenience from construction 12.9% 5. Lack of enforcement 12% Northern Region Top 5 Concerns 1. Cost of living 23.5% 2. Justice and criminality 19.1% 3. Foreigners in Malta 19.1% 4. Traffic and roads 12.3% 5. Environmental destruction 8.7% N Harbour Region Top 5 Concerns 1. Justice and criminality 34.4% 2. Cost of living 13.8% 3. Lack of enforcement 11.2% 4. Inconvenience from construction 8.6% 5. Environmental destruction 7.7% South Eastern Region Top 5 Concerns 1. Cost of living 25.5% 2. Justice and criminality 25.2% 3. Traffic and roads 13.3% 4. Foreigners in Malta 10.5% 5. Lack of enforcement 5.9% Southern Harbour Region Top 5 Concerns 1. Justice and criminality 25.9% 2. Cost of living 25.3% 3. Foreigners in Malta 14.4% 4. Traffic and roads 7.6% 5. Inconvenience from construction 6.5% Western Region Top 5 Concerns 1. Justice and criminality: 33% 2. Cost of living: 15.5% 3. Traffic and roads: 15% 4. Lack of enforcement: 12.2% 5. Inconvenience from construction: 10.1% For the first time, criminality is topmost concern Overall Top 5 Concerns 1. Justice and criminality: 27.6% 2. Cost of living: 20.2% 3. Traffic and roads: 10.8% 4. Foreigners living in Malta: 10.1% 5. Lack of enforcement: 7.7% Women Top 5 Concerns 1. Justice and criminality: 29.6% 2. Cost of living: 23.5% 3. Traffic and roads:11.2% 4. Lack of enforcement: 8.6% 5. Environmental destruction: 7.4% Men Top 5 Concerns 1. Justice and criminality: 25.6% 2. Cost of living: 16.7% 3. Foreigners living in Malta: 13.9% 4. Traffic and roads: 10.4% 5. Inconvenience from construction: 8.1% Criminality a top concern for a third of people across central Malta