Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/401761
maltatoday, WEDNESDAY, 22 OCTOBER 2014 7 THE Jesuit Centre for Faith and Jus- tice has warned against generalisa- tions on benefit fraud that is giving an impression that the unemployed and dependants of social benefits are "lazy" and taking social benefits "out of choice." Commenting on the Budget 2015 pre-budget document that seeks to push more people into jobs and dis- courage dependencies, the JCFJ said it was becoming commonplace to hear politicians speak out against social benefit abuse. "The government affirmed that every year it is being defrauded of €3.5 million. While agreeing that social benefit fraud is unfair on tax- payers and is to be condemned, these €3.5 million represent 2% of the total yearly cost of non contributory ben- efits in Malta, which amount to €165 million. "The political rhetoric may be con- veying the idea that social benefit abuse is rampant, when the estimates provided by the government itself show that the immense majority of those who receive some sort of bene- fit are not fraudsters, but are receiving what is rightly theirs," the JCFJ said. The JCFJ acknowledged that while the cycle of dependency can exacer- bate social and psychological prob- lems of families and individuals, there will always be a portion of the popula- tion who genuinely cannot enter the labour market because of sickness, disability and mental health prob- lems. "Others still are fully occupied tak- ing care of family members. These people deserve to be helped and not to be 'blamed' for receiving support from other members of society." The government aims to reduce not only dependency but also the rate of those who are at risk of poverty, who in 2013 reached the figure of 15.7%, or 64,966 persons living in private households . But the JCFJ said that poverty re- mains a complex and multi faceted phenomenon. "The pre budget docu- ment 2015 fails to mention the situ- ation of the working poor who are those who despite being employed, have a disposable income which puts them at risk of poverty. The latest fig- ures indicate that in Malta 5.9 per cent of the working population is touched by this reality. "Moreover, the pre-budget docu- ment is silent on the issue of poverty and social exclusion faced by mi- grants, asylum-seekers and refugees who also stand a higher risk of labour market exploitation. In other words, it is useless trying to raise the employ- ment rate in a bid to reduce poverty, if, at the same time, the job opportuni- ties provided are neither adequate nor stable, failing to provide an income that gives workers and their families a decent standard of living. "The Centre for Faith and Justice thus encourages the government to pursue its strategy to 'make work pay' and to persevere in its fight against all forms of precarious work." News STRAIT STREET AND THE OLD CIVIL ABATTOIR Partial Review of the Grand Harbour Local Plan (Objective) NOTICE UNDER SECTION 58(2) (a) OF THE ENVIRONMENT AND DEVELOPMENT PLANNING ACT OF 2010 The Malta Environment and Planning Authority (MEPA) gives notice that it intends to formulate a partial review of the Grand Harbour Local Plan approved in 2002 for Strait Street and the Old Civil Abattoir in Valletta. The The objective of the partial review is to facilitate the rehabilitation and revitalization of this unique site and quarter of Valletta, in line with Government's Vision 2018 for Valletta, by enabling the establishment of a creativity and multi-cultural hub which enriches their cultural value both through new activities and physical interventions. This This partial review will require revisions to the current land allocations for Strait Street and the Old Civil Abattoir as a "Secondary Retail Frontage" and "Housing Improvement Action Area" in Figure 7 of the Grand Harbour Local Plan of 2002. The affected sites are shown in the above site plan. Individuals and organizations are invited to send preliminary submissions related to this objective. Representations are to be made in writing to the: Chief Executive Officer MEPA Partial Review of the Grand Harbour Local Plan (Objective) P.O. Box 175, Marsa MRS1000 Marsa MRS1000 or on the email address: ghlp@mepa.org.mt Submissions need to be received by not later than Friday 31st October 2014. www.mepa.org.mt Not everyone on social benefits is 'lazy' – Jesuit centre JOHN PISANI THE police were called to a resi- dence in Triq l-Inkurunazzjoni in Cospicua yesterday at about 3am to investigate an alleged stab- bing. District Police found a man, aged about 30 years, suffering from stab wounds. In the same residence there were two other men, the owner, a 60-year-old, and a 40-year-old. It is being alleged that an ar- gument ensued between the 30- year-old and the 40-year-old and during the argument, the younger man was stabbed in the chest. He was taken to Mater Dei Hos- pital by ambulance for medical treatment. Although his condi- tion is not yet known, it is be- lieved that he is not in danger of dying. Magistrate Carol Peralta ordered an inquiry while District Police Inspector Josric Mifsud and In- spector Saviour Baldacchino from the CID are investigating. MATTHEW AGIUS THE Medical Association of Malta (MAM) filed a judicial protest yester- day, demanding the Malta Union of Midwives and Nurses (MUMN) lift a directive it issued to its members. The unilateral directive issued by the MUMN instructed its members to ignore the protocol of filling in a "covering letter" to allow pharmacists to dispense medicines to nurses as from 1 November. "The obligation of the nurses and the midwives, according to law, is to administer drugs… and the law does not stipulate that nurses and mid- wives are to fill forms, chase doctors for signatures or have to attend phar- macy," read the directive. Rebutting the claim that the prac- tice results in "worthless pieces of paper", as described in the MUMN communication, the MAM described the instruction as abusive, irresponsi- ble and illegal as nurses and midwives are legally and morally obliged to scrupulously observe the established protocol in administering medicines to patients. The MAM noted that prior to the issuing of the directive, the two unions had no disagreements on this issue. The MAM demanded the MUMN revoke the directive and assure them that their members will take all meas- ures required to safeguard the health of their patients. Man in hospital after being stabbed in the chest Medical Association files judicial protest against nurses' union