The good, the bad and the electoral manoeuvres

No country or government is all good or all bad, and usually there is a sprinkling of everything, except, perhaps for Trump’s America for which I cannot think of a single redeeming feature.

When it comes to Malta, however, there is the occasional ray of light which counter-balances the things which are not so favourable.

The good

“Our society has an inherent interest in ensuring that criminals who pose a threat to the peace and security of our communities are removed from the country once they have settled their debt to justice and served their prison sentence,” Home Affairs Minister Byron Camilleri said last week.

He went on to say: “Today’s message is clear: There are clear and achievable consequences for foreigners who commit crime in Malta. This action reinforces our policy that foreign nationals who abuse our laws and commit serious crimes forfeit their right to remain in Malta and will be deported.”

This is to be applauded because the last thing we need is to harbour more criminals from other countries, when we have enough of our homegrown variety. I must add, however, that it could have been taken further to clear our crowded prisons from dangerous inmates who are from another nation. Why not just deport them once they have been found guilty and sentenced, and make them serve their sentence in their homeland? It would be a win-win because not only would it lessen the burden and expenses on our prison system, but it would send a clear message that once you commit a crime in Malta, you are out. The man who was recently deported after serving a sentence for murder has been housed at Corradino for the last 16 years. According to a PQ in 2022 it cost €135 per day to keep a prisoner in jail—you do the math.

It is also laudable that almost 300 illegal Y plate drivers have been stopped from operating. 20 operators have also had their licence withheld. This too is good news. I was in a cab recently which was pulled over and my Pakistani driver was unperturbed because he had everything in order and we were soon on our way. He said he welcomes this enforcement but only pointed out that they should not stop drivers who are carrying passengers because if people have hospital appointments it might make them late.

The bad

A man who appeared on the TV programme Popolin lamented that his kids could not find anywhere to rent for less than €800 because the rental prices have skyrocketed… and the blame was once again on the “barranin” (foreigners). At the same time, he admitted that landlords are renting to six people at a time who can split the expensive rent between them.

Another woman complained because foreigners are taking part in “our” Good Friday processions (but in the same breath admitted it’s because the Maltese are losing interest and they cannot find enough locals). She eventually got tangled up in her own argument about what it is she actually wants.

These were just two excerpts from the programme, but there was more in the same xenophobic vein. When a population always blames the country’s problems on foreigners without taking a long hard look at its own behaviour then something is seriously wrong.

Let’s take the rental market. Are prices insanely out of control? Yes, obviously they are. But why not point the finger at those landlords who have absolutely no compassion for their fellow Maltese who simply cannot afford to rent an average-sized apartment for €900, €1000 or even more per month. After all, as a landlord you have the prerogative to rent to whoever you want; no one is holding a gun to your head. So why are “the foreigners” to blame but not these landlords many of whom do not even need the money because they are already very comfortable, if not wealthy.

Can we just be honest and admit that it is insatiable greed which has led to this problem—after all, why charge €800 when you can get €1,200? When one considers that one should not spend more than 30% of their income on rent, you can see why the Maltese who need to rent because they cannot afford to buy their own property are in dire straits. Basically, if someone is being asked to pay €800, they should be earning at least €2,400 a month. Who earns that kind of money? Just ask around what the average salary is. The situation is bad, pitiful even and I refuse to believe it is the foreigners who have created it because even foreigners are packing up and leaving, unable to afford Malta’s rental prices any more.

I also do not buy into the argument that owners need to cover the loan of the rental property which they bought as an investment. Investing in property to rent is a calculated risk like any other investment. There is no point in getting in over your head. I am also aware that renting carries other expenses—damages to property, constant maintenance due to wear and tear and tenants who skip town without paying their rent and utilities, apart from other potential pitfalls. Not to mention the headaches involved any time something goes wrong and the tenant calls you to fix it. Like any other industry, you need to make your calculations and see whether it is worth your while to get into this market.

Becoming a landlord is sometimes considered an easy way to bring in passive income but it does have its downside, especially when you get lumped with a nightmare tenant who demolishes your property. So why not make it obligatory for tenants to provide references from previous landlords, just like when you apply for a job? A good tenant will not hesitate to come forward with a reference immediately.

As for nightmare landlords, that is even more difficult to control because they tend to take advantage of foreigners more easily, which explains why renting to Maltese who know their rights is not as attractive an option. They have even figured out a loophole on raising the rent, which is capped at 5% on renewal of contract. Savvy landlords simply terminate the contract three months before, and tell the sitting tenant that they can enter into a new contract but it will now cost you x amount more. How’s that for laughing in the face of the Private Residential Leases Act? Landlords can hike up the price as much as they want for new contracts, which is why the current rental market is utterly unrealistic when compared to our salaries.

So no, I beg to differ, it is not the foreigners who are creating these untenable prices for our fellow Maltese. The culpability is much closer to home. The responsibility is also that of the government which needs to tighten the rental laws to offer protection to both landlords and tenants and implement measures to close the loopholes and bring the prices down to saner amounts.

And the electoral manoeuvres

The government announced this week that it will be granting €3.8 million to 7,483 families with children currently in Year 10 and 11 of secondary school. Education Minister Clifton Grima said that €500 will be given to families of these students to benefit from technological assistance.

Last month, students in higher education started receiving an additional 15% grant to their stipend, while Gozitan students will receive an additional increase because of their commute and accommodation, as promised in the last budget. The timing of all this additional money is, of course, always a cause for scepticism.

As the succinct and colloquial saying goes, “ġejja l-elezzjoni” (an election is coming). While any assistance to families is welcome, you cannot fault people for feeling cynical about these gestures of generosity.

Meanwhile, €4.5 million have been allocated for the grandiose propaganda exercise going by the name of Malta Vision 2050, which includes the cube-shaped pavilion offering an “immersive experience” at the entrance to Valletta. Where all this money is coming from is anyone’s guess. It is especially galling when ordinary people need to practically beg the public for money in GoFundMe campaigns in order to go abroad for expensive and crucial treatment for their illness.

When you juxtapose the squandering of so many millions on a vanity project with much more crucial sectors where the money could be better spent, it makes you wonder if the priority of all politicians is simply to remain in power, no matter the cost.