Government abandoned pledge to protect vulnerable from inflation, say Greens

ADPD – The Green Party said that the finance minister had forgotten a pledge to protect the vulnerable from the cost-of-living impacts.

ADPD Chairperson Carmel Cacopardo said that 12 months ago Clyde Caruana had made an announcement that a special mechanism would be introduced to protect low-income earners from the impacts of inflation.

Cacopardo said that whilst the government was preparing next year’s budget, it had forgotten to take the necessary measures to protect the lowest earners from the cost-of-living impacts.

“Government and the Finance Minister speak about ‘studies’ that never lead to any action. We insist again on the urgent need for the basket of goods and services upon which the national minimum wage is based to be revised so that this truly offers decent living to workers and pensioners,” Cacopardo said.

He said that studies by Caritas, including a recent one in 2020, showed that an annual income of around €14,000 was required to purchase the basic needs for a family to live decently.

Cacopardo said that the party was proposing the revision of the basket of goods and services upon which the national wage was based. ADPD also proposed that the cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) was to be paid biannually, on 1 January and on 1 July, in order to minimise the impact of inflation on vulnerable citizens.

“The lack of just distribution of wealth remains, and Government is failing to implement the necessary measures for this fair distribution to take place,” Cacopardo concluded.