On the occasion of the global day of action against TTIP, on the 18th April, a number of local NGO's, under the umbrella Social Europe - Front Against TTIP (Malta), that was formed in Malta last year, are calling upon all policy makers in both the public and the private sectors to unite to secure the interests of the local economy, which is based almost exclusively on the productivity of small and medium enterprises (SME's), as well as its environmental and social fabric, by ensuring that all trade negotiations being carried out between the EU and the USA are open and fully transparent, and that no stone will be left unturned to ensure that the fundamental principles of governance, transparency and environmental and social regulations upon which so much of the EU is built, are secured and maintained.
The Front said that it forms part of an alliance of over 400 civil society organisations that launched a European Citizens Initiative against the free trade and investment agreements TTIP (between the EU and the US) and CETA (between the EU and Canada). These are calling on the European Commission to recommend to the EU Council of Ministers to repeal the European Union’s negotiating mandate for the Transatlantic Trade Investor Partnership (TTIP) and to halt the Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA).
The coalition refuses to accept that rules with far-reaching consequences for more than 500 million citizens in Europe are made behind closed doors. This is unacceptable and in blatant breach of fundamental European principles. TTIP and CETA primarily serve the interests of large multinational corporations at the huge expense of consumer protection, social standards, environmental regulations and food safety. They also threaten the fabric of SME's, by creating an unlevel playing field in the commercial sector which is weighted heavily in favour of multinational corporations.
The planned Investor state dispute settlement (ISDS), it continued, constitutes a very serious threat to democracy and the rule of law for the simple reason that it would make these multi nationals more powerful than the governments of sovereign states, allowing them to enforce changes in environmental and social legislation, and even to sue governments for hundreds of millions of Euros in damages on claims that such legislation may have affected the company's potential for profits. Such a treaty would not only put multinational corporate profits over people and SME's, but also over their democratically elected governments.
The European Citizens Initiative petition has already been signed by over 1.6 million European throughout Europe. The front is calling upon the public to likewise give its support by signing the petition at https://stop-ttip.org/. More information on the campaign can be obtained at https://www.globaltradeday.org/ and https://www.facebook.com/eci.ttip
Social Europe - Front Against TTIP (Malta) consists of the NGO's Żminijietna - Voice of the Left; Anti-Poverty Alliance; Moviment Graffitti; Association of Federative Socialists; GWU Youth, Friends of the Earth Malta; Partit Komunista Malti; Garden of Knowledge (Malta); ADZ - Green Youth; Malta Organic Agricuture Movement; Greenhouse; Gaia Foundation; Alternattiva Demokratika -The Green Party
Rodolfo Ragonesi
obo Social Europe - Front Against TTIP (Malta)
Saturday, 18 April 2015
Sunday, 12 April 2015
Press Release: Zminijietna against Corporatisation of National Healthcare
As a result of recent overtures made by the government about increases in the opening of public healthcare to the private sector, Zminijietna – Voice of the Left is highly concerned by the direction that national strategy in the health sector is taking, and believes that the government should act to prevent any more corporatisation of healthcare on the Islands.
In light of this, Zminijietna has stated that "any new involvement of the private sector in healthcare will lead to an increasing corporatisation of the Maltese health sector, to the detriment of the public, healthcare workers, and the universal availability of State health care services."
“The use of a public-private partnership model will result in the healthcare industry becoming an industry of simple profit and loss, reducing the quality of service given and its overall sustainability.”
“Various studies have shown that market directed policies do not necessarily reduce costs in, or improve, healthcare services, and such policies in the United Kingdom have led to an overall neglect of patient well-being. The changes being proposed are more in line with the motivations of politically influential minority interests and strategists, following the increasingly right-wing and neo-liberal direction being taken by the European Union, than they are with a genuine concern for the welfare of patients,” concluded Zminijietna – Voice of the Left.
21st March 2015
In light of this, Zminijietna has stated that "any new involvement of the private sector in healthcare will lead to an increasing corporatisation of the Maltese health sector, to the detriment of the public, healthcare workers, and the universal availability of State health care services."
“The use of a public-private partnership model will result in the healthcare industry becoming an industry of simple profit and loss, reducing the quality of service given and its overall sustainability.”
“Various studies have shown that market directed policies do not necessarily reduce costs in, or improve, healthcare services, and such policies in the United Kingdom have led to an overall neglect of patient well-being. The changes being proposed are more in line with the motivations of politically influential minority interests and strategists, following the increasingly right-wing and neo-liberal direction being taken by the European Union, than they are with a genuine concern for the welfare of patients,” concluded Zminijietna – Voice of the Left.
21st March 2015
Monday, 9 March 2015
International Women's Day: Reaching Out to all Women in Society
According to Żminijietna – Voice of
the Left, “women have come a long way, and International Women's Day is an opportunity
to evaluate the achievements, rights, and economic and political participation
of women in contemporary society. Such an occasion should also serve to
encourage initiatives intended to promote these to aim to reach more women from
all walks of life.”
On this occasion, Żminijietna also
said that “women should continue aiming towards an equal society free from
gender discrimination, better working conditions, and improvements in the
reach and scope of social security rights, with a greater outreach in
particular to those women who form part of minorities - such as single mothers,
immigrants and widowers.”
“In recent years, women have become
more present in the labour market and more financially independent. However,
when it comes to employment, women are more likely to take up part -time
employment - or interrupt their careers altogether - due to domestic matters
such as sick parents. In addition, many are also being subjected to precarious
employment conditions."
Żminijietna fully supports the
several measures taken by Government to increase the family-friendliness of
policy, which were responsible in part for the positive consequence of greater
female participation in the labour market. Żminijietna would like to see such
family-friendly measures incentivised in the private sector.
Press Release 8/3/15
Minimum wage should increase
Żminijietna – Voice of the Left supports the declaration of members of the Nationalist party that any increase in indirect taxation contributes to a drop in minimum wage earners’ revenue.
“The same concern was raised by Caritas in 2012, in its report entitled ‘A Minimum Budget for a Decent Living'. Żminijietna appeals to the Government and the Opposition Party in Parliament to support Caritas's proposal for an increase in the national minimum wage”.
“Recent European Statistics also reveal that, in Malta, the minimum wage income is relatively low in proportion to the threshold most commonly used in Europe - that of 60 % of the median wage. In Malta it is still at 53%," stated Żminijietna – Voice of the Left.
Press Release 6/3/15
Tuesday, 3 March 2015
MEPs must protect public from EU-US trade deal threat
Press Release 3/3/15
MEPs must protect public from EU-US trade deal threat
In an open letter sent to MEPs today
375 organisations - including trade unions, consumer, environmental, and civil
rights organisations - from 25 EU countries, warn that TTIP could constrain
democratic decision-making by strengthening the influence of big business and
undermining public services, the protection of public health, the environment,
food and workers' rights.
Read more at:
Social Europe - Front Against TTIP
(Malta) is one of the signatories.
In turn, the Front is made up
of:
Żminijietna - Voice of the Left;
Anti-Poverty Alliance; Moviment Graffitti; Association of Federative Socialists;
GWU Youth, Friends of the Earth Malta; Partit Komunista Malti; Garden of
Knowledge (Malta); ADZ - Green Youth; Malta Organic Agricuture Movement;
Greenhouse; Gaia Foundation; Alternattiva Demokratika -The Green Party
Monday, 23 February 2015
Ghadira Bay development runs contrary to Blue Flag beach concept
Zminijietna – Voice of
the Left criticised the decision taken by MEPA to allow a private operator to
construct a concrete platform on the sandy beach in Għadira.
“The decision to pour
concrete on Għadira Bay is unacceptable. Alternative methods that protect
ecological sustainability should have been applied”, stated Żminijietna.
“This decision runs contrary to the concept of the Blue Flag beaches. The Blue Flag awards works
towards sustainable development of beaches through strict criteria dealing with
water quality, environmental education and information, environmental
management, and safety and other services”.
"We urge the
Minister in charge of the Environment to take the necessary measures to remove
the concrete platform"
Press Release 22.2.15
Monday, 16 February 2015
Amnesty on illegal development “unacceptable” – NGOs
The Times, Tuesday, February 10, 2015
by Caroline Muscat
http://www.timesofmalta.com/articles/view/20150210/local/amnesty-on-illegal-development-unacceptable-ngos.555558
The planning authority has finally relinquished all pretence of being a regulator and exposed its real role as facilitator for development, environmental organisations said today, slamming the Authority’s proposed amnesty on works done without permits.
Environmentalists united against Mepa’s proposal to sanction illegal developments saying it was “unacceptable” and sent out a message that “abuse pays off”.
Calling Mepa’s latest proposal “the mother of all building amnesties”, they said it was proof of the Authority’s incompetence and put into question the very reason for its existence, they said.
The Sunday Times of Malta revealed earlier this month that Mepa was in the final stages of proposing an amnesty to sanction long-standing illegal developments.
The scheme is meant to wipe out a substantial chunk of the planning authority’s pending enforcement cases, which number about 10,000, and to rake in more than €20 million.
The organisations pointed out amnesties held in 2012 and 2013 already dealt with the abuse that could reasonably be absolved. They drew attention to the contradictory situation that the Authority’s chairman, Vince Cassar, now finds himself in.
At the time of the last amnesty, when Mr Cassar was president of the Chamber of Architects, he had lambasted the proposal saying those who broke the law should not end up on an even footing with those who had not adhered to it.
“How can he now endorse a more extreme amnesty?” asked FAA spokeswoman Astrid Vella.
“Such amnesties foster a culture of abuse... We have seen this from past experience in Malta, and also from the Italian experience which saw an increase of 30 per cent of building abuse when the last amnesty was announced,” she added.
The environmental organisations said they had to rely on a media report to discover what was going on since no details had been made available to them.
The fact that Mepa CEO Johann Buttigieg had said he would not give further detail because the proposals had not yet been approved by the Board and Parliament showed the Authority no longer even pretended to respect laws on consultation, the NGOs said.
The NGOs demanded that before proceeding with its proposed amnesty, Mepa publish reports justifying its decision, as well as studies on the environmental impact of existing illegal development. They also insisted that illegal buildings Outside Development Zones and the coast be immediately eliminated from any consideration.
The proposed scheme would apply to all infringements that took place before 2013 and those in ODZ that took place before the full establishment of the planning authority in 1994.
Applicants that could be considered for such an amnesty would be expected to pay a one-time fee that is heftier than current sanctioning charges. Yet the environmental organisations argued that any monetary gain from such an amnesty could not be the basis for such a decision.
Rambler Association President Lino Bugeja pointed out the repercussions of this amnesty would have a lasting impact, unlike other amnesties already granted, such as those on tax payments and electricity theft.
The NGOs insisted government could not continue to make rules and then complain they can’t be enforced. Edward Mallia said there was a pattern emerging where law enforcement authorities were just “pandering to wrongdoers”, an attitude that must stop.
Something went wrong with the way Mepa was functioning along the years, the NGOs pointed out. That problem must be addressed before an amnesty could be proposed.
“This is not going to solve Mepa’s problems nor will it solve illegalities,” they said.
The NGOs present today were Friends of the Earth (Malta), Flimkien Ghal Ambjent Ahjar, Din l-Art Helwa, Ramblers Association, Nature Trust, Noise Abatement Society and Zminijietna. They were joined by water expert Marco Cremona, environmental expert Alfred Baldacchino, and deputy chairman of the Green Party Carmel Cacopardo.
http://www.timesofmalta.com/articles/view/20150210/local/amnesty-on-illegal-development-unacceptable-ngos.555558
The planning authority has finally relinquished all pretence of being a regulator and exposed its real role as facilitator for development, environmental organisations said today, slamming the Authority’s proposed amnesty on works done without permits.
Environmentalists united against Mepa’s proposal to sanction illegal developments saying it was “unacceptable” and sent out a message that “abuse pays off”.
Calling Mepa’s latest proposal “the mother of all building amnesties”, they said it was proof of the Authority’s incompetence and put into question the very reason for its existence, they said.
The Sunday Times of Malta revealed earlier this month that Mepa was in the final stages of proposing an amnesty to sanction long-standing illegal developments.
The scheme is meant to wipe out a substantial chunk of the planning authority’s pending enforcement cases, which number about 10,000, and to rake in more than €20 million.
The organisations pointed out amnesties held in 2012 and 2013 already dealt with the abuse that could reasonably be absolved. They drew attention to the contradictory situation that the Authority’s chairman, Vince Cassar, now finds himself in.
At the time of the last amnesty, when Mr Cassar was president of the Chamber of Architects, he had lambasted the proposal saying those who broke the law should not end up on an even footing with those who had not adhered to it.
“How can he now endorse a more extreme amnesty?” asked FAA spokeswoman Astrid Vella.
“Such amnesties foster a culture of abuse... We have seen this from past experience in Malta, and also from the Italian experience which saw an increase of 30 per cent of building abuse when the last amnesty was announced,” she added.
The environmental organisations said they had to rely on a media report to discover what was going on since no details had been made available to them.
The fact that Mepa CEO Johann Buttigieg had said he would not give further detail because the proposals had not yet been approved by the Board and Parliament showed the Authority no longer even pretended to respect laws on consultation, the NGOs said.
The NGOs demanded that before proceeding with its proposed amnesty, Mepa publish reports justifying its decision, as well as studies on the environmental impact of existing illegal development. They also insisted that illegal buildings Outside Development Zones and the coast be immediately eliminated from any consideration.
The proposed scheme would apply to all infringements that took place before 2013 and those in ODZ that took place before the full establishment of the planning authority in 1994.
Applicants that could be considered for such an amnesty would be expected to pay a one-time fee that is heftier than current sanctioning charges. Yet the environmental organisations argued that any monetary gain from such an amnesty could not be the basis for such a decision.
Rambler Association President Lino Bugeja pointed out the repercussions of this amnesty would have a lasting impact, unlike other amnesties already granted, such as those on tax payments and electricity theft.
The NGOs insisted government could not continue to make rules and then complain they can’t be enforced. Edward Mallia said there was a pattern emerging where law enforcement authorities were just “pandering to wrongdoers”, an attitude that must stop.
Something went wrong with the way Mepa was functioning along the years, the NGOs pointed out. That problem must be addressed before an amnesty could be proposed.
“This is not going to solve Mepa’s problems nor will it solve illegalities,” they said.
The NGOs present today were Friends of the Earth (Malta), Flimkien Ghal Ambjent Ahjar, Din l-Art Helwa, Ramblers Association, Nature Trust, Noise Abatement Society and Zminijietna. They were joined by water expert Marco Cremona, environmental expert Alfred Baldacchino, and deputy chairman of the Green Party Carmel Cacopardo.
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