The consultation process on the Budget for next year continued with a number of meetings between the government and more social partners, key among them the United Workers Union – Voice of the Workers and the Association of Workers. ‘Employers.
Prime Minister Robert Abela stressed that the new employment policy will be addressing the creation of quality jobs, as well as the improvement of working conditions. But there is also a need to improve the skills of the workers, with the Prime Minister saying that trade unions should not only encourage their members to acquire better skills, but can themselves be involved in creating these skills.
He stressed that the government remains committed to attracting more new investment to ensure a healthy economy while catering to the digital core and decarbonisation without putting extra burdens on the people. Therefore, Dr Abela called for the cooperation of trade unions to jointly prepare for this inevitable change of decarbonisation.
Both the UĦM and the MEA have discussed their proposals for the 2022 Budget, with the Employers Association saying that employers are ready to do their part and contribute to our country achieving carbon neutrality.
Further meetings continued with organizations representing the social field, including the Alliance Against Poverty, Caritas Malta and From Darkness to Light. In this context, Prime Minister Robert Abela recalled how official statistics released in recent days have shown that, over a period of seven years, this government has continued to reduce the rate of people in risk of poverty and social exclusion by almost a quarter.
Dr Abela mentioned several factors that led to this, including the increase in in-work benefit, the increase in pensions, the reform of pre-1995 rents and the rent benefit among others.
“In the next Budget, we will be giving priority to the most vulnerable in society. We must ensure that those who fall behind are offered the tools they need to continue to move forward in their lives, “the Prime Minister concluded.
Representatives of the unions acknowledged and conveyed words of appreciation to the Prime Minister for the way the government is embracing a socially active policy at the center of its work.
Meanwhile, another consultation meeting with the public was held on Wednesday evening, this time in Qormi, focused on the economy and the standard of living of the people. Prime Minister Robert Abela listened to the ideas of the public and said that the government will continue to support those in need, as it did in a series of aid in the midst of the pandemic, so that everyone can continue to move forward. in front.
In his speech, Minister Clyde Caruana said that the forthcoming Budget will explain all the work that this government has done during the last eighteen months of the pandemic. He said that all the money spent by the government, one and a half billion euros, was spent wisely and these decisions will now allow the government to be able to present another strong budget.
Minister Caruana said, “Despite everything, our country is still on its feet, companies are still with employees and their problem today is how to find more employees. This is what the country has been able to achieve in the last year and a half. “
Anyone wishing to share their aspirations for the 2022 Budget and be part of the discussion can do so by visiting finanzi.gov.mt/22.
Photos: OPM
