Comments on: One billion euros – a quarter of the country’s entire budget – goes in social benefits

By: Ares

Ares — Wed, 19 Nov 2014 17:18:29 +0000

In reply to Joe Fenech. To have one of the golden spoilt twerps singing in the choir.

By: toni borg

toni borg — Wed, 19 Nov 2014 15:46:28 +0000

Is JPO still wearing that wedding ring?

Miskina Carmen.

By: anon

anon — Wed, 19 Nov 2014 13:19:19 +0000

In reply to anon. My apologies. I meant Elizabethan Poor Laws.

By: Lizz

Lizz — Wed, 19 Nov 2014 13:14:55 +0000

Labour has always existed on double meanings. I still remember the slogan “jien ghal paci u l-progress”.

This budget, like any other Labour will give during this legislation is based on handouts. The lesser creatures need handouts in order to keep them happy at bay while the big boys have their noses in the trough.

By: anon

anon — Wed, 19 Nov 2014 13:13:22 +0000

Malta does not really have a liberal party. It has a Catholic Labour party (the PN). It has a National Socialism party (the PL) and a Socialist party (AD).

Benefits are a legacy of the well intentioned Poor Laws of Queen Victoria, now a scourge on society in both the UK and Malta. Then we complain that we have well qualified, hard working Europeans stealing our jobs.

By: Wink

Wink — Wed, 19 Nov 2014 12:57:02 +0000

Patronage and clientelism at its worst. The economy degenerates but with this level of state control rest assured the party will be in government for another decade.

There is no such thing as a free lunch. There is not much pride in living off benefits, but there again does is matter for the narrow-minded?

By: Tabatha White

Tabatha White — Wed, 19 Nov 2014 10:52:19 +0000

That’s why the slogan was conceptually misleading.

The slogan, if it were honest, should have been built around this specific focus.

By: Joe Fenech

Joe Fenech — Wed, 19 Nov 2014 10:36:18 +0000

Are Joseph Calleja’ state-sponsored concerts financed by the social benefits budget? Why does the country feel a need to systematically sponsor these silly concerts which would make any classical music lover run? This is not culture, but populism of the very base kind.

By: Kevin

Kevin — Wed, 19 Nov 2014 08:45:19 +0000

Alternatively, Edward Scicluna could claim that the budget was based on fake surveys and, therefore, the conclusion drawn above is spurious.

By: Katrin

Katrin — Wed, 19 Nov 2014 08:36:29 +0000

In Germany this ministry takes up 48% of the entire budget. What I find much more worrying is that the Ministry of Finance in Malta snatched 23.1% of the budget. What for? His German counterpart only gets 5% of the pie and is at the bottom of the list.