AD insists on rent law reform

Alternattiva Demokratika has appointed a legal team to work on the proposal of a referendum on rent laws.

AD chairman Harry Vassallo renewed the party's invitation to the Prime Minister and to the Leader of the Opposition to reform the country's rent laws and announced that, in the absence of a national agreement to reform these "anachronistic laws", a referendum will be the only way left to redress this injustice.

Dr Vassallo was speaking at the AD's offices in Sliema during the launch of a rent reform campaign.

The campaign, he explained, was launched after having received no reply from the other two parties to what AD considered to be a major social, economic and environmental challenge to the country.

"Back in 2002, I had written to the Prime Minister and the Leader of the Opposition and I had proposed the appointment of a national commission involving all three political parties and all stakeholders. Their answer was total silence.

"If there is consensus between the three political parties the new rent laws will be cast in stone. Through such an agreement nobody will lose votes due to the opportunism of others...

"Together the three parties will restore confidence in the rent market. Together we can ensure that this reform will be based on social justice and will not have a negative social impact on elderly and low-income tenants," Dr Vassallo said.

He explained that many properties are left vacant because the owners have no confidence in the current rent laws, which could be changed according to political whim. He added that in the coming months, AD will be exposing blatant injustices in this field.

"The government itself pays ridiculous rents for enormous properties. Very rich people pay ridiculous rents to poorer landlords. Properties have been requisitioned and turned into political party clubs," he explained.

Dr Vassallo said that, fortunately, in the absence of co-operation from the two parties, there was a solution - a referendum. This provided the Maltese with a way to overcome the stalemate and stagnation of political parties which were paralysed by the thought of the loss of votes, he said.

A legal team has been appointed by AD's executive committee to work on a referendum proposal. The legal team will also be working on presenting a legal alternative to the current law that will respect the principles of social justice and fairness, Dr Vassallo said.

AD, he added, will not be discouraged by simple statements made by the government or the Opposition since the urgency of the matter cannot be over-emphasised.