The promised Inwadar woodland in Marsascala can never make up for the destruction brought about by a proposed yacht marina in the same locality, the Church's justice commission said on Monday.

Last week Finance Minister Clyde Caruana said in his budget speech that Marsascala will be getting woodland “bigger than Buskett”.

Reacting to the government's plans for next year, the commission said that despite a number of positive initiatives, the transition to a truly sustainable future involved "tough decisions which have yet to be taken".

"For example, while promising investment in charging infrastructure for electric cars, no cut-off date to ban the importation of polluting petrol and diesel cars was announced.

"And the promised woodland in Inwadar, Marsascala, can never make up for the loss and destruction which the proposed yacht marina project in the same locality would bring about."

Work-life balance

The commission meanwhile noted that several initiatives presented in the budget rewarded those who wanted to work more.

It said it was "deeply concerned" about the effect this would have on families and how this would impact the work-life balance of workers.

Deals with Libya should be immediately suspended

When it comes to immigration, the commission expressed its "disappointment" that, once again, asylum seekers were primarily considered a burden.

"The budget claims that Malta has managed to reduce the number of new arrivals by striking deals with Libya. Given the horrific documented abuses committed against asylum seekers in Libya, such deals should immediately be suspended and put under review," it said.

The commission added that despite announcing the closure of the Marsa Open Centre, the government did not provide any details about where the residents currently living there will be accommodated.

Social justice

In its statement on Monday, the commission expressed satisfaction that the budget outlined a number of initiatives that target the disposable income of vulnerable groups, especially pensioners.

These include a new mechanism to help those with a low income who are being disproportionately affected by the rising cost of basic essentials such as food.

The commission said it hoped that this measure will adequately address the long-standing problem of a decent minimum income.

Referring to the Corradino Correctional Facility, the commission meanwhile welcomed news of a new rehabilitation centre.

However, this has to be accompanied by radical reforms that prioritise the dignity of prisoners, their families and the victims, it warned. 

Tax justice

The commission also welcomed a "much-needed emphasis" on the need to safeguard and promote Malta’s fiscal morality.

"Justice and fairness demand that everyone pays his due tax. This includes not only the public but also the political parties and big businesses. Authorities must also ensure that each euro people pay in taxes is given a fair return.

"To this end, there is an urgent need to increase transparency and accountability in the use of public funds," it said.

Free public transport

The introduction of free public transport was also applauded by the commission. 

This measure would hopefully encourage more people to shift from private vehicles to public transport, it said.

The commission however added that this initiative would be severely impaired if not accompanied by other measures aimed at increasing the punctuality, capacity and reliability of buses.