Social support is for contributors, not ‘vices’ - minister on homelessness
Roderick Galdes tells Parliament that state support is for those who contribute, not for 'sponsoring vices'
Social services are meant for those who contribute to them and not for "sponsoring vices", Social and Affordable Accommodation Minister Roderick Galdes said in Parliament when asked about the state of homelessness locally.
Galdes was reacting to questions Monday from Nationalist MP Ivan Bartolo, who raised concerns over the state of homelessness in Malta and the recent arrests of several homeless individuals in the Marsa and Qormi areas.
Bartolo also highlighted calls from NGOs for a more compassionate approach toward people experiencing homelessness, rather than treating them as criminals.
Responding in parliament, Galdes insisted Bartolo had been misinformed.
“The first thing I see is the welfare state. Everyone has the right to social services if they contribute to them. If you don’t contribute, don’t pretend the state will step in or sponsor your vice or something like that,” the minister said.
The comments come after 12 people experiencing homelessness were charged in court last month following reports of loitering and aggressive begging in Qormi between the Decathlon and Pavi Supermarket stores.
A few days later, another four men were also arraigned and charged with living an idle and vagrant life and with aggressive begging.
Galdes said the residents in the area were well aware of how the individuals had been behaving.
“We are offering you a service, giving you help as well and then you go annoy people as they are just getting through their day,” he said.
“It is not fair that you have a situation where the government is trying to finance urgent accommodation and then they don’t get the necessary help to get away from your vices, to tackle it and even outright refuse.”
He also noted that begging is illegal under Maltese law.
Referring to an NGO that criticised the arrests, Galdes did not name the organisation publicly but pointed out it receives government funding.
Galdes defended government spending, saying: “No other government has spent as much money on NGOs tackling homelessness.”
Following the arraignments in June, YMCA, which runs a homeless shelter and drop-in centre catering to around 60 people a day, said poverty should be met with “compassion, not criminalisation”.
Home Affairs Minister Byron Camilleri also commented on the issue, saying the arrests were not due to homelessness but because some individuals had frightened members of the public.