It is human nature to hope for better times ahead when a new year dawns, even more so after bidding farewell to an exhausting and surreal 2020. However, notwithstanding all its ups and downs, life must be lived forward and so I shall attempt to assess how the average young person in his 20s and early working years would view his prospects in 2021.

Times have changed. My generation is experiencing stricter financial obligations, longer educational commitments and a huge amount of mental stress when compared to the quality and way of life many moons ago.

At face value, it may be easy to counter this by quoting statistics to show how people under 35 (on average) earn more than what used to be earned in the past. However, we should not forget that, today, due to educational commitments, many people start earning full-time salaries at a later age.

In turn, this postpones certain major decisions in life to an older age, when financial planning becomes trickier (and for some, harder), especially in view of the fact that the average salaries in Malta rank far behind those in other European countries.

It is also important to factor in other financial hardships that emerge in one’s 20s or early 30s, as young couples start thinking about their future homes and lives. Saving money for property down payments, getting bank loans, paying off wedding expenses and saving to start a family all require huge commitments that, for some, are simply impossible to achieve.

There are, of course, additional financial commitments in today’s demanding world such as mobile phones, laptops and tablets and, since a good public transport service is seemingly unavailable, the cost to purchase and maintain a car, including insurance policies and other yearly maintenance costs.

Are these costs exclusive to people in their 20s and 30s? Absolutely not. But, viewed in context, it would be wrong not to take them into account when coming up with policies to alleviate the general financial burden young people face.

Let us also not forget case-by-case realities, including personal or medical challenges that also bring financial hardships to some. Take, for example, a young family of two experiencing fertility issues, who are looking at other options such as IVF treatments or adoption. This young family would also have to face what could perhaps be the biggest hardship of all involving yet another huge financial burden in addition to legal complications and mental distress.

My generation is not being suitably represented in our current political system- Darren Carabott

Another example would be a young person’s dilemma of a business opportunity that obviously entails the commitment of a hefty sum as an investment. At what stage in life do we expect people to take up such opportunities that life has to offer?

I do applaud government incentives, such as the scheme for first- time property buyers and the partial reimbursement of expenses incurred in IVF and adoption processes but this is simply not enough.

It is not too difficult to understand why many young people are choosing to leave for better, more rewarding lives abroad. However, the government has an obligation and a moral duty to establish why many young people are leaving Malta for good, pursuing lives abroad and, on the basis of those findings, to address the problem seriously, starting by improving the quality of life here at home.

When I look at how things may possibly remain unchanged for young people in the immediate years to come, I reinforce my suspicion that my generation is not being suitably represented in our current political system. Rarely do we see my generation’s concerns discussed and acted upon, even if such concerns shape the lives of thousands young people.

It’s as if our realities and the problems we encounter have either become the norm, or else, the people in power are reluctant to address them. It is therefore not too difficult to see why many people my age are slowly losing interest in the political class and politics in general.

This is why I chose to contest the next general election: to give my generation a voice and a real fighting chance. It’s our time to step up and be the change we want to see.

Darren Carabott is a PN election candidate.

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