Funds for social housing

The fact that even the European Commission is reported to have commented on our claimed overgenerous support of the film industry from public money would indicate that there is indeed something wrong here, particularly so when one considers the government has, apparently, been very ungenerous with the social housing sector this last decade.

Social housing for low earners who cannot afford to buy or rent from private landlords is supposed to be one of the major pillars of the welfare state.

I frequently drive through Msida, and a social housing block has remained a shell for around five years.

Is it true that private builders may be responsible for this lack of social housing progress as easy access to social housing might dampen demand for their own properties for rent or sale? If true it would be another “champagne socialism scandal”.

ALBERT CILIA-VINCENTI – Attard

Elusive rubbish solution

John Vassallo makes the suggestion in his opinion piece entitled ‘The people have to be pitied’ (August 20) that “we need to place a charge on all incoming tourists to pay for the mess they are leaving behind”.

Although, like the author, I despair at the rubbish littering so many streets in Malta, his knee-jerk solution would have no effect other than a negative one for Malta.

How on earth would this charge be levied? As a surcharge at the point of booking or, perhaps, a public official standing beside passport control with a payment device? Neither would be terribly popular. Tourists will simply vote with their feet and go elsewhere.

The streets in my locality are littered with rubbish even in the so-called ‘quiet months’ of tourism, so the issue is clearly one of storage and collection; blaming foreigners will not solve the problem.

Malta has a disproportionately large elected body of parliamentarians and it is their job to find solutions. Unfortunately, the ‘rubbish situation’ seems to be another case of a government without governance.

JONATHAN CHARD DEELEY – Sliema

Help the helpers

Unfortunately, many elderly people waiting for their helpers arriving on time at the Victoria health centre are being disappointed. This is because helpers are finding it very difficult to find a parking there and have to go round and round, until they find a parking space.

The end result is that helpers are arriving late for their clients but still have to leave on time to go to others.

Why it is so difficult for the senior health authorities to address this problem and try their best to do something about it? A suggestion: they can issue a card to the helpers entitling them to use parking areas in Victoria free of charge. There may be other solutions I am not aware of.

However, the issue has to be tackled now, not in six months’ time.

I have been dealing with senior health ministry officials for quite some time but to no avail. Why prolong this matter further when a fair solution can be found?

CHARLES BEZZINA – Victoria