MEUSAC holds first citizens’ consultation meeting

The first citizens' consultation meeting on the future of Europe was held yesterday at Auberge d'Aragon, residence of the Ministry of European Affairs and Equality.

The event was organised in the form of a panel of invited speakers, and moderated by the head of MEUSAC, Vanni Xuereb. Panellists present were MEPs Alfred Sant and Francis Zammit Dimech, Parliamentary Secretary for EU Funds and Social Dialogue Aaron Farrugia, and Head of EC Representation in Malta Elena Grech. Minister for EU Affairs and Equality Helena Dalli and her French counterpart, Nathalie Loiseau, were also present, and gave introductory and closing speeches for the event.

In her opening address, Dalli spoke of the plans for similar events to take place with the common themes revolving around innovation, immigration, and other such issues which impact society at large. She also welcomed French President Emmanuel Macron's proposal to discuss with citizens the Europe they want to see.

"Consultations should not take form of the same people saying the same things, but hearing new ideas and listening to those who feel excluded from EU or don't agree with it."

French Minister for European Affairs Nathalie Loiseau spoke via live conference, emphasising the importance of the project with the aim of shrinking the disconnect between the EU and its citizens.

"Europe is facing new challenges. If we want to humanise globalisation, deal with migration or build our defence and security together we know that we have to act at a European level. We want citizens to take the floor and say what they like or dislike about the EU, and what more they'd like to see Europe do."

When asked what on his view of what the future of the EU had in store, Farrugia made clear that the future is crucial.

"Today's Europe is a Europe made up of 27 member states that have different needs and views than they had years before." Further adding that we need to be less romantic about the EU and be more pragmatic.

Stating that the 4 basic freedoms set out in the Treaty of Rome are of utmost importance, and should be treated as "a given". These 4 basic freedoms being the free movement of food, services, capital, and persons within the EU.

The discussion then moved to MEPs Sant and Zammit Dimech, where they spoke on the issue of getting the member states to come to terms with their political differences and properly debate the correct way to move forward as a Union.

Following questions from the attendees, Dalli gave her closing address in which she encouraged citizens to participate in the upcoming EU elections. She called for the understanding of differing cultures across member states – expressing that from a sociological perspective, conflict is necessary for a society to function, making reference to French sociologist Emile Durkheim, and revolutionary socialist Karl Marx.

The next MEUSAC meeting will be taking place in September.

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Young Dutchman killed: Compilation of evidence continues

The court case of the 20-year-old driver who caused the death of a young Dutchman when he lost control of his car and mounted the pavement in St Julian's is set to continue today.

Michael Caruana Turner, a fitness instructor, stands charged with the negligently causing the death of 19-year-old Tim Scholten, slightly injuring five other people, driving recklessly and driving drunk. He is pleading not guilty.

The accident took place in the early hours of 6 July. Caruana Turner's Subaru Impreza mounted the pavement in Triq Gorg Borg Olivier, near the Neptunes waterpolo pitch, hitting a number of people. Tim Scholten was resuscitated at the scene but died some days later in hospital.

The decision to lift the house arrest, was recently replaced by a curfew, and this decision had been taken by Madam Justice Consuelo Scerri Herrera, following an application filed by the Attorney General a day after the arraignment. Caruana Turner had originally been granted bail but was also placed under house arrest.

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Watch the moment a car park collapses in Dallas

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Mexican airliner carrying 103 passengers crashes but all survive, officials say

An Aeromexico airliner carrying 103 people in Mexico crashed soon after takeoff, but all passengers and crew survived 

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More people at risk of poverty, but fewer people severely poor

A report published by the National Statistics Office titled 'The European Statistics on Income and Living Conditions' shows that 19.2% of the population is at risk of poverty or social exclusion (AROPE) in 2017, a decrease of 0.9% on the previous year's figures, but that the at risk of poverty rate (ARP) had marginally increased by 0.3% up to 16.8%.

The AROPE rate corresponds to the proportion of persons who fall within at least one of three categories, these categories being those whose equivalised income falls below the at risk of poverty threshold, those who live in severely materially deprived private households and persons aged 0 to 59 who live in private households with very low work intensity.

The ARP rate meanwhile relates to just one of these categories, encapsulating only those whose equivalised income falls below the at risk threshold.

The 19.2% of the population that falls under the AROPE rates is equivalent to 82,652 people, the report states.  Furthermore, the same report points out that the 0.9% total decrease in this figure had come solely because the risk of poverty or social exclusion rate had decreased in men.  In fact whilst in 2016 the rate of men at risk of poverty or social exclusion stood at 20%, but in 2017 it had decreased to 18.3%.  The rate of women at risk of poverty or social exclusion however remained exactly the same between 2016 and 2017; at 20.1%.

The report, which used a sample of almost 4,500 households, found that the household type that remains most at risk of poverty or social exclusion was that made up of a single parent and one or more dependent children, with a rate of 50.2%.

In terms of geography, the southern harbour area was the area with the highest AROPE rate standing at 26.9% followed by the northern area at 20.1%. The lowest AROPE rate was recorded in the western area and stood at 15%.

Prime Minister Joseph Muscat showed satisfaction at the total AROPE figure, saying in a tweet that this was the 19.2% figure was the lowest rate that Malta had ever seen, describing the decrease as "prosperity with a purpose".

There was meanwhile a marginal increase in the at risk of poverty (ARP) rate of 0.3%, taking it up to 16.8%, which is the equivalent of 72,143 people.

Notably, there was a 0.8% increase in this rate when taking only the over 65 years of age bracket. Also worth mentioning is that whilst the ARP rate for men had decreased by 0.2%, it had increased for women by 0.9%.

The trends noted in terms of household types and geography were very similar to those noted in the AROPE rate; with households made up of a single parent and one or more dependent children and the southern harbour area respectively both being the most susceptible to the risk of poverty.

The study does not take into account just monetary income, but it also employs material deprivation indicators to reach its conclusions.  To do this, the researchers pose various questions to respondents, asking for instance whether the family could afford an annual week-long family holiday, whether they could afford unexpected financial expenses, whether they could afford a car, whether they could afford a meal with meat, chicken or vegetarian equivalents every second day and whether they were in arrears on expenses such as rental payments.

In this sense, the report found that there was a decrease in households which materially deprived, and severely materially deprived.  Indeed, materially deprived households (defined as those who could not afford three out of the nine expenses mentioned) had decreased by 2.3% from 10.3% to 8%; whilst severely materially deprived households (defined as those who could not afford four out of the nine expenses mentioned) had decreased by 1.1% from 4.4% to 3.3%.

The European Statistics on Income and Living Conditions report is an annual undertaking compiled by the National Statistics Office.

 

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Thieves escape in motorboat with Swedish crown jewels

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Gozo General Hospital to be hit by doctor shortage once again

The shortage would mainly be affecting the hospital's medicine department, which deals with roughly three quarters of all patients walking into the hospital

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