Fil-kontroversja dwar l-immigrazzjoni li għaddejja bħalissa fl-Ewropa, imkien ma tissemma t-tħejjija ta’ xi pjan globali għal kif tista’ tiġi trattata l-isfida. L-Ewropa bdiet tilqa’ għal raġunijiet umanitarji, l-immigranti resqin lejha għall-ażil. Imma jeżistu proposti għal pjan tat-tul, bl-istimi dwar l-iskala tal-problema?
Lil hinn minn kif se jiġu allokati r-rifuġjati bejn il-pajjizi membri tal-Unjoni Ewropea, mistoqsijiet li jqumu huma dawn: X’inhuma l-istimi tan-numri ta’ persuni li jistgħu jaslu lejn l-Ewropa bħalha rifuġjati? X’faċilitajiet iridu jinbnew jew jitjiebu biex jilqgħu l-immigranti meta jaslu? X’se jkunu l-bzonnijiet ta’ alloġġ, ta’ għajxien u ta’ inkwadrament soċjali tar-rifuġjati? X’se jsir biex sakemm idumu fl-Ewropa, ir-rifuġjati jagħtu kontribut ekonomiku produttiv mingħajr ma jservu biex inaqqsu l-opportunitajiet tal-ħaddiema Ewropej? U dan kollu kemm se jiġi jiswa fil-ħames snin li ġejjin? Kif se jiġi finanzjat? Tkun ħaġa xierqa li b’mod publiku, jingħataw tweġibiet għal mistoqsijiet bħal dawn.
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MISTOQSIJA F’REFERENDUM
Il-gvern Ingliż tal-Prim Ministru Cameron aċċetta l-kritika magħmula mill-Kummissjoni Elettorali ta’ pajjiżu dwar il-mistoqsija li se jpoġġi fir-referendum dwar jekk ir-Renju Unit għandux joħroġ mill-Unjoni Ewropea jew le.
Il-Kummissjoni qaltlu li ma taqbilx li l-mistoqsija titpoġġa f’sura li t-tweġiba għaliha trid tkun iva jew le. Il-mistoqsija għandha tħalli lill-eletturi jagħżlu bejn alternattiva politika u oħra.
Fl-aħħar qed jiżdied l-għarfien ta’ kif gvernijiet jistgħu faċilment jimmanipulaw ir-referenda li jorganizzaw. Waħda mil-logħbiet hi billi jirranġaw ħalli min jaqbel magħhom iwieġeb iva, u min ma jaqbilx, iwieġeb le u jinħass negattiv.
Talanqas dil-logħba mhux se tkun tista’ tintlagħab fir-referendum Ingliż.
Biss ħabib ċiniku qalli: ma taħsibx li Cameron qabel ma’ dil-bidla għax hu nnifsu għadu ma jafx hux se jkun favur li r-Renju Unit jibqa’ fl-Unjoni jew bil-kontra?
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AKTAR KAROZZI?
Impressjonanti ż-żieda reali ta’ aktar minn 5 fil-mija li l-ekonomija qed tirrekordja. Ilna snin twal ma nilħqu dan il-livell. Dejjem qiest li tkabbir fuq din l-iskala hu essenzjali jekk l-ekonomija Maltija se tkun tista’ tippompja l-fondi meħtieġa f’investimenti li jtejbu l-qafas produttiv u soċjali. Fl-ewwel żewġ deċennji wara l-Indipendenza u sa ftit wara, din ir-rata ta’ tkabbir ta’ spiss irnexxielna nsostnuha.
Għandha l-perikli tagħha. Wieħed minnhom hu li ż-żieda tal-ġid fil-pajjiż tiġġenera konsum rampanti. Nibża’ per eżempju li se jkun qed jirranka aktar milli diġà rranka, x-xiri ta’ karozzi privati.
It-traffiku fit-toroq diġà mbulmat. L-impatt ta’ żieda qawwija fin-numru ta’ karozzi jista’ jkun tremend, ekonomikament, soċjalment u fir-rigward tal-ambjent.
English Version – Immigration: How? How much?
In the controversy about immigration that is now raging between membersof the European Union, nowhere do you find any mention of some overall plan regarding how to deal with the long term problem. Europe has begun to accept for humanitarian reasons, immigrants arriving to seek asylum. But do proposals exist for a long term plan, based on estimates as to the scale of the challenge?
Beyond the allocation of refugees among EU member states, questions arise, such as: How many people are estimated will arrive in Europe as refugees?
What facilities need to be built or upgraded to meet with their requirements?
What will be the needs of refugees by way of accomodation, living expenses and social integration?
What is going to be done to ensure that for as long as they remain in Europe, refugees can make a productive contribution to the European economy without undercutting European workers?
And how much would such a programme cost over a five year time frame?
How could it be financed?
It would be useful to have public answers to such questions.
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Referendum question
The British government headed by Prime Minister Cameron has accepted the criticism made by his country’s electoral commission regarding the question to be put in the referendum that will decide whether the UK should exit the EU or stay.
The commission made clear its disagreement with the idea that the question should be framed in such a way that the reply to it would have to be either yes or no. The question should instead allow electors to choose between two alternative policies.
At long last, an awareness is emerging about how governments can easily manipulate the referenda which they organize. One trick is to set things up in such a way that those who agree with their proposal must vote yes, and those who disagree, vote no. So the latter are perceived as being negative.
At least, it will not be possible to play this game in the British referendum.
Yet, as a cynical friend of mine observed, Cameron could have agreed to change the format of the question because he himself still does not know whether he will be in favour of Britain staying in the EU or getting out.
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More cars?
The increase of over 5 per cent in real terms registered by the economy is truly impressive. Many moons have passed since we last approached this rate.
I always considered it essential for the economy to reach similar growth rates if it was to mobilise the funds needed to modernize the island’s productive and social infrastructure. During the first two decades following Independence and for some time after that, such growth rates had been frequently achieved and sustained.
There are pitfalls to keep in mind. One is that the increase of wealth created in the economcy, could trigger over consumption. You could prospect for instance that private car sales will boom, on top of the boom that has been rolling for some time.
Traffic in roads and streets is already tightly packed. A further strong rise in the number of cars on the road would have a tremendous economic, social and environmental impact.
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