Delia decries ‘draconian methods’ being suggested in rental reform
To use draconian methods of force from the government to directly intervene in issues of private property is dangerous, Nationalist Party Leader Adrian Delia said.
The Opposition Leader was answering questions from the press regarding potential measures in the upcoming rent reform bill during his tour of the YMCA’s Dar Niki Cassar.
Delia pointed out that the Chamber of Notaries, Chamber of Architects and Civil Engineers, former Judge Giovanna Bonello and the Chamber of Commerce, to mention a few, had all pointed towards that part of the law as problematic.
He did however insist that one must put a system in place to ensure that all landlords pay tax.
The rental legislation is not going to solve the problem the government itself created through its chosen economic model, Delia insisted, going on to note that the caption on the front page of the documentation of the law says that the goal is not to interfere in how the private sector functions.
“The government cannot interfere with the private sector and tell it to solve government problems - the private landlord cannot solve problems created by the government.”
Delia continued by saying that the part of the law they disagreed with was that an authority under the minister would have the ability to enter people’s homes, insisting that government should not have the power to enter people’s private domiciles and make a decision pertaining to that person’s property.
He said that the main problem is that whilst rental prices have doubled, wages have not been able to keep up.
Dar Niki Cassar and Poverty
Delia was visiting Dar Niki Cassar of YMCA for a tour and to give out hampers to the residents as a part of his visits to various establishments on the island for the Independence Day celebrations.
“To be without a roof over one's head is psychological trauma that goes against the fundamental human right to a decent life.”
The Opposition Leader said that poverty is spread across society in different categories and must be addressed seriously.
“Currently, the demand for these shelter homes is high and it is not the first time where a shelter home would be full and one would end up in other institutions such as Mount Carmel – something which must never happen.
“Statistics show that there are more than 78,000 people, or 17% of the population of Malta and Gozo, who are at the risk of poverty. More than 36,000 do not have enough money to keep their homes warm in the winter, more than 12,000 that can’t pay their electricity and water bills or take a loan.”
Delia said that there is a need for further preventative measures, particularly a national strategy, that would help identify the first signals that show a person would need help.