Thursday, October 16, 2014

Communists condemn approved bill on third pillar pension



The Communist Party of Malta criticizes the policy with regards to pensions schemes approved by Parliament recently. This policy will increase social inequality, and will introduce privatisation within the pension system. The Third Pillar private pension scheme will favour those well-off and will open the door for private campanies to take control of social security. 

The Party continues to state that the National minimum pension is not adequate for a person to live decently. Infact research show that the basic pension income is 15% less than the equivalent of 60% of the median wage. National statistics reveal that 22% of the pensioners are at risk of poverty. 

“The Government should immediately apply a policy that safeguards social justice in the  pension system. The government should also introduce a pension fund and increase the minimum pension income. Private pension schemes should not form part of government’s social security system”. 

Saturday, October 4, 2014

Budget 2015 should Address Social inequality and Precariousness.


 
The Communist Party of Malta appeals to the Government to address inequality and precariousness in the forthcoming Budget 2015. National statistics of 2013 show, that social inequality is on the increase.
 
“To address inequality, the Government should introduce new measures that strengthen the Cost-of-living Adjustment so as to be more realistic. Increase the national minimum income, based on the Caritas report, and also increase the minimum pensionable income. Government should also aim to strengthen the Malta welfare state system, and moves away from the right wing concept of a welfare society.”
 
“The Government should introduce legislation against precarious jobs. A law that clearly defines the term precarious employment, based on the fact that jobs on a temporary contract, agency workers, and ‘self-employment’ should all be classified as precarious jobs, as these kind of employment does not offer a regular employment; impedes access to home loan services; offer low wages and inferior conditions of work and obstruct unionization and collective bargaining. The ILO definition of precarious jobs is also clear in this regard”.            
 
“With regards to the prices of essential commodities and services, the Government should aim to offer more social protection to the consumer. Public services should not be privatized and government’s subsidies should be strengthened to safeguard affordability”, stated the Communist Party of Malta.

Maltese Communists disdained over the EU vote on Ukraine


 
The Communist Party of Malta feels disdained, and deems that the support given by the EU Parliament, for the ratification of the “EU Treaty of Association” with Ukraine as improper and undemocratic, especially when the country is locked in a civil war over this issue and the people of Ukraine were not consulted.
 
The Party said that “the EU, together with others is guilty for instigating the coup against the democratically elected Government of Viktor Yakunovich, by Neo Nazi’s and other extreme right wing forces”.
 
“The vote in favour, expressed by the majority in EU Parliament betrays Ukraine people’s sovereignty, as it is not known today how the people of Ukraine feel over this issue. We condemn 5 of Malta’s MEPs who voted in favour, and David Casa, who had the audacity to criticize Alfred Sant who had correctly abstained”.
 
The Communist Party of Malta condemns the European Union for its imperialistic stances that are being taken against the people of Ukraine, and also the reactionary positions that are being taken by the present Malta’s Social Democratic Government which puts to shame its very progressive past.                                               

THE COMMUNIST PARTY OF MALTA SALUTES ALL THOSE WHO FELL ON 9/11/1973.

 An address written by Victor Degiovanni and delivered by David Pisani at the Gnien tal-Gherf Commemoration of the coup of the 11th of September 1973 against the Unidad Popular Government in  Chile.

On the 11th of September 1973 the Nixon administration through covert activities of its special branches and the open manoeuvring of Henry Kissinger succeeded to stage a military coup against the democratically elected Government of Chile. This coup was not only instrumental in the toppling President Salvador Allende a moderate Socialist. This also led the way for Milton Friedman and his disciples of the Chicago School to start the neo-liberal experiments which led to the capitalist crises that we are facing today.

The Chilean Army did not have a history and tradition, of military coups as the Armed forces in other Latin American countries. General Augusto Pinochet, with the assistance of U.S. financial aid, and with the help of U.S. covert forces, embarked on an all-out attack on the Moncada Palace which served as the official residence of the Chilean President. This was to be the start of one of the bloodiest coups.

The fascist forces also attacked and managed to capture the media, made their presence felt in the streets, imposing a curfew and arresting all those suspected with Unidad Popular affiliations, murdering thousands and thousands progressively minded Chilean citizens. Amongst those who died in the first days of the coup were the Nobel Prize winner Pablo Neruda a world renowned poet, and Victor Jara a popular folk singer. The football Stadium in Chile became in a manner of speaking a Chilean “killing field”
The radical changes that were on the agenda of this newly elected government were not to the liking of the Chilean middle class and their master U.S. imperialism. The methods used to bring the progressive socialist government were creating artificial scarcities of essential requisites using the strike as a weapon by truck owners and other small time businesses, ensuring that food and other necessities from reaching the city, and holding protests in the streets, in an effort to create discontent. These actions had the reverse effect as Unidad Popular gained more popular support. These methods are today being used in Venezuela.

The Nixon administration, with  Henry Kissinger being the prime instigator sought the support of the Chilean Military forces, through the aid the military received, and the indoctrination  training at the  “School of the Americas” located in  Fort Benning in Columbus, Georgia the die was cast. On September the 11 of 1973 a democratically elected government was brought down by a military coup. This day will always remain a day of shame, for the Chilean military forces.

The Communist Party of Chile at that time was led by Louis Corvolan backed Salvador Allende candidacy for President. Pablo Neruda who was the Communist Party nominee withdrew his candidature from the race, so to give more chance to his friend Senator Salvador Allende to win. The Communist Party formed part of the Unidad Popular government that was elected in 1970. This coalition was made up of a number of left wing parties and other smaller progressive parties. This coalition managed to wrest the government from the hands of the Christian Democrats, and for two years embarked on the road for improving the lot of the working class liberating the copper mines from foreign hands, thus the profits from this natural resource were once again in Chilean hands.

The coup changed things drastically. The Communist Party was banned, and a large number of activists were murdered by the military, some that were lucky managed to escape and lived in exile, while the rest of the party went underground and formed a guerrilla organisation, the Manuel Rodríguez Patriotic Front Which offered resistance to the Pinochet Fascist dictatorship up to the restoration of democracy in 1990 when the Communist Party was once again legalized. Today the Communist Party of Chile works independently of other Parties and once again is represented in Parliament.