KONFERENZA NAZZJONALI DWAR IL-HOUSING SOĊJALI

KONFERENZA NAZZJONALI DWAR IL-HOUSING SOĊJALI

Il-Ministeru għall-Politika Soċjali flimkien ma' l-Awtorit'� tad-Djar u l-BICC illum niedu Konferenza Nazzjonali bit-tema Social Housing - Now and In the Future. L-għan ta' din il-konferenza se jkun li jitmexxa 'l quddiem l-iżvilupp ta' housing policy nazzjonali għas-snin li 'ejjin. Il-konferenza hija wkoll parti mill-impenn tal-Ministeru għall-Politika Soċjali li jiżgura li fil-bidu tas-seklu wieħed u għoxrin l-akkomodazzjoni diċenti trid tkun ikkunsidrata bħala dritt fundamentali għal kulħadd. Il-konferenza ta' 'urnata sejra ssir nhar il-'�amis, 13 ta' April 2000, 'ewwa l-Coastline Hotel, il-Qawra.

Dan tħabbar mill-Ministru għall-Politika Soċjali, Dr Lawrence Gonzi waqt konferenza ghall-aħbarijiet organizzata flimkien maċ-Chairperson ta' l-Awtorit'� tad-Djar, is-Sinjura Marisa Micallef Leyson u ċ-Chairman tal-BICC, il-Perit Robert Musumeci. Huwa u jitkellem waqt il-konferenza Dr Gonzi qal li huwa ċar li persuni b'diffikultajiet ta' housing ħafna drabi jkollhom diffikultajiet oħrajn soċjali. Minn riċerki li saru fil-passat instab li persuni bi problemi ta' housing kellhom wkoll diffikultajiet oħra ta' impjie' jew ta' livell baxx ta' edukazzjoni, jew problemi ta' abbuz ta' sustanzi u problemi familjari oħra. "Dan ifisser", tenna l-Ministru Gonzi, "li l-problema irridu naffaccjawha minn diversi lati sabiex naslu għall-soluzzjonijiet li jħarsu l-integrit'� u t-totalit'� tal-persuna. Politiċi, akkademici, uffiċjali pubbliċi u social workers għandhom jaqsmu l-esperjenzi u l-kompetenzi tagħhom sabiex jaslu għas-soluzzjonijiet meħtie'a, kemm għall-futur qarib kif wkoll dak imbiegħed."

Il-Ministru Gonzi appella sabiex din il-konferenza tkun ezerċizzju ta' riflessjoni li jasal għal konklużjonijiet prattiċi mingħajr ma jintilef ħin f'argumenti politiċi u parti''jani. Huwa fakkar li fit-tiftix tas-soluzzjonijiet hemm bżonn li jitqiesu l-bżonnijiet ta' dawk li huma l-aktar vulnerabbli u li l-għan ewlieni għat-tiftix tas-soluzzjonijiet għandu jkun sabiex tittaffa s-sitwazzjoni ta' min qiegħed jesperjenza diffikult'� b'mod konkret. Il-Ministru Gonzi rrimarka wkoll li kull soluzzjoni li tinstab trid ti'i meqjusa fl-ambitu taċ-ċirkustanzi nazzjonali bil-ħsieb li jitwaqqfu l-istrutturi neċessarji sabiex din il-problema ti'i trattata b'mod komprensiv u sabiex jingħata l-appo'' necessarju għall-bżonnijiet ta' persuni f'diffikult'�.

Hija u titkellem dwar il-bejgħ ta' propjet'� mill-Awtorit'� tad-Djar, is-Sinjura Micallef Leyson qalet li bejn l-1995 u s-sena 2000 l-Awtorit'� tad-Djar ħar'et seba' avviżi għall-bejgħ ta' propjet'� li għalihom kienu pproċessati 4,278 applikazzjoni u madwar 550 applikant ikkonfermaw l-allokazzjoni. Id-dħul medju ta' l-applikanti kien ta' Lm4,779, filwaqt li d-dħul medju ta' dawk li kkonkludew l-allokazzjoni kien ta' Lm4,517.

Is-Sinjura Micallef Leyson żiedet tgħid li 86% ta' l-applikanti li xtraw il-propjet'� mingħand l-Awtorit'� kellhom 34 sena jew inqas. Il-parti l-kbira ta' l-applikanti kienu jikkonsistu f'435 koppja għarajjes, 77 koppji miżżeww'in u 14 bħala single parents. Kien hemm 13-il applikant li fid-data ta' l-applikazzjoni kienu jgħixu 'o postijiet sub-standard, 7 li kienu jgħixu f'propjetajiet mhux adekwati għall-familji tagħhom u 7 li kienu jgħixu f'post perikoluż.

Meta tkellmet dwar il-kiri ta' propjet'� mill-Awtorit'� tad-Djar, is-Sinjura Micallef Leyson qalet li bejn l-1995 u s-sena 2000 l-Awtorit'� tad-Djar ħar'et żew' avviżi għall-kiri ta' fondi li għalihom 'ew ipproċessati 656 applikazzjoni u minnhom, 242 iffirmaw il-kuntratt. Id-dħul medju ta' l-applikanti kien ta' Lm2,384. 86% ta' l-applikanti li krew propjet'� kellhom 54 sena jew inqas, u minn dawn 43% kellhom 34 sena jew inqas. 82% ta' l-applikanti kienu miżżeww'in filwaqt li 15% kienu single parents. 43 mill-243 applikant irrappurtaw li jgħixu 'ewwa postijiet sub-standard.

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NATIONAL CONFERENCE ON SOCIAL HOUSING

The Ministry for Social Policy together with the Housing Authority and the BICC today launched a national conference entitled "Social Housing -Now and In the Future". The aim of the conference is to advance the development of a comprehensive national housing policy for the new millennium. The conference is also in line with the Ministry for Social Policy's commitment to ensure that at the beginning of the twenty-first century decent housing is to be considered a basic right for all. The full day conference will be held on Thursday, 13th April 2000, at the Coastline Hotel, Qawra.

The Conference was announced by the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Social Policy, Dr Lawrence Gonzi in a joint Press Conference with the Chairperson of the Housing Authority, Ms Marisa Micallef Leyson and the Chairman of the BICC, Architect Robert Musumeci. Addressing the Press Conference, Dr Gonzi stated that it is becoming amply clear that social housing needs are not disparate from other social needs. He revealed that successive studies have shown that social housing needs frequently co-exist with other social difficulties such as unemployment, economic deprivation, substance misuse and family discord. "Such a situation calls for a comprehensive national response which brings together legislators, academics and administrators and support workers pooling in their experiences and resources to find alternative medium and long-term solutions", Dr. Gonzi said.

The Social Policy Minister appealed for this conference to be a soul-searching exercise focused on the finding of solutions and without resort to fault-finding and political bickering. He reminded everyone, that the interests of the most vulnerable have to be kept into perspective and that alleviating the difficulties encountered by those in need should prevail over unattainable solutions and promises. Dr. Gonzi also remarked that such an issue should also be tackled within the context of the national situation and the necessary structures need to be set up to ensure an adequate and consistent response to the arising needs.

Speaking about the sale of property by the Housing Authority, Mrs Micallef Leyson stated that between 1995-2000 the Housing Authority issued seven calls for the sale of properties for which 4,278 applications were processed and 550 applicants were allocated with new properties. The average income of the applicants was Lm4,779, while the average income of those that bought property was Lm4,517. Ms Micallef Leyson added that 86% of the applicants that bought property from the Authority were aged 34 years or younger. The social status of the applicants consisted of 435 engaged couples, 77 married couples and 14 single parents. There were only 13 applicants living in sub-standard properties on the date of application, 7 living in properties which were not adequate for there families and 7 living in dangerous properties.

Speaking about the renting of properties by the Housing Authority, Mrs Micallef Leyson said that, between 1995-2000 the Housing Authority issued two calls for renting of properties for which 656 applications were processed and 242 finalised the deal. The average income of the applicants was Lm2,384. The average age of 86% of the applicants for renting of properties was 54 years or younger, of these only 43% were 34 years or younger. 82% of the applicants were married while 15% are single parents. Forty-three of the 243 applicants reported that they live in sub-standard properties.