Budget 2016 - The Students' Reaction

18TH OCTOBER 2016

BUDGET 2016 THE STUDENTS’ INITIAL REACTION

PULSE POLICY

FORUM

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BUGDET 2016 - THE STUDENTS’ INITIAL REACTION PUBLISHED BY PULSE MALTA 2016 CONTRIBUTORS; FLEUR ABELA KARL ATTARD AYRTON MIFSUD

© PULSE MALTA AND SPECIFIC AUTHORS, 2016

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THIS YEAR’S BUDGET IS ONE PROMISING A POSITIVE, AND STRONG ECONOMY. A BUDGET WHICH SEES STUDENTS BECOMING MORE PRODUCTIVE, AS WELL AS FOR YOUTH BECOMING MORE SELF-SUFFICIENT. IT IS IN OUR OPINION, A BUDGET WHICH SEEKS TO FURTHER STUDENT AND YOUTH PROGRESS. IT IS A BUDGET WHICH DOES NOT DISTINGUISH STUDENTS ON THE BASIS OF THEIR INSTITUTION OR EDUCATIONAL LEVEL, BUT IS HOLISTIC IN ITS APPROACH.”

WHILST WE, AS AN ORGANISATION, ARE SATISFIED WITH THE PROPOSALS OF THIS BUDGET DOCUMENT PRESENTED YESTERDAY, 17TH OCTOBER, FOR 2017, WE AS AN ORGANISATION ALSO WANT REMIND THE GOVERNMENT AS WELL AS ANY FINANCIAL STAKEHOLDERS, THAT ONE MUST ENSURE THAT THIS BUDGET IS ONE THAT CAN BE IMPLEMENTABLE TEN YEARS DOWN THE LINE. THAT IT IS TANGIBLE EVEN IF THE GLOBAL ECONOMY AS A WHOLE MAY NOT BE IN THE CURRENT POSITION THAT IT FINDS ITSELF IN TODAY.

3 ON THAT NOTE, HERE IS A BRIEF ANALYSIS OF CERTAIN PROPOSALS PRESENTED IN THE 2017 BUDGET, WHICH MAY DIRECTLY OR INDIRECTLY EFFECT STUDENTS OR YOUTH; 1. WHERE UNIVERSITY STUDENTS ARE CONCERNED, THIS BUDGET IS LOOKING INTO INTRODUCING A CAR PARK ACCESSIBLE TO THE PUBLIC AT TAL-QROQQ - THIS IS A PROPOSAL WHICH IN ITSELF MAY BE A BREATHER TO MANY STUDENTS ACROSS THE BOARD, EVEN MORE SO WHEN ONE CONSIDERS THE ONGOING DAILY STRUGGLES THAT STUDENTS FACE TO FIND PARKING BEFORE THEIR LECTURES, DAY IN DAY OUT. 2. THE GOVERNMENT WILL WORK TO INCREASE LITERACY WITH THE OPENING OF TWO LITERACY PROGRAMME CENTRES, SPORTS WILL BE USED AS A WAY TO ENCOURAGE YOUNG STUDENTS TO LEARN TO READ AND WRITE. (THIS PROJECT WILL START IN BIRKIRKARA, ST. PAUL’S BAY, COSPICUA AND VICTORIA) - PULSE LOOKS FORWARD TO THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THIS PROPOSAL AS IT SEEKS TO ENSURE THAT THE LEVEL OF ILLITERACY IS REDUCED, AND THUS IT INCREASES THE CHANCES OF STUDENTS HAVING EQUAL OPPORTUNITIES; WHILST PROMOTING SPORT. FURTHERMORE, WE LOOK FORWARD TO THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THIS PROPOSAL AS THE PULSE POLICY FORUM HAS ADVOCATED THIS IDEOLOGY IN PREVIOUS MONTHS. 3. STIPENDS WILL BE INCREASED PRO-RATA - WE BELIEVE THAT THIS IS ONE OF THE PROPOSALS THAT MOST STUDENTS LOOK FORWARD TO EACH YEAR, ESPECIALLY SINCE EDUCATIONAL SUPPLIES TEND TO BE COSTLY AND SOME FIND THE MONTHLY STIPEND TO BE AN AID SO AS TO BUY WHAT IS NECESSARY.

4 4. AS FROM NEXT YEAR, FULL-TIME STUDENTS UNDER THE AGE OF 24 WHO WORK AS SELF-EMPLOYED, WILL BE PAYING A PRO-RATA SOCIAL RATE OF 15% ON THEIR NET INCOME - SUCH INCENTIVES IN OUR OPINION SHOULD BE MORE FREQUENT AS IT INCREASES THE POSSIBILITY OF SME’S CREATED BY STUDENTS, OR YOUTH WHO DO HAVE THE CAPABILITY TO OPEN-UP THEIR OWN BUSINESS. THE VERY SAME INDIVIDUALS WHO MAY, DUE TO FINANCIAL RESTRAINTS, FIND IT DIFFICULT TO DO SO. THUS, THIS IS SOMETHING THAT WE APPLAUD AND WISH TO SEE MORE OF IN THE NEAR FUTURE. 5. €400,000 WILL BE ALLOCATED TO TEACHERS WHO WANT TO TAKE A SABBATICAL YEAR TO FURTHER THEIR STUDIES - INCENTIVES FOR TEACHERS TO FURTHER THEIR KNOWLEDGE AND SKILLS IS OF THE ESSENCE, AND ACCORDINGLY PULSE DOES NOT ONLY ENCOURAGE THIS BUT PROMOTES SUCH A PROPOSAL SINCE THIS MAY INCENTIVISE CURRENT STUDENTS STUDYING TO BECOME A TEACHER TO KEEP ON BECOMING BETTER EQUIPPED, TO BECOME MORE EFFICIENT AT THEIR VOCATION. 6. A JOINT INNOVATION CENTRE WILL BE ESTABLISHED BETWEEN THE UNIVERSITY OF MALTA AND HUAWEI - IN OUR HUMBLE OPINION, THIS IS A WAY FORWARD TO SOMETHING WHICH HAS LONG BEEN DEBATED, BEING RESEARCH AND INNOVATION. A WAY FORWARD TO A BETTER, MORE MODERN AND TECHNOLOGICALLY EFFICIENT UNIVERSITY. 7. AN MCAST ENGINEERING BUILDING AND A LIBRARY ESTABLISHMENT SHALL BE BUILT. - THIS WILL CATER FOR MORE PROGRESS IN THE FIELD OF ENGINEERING, WHILST PROVIDING THE STUDENTS WITH ADDITIONAL TOOLS FOR THEIR RESEARCH, A PROPOSAL WHICH WE AS PULSE ARE VERY SATISFIED TO SEE INCLUDED WITHIN THIS YEAR’S BUDGET DOCUMENT.

5 8. PEOPLE WHO TURN 18 WILL BE GIVEN A YEAR OF FREE PUBLIC TRANSPORT - THIS PROPOSAL WILL NOT ONLY ALLOW FOR STUDENTS TO BE MORE ENVIRONMENTALLY AND FINANCIALLY CONSCIOUS, BUT IT MAY ALSO REDUCE THE AMOUNT OF TRAFFIC ON OUR ROADS. - A CONSTANT PROBLEM WHICH SEEMS TO ONLY BE ON THE RISE. 9. THE EXTENSION OF THE 1ST BUYERS SCHEME - SUCH A PROPOSAL IS HIGHLY WELCOMED AS THIS ALLOWS YOUTH TO HAVE A BRIGHTER FUTURE WHICH WILL UNDOUBTEDLY HELP IN REDUCING PRESSURE WHERE DEBT IS CONCERNED, AND THUS THEY MAY HAVE MORE ECONOMIC GAIN WITH A GREATER PROBABILITY OF BRINGING UP A FAMILY. 10. DIABETES PATIENTS (BOTH TYPE 1 AND TYPE 2) WILL BE GIVEN FREE GLUCOSE STICKS, WHILE THE RANGE OF FREE MEDICATION FOR CANCER PATIENTS WILL INCREASE. - WE BELIEVE THAT THIS IS A POSITIVE STEP TOWARDS ENSURING FREE MEDICINE FOR ALL, ALONG SIDE THE NECESSARY EQUIPMENT WHICH HAVE LIFESAVING ELEMENT. 11. IT WILL BECOME ILLEGAL FOR PEOPLE TO SMOKE INSIDE CARS CARRYING CHILDREN. - THIS WILL PROVIDE A BETTER QUALITY OF LIFE TO THOSE CHILDREN WHOSE GUARDIANS MAY BE CHAIN SMOKERS, AS THIS MAY HOLD THEM BACK FROM SMOKING CLOSE TO THEIR CHILDREN. IT IS UNFORTUNATE THAT SUCH STEPS HAVE TO BE TAKEN, HOWEVER IT IS POSITIVE THAT THE GOVERNMENT IS CHOOSING TO TACKLE THIS.

6 HERE ARE SOME KEY POINTS WHICH WE, AS A ORGANISATION, ARE GLAD TO SEE ADDED TO THIS BUDGET, AND HAVE SPOKEN OF EARLIER ON DURING THIS YEAR OR PAST MONTHS;

1. A CONSULTATION PROCESS WILL BE CARRIED OUT ON THE POSSIBILITY THAT INDIVIDUALS WITHIN THE LGBTI+ COMMUNITY COULD START DONATING BLOOD - THIS IS A PROPOSAL PREVIOUSLY BROUGHT TO LIGHT BY THE PULSE POLICY FORM, FOLLOWED THROUGH BY OTHER ORGANISATIONS AND NOW THE GOVERNMENT. ACCORDINGLY PULSE NOT ONLY SUPPORTS THIS, BUT TAKES IT UPON ITSELF TO ENSURE THAT IT IS FOLLOWED THROUGH.

2. A WHITE PAPER IN FAVOUR OF COHABITATION AND THE CRIMINALISATION OF GAY CONVERSION THERAPY SHALL BE INTRODUCED. - IN OUR OPINION WE BELIEVE THAT THESE HAVE LONG BEEN DUE, AND ACCORDINGLY WE ENDORSE THIS PROPOSAL.

7 3. A CONSULTATION PROCESS TO THE POSSIBLE EXTENSION OF RIGHTS OF VOTING 16 YEAR OLDS FOR GENERAL ELECTIONS AND EP ELECTIONS IS TO BE HELD - WE AS AN ORGANISATION ARE GLAD TO NOTE THAT THE GOVERNMENT WANTS TO TACKLE THE ISSUE, EVEN MORE SO SINCE PULSE HAS BEEN AT THE FOREFRONT OF THIS PROPOSAL IN PREVIOUS MONTHS.

4. THE ALLOCATION OF €1,000,000 TO BE ALLOCATED BY HEAD MASTERS FOR STUDENTS IN NEED - PULSE IS POSITIVE THAT THIS PROPOSAL WILL YIELD TO A SUCCESSFUL OUTCOME EVEN-MORE SO WHEN ONE TAKES INTO ACCOUNT THAT THIS IS IN LINE WITH THE STUDENT FUND - A PROJECT UNDERTAKEN BY PULSE WHICH AIMS TO ASSIST STUDENTS IN NEED AT SIXTH FORM LEVEL AS WELL AS UNIVERSITY.

5. AN INDOOR POOL WILL BE BUILT IN THE COTTONERA SPORTS COMPLEX, ALONGSIDE A NATIONAL POOL COMPLEX. THE TAL-QROQQ POOL DECK WILL BE REBUILT. FACILITIES AT THE MARSA SPORTS GROUND WILL BE UPGRADED. WORK WILL START ON A SPORTS COMPLEX IN SANTA VENERA WHILE A MODERNISATION EXERCISE WILL BE CARRIED OUT AT THE TA’ QALI PAVILION. - WE LOOK FORWARD TO THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THIS PROPOSAL, AS IT PROMOTES SPORTS, AND SPORTS PERFORMANCE. THIS IS SOMETHING THAT HAS BEEN A NATION WIDE PROBLEM THROUGHOUT THE YEARS, ONE WHICH IS STEADILY BEING TACKLED; THOUGH MUCH MORE PROGRESS IS LEFT TO BE DESIRED.

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IN CONCLUSION, WE AS PULSE ARE ONCE AGAIN SATISFIED TO NOTE THAT THE YOUTH HAVE BEEN A MAIN FACTOR IN THIS BUDGET; AND ACCORDINGLY WE CALL UPON THE GOVERNMENT TO ENSURE THAT THESE PROPOSALS ARE FOLLOWED THROUGH.

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