A Memorandum of Understanding signed between
Caritas Malta and the Energy and Water Agency seeks to help the most vulnerable
families, with an initial investment of €400,000.
At the initiative of the Minister for Energy,
Enterprise, and Sustainable Development Miriam Dalli, the two sides came
together to see how they can assist the most families in need. This initiative
follows the ‘A Minimum Essential Budget for a Decent Living 2020’ study,
published by Caritas. The assistance through EWA, that will be provided to
dozens of families identified by Caritas Malta, will help them reduce water
consumption, receive advice on how to save water and, where necessary, help
them replace defective equipment, including water pipes and appliances. This
aid could reach up to €5,000 per family.
“It is our responsibility to listen to what
organisations like Caritas have to say, and to act on them. Sustainable
development means a number of things, including ensuring the efficient use of
energy and water. Efficiency also means lower costs for our families”, said the
minister.
Whilst technological advancements are being made to
make water and energy use more efficient, there is still a risk that due to
higher costs, these technologies are not afforded by all.
“It is therefore important to ensure that no one is
left behind on the path to a more sustainable use of resources. This is
precisely the purpose of this agreement between the agency and Caritas: to work
closer together to identify the help that is needed and to make a real
difference in people’s lives”, said Minister Miriam Dalli.
On his part, the Chief Executive of the Energy and
Water Agency Manuel Sapiano explained how in addition to the home interventions
to assess ways to reduce consumption, monitoring and data collection will be
carried out to quantify the effect of these measures.
He also stressed that with this information, the
agency would be able to identify those measures that have the most positive
impact on both consumption and households. “In this way, we will be in a better
position to continue to provide valuable advice on such measures, which should
make the greatest positive impact”, said Mr Sapiano.
Anthony Gatt, the Director and Chairperson of the
Caritas Malta Foundation, said that Caritas is recognising the commitment of
the ministry to raise public awareness on the sustainable use and conservation
of water.
“We also appreciate Minister Dalli's initiative to
put into practice the recommendations set out in the ‘A Minimum Essential
Budget for a Decent Living 2020’ study, which Caritas Malta has just
published”, said Mr Gatt.
“In this way the study is serving as a driver to
carry out measures that lead to a reduction in the expenditure of families in
their daily life, taking into account physical health, as well as environmental
protection.”
Caritas Malta described this initiative as, “A step
closer towards those families and individuals on the periphery and who are so
dear to Caritas Malta”.
Ftehim bejn Caritas Malta u l-Aġenzija għall-Enerġija u l-Ilma biex
jgħin l-aktar familji vulnerabbli
Memorandum
of Understanding iffirmat bejn Caritas Malta u l-Aġenzija għall-Enerġija u
l-Ilma se jkun qed jgħin familji vulnerabbli, b’investiment inizjali ta’
€400,000.
Fuq
inizjattiva tal-Ministru għall-Enerġija, l-Intrapriża u l-Iżvilupp Sostenibbli
Miriam Dalli, iż-żewġ naħat ingħaqdu biex jaraw kif flimkien jistgħu jassistu
lill-familji l-aktar fil-bżonn. Dan wara li l-Caritas ippubblikat l-istudju tagħha
dwar ‘A Minimum Essential Budget for a Decent Living 2020’.
L-għajnuna
li se tingħata lil għexieren ta’ familji identifikati minn Caritas Malta se
tgħinhom inaqqsu l-konsum tal-ilma, jingħataw pariri kif jiffrankaw l-ilma u
fejn hu meħtieġ, u jiġu mgħejjuna jbiddlu apparat difettuż, inkluż pajpijiet
tal-ilma u appliances. L-għajnuna titla’ sa massimu ta’ €5,000 għal kull
familja.
“Hija
r-responsabilità tagħna li nisimgħu dak li jgħidulna organizzazzjonijiet bħal
Caritas u li naġixxu fuqhom. Żvilupp sostenibbli jfisser numru ta’ affarijiet,
inkluż li f’pajjiżna nassiguraw użu effiċjenti tal-enerġija u l-ilma,
fis-setturi kollha inkluż f’dak domestiku. L-effiċjenza tfisser ukoll anqas
spejjeż għall-familji tagħna,” qalet il-Ministru Dalli.
Minkejja
li s-suq qed jagħmel avvanzi f’teknoloġiji ġodda li jgħinu fl-effiċjenza u
għalhekk jiġu kkunsmati anqas enerġija u ilma, jibqa’ r-riskju li minħabba
l-ispiża ta’ dawn it-teknoloġiji, jaqgħu lura dawk li l-inqas jifilħu jħallsu.
“Għalhekk
huwa importanti li naraw li ħadd ma jibqa’ lura fil-mixja lejn użu aktar
sostenibbli tar-riżorsi. Dan hu propju l-iskop ta’ dan il-ftehim bejn
l-Aġenzija u l-Caritas. Li naħdmu aktar qrib xulxin biex nidentifikaw
l-għajnuna li hemm bżonn u li tagħmel differenza reali f’ħajjet in-nies,” qalet
il-Ministru Dalli.
Min-naħa
tiegħu, il-Kap Eżekuttiv tal-Aġenzija għall-Enerġija u l-Ilma Manuel Sapiano
spjega kif minbarra l-interventi li se jsiru fir-residenzi ta’ dawn
il-familji biex jonqos il-konsum, se jkun qed isir monitoraġġ u ġbir ta’ data
biex jiġi kwantifikat l-effett ta’ dawn il-miżuri.
Is-Sur
Sapiano saħaq li b’din l-informazzjoni l-Aġenzija tkun tista’ tidentifika liem
huma dawk il-miżuri li l-iktar li jagħmlu impatt pożittiv kemm fuq il-konsum,
kif ukoll fuq il-familji. “B’hekk, inkunu f’pożizzjoni aħjar sabiex inkomplu
nagħtu pariri siewja fuq miżuri ta’ dan it-tip, li għandhom jagħmlu l-akbar
impatt pożittiv,” qal il-Kap Eżekuttiv.
Anthony
Gatt, Direttur u Chairperson tal-Fondazzjoni Caritas Malta, qal li Caritas qed
tirrikonoxxi l-impenn tal-Ministeru għall-Iżvilupp Sostenibbli biex jitqajjem
għarfien pubbliku dwar l-użu sostenibbli u l-ħarsien tal-ilma.
“Napprezzaw
ukoll l-inizjattiva tal-Ministru Dalli biex tpoġġi fil-prattika
rakkomandazzjonijiet indikati fl-Istudju ‘A Minimum Essential Budget for a
Decent Living 2020’, li Caritas Malta għadha kif ippubblikat,” qal is-Sur Gatt.
“B’dan
il-mod l-istudju qed iservi ta’ xprun biex jitwettqu miżuri li jwasslu
għat-tnaqqis fin-nefqa tal-familji fil-ħajja ta’ kuljum, tiġi kkunsidrata
s-saħħa fiżika, kif ukoll jiġi mħares l-ambjent.”
Caritas
Malta ddeskriviet din l-inizjattiva bħala “Pass eqreb lejn dawk il-familji u
individwi li qegħdin fil-periferija u li tant huma għal qalb Caritas Malta”.
