Author: Mark Cachia

Round table discussion on the environment and development

Nhar il-ġimgħa 19 ta’ Mejju, Il-Kap tal-PN Bernard Grech flimkien mad-Deputati Nazzjonalisti Stanley Zammit, Julie Zahra u Janice Chetcuti, iltaqgħu ma’ diversi għaqdiet non-governattivi, fil-Parlament ta’ Malta.

L-għaqdiet non-governattivi preżenti kienu Rota, Flimkien għall-Ambjent Aħjar, The Ramblers’ Association, Din l-Art Ħelwa, Nature Trust Malta, Kummissjoni Ġustizzja u Paċi, Birdlife Malta u Friends of the Earth.

Fost l-oħrajn, l-għaqdiet preżenti sostnew il-bżonn ta’ infurzar ikbar u bidla fir-relazzjoni bejn il-partiti politiċi u n-negozju li spiss iwassal għall-regoli u liġijiet li minnhom igawdu l-ftit u mhux il-komunitajiet tagħna… Read more »

Rethink Culture’s Conversations

Rethink Culture’s Conversations is a space for respectful dialogue on complex issues shaping Maltese culture.

Based on Pope Francis’ visit to Malta in 2022 and supported by the Vicariate for Evangelisation and Justice & Peace – Malta, rethink.mt began as a podcast with various people active in Maltese society, to discuss the kind of society we are hoping to build together.

We are now inviting the public to join in the conversations and discuss topics including migration, sustainable development, cultural heritage, governance, economic systems, and the church in Malta… Read more »

Putting our economy at the service of people and the planet

Over-reliance on particular segments of the economy such as construction, which has caused growing harm to our communities and wellbeing over time, is increasingly being recognised as problematic even by top politicians. Minister of Finance and Employment Clyde Caruana recently pointed out that we urgently need to rethink and recalibrate Malta’s economic model, which has favoured rapid GDP growth at the expense of workers’ rights, people’s quality of life and our natural environment… Read more »

Our country’s economic “success” should never be obtained at the expense of workers

On this year’s workers’ day, the Justice and Peace Commission wishes to express its concern regarding the injustice suffered by non-EU persons working in Malta who, despite paying National Insurance contributions, do not recieve a pension.  Our current pension system relies on the assumption that non-EU workers will stay here for a few years, pay social insurance contributions and leave before receiving a pension. The Commission believes that the kind of society implied by this model is socially unjust and morally unacceptable… Read more »

How does Malta’s neutrality serve the cause of peace?

Malta’s Constitution defines Malta as a “neutral state actively pursuing peace, security and social progress among all nations by adhering to a policy of non-alignment and refusing to participate in any military alliance.” This neutrality clause was introduced in 1987. Since then, the geopolitical landscape has shifted dramatically with the war in Ukraine being just the latest in a series of violent shocks and conflicts which, according to Pope Francis, are part of what he calls a third world war “fought in piecemeal fashion”… Read more »

Public Consultation on proposed regulations on the Contractor’s Licence

The Justice and Peace Commission welcomes this public consultation and believes that if it is robust enough and its implementation properly enforced, the proposed regulations on the Contractor’s licence can be a step in the right direction. Also, we are aware that measures concerning who can enter the construction market as a contractor on their own, while important, cannot provide a comprehensive solution to all the well-known problems affecting this industry… Read more »

In pursuit of peace

Today marks the 60th anniversary from the publication of Pacem in Terris, an important encyclical written by Pope John XXIII in 1963 at a time when the world was undergoing significant changes and facing numerous challenges.

The cold war was at its peak and the world was divided into two ideological camps, with the threat of nuclear war constantly looming. At the same time, many countries struggled to overcome poverty, inequality and social injustice… Read more »

4th Anniversary of the Racially Motivated Murder of Lassana Cisse in Malta

On April 6th, 2019, Lassana Cisse, a 42-year-old man from the Ivory Coast, was shot and killed in Birżebbuġa, Malta, in a racially motivated attack, where two other victims Ibrahim Bah and Mohammed Jallow were also left for dead. The two suspects were identified as off-duty Armed Forces of Malta (AFM) soldiers, who allegedly targeted the victims because of their skin colour. Just a few months before, the same two perpetrators deliberately ran over May Malimi, a young man from Chad, whilst he was also walking in Birżebbuġa… Read more »

Together

About 60 delegates from various church backgrounds met in Rome from 12 to 15 March to prepare the event “TOGETHER | Gathering of the People of God”. This ecumenical gathering will take place on the weekend of 30 September in Rome, in advance of the XVI Ordinary General Assembly of the Synod of Bishops, which will discuss the theme of Synodality.

Daniel Darmanin, President of the local Justice & Peace Commission and member of the Executive Committee of Justice & Peace Europe took part in this preparatory meeting which ended with a private audience with Pope Francis… Read more »