Lack of concern for the environment
A survey commissioned by The Malta Independent on the current concerns among the Maltese has shown that the state of Malta's roads are considered to be the greatest problem in the country. The second most common concern mentioned was the cost of living in Malta.
The survey, carried out by Prof. Mario Vassallo, was based on a set of 300 telephone interviews, conducted at the homes of interviewees, with a representative sample of 300 Maltese households who have a telephone installed at home.
Respondents were first asked to list three major concerns currently facing Maltese society. Those taking part were left completely free to mention whatever they wanted and to express what they thought were the three main problems.
They were then asked to give their views on a set of specific issues by stating whether the issue mentioned was really a problem which Malta was facing. Respondents who agreed that a specific issue was indeed a problem were subsequently asked to indicate to what extent they believed efforts were being made by the authorities to tackle the issue in question.
In the first part of the survey, 46 per cent of the interviewees mentioned roads as a major concern while 43 per cent cited the cost of living. Those in the upper socio-economic groups less frequently mentioned the cost of living as a concern, but the issue of roads was mentioned practically with the same frequency by all sub-groups.
The next three concerns were unemployment, with 28.3 per cent; drugs, with 27.0 per cent; and dirt in public places, with 23.3 per cent.
Politics and a lack of care for the environment were each listed by 17.3 per cent of those questioned while public education, medical services and taxation were highlighted by 11.3 per cent, 11.0 per cent and 10.7 per cent of the respondents.
Other concerns mentioned were family breakdowns and the public debt, which were each highlighted by 6.3 per cent of those who participated in the survey, public transport, listed by 4.3 per cent and the Malta Drydocks and Malta Shipbuilding, which were mentioned by 3.3 per cent of those questioned.
The lack of a religious commitment as well as laziness at work were major concerns for three per cent of the respondents, while the European Union was a concern for 2.7 per cent of those questioned. Tourism was cited as a concern by 1.7 per cent while theft and hold-ups as well as a housing shortage were a concern for 1.3 per cent of the respondents. Foreigners in Malta, the legal system, poor social services and parking were each pointed out as a concern by one per cent of those interviewed. Maltese trade unionism and high water and electricity bills were considered to be a concern for 0.7 per cent of those questioned.
The lack of respect for animals was a concern for 0.3 per cent of the interviewees.
Interestingly enough, none of the respondents mentioned the welfare gap or the size of the public sector as a major concern facing the country. In the second part of the survey, where respondents were specifically asked about a defined set of issues, 94.7 per cent of those questioned agreed Malta's roads were a serious problem, while 94.3 per cent had the same view on drugs. Only 52.7 per cent of respondents said that trade unions were a serious problem.
Regarding the efforts of the relevant authorities to tackle certain problems, the public perception is that most attention is given to the fight against drugs. On the other hand, the issue which is perceived to receive the least attention is taxation, followed by the cost of living and politics.
Prof. Vassallo said that it is important that the Maltese at large and their leaders in various sectors reflect on these findings. "A superficial analysis of the findings would suggest that the issues that attract most attention tend to be 'hand-on issues', like the roads and money matters and not ones that are known to create major cleavages in larger societies. But if one analyses the various breakdowns, one notices that there are deeper divisions in Maltese societies that relate to issues of fundamental importance, like the work ethic and problems of meaning.
"Unless addressed, such issues could gradually develop into very serious situations which will affect not only the economic well-being of society, but its very identity," he added.
