Social justice and inclusion are our core values as we shape our society
The Maltese value the broad protection that our social security infrastructure provides and legitimately expect continued improvement to meet emerging societal changes and challenges. Broad swathes of the population draw contributory and non-contributory benefits, ranging from pensions and child allowances to in-work benefits and unemployment assistance. In 1948, Malta’s legislation had already provided means tested pensions to persons over the age of 60 years and in succeeding years covered other categories as well. But the real green shoots of a welfare state sprouted out eight years later with the enactment of two key bills – the National Insurance Act on May 7, 1956 and the National Assistance Act a few weeks later – and with the concurrent birth of the Department of Social Security, which was then known as the Department of Emigration, Labour and Social Welfare. At the time, Maltese society was still grappling with the social and economic fall-out from World War II. Tourism and private enterprise were in their infancy and the economy was heavily reliant on British services’ expenditure, so much so that 27 per cent of the gainfully occupied population was employed by British...