The Justice and Peace Commission has repeatedly promoted the need for our country to reassess its economic model towards a more holistic measurement of economic growth that does not depend solely on Gross Domestic Product. This will in turn guarantee the adequate consideration and full respect towards the environment and quality of life of all citizens.
Inspired by the international event “The Economy of Francesco” which is currently being held in Assisi, the Justice and Peace Commission has launched the initiative Beyond GDP in collaboration with the local branches of the Focolare Movement and the Centesimus Annus Pro Pontifice Foundation, together with EY and Seed Consultancy, and the support of APS Bank.
During a press conference held at the Archbishop’s Curia, a report highlighting several recommendations was presented. This report is to serve as a catalyst for discussion, and calls for action and cooperation amongst various entities to work together towards the common good of society. This is to be considered a living document, and also acts as a motivation to stimulate further research in the field of socio-economic development.
The OECD Better Life Index, which is used as an index to measure quality of life, was chosen as the foundation of this report. Six dimensions were identified from this index which best reflect the local context: income, housing, education and skills, jobs, health and lifestyle, and environmental quality.
The report is not intended to seek solutions for each specific dimension, but provides recommendations on a holistic level:
- The development of an open data platform or dashboard
- An agreement on a national well-being framework
- The integration of well-being in policy making
- The revisiting of the COLA mechanism
- Commencement of discussions on a social pact
During the presentation of this initiative, Auxiliary Bishop Joseph Galea-Curmi expressed his satisfaction that the Church in Malta has taken this initiative to bring Church entities closer to other entities in the business sphere. He explained that the Church values the person as a whole, and always promotes the holistic development of each person and of society. He reiterated that the Church gives particular attention to the weak and that a society’s strength is gauged by the progress of its weakest members.
Bishop Galea-Curmi said that this initiative is in accordance with Pope Francis who is currently gathering online from Assisi, young economists, entrepreneurs, researchers and activists, to once again re-think creative ways of reviving the economy. Bishop Galea-Curmi expressed his hope that the Beyond GDP report will be the beginning of a process of thought and action, for all to work together for tangible change in the economic model, for the good of humanity and of Maltese society.
Daniel Darmanin, President of the Justice and Peace Commission, said that the Church has always emphasised the moral element of the economy and its effects on society. “When global wealth is not being spread equitably, the gap between rich and poor is widening, and the environment is being sacrificed for financial growth, we need to stop and think about the effect this is having on our lives”. He explained that this is precisely why the Church in Malta is calling for a more balanced and human-centered economy.
The ultimate goal of the initiative Beyond GDP is that tomorrow’s economy establishes a holistic vision which is essential towards the betterment of the overall well-being of society, which ensures justice for the poor and seeks sustainable solutions to economic matters which affect our everyday lives.
The report Beyond GDP – A framework to gauge Malta’s success through quality of life is accessible on jp.church.mt, and will be discussed further during the online APS Talk on the 26th November which is open to the general public.
Message by Bishop Joseph Galea-Curmi
Proprju lbieraħ f’Assisi beda, b’kollegament online, l-appuntament ta’ tlett ijiem li l-Papa Franġisku xtaq li jgħaqqad flimkien żgħażagħ mid-dinja kollha biex isir ħsieb ġdid dwar il-mudelli ekonomiċi li huma prevalenti, u dan fid-dawl tas-solidarjetà li hi wieħed mill-pilastri ewlenin tat-Tagħlim Soċjali tal-Knisja.
Din il-laqgħa kienet maħsuba għal Marzu li għadda, imma kellha tiġi posposta minħabba l-pandemija tal-Covid-19. Il-Papa fl-1 ta’ Mejju tas-sena li għaddiet sejjaħ din il-laqgħa biex jgħaqqad flimkien ekonomisti, imprendituri, riċerkaturi, attivisti li huma ta’ età pjuttost żagħżugħa biex jerġgħu jaħsbu b’mod kreattiv kif nistgħu nagħtu ruħ lill-ekonomija. Għal din il-laqgħa qed jieħdu sehem elfejn żagħżugħ u żagħżugħa minn 120 pajjiż.
Hu għalhekk ta’ sodisfazzjon kbir li f’Malta qed tittieħed din l-inizjattiva tal-istudju ‘Beyond GDP’ u nixtieq nifraħ u nirringrazzja ħafna lill-Kummissjoni Ġustizzja u Paċi tal-Arċidjoċesi, kif ukoll lill-fergħat Maltin tal-Moviment tal-Fokolari u tal-Fondazzjoni Centesimus Annus Pro Pontifice, u lill-kumpanniji EY, Seed Consultancy u APS Bank. Fiha nfisha, il-fatt li din hi inizjattiva li tgħaqqad flimkien entijiet tal-Knisja ma’ entijiet oħra fil-qasam tal-business diġà hi pożittiva u fil-linja ta’ dak li jixtieq il-Papa.
Il-ħsieb tal-istudju li qed jiġi ppreżentat illum hu li jkun xprun għalina lkoll f’Malta biex naħsbu mudell ekonomiku li ma jkunx iffukat biss fuq il-Prodott Gross Domestiku, imma jkun qed jagħti valur lill-kwalità ta’ ħajja taċ-ċittadini u r-rispett lejn l-ambjent. Għalhekk hu rapport li jagħti rakkomandazzjonijiet maħsuba, imma wkoll li għandu l-ħsieb li joħloq diskussjoni li twassal għal azzjoni u koperazzjoni u li tagħti lok għal aktar riċerka.
Dan hu sewwasew dak li jrid il-Papa Franġisku: li naħdmu għal ekonomija li tqiegħed lill-persuna u l-kwalità ta’ ħajja tagħha fiċ-ċentru, li tkun ekonomija li tagħti l-ħajja mhux li toqtol, ekonomija li tinkludi mhux li teskludi, ekonomija li tirrispetta l-ambjent mhux li teqirdu, ekonomija li taħdem għall-ġid komuni mhux għall-ġid tal-ftit, ekonomija li ma tinteressahiex biss mill-ġenerazzjoni ta’ issa imma wkoll mill-ġenerazzjonijiet futuri.
Il-Knisja jinteressaha l-bniedem sħiħ, maħluq xbieha ta’ Alla, u dejjem tmexxi ’l quddiem l-iżvilupp ħolistiku tal-bniedem u tas-soċjetà. F’dan tagħmel attenzjoni speċjali lil dawk li huma dgħajfa. Irridu niftakru li s-saħħa tas-soċjetà titkejjel mill-progress ta’ dawk l-aktar dgħajfa.
Nawgura li dan ir-rapport ippreżentat illum ikun il-bidu ta’ dan il-proċess ta’ ħsieb u azzjoni flimkien, u jkunu ħafna dawk li jissieħbu ma’ dawn l-entijiet preżenti llum biex naħdmu għal bidla reali fil-mudell ekonomiku għall-ġid tal-bniedem u tas-soċjetà Maltija. Lilkom li ħdimtu flimkien f’din l-inizjattiva nixtieq inwassal il-messaġġ tal-Papa Franġisku: “Nitlobkom, tħallux li oħrajn ikunu l-protagonisti tal-bidla flokkom! Intom dawk li għandhom il-futur f’idejkom! Permezz tagħkom jidħol il-futur fid-dinja. Lilkom nitlob ukoll li tkunu protagonisti ta’ din il-bidla … Nitlobkom li tkunu bennejja tad-dinja, biex timpenjaw ruħkom b’risq dinja aħjar” (Christus Vivit, n. 174).
✠ Joseph Galea-Curmi
Isqof Awżiljarju