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Serious debt problem in the limelight
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Statistically speaking Gibraltar cannot really be described as one of the most unequal societies in the world. Although we are not the worse, but many areas are still waiting attention to improve the level of inequality, were it exists.
But like it or not, economic and social inequalities locally persist and as a consequence several opportunities are out of bounds for many. Recent financial developments are putting serious pressure on many families as they are struggling to make ends meet.
Many families are finding it almost impossible to get through to the end of the month without eating their past savings, if they have them! High utility charges, shopping and general food bills are proving too much for countless households.
Debt a Serious Social Issue
GCAB explained that Consumer credit debt, including problems with credit cards, unsecure personal loans, bank and building society overdrafts, catalogue and mail order debts are the biggest problem areas. Including other liabilities like housing debt, including problems with the mortgage, secured loans, rent and utility bills arrears, are also "a fast growing problem."
GCAB is of the opinion that low income, combined with badly informed and poorly understood financial decisions are at the root of many people’s debt problems in Gibraltar together with ill-health, unemployment, separation, divorce, bereavement or disability which also contribute to this rising trend debt trend.
Statistics do not Show Human Drama!
The cost of this inequality is sometimes too evident. They range from a lack of self esteem to social problems, such as drug abuse. On the latter social problem alone, most people are patently aware just how bad substance abuse is, and how it is affecting a good section of society. Disturbingly however drug abuse mostly affects the more vulnerable and younger elements of the community!
In the past people used to look at politics as a way of improving their social and emotional well being, this by changing their economic circumstances for the better. But over the last few years the only thing that people have seen from those in power, is a lack of real commitment to improve the situation of the common citizen.
People have noted that in the past and where public money is concerned ‘money has been no problem’ particularly when it comes to dishing out contracts and consultancy jobs for certain well-connected people, while all sorts of excuses are given when government services fall well below what is acceptable or sky-high with prices.
Hopefully Gibraltar is changing, the signs are there. At one time people were almost resigned to the fact that despite all their efforts, benefits were not being shared equally. Many people now believe that in this respect, resources will be evenly distributed if they contribute towards its creation. They know that without a clear change in policy that aims at finding ways to improve the well being of the whole population the status quo cannot be broken.
The stated increase in inequality and the subsequent decrease in the hope for a better tomorrow have many causes. An obvious cause is a blatant lack of access to resources, but a lack of access to resources that does not limit itself to financial matters. The real and most pungent issues is when it leads to a barrier in areas such as education and health, although this is not such of an issue locally.
Arguments about inequality used to be centred around the poor or on the disadvantaged. Now the focus is more on how resources and opportunities are made available to all! Unfortunately, such issues sometimes tend to be overlooked. It is in the interest of all to ensure that these issues are never off the agenda.
28-02-12
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