The Struggles of the Middle Class: Housing, Public Transportation, and Survival in a Changing World
September 8, 2024
The middle class is under immense pressure, mainly due to sky-rocketing housing prices driven by demand fueled by tourism. Hous-ing availability dwindles as more visitors flock to tourist hotspots, leaving local families struggling to find affordable homes. However, housing isn’t the only issue.
Another critical problem is the lack of a proper public transporta-tion system. For years, locals have endured a network far from effi-cient or comfortable, mainly as the climate crisis brings increasingly unbearable heat. Public transport is becoming torturous without air conditioning, which is only now being considered. Since the 1980s, the late Deputy Bennie Demei proposed much-needed reforms for public transport. Many followed him in championing the cause, and recently, parliamentarian Osepa raised the issue again. Yet, it all re-mains talk, as no one dares to confront license holders, including taxi drivers, leaving the middle and lower classes to suffer.
But the problems do not stop at housing or public transport. Even surviving day-to-day has become increasingly difficult. Air condition-ing, essential in these soaring temperatures, is a luxury many cannot afford to run. While renewable energy, like solar panels, could offer some relief, they are out of reach financially for most. The rising cost of living, particularly inflation, has also made healthy food unafforda-ble. This further deteriorates the health of the middle class, which is compounded by an increasingly inaccessible healthcare system. The costs of healthcare, combined with an unmanageable new hospital and the rising salary demands of specialists and staff, mean many cannot afford the care they need.
Education, traditionally the way out of poverty, is also being com-promised. It is not just about the quality of education but access to it. Children should be able to attend school with full stomachs and sit in classrooms with proper air conditioning, but this is far from the reali-ty for many families. Adding to the challenges, the lack of basic infra-structure like sidewalks makes daily life more difficult.
In this context, it is also necessary to question the performance of housing corporations like FKP, which reportedly has 9,000 uninhabit-able homes and a waiting list of around 6,000 people. Even if that number is less, it paints a grim picture. There is no coherent policy for the middle class, which continues to sink deeper into hardship. The path back to stability and prosperity seems increasingly unat-tainable.
MG
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