Judicial protests against university and army

The National Commission Persons with Disability has filed judicial protests against the University of Malta and the Armed Forces of Malta and has also taken legal action against a hotel claiming discrimination against persons with disability.

The commission accuses the university of failing to make Student's House accessible to persons with disability. Student's House is considered the hub of life on campus and not having access to the area posed a big disadvantage for such students, Maryanne Debono, the head of the equal opportunities compliance unit, said.

The commission had for many years been complaining informally that Student's House was not accessible. In March 2001, it submitted a formal complaint.

The university reacted by presenting an application before the Malta Environment and Planning Authority, which was not in conformity with the guidelines of the commission. It has now put forward an acceptable application but failed to give a reasonable deadline for the works to be carried out, Ms Debono said.

In its judicial protest, the commission said that if the university fails to give a reasonable time frame, it would initiate legal action.

The Equal Opportunities Act specifies that a reasonable time frame has to be given in such cases, Ms Debono said.

The second judicial protest filed by the commission was against the Armed Forces after it received a complaint from a former soldier who alleged that he was fired because of his disability. In March, the commission asked the army for information but it failed to respond in a satisfactory manner.

The commission yesterday also initiated legal action against Les Lapins Hotel after it failed to honour an agreement it had reached with the commission to introduce basic access for persons with disability.

Ms Debono stressed that the commission initiates legal proceedings only as a last resort: "The Equal Opportunities Act requests the commission to investigate and make attempts to find solutions for complaints of discrimination against persons with special needs.

"Such provisions also include the possibility that the two sides will put the case before the Centre for Arbitration. However, if these attempts fail, the commission is left with no option but to initiate legal proceedings.

"Before filing legal action, the commission also presents judicial protests which serve as a legal warning that if a just solution will not be found, legal action will be taken. We want to stress that legal action is our last resort."