'No need' for clips of disabled people

The fund-raising TV marathon l-Istrina was such a well-organised variety programme that, along with the attraction of prizes, it did not need to invoke pity towards the disabled in order to get people to contribute, Joe Camilleri, president of the National Commission for Persons with Disability, said yesterday.

There was no need to continue harping on this aspect of disablement, he said when asked about the clips featuring disabled or sick persons and their families, which were repeatedly broadcast during the programme.

Organised by Where's Everybody? and presented by Peppi Azzopardi and Valerie Vella, Saturday's live show raised over Lm1 million for charity.

Stressing that he was speaking in his personal capacity, Mr Camilleri said one had to keep in mind that the clips could have a boomerang effect. Children who were portrayed as being helpless would be seeking a job in the near future but the image that would remain in the minds of the public was that of helplessness.

"We have to be careful that while helping them, we would not be ruining their future. While I sympathised with the producers I think they were treading on very thin ice and had a big responsibility. The media is so powerful it would be impossible to delete these images," he warned.

Mr Camilleri was asked about the clips at the premises of the National Commission for Persons with Disability during the launch of the fifth edition of the mAZe street atlas, which for the first time includes a list of reserved parking bays for disabled persons who are holders of the blue sticker.

He recalled that in the first week of December, the commission, the Association of Parents of Persons with Disability and the Maltese Council of Persons with Disability organised an activity on the theme Charity in Dignity. During the event it was agreed that collections during Christmas time were beneficial but it was stressed that "the end does not justify the means" and that the dignity of persons with disability should be respected.

"We should never give the impression that persons with disability are helpless. Rather, one should stress the need to improve their quality of life," he said.

Mr Camilleri said he was very annoyed when the impression was given that if money were collected, persons with disability, like those who could not walk, would be able to do so through some equipment or medical intervention. "Such promises made to children are even more cruel," he added.

"We have to be humane and realistic. The best benefit that can come from the collection of money would be to help disabled persons through the purchase of equipment and in going for treatment abroad. But there are certain conditions which do not allow the individual to become physically independent. Those collecting money should not give this impression," he said.

The fifth edition of the mAZe street atlas includes all the new street names in Malta, Gozo and Comino and is fully updated to the end of November this year.

The list of reserved paring bays for disabled persons was included on the occasion of the European Year of People with Disability as a collaborative effort between the commission, local councils and the publishers of the mAZe, Uptrend Publishing. The mAZe is edited by Frans A. Attard.

Transport Minister Censu Galea appealed at the launch for drivers to leave reserved parking free for disabled persons. He also warned against people painting yellow lines to indicate reserved parking without the recommendation of the commission. There were the normal channels through which to obtain the green light for such a facility.

About 210 parking sites for disabled persons are included in the publication. The list is available on the commission's website www.knpd.org.