Benefiting the elderly

While reading The Sunday Times of February 22, I came across "Of people who do nothing" by Evarist Bartolo. Mr Bartolo is not well informed or is trying to disturb senior citizens. He tries to impress the people by saying that the Vat increase from 15 per cent to 18 per cent was a stab in the back for the elderly, who are recovering in Government-built homes.

I am one of those elderly people who is recovering in the Bormla (Cospicua) home. I spent 40 years working at Malta Drydocks.

In this home, all is the same as it was years ago. We did not have a doctor and a nurse to attend to elderly people in need. We have to pay from our pension for a doctor or a nurse each time we need therapy.

The homes built by the Nationalist Government show that the Government has the welfare of the elderly at heart, not mere words like those of the MLP leader and other spokesmen.

If the MLP and the GWU really want to help unemployed workers, the GWU will pay the money it owes, besides the income from UNTOURS, money deposited abroad and the income from the GWU press at Marsa.

Regarding those pensioners, who asked Mr Bartolo to present the grievances of those elderly in Parliament? Did Mr Bartolo ask them if they have deposits in the bank and if they own their own homes? Several elderly in this home have a house and go to see their home nearly every day.

Mr Bartolo, what is the use of calling the people onto the streets, and for people who are the leaders to climb to the platform and start teatrini? How many workers were employed thanks to these tactics? And thanks to the people clapping in front?

I think it is better for trade unions and other organisations to sit down around a table and to study how to bring foreign investment in Malta for the benefit of all Maltese.