Family Minister calls for unity among disability NGOs

Family Minister Dolores Cristina yesterday appealed to NGOs working within the disability sector to unite rather than continue competing between themselves for accreditation.

Certain people had to wait three years to be provided with a community care worker

Winding the debate in second reading of the Various Laws (Disability Matters) (Amendment) Bill, Mrs Cristina regretted the controversy with regard the claim by the Malta Federation Of Persons with Disability that they were not consulted.

This controversy was unwarranted, she said, adding that a former secretary had sent the federation’s reaction to the Bill.

Before the Bill started being debated in parliament, she had received an e-mail by the MFOPD president Marthese Mugliette asking for direct representation on the national commission for persons with disability. Now, Mrs Cristina said, she expected relevant proposals.

On behalf of the Employment and Training Corporation, the minister apologised for any incidents that had occurred. However, Mrs Cristina said that the ETC worked a lot in favour of persons with disability and must ensure they were not sacked after work schemes terminated.

The government’s aim was to encourage employment as much as possible. Many persons with disability valued independence. She suggested a survey be undertaken to see how many disabled persons were employed in both the public sector and private enterprises.

Society should consider people with disabilities as persons who are able to take their own decision. Client centres should help persons with disability reach their goals and no one should dictate to them how they should live their lives. In this respect a pilot project on independent living was underway.

Referring to care residencies, Mrs Cristina said that government was doing all possible to help organisations running these houses and was trying to create a family environment rather than an institution.

The agency Sapport was working hand in hand with KMPD and was proposing a variety of services in this respect. These houses were also benefitting from energy benefits with regard to utility bills.

Minister Cristina revealed that the department generally faced resistance from residents who did not want a new house to be established in their own backyard. A case in point was Dar Pirotta, where people living in Birkirkara had opposed such an initiative.

Improvements have also been registered in the educational sector but much more work was needed in the tertiary sector. More effective structures were needed.

Mrs Cristina said that a number of public places were not accessible to persons with disability. A number of blocks had been built in the 1960s and their structure did not allow for lifts. However, the main problem was opposition by those living in blocks of apartments together with persons with disabilities. She called on them to stop being selfish. Persons with disabilities needed dignity and not our condescension, she said.

Earlier, opposition spokesperson on health Marie-Louise Coleiro Preca said that there were grey areas with respect to the health of persons with disability, especially where intellectual health was concerned. There was a need to have a clinic that would cater specifically for children and adults with down syndrome.

Ms Coleiro Preca said it was not enough to ratify conventions and enact legislation if the necessary structures were not implemented on a practical level.

The Child Development Assessment Unit (CDAU) was jammed even though it should have been an early intervention measure. There were people who had to wait years to have their children assessed. While those who had the means could resort to private assessment, those who did not had no alternative but to wait.

While the Down Syndrome Association made it clear that children of 14 years onwards were more prone to depression, monitoring stopped during such age. Beside legislation, one should also assess the medical service provided to people with disability. Certain people had to wait three years to be provided with a community care worker.

Turning to employment, Ms Coleiro Preca said that ETC needed to be more aware and efficient with respect to opportunities for persons with a disability. She referred to a case where a young man with a mental disability was given employment with ETC; the job was not suitable for him and because he did not meet his superiors’ expectations was dismissed within 15 days.

One should also assess ETC schemes because certain employers were only using them for profit purposes without having a sense of corporate social responsibility.

The government should also take initiatives to create employment for persons with a disability. The Mater Dei car park could have served as to create employment for such people.

Ms Coleiro Preca said she could not understand why there was no plan to ensure accessibility in all government blocks. In cases where the Housing Authority identified blocks and work was being undertaken, the process was taking too long because Enemalta did not provide three-phase electricity and the supplier could not operate the lift.

It was shameful that certain district offices were inaccessible, not to mention the fact that they lacked cleanliness. In newly-refurbished district offices, front desks were too high for people to speak to the clerks and there was also lack of privacy.

The Bill was unanimously approved.