President Marie-Louise Coleiro Preca yesterday announced an initiative whereby lonely elderly people living in the community would be ‘adopted’ by families, especially during feasts and holidays.
“Feasts are usually a time of great joy and happiness but they can also be a time of sadness, more so for the elderly who have no one to celebrate with,” Ms Coleiro Preca said during the annual reception at Floriana’s Vilhena band club on the feast of St Publius.
The initiative will be implemented after consultation with local councils, the College of Parish Priests and voluntary organisations. Families and individuals would be encouraged to host an elderly person for lunch or dinner.
“It’s easy to put your hand in your pocket and give money but the truest and strongest example of solidarity is to give your time and share your family,”she said.
A tradition with all presidents, Ms Coleiro Preca’s speech took place in the band club’s committee room following high Mass at St Publius parish church to mark the feast of Malta’s first bishop.
A number of MPs were present, as was with President Emeritus George Abela.
The President noted a call for help made by band club president Francis Bonnet who appealed to the authorities to immediately tackle the problem where Floriana was slowly ‘dying’ because of an ageing and dwindling population.
Ms Coleiro Preca said Floriana was an important locality that contributed to the country.
She promised to call in mayor Nigel Holland, who was also present, to discuss with the council and various Floriana associations how best to address the issue.
“As head of State, I can offer you a platform, together with my voice, to discuss the issue and see what can be done for the needs of the community,” she said.
Ms Coleiro Preca said it was the first time in 17 years that she attended the feast of St Publius since her father had passed away.
“He had wanted to show my daughter the statue of St Publius,” she recalled.
She recounted how her father had passed on a great love of the locality to her daughter who, when still very young, used to refer to it as “grandfather’s Floriana”.
The homily during Mass gave her food for thought because St Publius, Malta’s first martyr, had received St Paul when he arrived.
“He was a great Maltese man because he wasn’t afraid to show love and solidarity to a group of prisoners who had arrived on the island,” she said.
St Publius was tolerant and accepting, values which, the President said, still applied today.
“We should think more of him and follow these examples, especially in a time when we are living through great social and economic changes with movements of people.”
Society had changed and was no longer “one size fits all”. People could be different but “we need to believe we are all God’s creations and respect each other,” she said.