On September 30 The Times published an article by the chairman of the National Commission for Persons with Disability (KNPD), Joe Camilleri, on housing the disabled. I commented in this column that the Finance Minister and other politicians who care for the disabled must read it before the Budget (which we now know will be presented in a fortnight’s time). Mr Camilleri tackled the need to provide support for disabled individuals to enjoy independent living, to fulfil themselves, as is their right and also thereby to become a human resource that contributes to the wellbeing of society.
Mr Camilleri used the example of “Robert”, an adult who has a very severe mobility impairment and requires substantial support. He works full-time and lives with his mother. Robert’s mother is now growing old and is finding it increasingly difficult to give him the necessary support enabling him to remain at home with his family, which is where he wants to be.
Like many other disabled people, Robert doesn’t want to end up living in a large institution, shut away from his family and community. His nightmare, wrote the KNPD chairman, is being warehoused along with a large number of other disabled people. Robert wants to continue being himself, and not become a number.
For the present Robert has managed to create a bundle of services tailored to his own particular requirements. Thanks to the services which he himself has chosen, not only has the burden of care on his mother been minimised but he has been able to remain living in the family house while still benefiting from the support he requires. Robert has managed to find a balance between his own income and state benefits.
Inspired by the experience of Robert and others like him the slogan chosen by KNPD for 2011 is Living Fully In Society. The slogan also reflects article 19 of the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disability regarding independent living and inclusion in community for persons with disability. The article lists three fundamental rights in this regard: to choose where and whom to live with, in the same way as the majority of people without disability do; not to be forced to live in places such as institutions; and to be granted access to a variety of services in residential homes, or other support services within the community
The KNPD, committed to the philosophy of personalised services provided according to individual need, proposed a cross-party agreement to commit ring-fenced public funds to enable the creation of approximately 10 small, residential units in the community per year. This, wrote Mr Camilleri, must remain an annual commitment until the present dearth of such facilities has been properly addressed.
The proposal, I commented, has to be fleshed out and costed – not a difficult exercise. What might be more difficult, I wrote with a hint of premonition, is to get politicians to act without delay. I added that proof of such action ought to appear in the Budget the Finance Minister is preparing for 2012, and in a clear commitment by the opposition to continue with such financing if it is returned to office.
Since then Tony Mercieqa, severely disabled through an accident in his youth (he might well be “Robert”) wrote penetratingly in this newspaper about his fight to live as independently as he could, supported by his father, now deceased, and his mother, now aging. Tony added his eloquent voice to the need of support for achievable independent living.
The ambassadors of Italy and Egypt too contributed to the broader cause, in the context of a worthwhile event organised recently in Malta by the Italian NGO Handy Cup and the Inspire Foundation, which I have the honour to chair, with the unstinting help of Minister Dolores Cristina and her staff. In the meantime the House of Representatives too began debating a Bill intended to improve recognition of and support for the disabled.
Many backbench MPs spoke on the Bill, all showing commendable commitment to the need to work towards giving the disabled a proper place in society and the economy, to which they can contribute. Yet none, at least from The Times parliamentary reports I read, took up the KNPD’s call for an early start with 10 supported residential houses. The Budget is almost finalised. The Finance Minister has a difficult task to find €100 million from which to trim expenditure and to provide for Air Malta, while keeping the reduction of the Budget deficit on target.
This year he has managed to decrease the deficit by restricting capital expenditure and keeping the Parliament, theatre and Valletta gate (sic) projects out of the capital votes. Unwise, I say, but with my limited experience in his field I recognise the enormity of his task.
Nevertheless, the voices of politics, economics and social justice would be hoarse if they do not prioritise. How high does the government prioritise the disabled? That will be shown in the Budget for 2012. Not by usual provision, but by the response, or lack of it, to the challenge poised by Mr Camilleri and the KNPD. It is not insurmountable. The Finance Minister ought to show that, beyond the cold figures, he listens.