Why are residents of St Vincent de Paule Home held incommunicado on polling day?
I have just received this email from somebody I know.
Dear Daphne,
My mother-in-law is at Saint Vincent de Paule Home for the Elderly. She is in her 90s, can’t talk or walk, because of a stroke. She recognises us, but hardly knows what’s happening around her. She’s forgetful.
My wife visits her in the afternoon to feed her and talk to her. My wife’s siblings visit their mother at other times of the day.
The day before yesterday we were told that no visits are allowed today, because it’s polling day. My mother-in-law has no right to vote, because of her condition.
My wife is worried about how her mother will react when nobody visits her today. Does this also happen in other homes for the elderly?
All this because of a local council election in Hal Luqa which does not even affect the residents of St Vincent de Paule Home.
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I’m sure you have enough contacts to ask about the minivans that are usually organised to ferry the elderly, whether they like it or not. Although this policy is admittedly taking it to an extreme over petty local council elections.
Unfortunately believable that this kind of thing still seems to happen in Malta in 2012.
And what about the text messages from Labour star kendidejt Dr Emmanuel Mallia? I received one urging me to go and vote this afternoon.
I never gave him my number and it was not possible for me to reply to hist text. Unbelievable.
Nursing staff had a terrible day as only employees with the due accreditation could enter the residence today – unfortunately, the bad weather conditions meant that a number of employees from Gozo could not make it to work on time, while those who were off duty today could not report for work in their stead, as they did not have the necessary accreditation. And all this because of a local council election!
If what this man is saying is true, this is a very serious matter indeed.
It is a matter for Joe Cassar to investigate.
It all sounds very unYale-like to me.
I hope this man is wrong, for the Minister of Health’s sake.
I look forward to the official version.
Don’t blame Dr Cassar but blame the ELECTORAL COMMISSION who make the rules, which i agree are ridiculous.
I am not blaming anyone.
However, whatever affects residents of St Vincent de Paule Home is the political responsibility of the health minister not the electoral commision.
Since when do electoral commissions prohibit old people from seeing their loved ones ?
Are we in the EU or in the Central African Republic ?
My grandmother is also residing at st Vincent de Paule. She’s in the dementia ward . no one was allowed to visit any of the patients there because of local council elections.
This also happened during the divorce referendum. These patients suffering from dementia, who have absolutely no idea what’s going on around them, were also taken to vote.
This is absolutely ridiculous. How can someone who is suffering from a condition which renders them senile be capable of voicing their opinion?
The same thing happened in hospitals. People weren’t allowed to visit their sick relatives in hospitals unless there’s a risk they could die. I cannot understand how local council elections are more important than visiting the sick.
Apparently this rule applies to Mater Dei as well.
I went to visit my grandma in Mosta at the home and I was told I could not go in.
Each and every time there is an election, this rule is applied.
Shame on the Electoral Commission.
Thanks to Mrs Caruana Galizia for her interest in writing about this matter.
This is incredible of course. It is also incredible that your acquaintance resorted to writing to you to address the matter.
I would surely have done something more meaningful about it, with better results no doubt.
[Daphne – No doubt he did. But then he also wanted people to know about the situation, as I would have done in his place.]
If this stupid decision has been taken by the electoral commision it would also be important for the general public to be made aware who actually suggested this. I am saying this is view of the fact that political parties are also allowed to make suggestions to the electoral commission.