Another extravagant remedy by Labour is to build an underpass or a bridge because two teen age girls were killed by a car while crossing the Mriehel Bypass.

The mother of the girl who died tried to find a justification for the innocence of her teenage adventurous daughter by stating that it was the government’s fault for not building a bridge between Qormi and Santa Venera.

Mary Louise Coleiro Preca rode the emotional bandwagon started by this mother and championed for this unneeded bridge.

To patch things up with Coleiro Preca, Joseph made a sort of ‘promise’ to build this bridge.

One has to keep in mind that such a crossing should be accessible for people with disabilities, and that there is enough pedestrian demand to justify its construction.

A thing worth noting is that one still sees people crossing Marsa’s Triq Aldo Moro, where there is a footbridge, the Birkirkara Bypass where there is an underpass. In Floriana where there is a subway , temporary pelican lights became a permanent fixture.

I’ve grown up having known quite a number along the way. From my friend’s little brother, to a school mate, to a teacher who I used to carry up the stairs.

My step-child is severely disabled and I just can’t stand people giving that pitiful look. They cannot understand how rewarding it all is.

In Malta there is an average of 250 births per year with congenital malformations. But the majority of these are of minor importance (e.g congenital naevus) or else can be surgically treated.

The number of births that have severe, non-treatable conditions is of around 30 per year.

Unfortunately, around a third do not make it beyond the 6th year of life, and for the rest the mean age at death would be around 50 years.

If one had to estimate that these would need a home from say 25 years of age, then the number of individuals in this age group would be of around 25 x 20 = 500.

The number is evenly distributed per region, and as Malta is divided in 5 regions, this gives the grand total of 100 per region. Unfortunately, the register does not give a breakdown per town, but one would expect that the largest towns would have the highest figures and thus there is a very good possibility that in smaller towns, (i.e. the majority) there would not be enough to fill these homes.

The idea of regional homes for the disabled has actually already been implemented by government (there are 14 homes with 119 occupants, and some have spare capacity). What the moviment has done is take a well studied idea, implemented by professionals and not politicians, and offered it as the proverbial pie in the sky in an attempt to gain cheap votes.

Gone are the days when people did not venture out of their own villages – or are we still that parochial? if there are people who are, then the last thing he should be doing is pandering to them. But again he says what people want to hear…..

What we do need is to ensure that Dar tal-Providenza can continue doing what they have been doing for so many years, helping countless of families in caring for the daily needs of their disabled family members. By centralising all our resources or the disabled here, we can ensure they have the best facilities and care that they could possibly need.

I am a sibling of a disabled adult and I find that people who have no experience in such matter have no right to tell us families what to fight for.

Why should you put down the people who are trying to fight for the rights of disabled people. How dare you all act as if you know what it feels like to belong to such families! The ultimate role of any government should be to take care of its people. Do you honestly believe that disabled people are well catered for in Malta? The people who need the most help.

From what I understand these gentlemen are proposing that the Government builds a retirement community for disabled people so if disabled adults do outlive there parents, they will be taken care of in a retirement home. This is not catered for at Dar tal Providenza.

All disabled people have different needs as Anon clearly pointed out. How can you suggest that we put all disabled people of different disabilities and ages in one home. You have no idea what it requires to cater for a disabled person, so what gives you the right to comment and tell us what to ask our Government for.

I do admire your strength and courage Daphne and I do really enjoy your blog. However I feel slightly hurt by your commentary as I do not think you know what emotional pressure it is having a disabled sibling or child. These men are fighting for the nations rights and not their own. People like my family. I really do not feel like you should poke your nose in such sensitive issues and more try to undermine the efforts that are finally being made.

P. Shaw how dare you say that, fighting for a home for my disabled brother, ensuring he is well cared for, an ‘extravagant remedy’ and compare it to musical needs. How ignorant and self centered are you?

Just want to congratulate you on your clear-headed and logical thinking in the above and other comments and pieces.

The most recent piece I read was about the difference between homosexuality (as a state of being) and sodomy (as a physical sexual act).

An interesting and illuminating blog (besides being refreshingly entertaining).

I am in favour of animal rights, but can you imagine an animal making a complaint with the Commissioner for Animals?

They are selling good intentions but without any detail thought behind them.

Typical example is Karmenu Vella’s (non) reply to Lou Bondi when asked how the system of the ‘people’ appointing their representatives to Government and para-statal Boards is going to work.

People with disabilities have specific individual needs.Typically PN.