The Down Syndrome Association is greatly disappointed at the austerity measures decided by the government which will be affecting people with disability.

It is shameful to take from the most needy and pave the way for others to become wealthier and to continue to have ultra comfortable lives at the expense of people with disability. Let us not beat around the bush! This will be the effect of the measures. The Down Syndrome Association is not going to list from where the budget cuts should have been made – lots of others have already pointed this out.

People with a disability, and mostly people who have an intellectual disability as our members, are the most vulnerable and the most who need professional help to learn the skills to live and have a life as independent as possible. Why did the government need to choose them to deduct from their budget? Why is the government, on the one hand, working on changing its laws to abide with the UN Convention and at the very same instance the same government takes such, in our opinion, an insensitive decision which negatively affects people with disability? This is a total regress to what we were expecting vis-à-vis the UN Convention.

The Down Syndrome Association hopes for the government to reverse this decision for the benefit of all Maltese citizens with disability.

■ Pio Fenech

Down Syndrome Association