New President Marie Louise Coleiro Preca will serve as a consultant to the Social Policy Ministry but the government will retain the administrative and executive roles in implementing the policies in the sector, Michael Farrugia, who will replace Ms Coleiro Preca as minister, said this morning. Dr Farrugia was answering questions by The Malta Independent.
She is the social soul of the country, Dr Farrugia said, in what should be his last press conference as parliamentary secretary responsible for planning before he takes over the new role.
Ms Coleiro Preca will be overseeing what the government does but will be giving her input to the sector, although it is then up to the government to carry out the work needed, he said.
Dr Farrugia was speaking at a launch of a protocol by mepa which is aimed to give guidelines on how public buildings should be more accessible to people with a disability. The environmental and planning authority have been holding meetings with Kummissjoni Nazzjonali Persuni b’Dizabilita (KNPD) to come up with a holistic approach to ensure that public projects are easily accessible for people with different mobility abilities.
The protocol to regulate development planning applications in terms of ‘access for all’ requirements will follow a set of principles. Buildings having a floor space of less than 75 square metres shall remain exempted from access for all requirements. Any areas that pose a potential risk to persons with disability, by reason of the nature of activity carried out therein, are excluded from assessment. In the case of major projects, an independent accredited monitor shall carry out on site visits, and will be eligible to issue the final compliance certificate, without the need for lengthy procedures to make any required amendments.
Applicants are exempted from confirming access for all requirements when immediate public access consists of a flight of steps, the gradient of the street is 1:8 and when the vertical distance from the street or pavement and the elevated ground does not exceed 1.5metres. The use of mechanical stair climbers may be considered as a remedial solution. No additional requirements shall be imposed if the development had already been approved after consultation with KNPD. Buildings that do not qualify to access all requirements shall be subjected to an inclusion funds to be administered directly by KNPD.
During the press conference it was announced that KNPD’s chairmen Joe Camilleri will step down after 20 years, and will now be replaced by Oliver Scicluna.