Bringing down waiting lists by 12.8 per cent and assessments by 61.5 per cent in respect of elderly people to be admitted to residential homes is no mean feat to accomplish within 12 months, but perhaps not many people appreciate that we have a whole structure in place. With an ever-increasing demand for residential home care, we have a multi-disciplinary team that carries out all the necessary assessments for each individual case before they reach a decision: they are dedicated people who carry out their duties with the greatest professionalism.

I am fully aware of the many requests that reach my Secretariat each and every day, all of them, understandably, believing they are the most urgent case. We have an average of five new applications for long-term care every day. We listen patiently and note their distress but we can only rely on what our multi-disciplinary team concludes. We also try to resolve situations when, apart from handling the immediate and particular needs of each resident, we are also asked to consider, and many times resolve, requests from relatives who find it difficult to travel from their own village to the residential home where the member of their family has been accommodated. 

No matter how hard we plan and work to acquire additional space in the state-run homes and the private ones with which we have private-public partnerships to meet the ever-increasing demand, availability is still far short of our aim to meet actual demand. Besides being pro-active in our planning, my Secretariat is on a constant watch to secure more space within every possible home on both islands. My collaborators work hard to resolve things within all possible amounts of available beds or rooms in different homes – whether public or private. The circumstances and constraints under which we work are understood by most families and the elderly themselves, who appreciate our efforts. 

It appears, however, that some people in the political spectrum are totally oblivious to the difficult job we already have and conveniently resort to their set agendas of pointing fingers and fabricating issues for cheap gossip. As Parliamentary Secretary responsible for this sector, I am more than willing to accept criticism that is constructive and helps improve our efficiency. But I am bewildered by the lack of humane thinking with which some public comments are flawed.  

One recent fabrication is that I am interfering with the established procedure in order to accommodate elderly people from Gozo in residential homes on the main island. Apart from being a blatant lie, this would be inconceivable as we always insist on keeping our elderly within their own area as far as possible. Furthermore, we also have to think of family and relatives and would not dream of requiring them to come over to Malta to visit their beloved elderly relative or friend in Maltese residential homes. With all due respect to the people who come up with such blatant lies, how could I ever – by any stretch of the imagination – dream of creating such intra-insular distance problems for people?

Having said that, I am very proud of the fact that, together with my Cabinet colleagues, I spare no effort to ensure that any measures taken by the government are equally applicable and available to Maltese and Gozitans alike. It is precisely because of this that my Secretariat is constantly entering into private-public partnerships in Gozo to ensure the provision of adequate accommodation in residential homes. We have also created more day and night shelters, as well as specific agreements with sports centres for health and well-being activities for the elderly. These are all achievements and projects that we have managed to establish since last January. Why some sections of the political scene are trying to belittle or ignore these achievements and generate cheap gossip and deceitful lies, is beyond me! And I really hope that they are not criticizing the fact that now, finally, Gozitans can benefit from these services in Gozo.

Come to think of it, however, I do not believe it is beyond the capabilities of anyone to understand. Evidently, these same lies have originated from that same section of the political spectrum which had, for many years, portrayed the previous administration’s inertia in this and other sectors as achievements! Being in Opposition does not entitle anybody to be destructive or allow them to sabotage all the good work that is being done – understandably, sour grapes from anyone who loved sitting pretty for years on end. It’s a pity they embarked on a campaign of being against everything, at all costs: such negativity, especially in such a sensitive sector!

In many of my writings and speeches, I have already stressed that my government listens and delivers, knowing that facts speak louder than words. I have also frequently said that I will not be intimidated or hindered by those who spread blatant lies or disparaging and unfounded fabrications! We have a mission to accomplish and we are determined to answer the call of duty: serving Maltese and Gozitans alike to the best of our ability, within time and budget frames, and – most importantly – to the high quality level of services our people deserve.

One final thought: both sectors for which I am responsible – people with disabilities and the elderly – are so delicate that no one should ever dream of tarnishing them with sheer insinuations or malicious gossip. It is even worse when it is so blatantly obvious that it is being done to score partisan political points. As for me, this kind of behaviour is a clear proof of our hard work. It’s a pity that some people do not even understand this much and waste their energy barking up the wrong tree! 

Let us move on with more challenges and tasks ahead. Bring it on!