Nationalist party leadership candidate Adrian Delia this morning said that lifetime members of the party should be treated with respect, while noting that it is common for systems to have glitches, taking into consideration the manpower needed to maintain such data.
Delia was replying to a question by The Malta Independent during a press conference in Sliema. He was asked for his views on an article published by this newspaper this morning, where it was reported that the PN electoral commission told its lifetime members that the commission ‘has a right’ to choose who can vote. The commission was replying to complaints raised by members who found themselves taken off the list.
“This is a problem in the PN which I have already spoken about. Data needs to be updated,” said Delia. “There is a problem when it comes to showing you are a life member.”
“For me a lifetime member is someone who is committed to the party for life. They are making a statement once in their life, stating ‘I am always in the Nationalist Party.’ I think we need to treat those people with the utmost dignity and respect, “ he said, adding, “but there will be glitches in any system.”
“To keep this system (up-to-date and functioning) is a lot of work, there could also be human errors. I also know that those who are making requests are being taken into consideration, and not in an injust manner,” he said.
He concluded that all situations and decisions taken must be seen individually. “I know that some found their card while others got an affidavit or a witness. If there are exceptions we need to see to them, if there are individual cases I won’t be able to talk about them until I know all the information,” he said.
Earlier, Delia’s press conference addressed the topic of active aging and Malta’s elderly population. Delia pledged to come up with solutions to improve the lives of elderly individuals, as well as find more ways for them to be active within their communities and society.
Delia spoke about his idea for income security, with which “when you come to retire you will be assured to have a comfortable and secure life,” he said, emphasizing the importance of a “serene financial situation for elderly people in years to come, balanced with the tax we are paying.”
Photos Baskal Mallia
He emphasized the importance of bettering the transition from working life to retirement. “We need to re-enforce a more community-based life and social activity to strengthen that period between working life and retirement, to become more independent” he said. He stated the need for discussions for elderly people to feel beneficial within society whilst at the same time being independent. He mentioned that local councils should be of service within such situations.
Delia also added that we must also be conscious of how homes for the elderly are built, stating we should prevent them from looking like “prisons or hospitals”.
Delia spoke about fusing the “energy of youth and experience of elderly people,” following after schemes which are done abroad, from which “both groups of people will surely benefit.”
He also stated the necessity of having a discussion regarding the national strategy on dementia.
“We need to imagine Malta 20,30 years ahead from now,” he said. Replying to questions by the press regarding the issue of more open spaces he said that he believes Malta is one of the most densely-populated countries in the world and we need to “better think of how to make use of our spaces,” adding that he will be pushing for more open spaces in each locality.