Dr George Vella, a most respectable politician and a cherished colleague, is the 10th President of our republic. Various moments of his swearing-in ceremony were a clear indication of the priorities he has set for himself in serving the nation. Dr Vella intends to ensure a good quality of life for all those living and working in Malta and outlining his vision for the role he will occupy for the next five years, His Excellency placed emphasis on social justice and a proper distribution of wealth.
In his inaugural speech, he stated that – without education – a there can be no economic prosperity, no culture and no harmony. The environment is also at the top of Dr Vella’s agenda and he intends to emphasise our collective responsibility towards sustainability and our obligations towards future generations. He also said certain civil liberties needed to be protected and the fact that the role of women in society should be strengthened.
He cautioned against abuse on social media which, he insisted, was not contributing to national unity. Another major statement was that “as a doctor, I will fight for the health of this country and the respect for life from start to finish of every individual.”
It was an honour for me yesterday to welcome the new President and Mrs Vella to Gozo on their first official visit to the island where, despite the unfavourable weather, considerable crowds gathered to salute Dr Vella and wish him success in the coming years as our Head of State. Gozitans will certainly follow his appeal to respect our language, our flag, our history, our constitutional structures, our laws, and our national anthem, as the basis of national unity.
Eko-skola in Parliament
The 14th EkoSkola Parliament session was held this week, with the participation of many students from Gozo and Malta. Since such sessions began, I have always made a point of attending and listening to what the younger generation has to tell politicians – and sharing my views with the students present. We are all aware of the relevance between the right of every person to live a life of dignity and the right of every person to live in a clean and healthy environment.
I felt really proud of the Gozitan students who, this year, worked very hard in support of the environmental agenda, as could be seen during their interventions. Together, we will continue to accomplish various sustainable projects in Gozo. The salient issues discussed during this year’s session included growing concern regarding the ever-rising number of vehicles on our roads, the marine waste and single-use plastic saga and the retreating green open spaces due to the rapid urban sprawl.
These issues had been identified by the students themselves in a survey carried out last November and in order to discuss them in more detail, the students came together in the 9th Young People’s Summit last month whereby they produced a list of recommendations that were collated into a declaration. This was read out in Parliament this week in front of the Prime Minister himself and several Members from both sides of the House, under the watchful eyes of educators who packed the Strangers’ Gallery.
The concerns of the students were palpable throughout the session, during which they also put forward some tangible recommendations, many of which have already been tried and tested in their schools and now need to be endorsed by the House of Representatives.
The disability sector in Gozo
Another activity I was pleased to attend this week was a conference by the Commission for the Rights of People with Disabilities (CRPD) Gozo Office and and the Department of Disability Studies at the University of Malta, during which we discussed the experience of people with a disability in Gozo.
It was an honour to address an audience that included my colleague and successor Anthony Agius Decelis, the Bishop of Gozo Mgr Mario Grech and the Commissioner for the Rights of People with Disabilities Mr Oliver Scicluna.
The Gozo Ministry is totally committed to the inclusion and the rights of people with different abilities, to whom we give all possible support, as well as to their families and care-providers. In my address, I highlighted the importance of strengthening the services offered by the Ministry, the training opportunities and sports programmes available, such as Special Olympics Gozo, as well as the provision of more accessibility so that everyone can be part of cultural and entertainment events.
The Ministry’s support is also apparent in the number of infrastructural projects being carried out in the ongoing ‘Project Gozo’ programme of road-building and the embellishment of town squares, where accessible pavements and other amenities are given the utmost importance. Apart from several other initiatives in this sector, I have a strong resolve that, with a strategy for the regional development of Gozo, there will also be a social pillar to guarantee the protection of rights and the full inclusion of all those with different abilities.
More Gozitan Bishops
Another Gozitan priest has been chosen by Pope Francis to serve the Church as a Bishop, this time in Apóstol de Huancané, Peru. I congratulate Fr Giovanni Cefai, MSSP, from Zebbug, for being chosen for this high office. Compared to our own dimensions, Bishop Cefai will be working among a population of 200,000 people, 85 per cent of whom are Catholics, spread over 20 parishes. His territory covers over 18,000 square metres of land and he is assisted by fifteen priests.
Bishop-elect Giovanni Cefai will now join other Gozitan prelates, including Bishop George Bugeja, Apostolic Vicar in Benghazi, Libya, who was appointed three years ago, and Archbishop Alfred Xuereb, who was appointed last year as Apostolic Nuncio to South Korea and Mongolia. The new appointment is in itself recognition on the part of the Holy See of the invaluable service many Gozitan priests are giving in various parts of the world.