We are writing to express our deep disappointment at the lack of physical accessibility, especially for wheelchair users, to the new Valletta Waterfront.

On Saturday 15 October, like many other Maltese citizens, we decided to go and have a look at this new project. Unfortunately, as soon as we arrived we were confronted by, what for us wheelchair users, the “usual” problem of lack of accessibility.

Although there are signs that indicate a ramp, we found, to our further disappointment, that there was no ramp at all. Both of us use electric wheelchairs, but we could find no ramps to take us down from the pavement. In fact, our personal assistants, at great personal strain and danger to us all, had to help us get down. Imagine our frustration when we found the same problem to get on to the pedestrian part of the project ... again, there is no ramp! Once more our assistants had to use brute force to help us up.

After that exercise we decided to take a look at the shops. The two restaurants seem accessible from the outside, but to be quite honest we didn’t go inside to see if they have accessible toilets.

However, the other two shops surely don’t comply with the Access for All Design Guidelines published by the Kummissjoni Nazzjonali Persuni b’Disabilità. One of the shops has an inadequate ramp and the other one has a step.

If I go to Mdina and see these kind of ramps and steps, I will probably say nothing, because it’s reasonable to expect that very old buildings which have not been renovated have limited access.

But, for pity’s sake, this is a new project and access for all should have been a consideration and achieved at every level where reasonably possible.

There are no excuses. No-one can say that it was impossible to make the area fully accessible.

It is not fair that disabled people (including the ever-increasing number of elderly people) continue to be treated as second-class citizens in our country. Everyone has the right to equal treatment and, by continuing to build these inaccessible places, we, as a country are actively discriminating against disabled people and directly eroding their quality of life.

We urge all disabled persons and their families/carers to speak out against these things. We need to make everyone understand that it’s our right to go and make use of all places like everyone else.

Kevin Vella

Rita Borg