The Malta Federation of Organisations Persons with Disability (MFOPD), which is the national umbrella organisation within the disability sector, is surprised and very concerned at the news that the government is to reduce the budgets of Appogg and support agencies by about €1 million.

This decision will badly affect the services given by these agencies. Both these agencies make a big difference to the lives of vulnerable people who turn to these agencies to live a decent life and to be able to participate in the community like the rest of the population. This decision comes at a time when the bill committee is currently discussing amendments to make the lives of people with disability much better.

Apart from the fact that the austerity measures directed to children and people with disability is at odds with the spirit of the amendments being discussed in the parliamentary committee, such measures can never be justified as budget reductions can be made somewhere else.

While such a decision is unacceptable for the organisation members of the Federation (MFOPD), MFOPD urges the government to reconsider this erroneous decision.

Joe Borg

PRO

Malta Federation of Organisations Persons with Disability