President Marie Louise Coleiro Preca has appealed to the authorities to address the issue of court delays.

Speaking at a drug rehabilitation graduation ceremony at the Caritas San Blas residence, Mrs Coleiro Preca said the good work done during these programmes should not be lost because of delays in court.

She also appealed for a solution to another problem where the criminal record of those who succesfully undergo a rehabilitation programme remains tainted. This should not serve as a barrier to these people seeking work, which gives them dignity and helps them stay on the right path.

The President also told employers not to be afraid to give such people a second chance in life.

The President’s Foundation for the Wellbeing of Society, she said, includes a centre for freedom from vices to work with anyone interested in combating this “rot that is eating away the social fibre of Maltese families.”

She congratulated those who have graduated from the programme, telling them that they made a brave decision that will not only benefit them but also society as a whole.