With the old year approaching its last few days, we take the customary opportunity to catch a glimpse of our performance throughout the past 52 weeks.

Given the festive mood we tend to spot the good deeds, sifting through all that has been done or could have been done better. This we do while fastening seatbelts for what the coming year has in store. Scanning through what we have achieved during 2015, however, we can forecast a clear indication that 2016 will not be a bumpy ride, although offering new challenges which we will gladly take up with a determined mind to succeed.

The festive season does not mean clearing my desk for celebrations, but rather checking my ‘to do’ list for the year ending on Thursday. It is an ongoing struggle against time to conclude current projects and pave the way for the many others scheduled for the coming months. Over and above the planning and managing stages to meet our targets, the nature of my duties as Parliamentary Secretary for the elderly and the disabled necessitate a huge amount of caring for two sectors considered among the vulnerable in society. It necessarily takes me away very frequently from my desk to check that what we have planned is actually reaching those who deserve our services. Being hands on entails the additional human touch that ensures the desired quality levels which our staff are ably conveying all year round on a 24/7 basis.

This week I proudly attended yet another graduation ceremony for 24 people who have successfully completed a course as Care Assistants at St Vincent de Paule long-term care-facility. The training and re-training of all staff in the care of the elderly has been a sine-qua-non since I took up office. I constantly insist that the services provided should be of the highest standards. We invest a lot in such training, fully aware of the fact that caring for older people continuously demands further professionalism. We encourage all our staff to take up such training and acquire a stronger sense of belonging to the premises that we are transforming into a centre of excellence in the care of the elderly.

Such training courses have the added value of being accredited with Malta University and the National Commission for Higher Education. We have sought the highest available EU funds to train around a thousand staff members in the public sector serving among the elderly and persons with disabilities. Besides purchasing the necessary equipment, we have also established an in-house training centre at St Vincent de Paule. During the same event I have also presented certificates to those who have completed a leadership course, thus confirming our commitment towards our front-line collaborators to fully develop their professional careers.  A comment on my social media page says it all: “we need more. Come, on ladies and gentlemen; pluck up your courage and take this course – this work is very satisfying!”

This Christmas, the noble concept of caring has reached a new level with the 'NaħsebFik” campaign, already reaching well over 74 per cent of what we had expected. These solidarity levels show the unsung relationship between the older people and the rest of the nation, significantly diminishing the usually chronic levels of loneliness.

The long schedule of events over the past months proves our determined undertaking to build a fair society that has care and solidarity at its base. In the same way, we ensure that those who mostly stand out in their engagement are duly rewarded, hence encouraging others to follow their example. We were in a truly festive mode last Sunday when, for the second year running, I presented the Fair Society Award to three distinguished personalities. This year’s trophies went to Paul Scerri for his dedication towards people with disabilities, MaryRose Attard for her work in the disability sector in Gozo and elsewhere, and Anna Calleja for her life-long achievement for people with disability. The award ceremony took further significance as it was held at the newly-inaugurated Learning Hub for people with disability at Għajnsielem. 

To my Parliamentary Secretariat these three people are indeed points of reference as they represent long years of constant dedication in their respective fields. I can count on their commitment and readiness to serve those with disabilities, both in Gozo and on a national level. It is encouraging for service-providers and the families of people with disabilities to have such people around who, together with many others, put into practice the government’s policies, adding the high value of human involvement. These people – many of whom work on a voluntary basis – are a continuous inspiration to me personally, entrusted as I am to provide on behalf of my government all that older persons and those with a disability deserve.           

Both major events I attended during the last week, together with many others throughout the year, made me understand better Bob Dylan’s “Blowing in the wind”.  I recently heard this song again and it made me ponder.  Dylan asked “How many times can a man turn his head and pretend that he just doesn't see? How many ears must one man have before he can hear people cry?”  The prolific songwriter replies: “The answer is blowin’ in the wind.”

In my line of work it is no longer blowing in the wind! We listen, we learn and we leave no stone unturned to ensure that what the people need and deserve will never be left ‘blowing in the wind’. We not only see the needs but recognise the rights of these people. We not only care for them but we empower them to be a full and effective part of our community. 

Together with these people – the elderly and those with disabilities – we are determined to build a fair society. Those with a disability especially deserve a better life and they want to learn, work and live. With this year’s legislation we have enforced what employers had been asked to do for many years. Technical details should not deprive people with disabilities of their right to work. The concept we promote is sacred in that all stakeholders ought to embrace the essential principles of social inclusion and solidarity. On the other hand, no amount of hurdles, no tactical obstructions will stop us from reaching our goal – which is intrinsically ‘work in progress’. 

The past year has paved the way for me and for my collaborators to work harder during the coming year.

I send my own and my family’s best wishes to all readers and to all Maltese and Gozitans for 2016!