Basking in our glories is far from what this government is doing. However successful results the results are, we do not need to paint slogans to amaze people – as the facts show that people know it for themselves. 

With the amount of hard work put in by an energetic Cabinet, ably led by Prime Minister Joseph Muscat, gone are the days of mesmerising people with glittering pictures to camouflage the underlying shortcomings. Labour’s agenda is based on successes earned during its first three years in office, with a commitment to achieving more in the years to come. It all emanates from the clear vision with which we set out building a busy agenda since the day Dr Muscat was chosen as Labour Leader in June 2008.

Governments are meant to serve

Notwithstanding the hurdles we have to face and the poor residue we inherited, we managed to push ahead and establish a most respectable standing – a real one – among our EU partners. The government’s commitment is, however, directly linked with – and fully aimed at – the wellbeing of the people it is bound to serve. People need to be fully aware of, and experience, what the country as a whole is achieving.

As a party – and a movement – we have this weekend gone a step further in selecting a new deputy leader who will closely liaise between the Party’s grassroots and the Party in government. At the time of writing this, the process is nearing its conclusion, but I fully trust that the person chosen will perform successfully and meet the challenges of building up towards another deserving Labour administration. It is indeed logical and vital that the solid basis built during this first term needs to be further nurtured and strengthened during the next to bear the fruit for which its work has been  intended.

ETC producing excellent results

All along the process, the government carried on with its work and this week has seen Parliament approve the Employment and Training Corporation’s annual estimates. As Parliamentary Secretary responsible for the elderly and disability sectors, it was my duty during the debate to report the long list of initiatives taken in these sectors that contributed – both numerically and morally – to the successful results achieved through the ETC.  

Employment is naturally bonded to Labour’s very own existence and it is encouraging that both national and European statistics over the last three years have reported a progressive success story. We must recall the Auditor’s damning report prior to 2013, criticising the ETC for its inertia in respect of the employability of people with disability. My colleague Evarist Bartolo and all the Cabinet and government entities rolled up our sleeves to take up that challenge. 

Since resuscitating a 50-year-old law last year – and enforcing its provisions through the necessary arrangements with employers – we have managed to fully employ 2,758 people with disability. This number is more significant if we consider that, in December 2013, this figure was only 1,906, increasing to 2,215 within the following year.

Disability and the labour market 

This means that more than 500 disabled people entered the labour market during the past year, and well over 800 during the last three years. We must also take into consideration the fact that, as a result of measures taken by my Secretariat and other entities, many more people with disabilities have had the courage to seek employment. The financial measures taken to ensure that these people will not lose their disability pension having found employment demonstrates our strong commitment to enabling them to attain an independent and dignified lifestyle. 

The first step towards employment is employability, and my Parliamentary Secretariat has taken bold steps in this direction, hand-in-hand with the ETC and Aġenzija Sapport. Since I inaugurated the project a few months ago, the Learning Hub in Għajnsielem is now well-established and flourishing, with the full cooperation of the ETC, Aġenzija Sapport and The Malta Communications Authority. The creation of 80 new jobs in Gozo within such a short space of time speaks for itself. This complements other initiatives, such as sheltered employment and job coaching, which are ongoing exercises and which we need to revisit and strengthen further.

To me personally, and to our government, statistical figures are encouraging. Morally, however, we see them in direct relation to people – people who have the right to earn a living and support their families. This is, in fact, one of our basic motivations in building a fair society!    

Pet therapy for the elderly

After my spell of official engagements in Geneva, Rome and Bratislava over the last few weeks, these last days have been packed with endless routine planning meetings and consultations, as well as launching further initiatives. 

Our Long-Term Care Facility at St Vincent de Paul has gone on to distinguish itself as the country’s flagship in the field of care of the elderly. Over and above all the continuous refurbishments being carried out, I admire the constant efforts by the management and staff who come up with ideas that my Secretariat is happy to support through the necessary funding. It is really encouraging to see that there is a two-way communication and synergy between my Secretariat and the whole team that runs the facility with a view to ensuring a better quality of life for the elderly members of our society.

It is a proven fact that elderly people can benefit from what is commonly known as ‘pet therapy’. Last Wednesday, I had the pleasure of inaugurating a cat café complex – including two cat rooms, a therapy room, a kitten litter room and offices. My colleague Roderick Galdes, Parliamentary Secretary for Animal Rights, has confirmed the support of his Secretariat for this initiative. This complex, developed in collaboration with NGO Animal Guardians, will be offering professional therapeutic services.

Residents at the St Vincent de Paul will now be able to enjoy animal therapy to help in combating solitude, boredom and emotional distress. This is a very ambitious programme that ties in with the government’s and the administration’s plan to rebrand the whole of what has been known as a ‘residence’ into a fully-fledged, long-term care facility, equipped with both professional and clinical amenities.

Elder Abuse Awareness Day

Next Wednesday, 15 June, has been declared by the United Nations as Elder Abuse Awareness Day. UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon had said “the distressing crime of elder abuse often occurs in quiet, private settings, making a vocal, public response that much more important.”

By 2025, the number of people in the world aged 60+ will more than double from the 542 million in 1995 to about 1.2 billion. Around four to six per cent of elderly people have experienced some form of ill-treatment at home. Abuse of the elderly can lead to serious injuries and long-term psychological traumas and rapidly ageing populations may indicate further potential abuse.

Malta and Gozo are part of this scenario and I had, in fact, moved into proactive mode when, two years ago, I had tabled a new Bill against any form of abuse on the elderly. The law, which is now in vigore, includes new forms of deterrent measures to be incorporated in the Maltese Criminal Code, specifically dealing with abuse, which so far has been defined in a very broad manner, in order to encapsulate all forms of abuse but with special focus on the ill-treatment of older people.

The new legislation includes innovative concepts to ensure maximum protection for the elderly, even from relatives, to safeguard their interests. From a purely academic perspective, we combined civil and criminal concepts to achieve higher levels of protection in more expeditious and effective terms without the need to resort to either criminal or civil proceedings – which are generally very time-consuming, expensive and disheartening.

In conclusion, I reiterate the UN’s appeal: “Let us strengthen our resolve to end this problem as part of our broader efforts to create a life of dignity for all.”