Delia hits out at government’s failure to outline strategy to meet growing demand for retirement homes
Nationalist Party leader Adrian Delia yesterday hit out at the government’s “failure” to outline a strategy or plans to tackle the growing demand for homes for the elderly. Malta, like the rest of Europe, is experiencing an ageing population thanks to declining birth-rates and increasing life-expectancy.
Dr Delia also slammed the government’s failure to provide free diabetic testing-sticks as it has previously promised.
At a political activity in Qormi, Dr Delia went over many “promises” made by the government that have not been met, and took aim at the Labour Party with reference to the most controversial issues being spoken about currently, from teacher shortages to Malta’s reputation abroad.
On the future added demand for homes for the elderly due to the aging population, Delia said he has not heard of any strategic plans to tackle this.
“Where will these homes be built? Where is the land? What is the plan? What about the government promise where it would provide diabetes testing-sticks free of charge? This has continued to be unfulfilled. Elderly people have approached us with small pieces of paper showing how much they are spending on these sticks.”
He referred to the outbreak of legionella disease at Mt Carmel Hospital which saw one patient pass away.
Dr Delia said that in three years’ time Malta will be heading to a total grid-lock because of the ever-growing number of cars on the road. “What is the government doing about this?” he questioned.
Turning to the PM’s remarks during a conference earlier this week organised by the Institute of Financial Services, Dr Delia said that it was of great concern because it exposes how the government has not realised that the investment attracted is not clean or of substance.
Prime Minister Joseph Muscat had encouraged financial services workers to go out of Malta and engage with critics in order to understand that the country’s system is transparent and efficient.
Dr Delia said this shows how Muscat and his government have no idea about the real situation, and said that financial service workers must now go out and rebuild relationships from scratch in order to bolster Malta’s reputation, after all that has happened over the past two years.
“Four-and-a-half years ago Muscat said that he wants to be PM of Malta for 10 years. He does not give a toss about what happens to Malta in four years’ time.”
Dr Delia stressed that Malta is not Muscat’s family, because he has a temporary plan and beyond that he does not care about the island. “The only thing he is interested in doing is selling off the country”.
Onto the controversial motion presented by the PN to have government’s legal notice repealed, Delia said that PN is interested in changing the principal law.
The issue surrounds the embryo protection act, where the clause talking about IVF defines parents as being two people of the opposite sex. Therefore, lesbian couples and single women who have issues with fertility are prohibited from benefiting from the national IVF service. Government issued a legal notice granting such people 100 hours of leave to receive IVF treatment overseas. The PN issued a legal notice for this to be repealed, because the legal notice violates the embryo protection act due to the definition of who a parent is and who is eligible to receive IVF treatment by law.
Dr Delia said the PN would prefer to alter the embryo protection act, what he calls the “parent” law to address this issue, rather than have a legal notice that does not respect the law, especially at a time when Malta’s rule of law has come into question.
“My message today is not just one of negativity, criticism and attack, but of hope.”
Delivering his first official speech as secretary general, Clyde Puli said that he was encouraged to contest due to the “loyalty” he has for the PN.
He spoke of commitment to improving the party from the ground up, speaking to people and rebuilding “the party’s institutions”.
Mr Puli spoke of three challenges: the strategic challenge – developing a more strategic mentality, transforming the party’s media and the organisational challenge.
He pleaded for financial help by the grassroots members of the party, asking for them “to help as much as [they] can afford to, not because of the party’s debt but because the day-to-day operations cost money”.