Disability hub ‘proposed by committee of experts’

A €12 million disability hub, to be funded by the European Union, was the brainchild of a committee of experts appointed by the parliamentary secretariat for persons with disability.

The committee was tasked to come up with proposals that would improve the quality of life of persons with disability and promote social inclusion.

Addressing parliament, junior minister Justyne Caruana said the committee included former KNPD chairman Joe Camilleri. Earlier in the debate, Camilleri was cited by PN MP Robert Cutajar for having criticized the hub.

Indeed, in an opinion penned by the same Camilleri in The Times of Malta, he said that the hub “should be cause for very grave concern for all disabled people, their families and genuine allies of the disability movement in the Maltese islands”.

Camilleri wrote that the same proposal had been made shortly after the 2013 general election: “Luckily, for various reasons, the scheme was a non-starter. However, it seems that the individual behind it is still trying to ‘rebrand’ it as something new and has managed to have it included in the 2016 Budget.”

He also called the hub as introducing “segregation by health”.

Explaining that the hub was part of a wider strategy to promote social inclusion, Caruana said it formed part of a set of proposals put forward by the committee. Camilleri, she added, also held a consultancy contract with the parliamentary secretariat for a period of time.

“The hub will include purpose-built residential units with shared beds, a day centre, a multi-purpose hall and a purpose-built therapeutic facility,” she said.

The hub is set to include restaurants, shops and hostels to be managed by persons with disability. Talks were underway with NGOs, including an NGO working with people suffering from diabetes who would make use of the facilities.

Earlier in his speech, Cutajar said that the concept of community homes had been introduced by the previous government. However, Caruana pointed out that the government’s goal was to develop smaller units with a smaller group of persons with disability living together within the community.

Back in 2012, the previous administration had reacted to the Labour Party’s commitment to set up homes in the community for persons with disabilities whose parents pass away. The then government had said there were 119 persons with disability living in the community, in 14 homes run by Aġenzija Sapport or NGOs. The homes welcomed larger groups.

A community home inaugurated today in Siggiewi would host no more than four residents with intellectual disability, and the concept was to promote independent living.

Speaking on the elderly, Caruana said that Budget 2016 had allocated a record increase of €6 million to procure beds from the private sector. The government this year already purchased 158 beds and a further 117 would be procured before the end of month.

During his intervention, Cutajar once again highlighted the problems being faced by foster carers and social workers facing lack of support in child welfare services.

Among a number of issues flagged by shadow family minister Paula Mifsud Bonnici, the PN MP urged the government to come up with a strategy for the Housing Authority.