Friends of Agenzija Sapport urge political parties to review agency’s recurrent budget

The Friends of Agenzija Sapport urged the political parties to include increased funding for Agenzija Sapport as part of their electoral manifesto.

The organisation was set up in 2003 with the aim of organising social, educational and cultural activities for the agency's carers, clients and their families. The agency works with persons with disability and their families.

However, the organisation has warned that the agency is facing "rather large financial problems" in its recurrent budget. The budget is used to fund the current services.

According to the Friends of Agenzija Sapport, the agency even lack the funds to provide continuous training to its staff.

"Moreover, the agency has no funds with which it could increase its services. This is leading to an ever-growing waiting list," the organisation said.

It urged the political parties to see that the recurrent budget would be enough to cover the current services, to improve them and to increase them.

"The agency's waiting list can be tackled by providing it with the necessary funds to open a day care centre and by opening a residential home every year for the coming five year. The budget for community services should increase each year at a minimum of 25%," the organisation said.

On capital funding, the organisation said the Agency should receive adequate funds in order to carry out maintenance works at its residences and increasing the facilities provided at the centre.

"Moreover, we recommend that for the coming three years the Agency is not given new responsibility anymore in order to consolidate the services it is currently providing," it said.