‘Invisible’ Silvio Parnis must resign, Bernard Grech says over elderly COVID-19 deaths

The Nationalist Party leadership candidate Bernard Grech has called on the parliamentary secretary for the elderly Silvio Parnis, to resign his position.  

Malta has registered the second-highest rate of elderly coronavirus patients for every 100,000 people in Europe. The European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) reported on Thursday that Malta had some 121.5 coronavirus patients aged over 65 for every 100,000 people. 

Spain is the only other European country whose rate of infected elderly patients in the past two weeks was higher than Malta's. It stood at 200.8 per 100,000 people. Romania has the third-highest rate. The three countries also top the mortality rate list.

Grech, who on Saturday faces an election for the post of PN leader, said the government had lost all direction on the problem of elderly deaths. 

“Parnis had disappeared – nobody knows where he is. He is not inspiring trust... his measly roly-poly to the elderly does not do justice to the seriousness of the matter. He should consider his position; if not, then Robert Abela must take steps himself. It is unacceptable that in this situation, the persons responsible are not making themselves visible. What is the plan the government has on this matter? 

“I call on Robert Abela to address the situation as soon as possible. People, the elderly, at home and in institutions, are worried.”