To put one’s money where one’s mouth is

The easiest thing in the world of politics is to wax lyrical about the needs of different sectors of society and, in so doing, give forth a barrage of promises most of which would remain unfulfilled. It is when one is rightly expected to put one’s money w

“There is determination and commitment in our policy of ensuring there is every accessibility possible for persons with a disability through the provision of even more facilities and services.”

We have no such quandaries, thank goodness, within the Labour fold. Social conscience for us is not a convenient catchphrase or an electoral slogan, but a reality that is both proven and acknowledged by a vast majority of people of goodwill on these Islands. It is based on historical facts, has been further enhanced in the past few years and still is a badge we wear proudly and commit to in our every day adminisitrative endeavours.

Only a few days ago, it was with great satisfaction that I welcomed the acquisition by Aġenzija Sapport of two brand-new hybrid cars for use by its clients. The €44,000 project was realised as part of the Budget 2020 measure aimed at reducing air pollution, but much more significant is the fact that it is the third phase of a wider exercise precisely intended to expand the Agency’s fleet of cars for the benefit of disabled persons who make regular use of its services. The process actually started way back in 2017 with the purchase of a number of tail lifts and vans and was resumed last year with the acquisition, at a cost of €325,000, of 15 new vehicles, 11 of which are accessible to wheelchair-bound persons.

It does not in any way mean we can rest on our laurels. There is determination and commitment in our policy of ensuring there is every accessibility possible for persons with a disability through the provision of even more facilities and services. And we are certainly not talking through our hats. A quick look at some facts and figures will no doubt help unravel some people’s minds.

In March 2013, the previous administration had allocated in its budget €1,380,000 to programmes and initiatives dedicated to disability and €9,175,000 to Aġenzija Sapport. Fast forward to Budget 2021 in which a staggering €13,830,000 are earmarked for programmes and initiatives connected with disability and €20,530,000 to Aġenzija Sapport. If that is not putting one’s money where one’s mouth is, I don’t know what it is. The beauty of it all is that it is all done in the spirit of genuine concern for the challenges and tribulations that persons with a disability and their parents often have to face in their lives.

Again, it was with all this in mind that the wage supplement to the parents of disabled children over 16 years of age was recently extended; a move we happily coordinated with the Ministry for Solidarity and Social Justice, the Family and Children’s Rights and the Commission for the Rights of Disabled Persons.

There is every good reason for making these parents’ difficulties less challenging during a pandemic when schools and other services have had to be temporarily closed to protect the safety and well-being of all our citizens. It is, in particular, a direct and timely source of relief for parents who receive the Added Assistance allowance for severe disability. It provides them with peace of mind, as well as a welcome financial boost, to help with their every day needs.