In a news conference in Burmarrad, where the sole pharmacy in the village is under threat of being closed, ADPD Chairperson Sandra Gauci, who is also contesting for St Paul’s Bay local council, said that this is clearly another case whereby the government takes decisions behind closed doors, with no concern for transparency, and where the interests of citizens are being set aside and swallowed up by financial interests.  She promised that ADPD will remain the shield for people’s rights, and in the meantime will remain vigilant to expose this greed and protect the basic rights of residents living in this country.

 ADPD Secretary General Dr Ralph Cassar explained that the most recent statistical data shows that the population of St Paul’s Bay now exceeds 35,000 people.  “This area also includes Bugibba, Qawra, Xemxija, Wardija and Burmarrad where we are today.  In 2009, when the population was around 18,000, the need for a pharmacy in the Burmarrad was already keenly felt.  More than 12 years ago, the Ombudsman recommended that a pharmacy be opened in Burmarrad.  However, it was not until 2022, after years in courts, that the Superintendent of Public Health was ordered to process the licence for a pharmacy for the Burmarrad community.

Cassar provided further background on the issue. The current pharmacy opened in May of 2023, to the residents’ relief, who back in 2010 had petitioned for a pharmacy to open in Burmarrad.  For 12 whole years, the residents of this village were disappointed about the lack of action taken by the Superintendence of Public Health, the entity which is duty-bound to ensure the health of the public.  After a year of being in operation, the pharmacy is now under threat of closure, as the Superintendence of Public Health is now appealing the licence granted in order to have the establishment closed down.  Such an appeal, concluded Cassar, goes against the wishes of the residents and against the Ombudsman’s report.

ADPD Chairperson Sandra Gauci said that this is clearly another case whereby the government takes decisions behind closed doors, with no concern for transparency, and where the interests of citizens are being set aside and swallowed up by financial interests.

Gauci emphasised that the law on the licencing of pharmacies is very clear, however what is not clear at all is how the government interprets the law and acts upon the law.  It appears that the government wants to shut down a pharmacy which both the Ombudsman and the courts say conforms with the law, whilst at the same time grant more licences to the select few, keeping in mind that an operator cannot have more than one licenced pharmacy in the same zone.  The needs of the community, which have grown exponentially, are being ignored.  There is the need for the authorities to plan in the long-term, realising that the population of Burmarrad has grown significantly over the last decade and is expected to grow further.

“You cannot take decisions at a desk, ignoring the experiences and needs of people.  There is the need to ensure that things are taken seriously and done with proper long-term planning.  ADPD, once again, has listened to the concerns of the Burmarrad residents and on their behalf, we are asking for this pharmacy to remain open and the appeal withdrawn.  This is a necessary health service for a community which is growing in number, and which includes both elderly people and families with young children,” said Gauci.

“There is the need for the authorities to be in touch with the citizens, come out of the ivory tower that they are in and see exactly what is necessary for the community.  As a party, we pledge our support for the rights of the people, whilst we remain vigilant so that greed does not take over the basic rights of residents in this country,” concluded Gauci.

***

Kundanna għar-regħba li toħnoq id-drittijiet bażiċi tar-residenti

F’konferenza tal-aħbarijiet f’Burmarrad fejn l-ispiżerija tal-lokalita’ hemm theddida li tingħalaq iċ-Chairperson tal-ADPD, Sandra Gauci u kandidata għal-kunsill lokali ta’ San Pawl il-Baħar qalet li dan jidher li huwa każ ieħor fejn il-gvern jieħu deċiżjonijiet bil-bibien magħluqa, bla ebda trasparenza, fejn l-interessi taċ-ċittadini qegħdin jitwarrbu u jinbelgħu lil  interessi finanzjarji.Hija wegħed li l-ADPD se tibqa’ tkun it-tarka għad-drittijiet tan-nies, filwaqt li jibqa’ jkun viġilanti sabiex ir-regħba tinkixef u ma tkomplix toħnoq aktar id-drittijiet bażiċi tar-residenti ta’ dan il-pajjiż.

Is-Segretarju Ġenerali tal-ADPD Ralph Cassar spjega li skond l-aktar statistika reċenti l-popolazzjoni ta’ San Pawl il-Baħar taqbeż il-35,000 persuna; Din iż-żona tinkludi fiha lil San Pawl il-Baħar, Buġibba, il-Qawra, ix-Xemxija, il-Wardija u Burmarrad fejn ninsabu illum. Fl-2009 meta l-popolazzjoni kienet ta’ madwar 18,000 kien diġa’ nħass il-bżonn li jkun hawn spiżerija fil-komunita’ ta Burmarrad li maż-żmien kompliet tikber. Aktar minn 12-il sena ilu, l-Ombudsman kien irrakomanda li f’Burmarrad għandha tinfetaħ spiżerija iżda kien biss fl-2022 wara snin twal fil-qorti, li s-Supretendent tas-Saħħa Pubblika ġie ordnat sabiex jipproċessa liċenzja ta spiżerija għall-komunità ta’ Burmarrad.

Cassar kompla jgħid li l-ispiżerija eżistenti nfetħet f Mejju 2023 ghas-sodisfazzjon tar-residenti li kienu ilhom jitħabtu u jittamaw sa mill-2010 fejn saħansitra kienu ffirmaw petizzjoni sabiex tinfetaħ spiżerija f’ dan ir-raħal. Għal 12-il sena n-nies ta’ Burmarrad kienu diżappuntati minħabba n-nuqqas ta’ azzjoni mis-Supretendent tas-Saħħa pubblika li suppost qiegħed hemm sabiex jipproteġi s-saħħa pubblika! Wara sena ta’ operat reġgħet feġġet theddida oħra mil-gvern, fejn permezz tas-Supretendent tas-Saħħa Pubblika nfetaħ appell sabiex tiġi rtirata din il-liċenzja u l-ispiżerija tingħalaq. Appell li jmur kontra x-xewqat tar-residenti u kontra dak rakomandat fir-rapport tal-Ombudsman temm jgħid Cassar.

Iċ-Chairperson tal-ADPD Sandra Gauci qalet li t-theddida li tingħalaq l-ispiżerija fil-lokalità ta’ Burmarrad huwa każ ieħor fejn il-gvern jieħu deċiżjonijiet bil-bibien magħluqa, mingħajr ma jagħti ebda sodisfazzjoni, u fejn l-interessi taċ-ċittadini qegħdin jitwarrbu u jinbelgħu minn interessi finanzjarji.

Gauci emfasizzat li il-liġi hija ċara dwar dak li għandu x’jaqsam ma liċenzjar ta’ spiżeriji. Li mhux ċar huwa kif il-gvern jinterpreta l-liġi u jaġixxi f’dan il-qasam. Irid jagħlaq spiżerija, li kemm skont l-Ombudsman u aktar reċenti l-Qrati tal -Ġustizzja tikkonforma mal-liġi. Fl-istess ħin ikompli joħroġ aktar liċenzji lill-istess ftit minn nies meta l-liġi tispeċifika li operatur ma jistax ikollu aktar minn liċenzja ta’ spiżerija waħda fl-istess żona! Il-ħtiġijiet ta komunità li qed tikber kull sena b’ rata mgħaġġla qegħdin jiġu njorati u hemm bżonn li l-awtoritajiet iħarsu fit-tul u jirrealizzaw li Burmarrad kiber qed jikber u għad baqgħalu fejn jikber u ma jistgħux jinjoraw dan il-fatt.

“Ma tistax tiehu decizjonijiet minn wara skrivanija, minghajr ma taghti kaz tan-nies, imma hemm bżonn li l-affarijiet isiru bis-serjeta’, bi ppjanar u ħsieb fit-tul. Aħna tal-ADPD, ghal darba ohra smajna l-karba taċ-ċittadini ta’ Burmarrad u qegħdin nitolbu f’isimhom li din l-ispiżerija tibqa miftuħa u li l-appell li sar jiġi rtirat minnufih.  Dan is-servizz tas-saħħa hu bżonnjuż f’komunità li qegħdha tikber fin-numru u li tinkludi mhux biss ħafna anzjani iżda wkoll familji żgħażagħ bit-tfal,” sostniet Gauci.

Hemm bżonn li l-awtoritajiet ikunu aktar qrib taċ-cittadini, jinżlu mit-torri tal-avorju li qegħdin fih u jaraw eżattament x’hawn bżonn fil-komunità. Bħala ADPD inġeddu l-appoġġ tagħna għad-drittijiet tan-nies, filwaqt li nibqgħu viġilanti sabiex ir-regħba ma tkomplix toħnoq aktar fuq id-drittijiet bażiċi tar-residenti ta’ dan il-pajjiż, temmet tgħid Gauci.