Blocking funds for deserving entities seems to have become the order of the day
Prof. Arnold Cassola, Alternattiva Demokratika Chairperson, said: “Following the blocking of funds for NGOs and Civil society by MEUSAC and the blocking of the 400,000 euros voted by the government for 2013 so that Local Councils could participate in European projects, we now learn that there is no money to heat the national diving pool in winter, thus depriving senior citizens of the possibility of making use of it. If there is no money, we must first of all start making cuts at the top. AD suggests that all Ministers and MPs on official business abroad should from now on travel exclusively in economic class and frequent four star hotels and under. The money saved on flights and lodging can go towards the heating of the diving pool.”
Dr Claire Azzopardi Lane, AD spokesperson on sports and disability, said: “Not heating, and therefore closing down the 25 metre diving pool in winter will deprive both competitive and non-competitive swimmers, including senior citizens and those who practise swimming for health related reasons, including physical impairments, of the possibility of using it. This will mean that they will have a restricted space in the main pool, which is normally occupied by Malta’s professional swimmers and athletes and other persons who require to swim in an Olympic size 50m pool. Government must ensure that the pool remains heated all the year round, since our pensioners and people with a disability or impairment deserve the best treatment possible.”
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Iż-żamma tal-fondi għal entitajiet li jeħtiguhom tidher li qiegħda ssir xi ħaġa komuni.
Prof. Arnold Cassola, iċ-Chairperson ta’ Alternattiva Demokratika, qal: “Wara li ġew ibblokkati fondi għal NGOs u s-soċjeta ċivili minn MEUSAC u l-ibblukkar ta’ 400,000 ewro li kienu vvutati mill-gvern għall-2013 biex il-Kunsilli Lokali jkunu jistgħu jipparteċipaw fi proġetti Ewropej, issa sirna nafu li m’hemmx flus biex tissaħħan id-“diving pool” nazzjonali fix-xitwa, bil-konsegwenza li persuni anzjani ma jkunux jistgħu juzawha. Jekk m’hemmx flus jeħtieg li nibdew naqtgħu l-ispejjeż minn fuq. AD tissuġġerixxi li l-Ministri u l-Membri Parlamentari kollha li jsiefru fuq xogħol uffiċjali għandhom jibdew jużaw biss l-economy class u lukandi ta’ erba’ stilel jew inqas. Il-flus li jiġu iffrankati minn titjiriet u akkomodazzjoni mbagħad ikunu jistgħu jintużaw biex tissaħħan id-diving pool.”
Dr Claire Azzopardi Lane, kelliema ta’ AD dwar sport u diżabilita’, qalet: “L-għeluq tad-diving pool ta’ 25 metru fix-xitwa, jekk mhux imsaħħna, ser iċaħħad għawwiema kemm kompetitivi kif ukoll mhux kompetitivi, inkużi persuni anzjani u dawk li jgħumu minhabba ħtiġijiet ta’ saħħa jew xi diffikulta’ fiżika partikolari oħra mill-possibilita’ li jużawha. Dan ifisser li jkunu obbligati jużaw spazju ristrett fil-pixxina prinċipali, li normalment tkun okkupata minn għawwiema u atleti professjonali u persuni oħra li jeħtieġu li jgħumu f’pixxina ta’ daqs olimpiku. Jeħtieg li l-Gvern jiżgura li l-pixxina tkun imsaħħna matul is-sena kollha, għaliex l-anzjani u persuni b’diżabilita’ jew b’diffikultajiet partikolari jistħoqqilhom l-aħjar servizz possibbli.”
