In a statement ADPD Deputy Chairperson Mark Zerafa appealed for caution this Christmas season. Mark Zerafa said:”The pandemic has virtually affected every aspect of our lifestyle. The projections of a threefold increase Covid-19 induced deaths over the Christmas period should bring everyone to his senses.”
“Notwithstanding the Christmas traditions many of us cherish, Christmas needs to be celebrated with caution and responsibility this year. We must not forsake measures to stem the spread of the virus as we come together in celebration. Difficult as it may be, unnecessary gatherings need to be avoided as our health and that of others need to take priority over our understandable urge to engage in Christmas festivities.”
Zerafa said that ADPD acknowledges that Covid-19 has seriously impacted the livelihood of many. “Economic sectors such as the food and hospitality industries have experienced severe challenges during the summer season, when ordinarily business would have been booming. As we approach Christmas, the pandemic not only does not show any sign of slowing down: it may well spike once more. An opportunity for economic recovery remains under threat.”
“People are succumbing to the virus daily. The desire to draw people to Valletta in an effort to keep the Christmas spirit alive and to provide a lifeline to businesses is understandable, however now is not the time for celebrations. Covid-19 will not kill Christmas if fewer people do their Christmas shopping. The Christmas spirit is not measured in terms of the volume of Christmas shopping but in our acts of solidarity during the Christmas season but also throughout the whole year.”
“While government has provided reassurance that mass events will not be held. The decision to provide free parking at the MCP carpark as from December 8th is a measure to attract people en masse. ADPD is concerned about this state of affairs. It is useless for us to urge the public to exercise caution if government is throwing caution to the wind. In spite of reassurances provided by the Minister for tourism that we had the means to control the spread back in July, Covid-19 soon engulfed the nation at alarming speed. The Hon. Minister and her advisors, apparently, have learnt nothing yet on the need of self restraint at this critical juncture.”
“ADPD genuinely hopes that a lesson has been learned and that mistakes that led to a catastrophic surge in Covid-19 cases will not be repeated this Christmas. Christmas is not just a time for joy, merry making and togetherness: it is the season of solidarity too. Yes, Christmas 2020 is a Christmas like no other. A vaccine may be on the horizon, possibly heralding a return to normality. Until then, it is our duty to take care of ourselves and others. This is what solidarity means in practice this year.”
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Is-solidarjetà dal-Milied tfisser li nieħdu ħsieb lil xulxin
Fi stqarrija d-Deputat Chairperson ta’ ADPD Mark Zerafa appella għall-kawtela f’dan l-istaġun tal-Milied. Mark Zerafa qal: “Il-pandemija prattikament affettwat kull aspett tal-ħajja tagħna. It-tbassir inkwetanti li l-imwiet kaġun tal-Covid-19 se jiżdiedu bi tliet darbiet matul il-perjodu tal-Milied għandu jġib lil kulħadd f’sensih.”
“Minkejja li l-Milied huwa perjodu ta’ tradizzjonijiet li huma għeżież għal ħafna minna, dis-sena jeħtieġ li jiġi ċċelebrat b’kawtela u b’responsabbiltà. Il-miżuri biex inwaqqfu u ntaffu l-firxa tal-virus għandhom jinżammu u jibqgħu fis-seħħ matul l-perjodu tal-Milied. Minkejja li diffiċli, l-attivitajiet bla bżonn għandhom jiġu evitati. Saħħitna u dik ta’ ħaddieħor għandhom jieħdu prijorità, minkejja x-xewqa li jista’ jkollna li niċċelebraw bħas-soltu.”
Zerafa qal li l-ADPD tirrikonoxxi li l-Covid-19 ħalla impatt serju fuq l-għixien ta’ bosta. “Setturi ekonomiċi bħall-industriji tal-ikel u l-ospitalità esperjenzaw sfidi kbar tul l-istaġun tas-sajf, meta normalment n-negozju jkun tajjeb ħafna għal dawn is-setturi. Sfortunatament hekk kif resqin lejn il-Milied, il-pandemija mhux biss mhux turi l-ebda sinjal ta’ tnaqqis, iżda qed żżid b’mod allarmanti. L-irkupru ekonomiku għadu mhedded.”
“Kuljum numru ta’ persuni qed imutu kawża tal-virus. Għaldaqstant għalkemm nistgħu nifhmu x-xewqa li jsir sforz biex jħajjru lin-nies lejn il-Belt Valletta, biex jinżamm ħaj l-ispirtu tal-Milied u biex jiġu mgħejuna n-negozji tal-kapitali , madankollu issa mhux iż-żmien għaċ-ċelebrazzjonijiet. Covid-19 ma joqtolx il-Milied jekk anqas nies jagħmlu x-xiri tal-Milied tagħhom. L-ispirtu tal-Milied ma jitkejjilx f’termini tal-volum ta’ xiri tal-Milied iżda fl-atti ta ‘solidarjetà tagħna matul l-istaġun tal-Milied iżda wkoll matul is-sena kollha.”
“Filwaqt li l-gvern qal li mhux se jsiru avvenimenti tal-massa, id-deċiżjoni li l-gvern jipprovdi parkeġġ b’xejn fil-parkeġġ MCP mit-8 ta’ Diċembru hija minnha nnifisha miżura biex tattira l-folol lejn il-Belt Valletta. Huwa inutli li nħeġġu lill-pubbliku biex joqgħod attent jekk il-gvern qed jiġi jaqa’ u jqum. Minkejja li l-Ministru tat-turiżmu ftaħret li kollox kien taħt kontroll Lulju li għadda, filfatt il-kontroll malajr intilef u l-Covid-19 ħakimna b’mod allarmanti. L-Onor. Ministru u l-konsulenti tagħha, apparentament, għadhom ma tgħallmu xejn dwar il-ħtieġa ta’ kawtela kbira f’dan il-mument kritiku.”
“ADPD tittama li l-iżbalji li wasslu għal żieda allarmanti f’każijiet ta’ Covid-19 ma jiġux ripetuti dan il-Milied. Il-Milied suppost li huwa l-istaġun tas-solidarjetà. Filwaqt li bla dubju, il-Milied 2020 huwa Milied differenti mis-soltu, għandna nqawwu qalbna li vaċċin effettiv u sigur jista’ jkun magħna fil-qrib. Sa dakinhar iżda, huwa d-dmir tagħna li nuru solidarjetà ta’ veru billi nieħdu ħsieb tagħna nfusna u tal-oħrajn.”
