Only 12 per cent of businesses on the Gżira and Sliema waterfront are physically accessible for people with disabilities, a report by the Commission for the Rights of Persons with Disability (CRPD) has found. 

Of those inspected, only 42 out of 334 companies passed the official design guidelines which have been in place since 2011. 

The Commission began collecting data after a series of complaints about a lack of facilities for those in need. It carried out onsite inspections on all commercial outlets located on the Gżira and Sliema seafront between November 2018 and April this year. 

The findings are bleak. It found that 292 outlets do not conform to the Access for All Guidelines. Of these, only 15 outlets offer an alternative while 18 had works in progress at the time of the inspections.

Breaking the figures down even further, 187 companies only require the installation of a temporary ramp to become accessible, while 55 only need minor works to be accessible to those with disabilities. Another 11 require major works such as the installation of a passenger lift. 

Other problem areas 

The report follows another one undertaken last year in Valletta, which painted a similar picture. Onsite inspections carried out on Republic Street and Merchants’ Street between June and July, found that only 31 of 375 commercial outlets passed the test. 

Of these, 278 outlets require only the installation of a temporary ramp while 32 require the implementation of minor works and nine require major works.
 
“While a lot has been achieved, much remains to be done,” said CRPD Commissioner Oliver Scicluna. “Persons with a disability are consumers, employers and employees. Those businesses who choose to remain inaccessible are missing out on a section of their potential clientele.”

"There are 19,261 persons with a disability registered with the Commission and 14,827 of these have a physical impairment. Yet physical accessibility remains a major obstacle in Malta."  

Reacting to the report, the Malta Business Disability Forum said it is discussing the reports and will shortly present proposals on how to increase the physical accessibility of Malta’s businesses. 

The two reports are available on the CRPD website www.crpd.org.mt