CRPD’s stand on benefits

I refer to the letter penned by Carmelo Borg entitled ‘Deafening silence’ (October 21).

The Commission for the Rights of Persons with Disability (CRPD) wishes to comment on Borg’s allegations which are factually incorrect.

Borg may be unaware that, since his last association with this commission, its constituting law was amended twice. From the year 2000-2016, 50 per cent of the commission was made up of public servants representing various ministries and the remainder were persons who, in the opinion of the prime minister, best represented voluntary organisations working in the field of disability issues.

As of 2016, the commission is made up of the commissioner, who is now vetted by parliament, and a council, two-thirds of whose members are representatives of disabled people’s organisations, with other representatives coming from the University of Malta, service providers, residential homes, the government and the opposition.

The allegation that the council is in the government’s pocket is wholly unfounded, as the council has had no qualms in being vocal and criticising it.

As for the commission’s silence, my comments on other media were reported as giving the impression that I did not comment, when, in fact, I said that “it is important that where government funds are allocated, there should always be full transparency to ensure dissemination is fair and justifiable”. I added that I was not commenting further due to the ongoing investigations.

At the same time, CRPD was conducting its own internal investigations into whether its own systems were compromised by this affair. The fact that it has gone wholly unnoticed that the persons who benefitted from the fraudulent scheme were potentially eligible to a plethora of other services to which they did not gain access to is a feather in CRPD’s cap.

This further justifies CRPD’s approach of transferring the residual services it provides to the State’s service provider, Aġenzija Sapport, in order to function exclusively as the country’s watchdog over disability-related matters.

CRPD, therefore, has not ignored this issue but has been working hard to ensure the integrity of the systems that are under their control.

Rhoda Garland – Commissioner for the Rights of Persons with Disability, on behalf of the CRPD Council, Birkirkara

E-scooter parking bays

What the operators of e-scooters are failing to understand is that, irrespective of the government providing parking bays for e-scooters, the users of these scooters ignore these bays as they drive their scooters straight to their place of work just as they ignored the heavy fines that were being dished out for parking on pavements, blocking residents doors and driving down one-way streets.

Photo: Jonathan Borg

Once these persons opt to ignore our laws there is no other alternative but to have them banned from our roads.

Michael Vella – Sliema

The value of silence

Mental health problems are increasing. One cause of this is the constant bombardment of the mind with noises and images from TV, radio, social media etc.

Wise persons have recommended daily periods of withdrawal into silence and solitude. It’s simple but not easy as it requires discipline and perseverance. But the great benefit is a more balanced life, healthy in all respects.

Carmel Sciberras – Naxxar