Use of ladders for swimmers throughout winter

I agree completely with Pauline Aquilina’s letter (October 23) about the sea ladders being removed this month.

I would like to add the following. I know of many disabled persons, myself included, for whom swimming is a necessary exercise and a form of therapy. 

But when the ladders are removed, we cannot access the sea anymore. Some of us continue swimming all year round, using wet suits when appropriate. 

Therefore it is essential that these ladders, or, at least, some in every locality, are left in place all year round.

One must also keep in mind that the Ta’ Qali swimming pool, which many of us used to frequent, is now closed.

As Aquilina said, all it takes is doing the job properly. Fixing the ladders in holes with wooden wedges is hardly the latest technology. There are such things as stainless steel brackets and bolts.

Stephen Attard – Attard

A well-planned budget

It is usually hard to summarise Malta’s political landscape. We are a fiery, Mediterranean people and we rarely have a slow news day. Today, however, should anyone ask me this loaded question, I would simply refer them to the two budget speeches we heard a few days ago, for they perfectly depict our current climate.

On one hand, we had Opposition leader Bernard Grech’s attempts to discredit this year’s budget as being unrealistic and short-sighted. Five minutes later, Grech unveiled his own alternative measures, uncosted (of course) and throwing cash at anything in sight, despite his claims of unprecedented debt.

On the other hand, the prime minister delivered a dignified response that was laser-focused and clear. Just as my colleague, Clyde Caruana, had done the week before, the prime minister shouldered full responsibility for the measures proposed, knowing that they were all carefully quantified and the result of months of consultation with all the relevant stakeholders.

A clear contrast emerged in parliament: we currently have an opposition that is eager to get sound bites but lacks substance and we, thankfully, have an administration that is leading the country towards a new prosperity.

I am proud to be working alongside my colleagues and Prime Minister Robert Abela in our mission to modernise and shift the way we understand prosperity. In my role as parliamentary secretary for European funds, I knew that a substantial allocation for the coming years would be crucial to fulfil our vision. Our exceptional results in Brussels last year – a record €2.27 billion – will be carefully and responsibly used for the benefit of our families, our environment and our enterprises in the years to come.

The opposition is welcome to attempt to discredit us and misinform, however, the accolades received from our European colleagues are crystal clear. European Commission president Ursula von fer Leyen praised our recovery and resilience plan, calling it one of the greenest plans submitted so far. Our efforts to strengthen our rule of law framework also did not go unnoticed as did our work to digitise the infrastructure and green our urban zones.

Indeed, our plans put the well-being of society first, with ambitious projects such as the improvement of our urban spaces and the regeneration of green lungs, and the drive to shift towards cleaner modes of transport, including public transportation and electric and hybrid vehicles. While recognising the effects of decisions made in the past, we now look to a future where the environment does not suffer for the economy’s sake. EU-funded projects, such as the shore-to-ship project, are aimed at ensuring that our economy does not grow to our own health’s detriment. That is what we mean by a new prosperity.

A new prosperity is one that is truly felt by all, irrespective of class or origin. It is not in our nature to choose austerity politics because we know that such policymaking causes irreparable problems to the most vulnerable among us.

The 2022 budget is a clear indication of the heights this government seeks to reach. From justice to health, infrastructure to civil liberties and rights, we are intent on creating a nation that makes life pleasant and just for all.

Stefan Zrinzo Azzopardi, Parliamentary Secretary for European Funds at the Office of the Prime Minister – Valletta