Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/1287818
3 LETTERS & EDITORIAL maltatoday | SUNDAY • 13 SEPTEMBER 2020 Mikiel Galea Letters & Clarifications Disabled students in schools The 'Advice and Guidelines to the Educational Sector for the Re-Opening of Primary and Secondary Schools in Malta' document has been circulated and details of which were publicly given last Wednesday by the Public Health Superintendent and the Edu- cation Ministry Permanent Secretary. They also insisted that "the broad guidelines will have to be accompanied by detailed protocols that are being discussed with all stakeholders". The Malta Federation of Organ- isations Persons with Disability (MFOPD) noted the one, and only page, (page 23) of this document which refers to students with disa- bility. Only the students who need nappy changing and or feeding, and those who need holding came to mind to the professionals who drafted this document. What about the other students who do not have these needs and rely on the support of their LSE? What are the guidelines with regards and this vis-a-vis class schooling, one to one schooling within a school en- vironment and those who for some reason have to opt for online learning (be it within the school environment and or support in home schooling)? This half-baked document with regards students with disability is the result of the total lack of involvement and collaboration with us NGOs. For the umpteenth time, MFOPD is publicly bringing up this continuous repeated lack of consultation, and at all levels, by all persons in authority and policy makers with us NGOs in all that matters our sector. MFOPD is positive sure that more than one person was involved in the drafting of this document; this docu- ment took up a great deal of time to be drafted; hence at a price (salaries of those involved). MFOPD is interested to know who are the stakeholders the detailed pro- tocols are being discussed with? For how long are persons in authority and policy makers to continue burying their heads in the sand and ignore such unpleasant results due to lack of col- laboration with us? MFOPD is the national umbrella organisation for the disability sector which represents Malta at EU and Commonwealth fora. Marthese Mugliette President, MFOPD An appeal to the PM I appeal to your humanity in respect of oncology inpatients and their rela- tives. I feel very distressed when rela- tives tell me about the added suffering, in not being able to visit their loved ones at such a difficult time. I can- not imagine a patient with a terminal illness, not even being able to see his wife and children, knowing what the future could hold. The suffering of these patients and their loved ones must be unbearable, added to the pain and, in some cases the fear that they might not see their loved ones again I am sure that no relative would put at risk his/her loved ones. Surely one person could visit for a stipulated short time, considering that protective clothing and knowledge are not lacking. After all, staff are out in the community, as well as the relatives. I realise that we are in a pandemic, but if we forget the human side of the care we give, we can say we have failed, and no numbers will convince anyone that we have conquered this virus. Nicolina Farrugia Director of nursing (retired) Xlendi construction Gozo NGO Wirt Għawdex has ex- pressed its concern to the Planning Authority regarding two current de- velopment proposals for Xlendi – PA 03818/20, 60 apartments and 6 pent- houses over current undeveloped land; and PA 04587/20, the demolition of Ho- tel Xlendi for a 4-star hotel together with 5 levels of parking. These two extensive proposals are adjacent to each other and, if approved, will change the aesthetics and the character of the picturesque bay of Xlendi forever. Whilst Wirt Għawdex is never against development so long as it is carried out in a controlled manner and in total respect towards the area where development is taking place, in this case, it is asking whether there is anything sus- tainable about these two developments? The massiveness of the two proposed developments is completely out of pro- portion with the size of Xlendi Bay. If approved, they will have great repercus- sions on traffic, waste generation, the quality of life in general, the cleanliness of the sea, and the quality of Xlendi as a holiday destination in itself, to name but a few impacts. Wirt Għawdex Committee