Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/1287818
11 maltatoday | SUNDAY • 13 SEPTEMBER 2020 Jesmond Saliba Jesmond Saliba is a board member at Dar tal-Providenza OPINION Charity comes home where providence lives and willing to fall on their own swords for his benefit… including, it must be said, one of Delia's former allies. And granted: this reflects well on Grech's own campaign promise to be a 'unifying force' within the Na- tionalist Party (good luck with that, by the way… and I mean it sincere- ly). But given that Delia had faced the exact same quandary, even before any of the more serious allegations that would later haunt him… you can't help but feel that all the obsta- cles that had been carefully placed in Delia's path, were just as careful- ly removed when it came to Grech running the same race. And that, by the way, includes his status as an 'outsider' to the party structures. Just a few days after the parlia- mentary seat blog-post, Daphne took another dig at Delia: this time concerning his lack of political ex- perience; and the fact that "the last time he did anything for the Nation- alist Party, he was 17. He is now 47." This, in turn, led to accusations of opportunism: along the lines that (according to Daphne Caruana Gal- izia, anyway) he wanted "to cool his heels for just five years before the ultimate prize of becoming prime minister after doing nothing in poli- tics in his life." And… pause again. Once more, we are confronted by a certain resemblance between the two scenarios; and yet, certain dif- ferences, too. In stark contrast to Adrian Delia, Bernard Grech's 'newness' to the political scene has not exactly been viewed as 'threatening' or 'subver- sive'. On the contrary, it has been almost universally acknowledged as arguably his greatest selling-point: not least, by Bernard Grech himself. In an interview last month, he was asked the question in no uncertain terms: "One of the arguments polit- ical analysts make is that Delia was not brought up in the party struc- tures. You are the same in that re- spect. How are you different from Delia…?' His answer? "I believe that, because at the moment in the crossroads that the PN is in today, the fact that I was not in the party structures […] I think that this is what is needed, and what can be the antidote for the present situation…" The precise wording may be differ- ent, but… well, that is pretty much exactly the same pitch Adrian Delia himself had made, way back in ear- ly June 2017. It was enough for him to win the support of a majority of tesserati, at the time… and by the look of things, it may well prove to be enough for Bernard Grech to do the same today. There is, however, a striking dif- ference. One candidate had to fight every step of the way; the other seems to be have been pre-emptive- ly gifted victory on a silver platter, without having to lift even so much as a finger for it. Naturally, this doesn't mean that Bernard Grech will not prove per- fectly capable of lighting that 'flame of hope for a better, brighter fu- ture'… and even keeping it lit for many years to come. But 'fairer'? I'm not so sure… ON 12 September 1965, Mgr Michael Az- zopardi made the first public appeal for donations to Id-Dar tal-Providenza with a heartfelt message roaring over the national radio waves. Our society has seen radical transfor- mations in the five decades since, but the love and generosity of the Maltese public towards the residents of the Dar tal-Provi- denza remains unchanged. Every year, hundreds of families, com- panies, and individuals participate in the Dar tal-Providenza miracle that brings joy, meaningfulness and life opportunities to the residents and their relatives. They offer their time, money, and energy with admirable tenderness and unselfish- ness to make sure that the charitable or- ganisation is truly a home for persons with disability. Charity is not the giving of money; it is the giving of dignity. All those involved in the effective running of the Dar tal-Providenza give everything to improve the lives of persons with disa- bilities – from professional care to quality facilities. The fundamental offering, how- ever, is always dignity. The home belongs to the residents them- selves: it is their own vibrant, loving com- munity and it is their shared space to make an impact on society. Here they find the freedom to live equal- ly, fairly, and respectfully. But Id-Dar tal-Providenza is not a population set apart; on the contrary, the true beauty of the home is that it is an intrinsic part of the wider community in Malta. Residents are as active in the goings-on of national life as everybody else and, in turn, they welcome everyone to their home with open arms. Id-Dar tal-Providenza reveals the best in the Maltese public – not only by raising funds, but by raising aspirations, prospects, and self-belief in the residents themselves. The home has developed into the very essence of a national project to which everyone feels attached and towards which everyone has, somehow or another, con- tributed. The amazing story of the Dar tal-Prov- idenza is written with the input of every generation of the Maltese population since the 1960s, and has been a brilliant mani- festation of our values of societal care and responsibility towards one another. When Mgr Azzopardi founded the home, his visionary concept was to empower per- sons with disability to participate fully in society. A radical idea at a time when disability was more likely to be swept silently under the carpet. The place that Id-Dar tal-Providenza now occupies in the public consciousness is the culmination of that original dream where residents can live independently, but not in segregation. Nevertheless, the vision has not yet ar- rived to its full fruition and the manage- ment, professionals and volunteers are working tirelessly to enable the services of the home to come closer to communities in the towns they know. The ambition requires determination, a sound plan, and solid funding. The coronavirus pandemic threw a span- ner in the works. Social distancing rules and economic un- certainty made it extremely difficult for the home financially, precisely at a time when the residents and their families needed to feel a greater sense of reassurance. Soon enough, though, companies, organ- isations, and people from all sectors of life stepped up to help out with monetary do- nations and services in kind. It was a superb reminder of how much Id-Dar tal-Providenza is cherished by the public: when things started becoming tough for everyone, everyone thought of the tougher times for the residents. We commonly think of providence as an extraordinary intervention that coincides with an urgent need, but the Dar tal-Prov- idenza experience shows that the reality of providence is much less accidental or ran- dom. Providence flows from a commitment to the wellbeing of society and a deep under- standing that a community is formed by openness to others. Yes, there are numerous instances when the right contribution arrives at just the right time and in the right shape. These are occurrences that evoke inexpressible emo- tions deep within our hearts every single time we witness them. But we must be careful not to overlook the human design in wonderful acts of providence; the daily surprises that the residents of Dar Tal-Providenza can testify to, are the tangible reflection of the altru- ism and goodness that remain core to our society. Over the last 55 years, the extended Mal- tese family has built a suitable home for be- nevolence and compassion, for dedication and hope, for accessibility and friendship. It has built a home for providence. Bernard Grech