Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/1459407
19 maltatoday | SUNDAY • 13 MARCH 2022 NEWS DEBONO said she got into politics because she wanted to see more representation. "As a bisexual woman and a part of the LGBTQ+ com- munity, I want people to know that politics isn't just for certain types of people; it's for everyone." DeBono, who is the Co-President of the par- ty, said that her intention of bringing the party to Malta was to give people who felt that the two main parties weren't discussing things that were impor- tant to them an option. The candidate said that social equality is close to her heart. "The minimum wage, paternal leave, re- productive rights... and as a content writer, I always think it's important that more support is given to the creatives in this coun- try." DeBono highlighted that parliament desperate- ly needed an injection of women. "We have wom- en in parliament, but the number is far too low. It needs to be equal. But what I want to stress here is that we need more wom- en who will talk about the subjects that have been deemed as 'controversial' even though in reality they are not." "We need women poli- ticians who are willing to speak about euthanasia, abortion, etc., we need people in general who don't have to toe the party line and can speak open- ly," DeBono said. "I was prompted to run by the people who watch me [Gauci has a weekly pro- gramme on her Facebook page]. They were the ones who convinced me that I should try my hand at pol- itics because they thought I'd be good at it," Gauci ex- plained, adding that Partit Demokratiku felt like the only viable option to her. The party would soon af- ter merge with Alternatti- va Demokratika to become ADPD. The topics close to Gau- ci's heart are social issues – particularly issues relat- ed to women, such as re- productive rights. Howev- er, the candidate also said that one of the issues she was passionate about was cost of living and low wag- es. "I hope to be a voice for the voiceless – those are the people who approach me, the ones who are suffering. I don't get ap- proached by construction heavyweights." Gauci said that women bring a unique voice to the table that differs from their male counterparts. "Woman offer a different perspective; we see the world differently – I find from my own experience that women are far less confrontational. From the debates I've been part of, I have found that women talk less over each other and speak more about the arguments at hand." Gauci said that if she knows one thing for sure, it's that the way politics is currently being done isn't working. "The system has gone crazy, and it needs to change." Nationalist Party (17) Alessia Psaila Zammit – 6, 7 Bernice Theresa Bonello – 2, 4 Claudette Buttigieg – 12, 13 Emma Portelli Bonnici – 9, 10 Eve Borg Bonello – 9, 10 Francine Farrugia – 5, 6 Graziella Attard Previ – 9, 10 Graziella Galea – 7 Janice Chetucti – 3 Josephine Xuereb – 7, 13 Josianne Cardona Gatt – 1, 8 Julie Zahra – 4, 8 Maria Fatima Deguara – 12 Mary Doris Borg – 2, 4 Mary Muscat – 3 Paula Mifsud Bonnici – 1 Rebekah-Ann Cilia – 7, 11 Labour Party (16) Abigail Camilleri – 13 Alicia Bugeja Said – 3, 7 Alison Zerafa Civelli – 2 Amanda Spiteri Grech – 2, 4 Audrey Inger Demicoli – 3 Cressida Galea – 1 Davina Sammut Hili – 1 Fiona Borg – 6, 8 Fleur Anne Vella – 7 Julia Farrugia Portelli – 5, 7 Katya De Giovanni – 4, 6 Miriam Dalli – 5, 11 Naomi Cachia – 7, 12 Rebecca Buttigieg – 9, 10 Romilda Baldacchino Zarb – 11, 12 Rosianne Cutajar – 6 ADPD (2) Melissa Joan Bagley – 5, 10 Sandra Gauci – 6, 12 Volt Malta (2) Alexia DeBono – 8, 9 Kass Mallia – 10, 11 ABBA (4) Antonia Gauci – 1, 5 Rebecca Rose-Marie Carmen Paris – 6, 8 Romina Margo – 2, 4 Vanessa Vassallo – 11 Independent Candidate (1) Jane Chircop – 2, 12 A full list of the women candidates for the upcoming general election 2022 DR Anthony Buttigieg, medical doctor and candidate for ADPD – The Green Party, has called for mental health to be priori- tised with increased investment for a better service within the community. Buttigieg, a 1st and 10th district candi- date, said that a mental health pandemic was unfolding throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, with an exponential increase in mental health conditions that showed up the current service as being unable to cater for. "Mental health is many times treated as the Cinderella of the health service – more emphasis and resources are needed for mental health. Moreover, there is the urgent need for Mount Carmel hospi- tal to be replaced by a new hospital with modern facilities for acute cases of mental health and that treat patients with digni- ty. "More assistance should be granted to the Richmond Foundation and other NGOs that are giving a sterling service towards a better mental health within the community. Sheltered homes should be set up in every town and village. The com- munity in which an individual would have grown in will remain of utmost support, whatever their problems," Buttigieg said. Carmel Cacopardo, ADPD chairperson and candidate for the 4th and 9th dis- trict, said the party's sexual and repro- ductive health proposals are two-fold: "Firstly, there must be decriminalisation: no woman that undertakes an abortion – whatever the reason – should be treated as criminal. A woman who goes through an abortion needs our support. It is im- perative that society shows empathy and not persecution." Empathy alone is however not enough, Cacopardo said. "It has to be translated into specific action: hence our proposal to decriminalise abortion in respect of all women who make such a choice. Remov- ing from the Criminal Code the threat of criminal action by the state, even if this has rarely been used would, even on its own signal the willingness of our society to be of help to all those women who face difficulties during pregnancies." "It gets increasingly more urgent to place more emphasis on education rela- tive to sexual and reproductive health at all levels of our educational system. This should lead to instilling a greater sense of responsibility in one and all." 'Decriminalise abortion,' ADPD reiterates call to modernise sexual heath policies Sandra Gauci ADPD 6th, 12th districts Teacher, satirist Alexia DeBono Volt Malta 8th, 9th districts Content writer