This morning we were having a laugh at the expense of Madam Mechanisms, Julia Farrugia, today Minister of Disability. She replied to my post by assuring us that her office has a ramp while her supporters wanted to make sure that I know this. I was also asked to get my facts right, and since I was politely addressed as “Mr Best-Selling author”, I’m happy to oblige.
Malta is hell for people who use a wheelchair and this is not my opinion. The irony behind Madam Mechanisms’ photo of the ramp is that it is in fact not reassuring at all about Malta’s infrastructure from the aspect of accessibility. Our infrastructure is not fit for people with a wheelchair because mobility has never been an issue in construction and our planning is practically non-existent. We have built an over-crowded island with roads creating a state where we live in endless congestion of cars.
Julia Farrugia isn’t able to think in a structural manner. Just like her boss, her mind thinks with piecemeal thoughts so their solutions to our problems are patchworks intended to fill gaps and this usually comes by just throwing money at the problem and doing a press conference.
The moment when we will have the adults in the room once again, we will be able to start to talk seriously about how to make our country more accessible and less congested with cars.
Temporary wooden ramp? OMG thats stupid. So we have to make an appointment for the ramp bearer to come out and place it there for a wheel chair user? Never mind that. Anyone who has unfortunately broken a foot or leg can tell you how dumb this non-solution iis