http://www.independent.com.mt/news.asp?newsitemid=101003
Home-Start Malta is looking for new volunteers to join its current team of volunteers. These volunteers will be supporting families who have at least one child under the age of five, while bringing up their children.
Families receiving this service are given the support and guidance needed when facing challenging situations. These include illness, multiple birth, post-natal depression, mental and physical disability, isolation and lack of parenting skills. The presence of these difficulties may lead to crisis. Volunteers build a friendly and supportive relationship with parents and also offer practical support such as accompanying parents to medical appointments, helping parents organise their household chores, such as cooking and cleaning, better, and budgeting skills among others.
Home-Start is a service that originated in the UK in the 70’s. Home-Start Malta started off in 2006 and is supported by Agenzija Appogg in collaboration with Home-Start International, and sponsored by HSBC Cares for Children Fund and Vodafone Malta Foundation. The service is provided within the localities of Cospicua, Senglea, Vittoriosa, Kalkara, Fgura, Zejtun and Zabbar.
To become a Home-Start volunteer, the only pre-requisite is that of being a parent or having parenting experience, such as having been a foster carer or a carer of younger siblings. This is important as the volunteers will be able to understand the hardships and joys the families are facing while bringing up young children.
Volunteers come from all walks of life – from young parents who help other young parents, and parents whose children have just started school, to ‘empty-nesters’ and grandparents. Friendliness and a caring attitude is indispensable since this service is based on the relationship built between the family and the volunteer.
Monday, February 1, 2010
The inherent values of human beings
http://www.independent.com.mt/news.asp?newsitemid=100876
The National Council of Women must be commended for speaking up against the depiction of men and women in a degrading and offensive manner, under the pretext of ‘fiction’ or ‘literary’ work.
I also support their statement that respect for human dignity is to be safeguarded and guaranteed, and that insulting images of men and women should not be allowed to proliferate. Turning persons into objects of lust violates the inherent value of human beings living in a civilised society.
Holding back write-ups, representations and broadcasting of pornography shows that society cares and will not allow itself to be pressured by lobby groups into giving up the defence of those vulnerable, perhaps through poverty or vices, to exploitation.
Those who really have at heart the well being of the vulnerable and the poor should campaign for a high moral standard and not for pseudo rights, which unleash camouflaged violent instincts in unprincipled moneyed and powerful sections of society and does not really cater to the common good.
Those who truly have the family at heart should speak out as the National Council of Women will do in the forthcoming Progett Impenn national conference slated for early February, and not toe the line of foreign organisations who envy Malta and Gozo’s much better society to that prevailing on the European continent and elsewhere.
The National Council of Women must be commended for speaking up against the depiction of men and women in a degrading and offensive manner, under the pretext of ‘fiction’ or ‘literary’ work.
I also support their statement that respect for human dignity is to be safeguarded and guaranteed, and that insulting images of men and women should not be allowed to proliferate. Turning persons into objects of lust violates the inherent value of human beings living in a civilised society.
Holding back write-ups, representations and broadcasting of pornography shows that society cares and will not allow itself to be pressured by lobby groups into giving up the defence of those vulnerable, perhaps through poverty or vices, to exploitation.
Those who really have at heart the well being of the vulnerable and the poor should campaign for a high moral standard and not for pseudo rights, which unleash camouflaged violent instincts in unprincipled moneyed and powerful sections of society and does not really cater to the common good.
Those who truly have the family at heart should speak out as the National Council of Women will do in the forthcoming Progett Impenn national conference slated for early February, and not toe the line of foreign organisations who envy Malta and Gozo’s much better society to that prevailing on the European continent and elsewhere.
Toni Abela insists he opposes abortion
http://www.timesofmalta.com/articles/view/20100131/local/toni-abela-insists-he-opposes-abortion
Labour deputy leader Toni Abela insisted yesterday he opposed abortion in the wake of comments he made on last Tuesday's TV discussion programme Dissett.
In a statement yesterday, Dr Abela said he would continue to be in favour of the right to life in accordance with his party's position.
On the programme, he said, he had been asked about a 2003 interview by a newspaper where he was questioned about abortion in the context of the war in the Balkans. Dr Abela had reiterated a position he had taken seven years ago when he said he agreed with abortion in specific cases, especially when it came to rape or children being born with disability.
Dr Abela said he was the only lawyer who had sought an injunction to stop a woman from going abroad to have an abortion.
"I gave the service against no payment, and as everyone who knows me knows, I do not fight cases I don't believe in," he continued.
The Independent
Sunday, 31th January 2010
The inherent values of human beings
http://www.independent.com.mt/news.asp?newsitemid=100876
The National Council of Women must be commended for speaking up against the depiction of men and women in a degrading and offensive manner, under the pretext of ‘fiction’ or ‘literary’ work.
I also support their statement that respect for human dignity is to be safeguarded and guaranteed, and that insulting images of men and women should not be allowed to proliferate. Turning persons into objects of lust violates the inherent value of human beings living in a civilised society.
Holding back write-ups, representations and broadcasting of pornography shows that society cares and will not allow itself to be pressured by lobby groups into giving up the defence of those vulnerable, perhaps through poverty or vices, to exploitation.
Those who really have at heart the well being of the vulnerable and the poor should campaign for a high moral standard and not for pseudo rights, which unleash camouflaged violent instincts in unprincipled moneyed and powerful sections of society and does not really cater to the common good.
Those who truly have the family at heart should speak out as the National Council of Women will do in the forthcoming Progett Impenn national conference slated for early February, and not toe the line of foreign organisations who envy Malta and Gozo’s much better society to that prevailing on the European continent and elsewhere.
Labour deputy leader Toni Abela insisted yesterday he opposed abortion in the wake of comments he made on last Tuesday's TV discussion programme Dissett.
In a statement yesterday, Dr Abela said he would continue to be in favour of the right to life in accordance with his party's position.
On the programme, he said, he had been asked about a 2003 interview by a newspaper where he was questioned about abortion in the context of the war in the Balkans. Dr Abela had reiterated a position he had taken seven years ago when he said he agreed with abortion in specific cases, especially when it came to rape or children being born with disability.
Dr Abela said he was the only lawyer who had sought an injunction to stop a woman from going abroad to have an abortion.
"I gave the service against no payment, and as everyone who knows me knows, I do not fight cases I don't believe in," he continued.
The Independent
Sunday, 31th January 2010
The inherent values of human beings
http://www.independent.com.mt/news.asp?newsitemid=100876
The National Council of Women must be commended for speaking up against the depiction of men and women in a degrading and offensive manner, under the pretext of ‘fiction’ or ‘literary’ work.
I also support their statement that respect for human dignity is to be safeguarded and guaranteed, and that insulting images of men and women should not be allowed to proliferate. Turning persons into objects of lust violates the inherent value of human beings living in a civilised society.
Holding back write-ups, representations and broadcasting of pornography shows that society cares and will not allow itself to be pressured by lobby groups into giving up the defence of those vulnerable, perhaps through poverty or vices, to exploitation.
Those who really have at heart the well being of the vulnerable and the poor should campaign for a high moral standard and not for pseudo rights, which unleash camouflaged violent instincts in unprincipled moneyed and powerful sections of society and does not really cater to the common good.
Those who truly have the family at heart should speak out as the National Council of Women will do in the forthcoming Progett Impenn national conference slated for early February, and not toe the line of foreign organisations who envy Malta and Gozo’s much better society to that prevailing on the European continent and elsewhere.
Gift of Life requestsPL to clarify positionon abortion
http://www.independent.com.mt/news.asp?newsitemid=100920
Gift of Life referred to a statement by
Labour Party deputy leader Toni Abela
on the TV programme Dissett in which
he said he agrees with abortion for cases
of rape and the possibility of giving birth
to severely disabled children.
It said that in both cases, an abortion
would irrevocably and irreversibly terminate
the life of a human being
through the direct action of other
human beings.
This statement also discriminates
against people with disability and is
offensive towards them as it portrays
their lives as being of less value, Gift of
Life added. “While respecting the fact
that Dr Abela has a right to his own personal
opinion, it is very concerning to see
that the views repeatedly expressed by
Dr Abela totally contradict the claims of
his party, the PL, which has regularly
stated that it is consistently pro-life and
not only anti-abortion. It is to this effect
that the PL is requested to reconfirm
that they do not agree with his position,”
it added.
Gift of Life referred to a statement by
Labour Party deputy leader Toni Abela
on the TV programme Dissett in which
he said he agrees with abortion for cases
of rape and the possibility of giving birth
to severely disabled children.
It said that in both cases, an abortion
would irrevocably and irreversibly terminate
the life of a human being
through the direct action of other
human beings.
This statement also discriminates
against people with disability and is
offensive towards them as it portrays
their lives as being of less value, Gift of
Life added. “While respecting the fact
that Dr Abela has a right to his own personal
opinion, it is very concerning to see
that the views repeatedly expressed by
Dr Abela totally contradict the claims of
his party, the PL, which has regularly
stated that it is consistently pro-life and
not only anti-abortion. It is to this effect
that the PL is requested to reconfirm
that they do not agree with his position,”
it added.
Malta 'part of drugs ring'
http://www.timesofmalta.com/articles/view/20100130/local/malta-part-of-drugs-ringan
Malta, together with Algeria and Tunisia, forms part of an international drug trafficking ring in which five men, including a Maltese national, are involved.
This information came to light this week when Tano Farrugia, 32, admitted in a Tunisian court of trying to export 50 kilos of cannabis that was found in his hotel room in Nabeul on January 10.
Mr Farrugia, who has still to be sentenced, claimed there were another four men involved in an international drug trafficking ring that involved Malta, Algeria and Tunisia.
He told the court it was the first time he had been involved in any form of drug dealing and that he did it because he was strapped for cash.
Police sources said the cannabis found in his possession, which consisted of about 100 one-foot-long blocks, were destined for Malta and would have probably been shipped by sea.
He is now being detained at Grombalia prison until the Tunisian court hands down judgment.
Two weeks ago, an Egyptian man, Ahmed El Fadali Enan, was charged in Malta with conspiring to import the cannabis from Mr Farrugia. He pleaded not guilty and was remanded in custody.
Malta, together with Algeria and Tunisia, forms part of an international drug trafficking ring in which five men, including a Maltese national, are involved.
This information came to light this week when Tano Farrugia, 32, admitted in a Tunisian court of trying to export 50 kilos of cannabis that was found in his hotel room in Nabeul on January 10.
Mr Farrugia, who has still to be sentenced, claimed there were another four men involved in an international drug trafficking ring that involved Malta, Algeria and Tunisia.
He told the court it was the first time he had been involved in any form of drug dealing and that he did it because he was strapped for cash.
Police sources said the cannabis found in his possession, which consisted of about 100 one-foot-long blocks, were destined for Malta and would have probably been shipped by sea.
He is now being detained at Grombalia prison until the Tunisian court hands down judgment.
Two weeks ago, an Egyptian man, Ahmed El Fadali Enan, was charged in Malta with conspiring to import the cannabis from Mr Farrugia. He pleaded not guilty and was remanded in custody.
Environment NGOs in joint campaign against Spring hunting
http://www.timesofmalta.com/articles/view/20100130/local/environment-ngos-in-joint-campaign-against-spring-hunting
Eight Environmental NGOs today joined forces to counter the hunting lobby's recent demand to the Prime Minister to reopen spring hunting, BirdLifeMalta said.
BirdLife Malta, Din l-Art Helwa, Friends of the Earth Malta, The Gaia Foundation, Ramblers, MOAM, FAA and Nature Trust Malta in a joint statement said they wished to remind the Prime Minister that the Malta case on spring hunting remained open and should Malta be found guilty a second time, then the country would face hefty fines at the Maltese taxpayers' expense.
Speaking on behalf of the coalition of NGOs BirdLife Malta President Joseph Mangion said: "Shooting of migratory birds just before they breed is not considered as a sustainable hunting practice and this is why the Birds Directive forbids it. Furthermore, the ECJ ruling clearly showed that Malta could not meet the conditions of a derogation".
Member states have to meet all the conditions set by the Birds Directive to be able to apply derogations. In Malta's case, the Court ruling concluded that Malta failed to comply with the conditions laid down in the Birds Directive and therefore failed to fulfill its obligations under that directive. Despite this fact, the hunting lobby claims that a so-called ‘limited' spring hunting season should be allowed because the court ruled that autumn does not seem to be an alternative to spring. However, the hunting lobby ignores the fact that Malta failed on the other conditions required for a derogation and thus the court ruled that Malta's derogation was not lawful.
"In fact, no other Member State has managed to meet all of these conditions under Article 9 and thus spring hunting is banned throughout the EU. It is therefore not only absurd but also irresponsible to continue to press onwards with this issue any further." NGOs said.
The environmental groups also criticised Labour MEP John Attard Montalto, who, they said, in an article published last Thursday, stated that the Government should open spring hunting season and that he was elected thanks to the support of the hunters.
"As an MEP Mr Attard Montalto has a responsibility towards the country and not only towards certain interest groups. His statement is an insult to Maltese citizens who voted for him but are not in favour of spring hunting. He clearly belongs to the old school of politics and is far removed from the change this country needs in its style of politics," the NGOs said.
"The opinion polls have repeatedly showed that the overwhelming majority of the Maltese population is against spring hunting. We urge the Prime Minister and the Leader of the Opposition to unite and put an end to the spring hunting saga once and for all," the environmental NGOs concluded.
See also: Hunters formally request PM to allow spring hunting
Eight Environmental NGOs today joined forces to counter the hunting lobby's recent demand to the Prime Minister to reopen spring hunting, BirdLifeMalta said.
BirdLife Malta, Din l-Art Helwa, Friends of the Earth Malta, The Gaia Foundation, Ramblers, MOAM, FAA and Nature Trust Malta in a joint statement said they wished to remind the Prime Minister that the Malta case on spring hunting remained open and should Malta be found guilty a second time, then the country would face hefty fines at the Maltese taxpayers' expense.
Speaking on behalf of the coalition of NGOs BirdLife Malta President Joseph Mangion said: "Shooting of migratory birds just before they breed is not considered as a sustainable hunting practice and this is why the Birds Directive forbids it. Furthermore, the ECJ ruling clearly showed that Malta could not meet the conditions of a derogation".
Member states have to meet all the conditions set by the Birds Directive to be able to apply derogations. In Malta's case, the Court ruling concluded that Malta failed to comply with the conditions laid down in the Birds Directive and therefore failed to fulfill its obligations under that directive. Despite this fact, the hunting lobby claims that a so-called ‘limited' spring hunting season should be allowed because the court ruled that autumn does not seem to be an alternative to spring. However, the hunting lobby ignores the fact that Malta failed on the other conditions required for a derogation and thus the court ruled that Malta's derogation was not lawful.
"In fact, no other Member State has managed to meet all of these conditions under Article 9 and thus spring hunting is banned throughout the EU. It is therefore not only absurd but also irresponsible to continue to press onwards with this issue any further." NGOs said.
The environmental groups also criticised Labour MEP John Attard Montalto, who, they said, in an article published last Thursday, stated that the Government should open spring hunting season and that he was elected thanks to the support of the hunters.
"As an MEP Mr Attard Montalto has a responsibility towards the country and not only towards certain interest groups. His statement is an insult to Maltese citizens who voted for him but are not in favour of spring hunting. He clearly belongs to the old school of politics and is far removed from the change this country needs in its style of politics," the NGOs said.
"The opinion polls have repeatedly showed that the overwhelming majority of the Maltese population is against spring hunting. We urge the Prime Minister and the Leader of the Opposition to unite and put an end to the spring hunting saga once and for all," the environmental NGOs concluded.
See also: Hunters formally request PM to allow spring hunting
New leaflets to shoot down mental health misconceptions
http://www.independent.com.mt/news.asp?newsitemid=100821
Awareness about mental health issues is increasing but even so, there’s a long way to go to overcome the many misconceptions, fears and bias people have about mental health, and the stigma these attitudes create, a Health Department news conference was told yesterday
The Mental Health Services of the Health Department have issued a set of informative leaflets to help lessen misconceptions on certain mental health conditions. The Parliamentary Secretary for the Elderly and Community Care, Mario Galea, launched the leaflets at the press conference at Mount Carmel hospital.
The leaflets, which deal with depression, bipolar disorder, anxiety, obsessive-compulsive disorders, addictions, eating disorders, schizophrenia and mental health in general, are meant to address a number of misconceptions that generate stigma against mentally ill patients.
“Stigma is a real problem for people who have a mental illness. Stigma based on stereotypes is a negative judgment based on a personal trait, in this case, having a mental health condition. It used to be a common perception that having a mental illness was due to some kind of personal weakness. We now know that mental health disorders have a biological basis and can be treated like any other health condition. Unfortunately only 29 per cent of sufferers seek help,” said Mr Galea.
He encouraged people who think they might be suffering from mental health conditions, to seek professional help. Any general practitioner would be able help the patient but a psychiatrist would be able to help the individual better.
Mr Galea pointed out that one per cent of the population suffers from schizophrenia. One of every six men and one of every four women suffers from depression. In Malta, 33,000 people fall victim to depression yearly and studies show that eight per cent of the population suffer from some sort of mental health condition at some point in their lives. A suicide is committed every nine minutes in Europe, adding up to 54,000 suicides in 2009. The EU estimates that mental health problems will become the second most common health problem after cardiovascular diseases in a few years’ time.
Thanks to improvements in mental health services 12,000 patients are receiving treatment in the community without having to be hospitalised.
“Nothing guarantees that one wouldn’t fall victim of a mental health problem and there is no health without good mental health,” concluded Mr Galea.
The leaflets will be distributed during mass activities, in community centres, health centres and local councils.
Awareness about mental health issues is increasing but even so, there’s a long way to go to overcome the many misconceptions, fears and bias people have about mental health, and the stigma these attitudes create, a Health Department news conference was told yesterday
The Mental Health Services of the Health Department have issued a set of informative leaflets to help lessen misconceptions on certain mental health conditions. The Parliamentary Secretary for the Elderly and Community Care, Mario Galea, launched the leaflets at the press conference at Mount Carmel hospital.
The leaflets, which deal with depression, bipolar disorder, anxiety, obsessive-compulsive disorders, addictions, eating disorders, schizophrenia and mental health in general, are meant to address a number of misconceptions that generate stigma against mentally ill patients.
“Stigma is a real problem for people who have a mental illness. Stigma based on stereotypes is a negative judgment based on a personal trait, in this case, having a mental health condition. It used to be a common perception that having a mental illness was due to some kind of personal weakness. We now know that mental health disorders have a biological basis and can be treated like any other health condition. Unfortunately only 29 per cent of sufferers seek help,” said Mr Galea.
He encouraged people who think they might be suffering from mental health conditions, to seek professional help. Any general practitioner would be able help the patient but a psychiatrist would be able to help the individual better.
Mr Galea pointed out that one per cent of the population suffers from schizophrenia. One of every six men and one of every four women suffers from depression. In Malta, 33,000 people fall victim to depression yearly and studies show that eight per cent of the population suffer from some sort of mental health condition at some point in their lives. A suicide is committed every nine minutes in Europe, adding up to 54,000 suicides in 2009. The EU estimates that mental health problems will become the second most common health problem after cardiovascular diseases in a few years’ time.
Thanks to improvements in mental health services 12,000 patients are receiving treatment in the community without having to be hospitalised.
“Nothing guarantees that one wouldn’t fall victim of a mental health problem and there is no health without good mental health,” concluded Mr Galea.
The leaflets will be distributed during mass activities, in community centres, health centres and local councils.
A detestable killer
http://www.independent.com.mt/news.asp?newsitemid=100840
Even smokers are the first to admit today that smoking is bad for the health of the smoker, bad for the health of those around them and is a general nasty habit.
This newspaper published a story on yesterday’s front page in connection with a legal notice which will make pictorial health warnings on cigarette packages obligatory within 15 months.
The pictorials will extend to other tobacco products within 21 months in an obvious shock campaign attempt to get people to stop smoking.
Let us look beyond the superficial arguments in that smokers smell bad and taste nasty. There is so much more to it and the first issue that springs to mind is the general wellbeing of the population and the strain which smoking-related diseases put on our healthcare system.
It is undeniable, smoking causes a number of illnesses including cancer, heart disease, gum disease, stomach complaints, asthma and it also causes high blood pressure and heart attacks.
Governments around the world are now pushing for primary care and prevention rather than cure, and the only way to eliminate the ill-effects of smoking is to either never start in the first place or to give up.
It is never too late to give up and any measure, no matter what it is, which is aimed at making smokers give up, is welcome. Shock tactics do work – there are countless adverts on television.
Most, if not all readers, will have seen the shocking advert of fat dripping out of the end of a cigarette to signify the clogging of arteries. There is also the advert of children singing about their parents, encouraging smokers to give up.
But there is still so much more left to be done. The smoking ban in public places – although still flouted – has helped making smoking more socially unacceptable, and this is the way it should be.
When one compares Malta to other countries in Europe, we are perhaps more aware of the damage smoking can cause to others and we are also perhaps more aware, through the ban, that smoking is not the norm.
But we still have a very high percentage of smokers, especially among the younger generations. This newspaper fully supports the introduction of pictorials, but a wider scheme is needed. We need locally produced adverts – good ones – on our television stations to keep hammering the message home – smoking kills.
And while the government is keen not to upset the boat, given the public sentiment at the moment, it should have hiked cigarettes up further in the last budget. Cigarettes are taxed on consumption, and while smokers might begrudge forking out an extra euro on each packet, there will be more people who are happy about it than angry – and that includes the families of smokers.
It makes sense, smokers not only make themselves ill, and cost the state millions in health care every year, they also make others ill. It is only logical that if they are willing to pay the price for a packet of cigarettes, they should be willing to pay the tax on it too.
Even if the price is hiked up drastically, people will still smoke. But if we could at least get some people to give up, and prevent others from starting, we might see some improvement.
Even smokers are the first to admit today that smoking is bad for the health of the smoker, bad for the health of those around them and is a general nasty habit.
This newspaper published a story on yesterday’s front page in connection with a legal notice which will make pictorial health warnings on cigarette packages obligatory within 15 months.
The pictorials will extend to other tobacco products within 21 months in an obvious shock campaign attempt to get people to stop smoking.
Let us look beyond the superficial arguments in that smokers smell bad and taste nasty. There is so much more to it and the first issue that springs to mind is the general wellbeing of the population and the strain which smoking-related diseases put on our healthcare system.
It is undeniable, smoking causes a number of illnesses including cancer, heart disease, gum disease, stomach complaints, asthma and it also causes high blood pressure and heart attacks.
Governments around the world are now pushing for primary care and prevention rather than cure, and the only way to eliminate the ill-effects of smoking is to either never start in the first place or to give up.
It is never too late to give up and any measure, no matter what it is, which is aimed at making smokers give up, is welcome. Shock tactics do work – there are countless adverts on television.
Most, if not all readers, will have seen the shocking advert of fat dripping out of the end of a cigarette to signify the clogging of arteries. There is also the advert of children singing about their parents, encouraging smokers to give up.
But there is still so much more left to be done. The smoking ban in public places – although still flouted – has helped making smoking more socially unacceptable, and this is the way it should be.
When one compares Malta to other countries in Europe, we are perhaps more aware of the damage smoking can cause to others and we are also perhaps more aware, through the ban, that smoking is not the norm.
But we still have a very high percentage of smokers, especially among the younger generations. This newspaper fully supports the introduction of pictorials, but a wider scheme is needed. We need locally produced adverts – good ones – on our television stations to keep hammering the message home – smoking kills.
And while the government is keen not to upset the boat, given the public sentiment at the moment, it should have hiked cigarettes up further in the last budget. Cigarettes are taxed on consumption, and while smokers might begrudge forking out an extra euro on each packet, there will be more people who are happy about it than angry – and that includes the families of smokers.
It makes sense, smokers not only make themselves ill, and cost the state millions in health care every year, they also make others ill. It is only logical that if they are willing to pay the price for a packet of cigarettes, they should be willing to pay the tax on it too.
Even if the price is hiked up drastically, people will still smoke. But if we could at least get some people to give up, and prevent others from starting, we might see some improvement.
Abortion
http://www.timesofmalta.com/articles/view/20100129/local/pl-asked-to-reconfirm-position-against-abortion
An abortion "irrevocably and irreversibly" terminates the life of a human being through the direct action of other human beings, the Gift of Life Foundation said.
Referring to a statement by Labour Party deputy leader Toni Abela that he agreed with abortion in cases of rape and when there was the possibility that the child to be born would be severely disabled, the foundation said Dr Abela's statement discriminated against and was offensive towards people with disabilites.
The foundation said Dr Abela had a right to his own opinion but his views contradicted the claims of the PL, which regularly stated that it was pro-life and anti-abortion.
The foundation asked the PL to reconfirm it did not agree with Dr Abela's position.
An abortion "irrevocably and irreversibly" terminates the life of a human being through the direct action of other human beings, the Gift of Life Foundation said.
Referring to a statement by Labour Party deputy leader Toni Abela that he agreed with abortion in cases of rape and when there was the possibility that the child to be born would be severely disabled, the foundation said Dr Abela's statement discriminated against and was offensive towards people with disabilites.
The foundation said Dr Abela had a right to his own opinion but his views contradicted the claims of the PL, which regularly stated that it was pro-life and anti-abortion.
The foundation asked the PL to reconfirm it did not agree with Dr Abela's position.
Positive discipline
http://www.di-ve.com/Default.aspx?ID=71&Action=1&NewsId=68965&newscategory=44
Parenting in certain situations and at certain periods in the family lifecycle is by nature more challenging.
If there is anything that we wish to change in the child, we should first examine it and see whether it is not something that could better be changed in ourselves.C G Jung, Integration of the Personality, 1939
Parents should teach their children to develop boundaries from the early years. This could help to prevent further problems in the future.
Schifferdecker, (2006) states that “boundaries let children know what behaviour is acceptable and what behaviour is not. For young children, boundaries keep them safe - don’t cross the street alone, don’t talk to strangers, etc. For older children, boundaries make them pleasant people to live with, work with, and play with. Without boundaries, children will have problems getting along with others their entire life.”
Many times, when children do something wrong or fail to meet their parent's expectations, parents immediately punish them. Many children have no control over these errors and thus do not feel accepted by their parents. As Brooks & Goldstein state “... if our children feel that they cannot meet the expectation that we have set, but we continue to push and punish instead of teach them, the outcome is likely to include anger, doubts about their ability, fear of failure, and low self-esteem - all characteristics that will work against their becoming resilient”. p 245.
Discipline should teach children to reflect on their actions and foresee the likely consequences for their behaviour. Rewards and consequences are important and these should be given immediately. The following are some tips.
Rewards can be anything that is important to the child:
• Use of the computer / video games
• Receiving pocket money
• Watching TV
• Use of the telephone
Giving incentives: Incentives could be a special activity, buying clothes, eating out, even a candy bar or extra sweets.
Consequences can be natural - there has to be a relationship between the consequence and the act which led to it:
• If you choose not to do your room, you may not leave it until it is done
• If you haven't finished your daily chores, you miss one of your privileges (e.g. sweets, games, TV etc)
• If you can't keep your timeframes then you lose the ability to do what is next in line (e.g. you do not get leisure time until you finish your homework)
Here are some Do’s and Don’ts which work with children:
Dos
• Do notice your child’s behaviour
• Do listen to your child
• Do give children the opportunity to express their feelings
• Do make your message clear
• Do give reasons for your decisions
• Do be realistic in your expectations
• Do practise what you preach
• Do encourage children to devise their own solutions to problems
• Do remember that your child is a person too
• Do say sorry if you have said or done something you regret
• Do put yourselves in your children’s shoes sometimes
Don’ts
• Don’t give lots of attention to behaviour you don’t like
• Don’t rely on bribes
• Don’t use threats or shout
• Don’t ridicule children
• Don’t compare your child with others
• Don’t discipline children without explaining
• Don’t be afraid to negotiate
If we want to raise resilient children, we must not concentrate all of our energy on changing the world around us, but rather we must begin by changing what we do with our children.Brooks, R & Goldstein S (2001) p2 s9
When children won’t listen
• Kneel or sit so that you are at your child’s level
• Hold your child gently by the shoulders or hands while you make the request
• Look right into your child’s eyes
• Talk in a firm, clear, calm voice
• Look serious while you speak
• Make it clear that you expect to be listened to - as you would listen to them
• Listen to your child’s response and carefully consider his or her views
• Give children options wherever possible
• Try negotiation
• Give ample opportunity for them to complete the task
• Praise co-operation or explain the consequences (without resorting to threats) of non co-operation
• Give warnings and helpful reminders
• Encourage children’s problem-solving skills
Maryann Casha is a social worker at Aġenzija Appoġġ
Parenting in certain situations and at certain periods in the family lifecycle is by nature more challenging.
If there is anything that we wish to change in the child, we should first examine it and see whether it is not something that could better be changed in ourselves.C G Jung, Integration of the Personality, 1939
Parents should teach their children to develop boundaries from the early years. This could help to prevent further problems in the future.
Schifferdecker, (2006) states that “boundaries let children know what behaviour is acceptable and what behaviour is not. For young children, boundaries keep them safe - don’t cross the street alone, don’t talk to strangers, etc. For older children, boundaries make them pleasant people to live with, work with, and play with. Without boundaries, children will have problems getting along with others their entire life.”
Many times, when children do something wrong or fail to meet their parent's expectations, parents immediately punish them. Many children have no control over these errors and thus do not feel accepted by their parents. As Brooks & Goldstein state “... if our children feel that they cannot meet the expectation that we have set, but we continue to push and punish instead of teach them, the outcome is likely to include anger, doubts about their ability, fear of failure, and low self-esteem - all characteristics that will work against their becoming resilient”. p 245.
Discipline should teach children to reflect on their actions and foresee the likely consequences for their behaviour. Rewards and consequences are important and these should be given immediately. The following are some tips.
Rewards can be anything that is important to the child:
• Use of the computer / video games
• Receiving pocket money
• Watching TV
• Use of the telephone
Giving incentives: Incentives could be a special activity, buying clothes, eating out, even a candy bar or extra sweets.
Consequences can be natural - there has to be a relationship between the consequence and the act which led to it:
• If you choose not to do your room, you may not leave it until it is done
• If you haven't finished your daily chores, you miss one of your privileges (e.g. sweets, games, TV etc)
• If you can't keep your timeframes then you lose the ability to do what is next in line (e.g. you do not get leisure time until you finish your homework)
Here are some Do’s and Don’ts which work with children:
Dos
• Do notice your child’s behaviour
• Do listen to your child
• Do give children the opportunity to express their feelings
• Do make your message clear
• Do give reasons for your decisions
• Do be realistic in your expectations
• Do practise what you preach
• Do encourage children to devise their own solutions to problems
• Do remember that your child is a person too
• Do say sorry if you have said or done something you regret
• Do put yourselves in your children’s shoes sometimes
Don’ts
• Don’t give lots of attention to behaviour you don’t like
• Don’t rely on bribes
• Don’t use threats or shout
• Don’t ridicule children
• Don’t compare your child with others
• Don’t discipline children without explaining
• Don’t be afraid to negotiate
If we want to raise resilient children, we must not concentrate all of our energy on changing the world around us, but rather we must begin by changing what we do with our children.Brooks, R & Goldstein S (2001) p2 s9
When children won’t listen
• Kneel or sit so that you are at your child’s level
• Hold your child gently by the shoulders or hands while you make the request
• Look right into your child’s eyes
• Talk in a firm, clear, calm voice
• Look serious while you speak
• Make it clear that you expect to be listened to - as you would listen to them
• Listen to your child’s response and carefully consider his or her views
• Give children options wherever possible
• Try negotiation
• Give ample opportunity for them to complete the task
• Praise co-operation or explain the consequences (without resorting to threats) of non co-operation
• Give warnings and helpful reminders
• Encourage children’s problem-solving skills
Maryann Casha is a social worker at Aġenzija Appoġġ
Showing the truth, saving lives’
The government has issued a legal notice that will make pictorial health warnings on cigarette packets obligatory within 15 months, and within 21 months on other tobacco products, in a bid to encourage smokers to quit.
The legal notice (LN 302 of 2009) is aimed at implementing a decision of the European Commission on the use of colour photographs or other illustrations as health warnings on tobacco packets; the decision establishes rules for the use of colour photographs or other illustrations to depict and explain the health consequences of smoking.
The LN includes the pictorial warnings and text that cigarette and tobacco importers and manufacturers will be legally obliged to use (some of which are published here, without the text warnings), and specifies that the warnings will have to be rotated at least once a year.
The Maltese government chose a set of pictorial warnings from the ones recommended by the EU and the World Health Organisation (WHO).
It is estimated that one in every four people in Malta smokes, meaning that about 300,000 people could be suffering the consequences of indirect smoking.
Charmaine Gauci, head of the Health Promotion and Disease Prevention Department, recently quoted a Health Interview Survey, saying that the number of smokers had gone down from 23.3 per cent of the population in 2002 to 20 per cent in 2008.
However, she said, the Health Behaviour in School Children (HBSC) survey showed that the number of 15-year-old smokers increased from 38.8 per cent in 2002 to 42 per cent in 2006.
Dr Gauci had spoken about the problems associated with smoking, saying that while lung cancer is the main disease related to tobacco, smokers stand a high risk of developing other cancers (mouth, throat and pancreatic cancer, for instance), and cardiovascular disease, and they are also more susceptible to infections.
She also mentioned the cost related to smoking, both the direct cost to smokers, the burden on the health system, as well as productivity levels due to sick leave.
A WHO report, entitled Showing the truth, saving lives: the case for pictorial health warnings, reveals that studies carried out after the implementation of pictorial package warnings in Brazil, Canada, Singapore and Thailand reveal remarkably consistent findings on the impact of the warnings.
Brazil
A study published by the Datafolha Instituto de Pesquisas, entitled Public Opinion: Campaign Against Smoking, shows that more than half (54 per cent) of smokers changed their opinion on the health consequences of smoking as a result of the warnings.
Two thirds of smokers (67 per cent) said the warnings made them want to quit. And according to the Cavalcante T. Labelling and Packaging in Brazil, in the six months following the widespread implementation of graphic health warnings on tobacco packaging, calls to the toll-free quit-line number increased almost nine times over.
Canada
Another study, published by the Canadian Cancer Society, and prepared by Environics, Focus Canada, entitled 'Evaluation of new warnings on cigarette packages', found that 58 per cent of smokers thought more about the health effects of smoking as a result of the warnings.
Nearly half of smokers (44 per cent) said the warnings had increased their motivation to quit, while more than one quarter of people (27 per cent) smoked less inside their home as a result of the warnings.
Singapore
In Singapore, the Health Promotion Board reported that more than two thirds (71 per cent) of smokers said they knew more about the health effects of smoking as a result of the warnings.
More than a quarter of smokers (28 per cent) admitted they consumed fewer cigarettes as a result of the warnings.
One out of six (14 per cent) smokers said they avoided smoking in front of children as a result of the warnings.
Thailand
And in Thailand, the International Tobacco Control Policy Evaluation Project found that four out of five young people (aged 13-17) – 81 per cent – and more than half of adult smokers said the new pictorial warnings made them think more about the health impact of smoking.
About 44 per cent of the smokers said the pictorial warnings made them “a lot” more likely to quit over the next month.
New Zealand
In New Zealand, a study by J. Li and M. Grigg found that in the six months following the implementation of graphic health warnings on tobacco packaging, new registrations on the quit-line increased by 14 per cent over the previous six months.
Within three months of introduction, the proportion of new quit-line callers who had obtained the quit-line number from the package warnings increased nearly threefold, overtaking the proportion of those who had obtained the number from television advertising.
Young people respond to health warnings
According to WHO, young people respond to information about the health risks of tobacco use, if the information is presented meaningfully. Young people tend to respond to shocking, realistic images and to real-life testimonials from smokers about the impact of smoking on their health.
The International Tobacco Control Policy Evaluation Project found that young people in Thailand indicated that pictorial warnings made them think more about the health risks and to reduce the amount they smoked.
And a study by V. White, B. Webster and M. Wakefield concluded that Australian cigarette packs were associated with increased cognitive processing of messages among adolescents, and more adolescents thought about quitting or cutting down.
Second-hand smoke
WHO data shows that second-hand smoke causes 600,000 premature deaths globally per year. There are more than 4,000 chemicals in tobacco smoke, of which at least 250 are known to be harmful and more than 50 are known to cause cancer.
In adults, second-hand smoke causes serious cardiovascular and respiratory diseases, including coronary heart disease and lung cancer. In infants, it causes sudden death. In pregnant women, it results in low birth weight.
Separate or ventilated smoking areas do not protect non-smokers from second-hand smoke. Second-hand smoke can spread from a smoking area to a non-smoking area, even if the doors between the two areas are closed and even if ventilation is provided. Only 100 per cent smoke-free environments provide effective protection.
About 40 per cent of all children are regularly exposed to second-hand smoke at home. Thirty-one per cent of the deaths attributable to second-hand smoke occur in children.
Youths exposed to second-hand smoke at home are one-and-a-half to two times more likely to start smoking than those not exposed.
Ten per cent of the economic costs related to tobacco use are attributable to second-hand smoke. Tobacco use imposes both direct economic costs on society, such as those associated with treating tobacco-related diseases and indirect costs, such as those associated with reduced productivity or lost wages because of death or illness.
The Independent
Thursday, 28th January 2010
Prisoners in their own home
http://www.independent.com.mt/news.asp?newsitemid=100792
Studies are once again being carried out to try and establish the extent of just how deep-rooted domestic violence is in Maltese families.
We have not heard many figures, but the Commission Against Domestic Violence has expressed concern about how many cases remain hidden and do not come to light.
Throughout the developed world, it is an accepted fact that while more and more cases of domestic violence seem to make the courts, it is not a case of a dramatic increase in the actual number, but the fact that more and more women are reporting them.
It is clear, when women (and a minority of men) are abused, they feel that they can turn to the authorities and other support organisations for help.
In Malta, sadly, it seems we lack behind. One case made the headlines last week where it was heard how a man treated his wife and child as objects, his possessions that had to do as they were told, when they were told and were expected to live off his ‘charity’.
And while the support structures are lacking (an issue we will tackle later in this essay), the fundamental problem we face is one of mentality.
Psychologists we are not, but it is pretty clear that the first thing that needs to be rooted out, from an early age, is the tribal chief mentality. If people think that these issues are related to the older generation, they are gravely mistaken – there are men and women who think that their partners and families are simply there to be used and abused of as they see fit.
How we are going to achieve this is beyond comprehension and is a result of systematically ignoring the problem for far too long. It is not that long ago, only a few years actually, when priests even used to tell battered women that they could never leave their husbands, no matter what they did to them. This is fact and while social norms have changed, such ‘advice’ can never be condoned, justified or repeated ever.
And this leads us in to the support structure argument. It is good that the police have a very able and understanding squad who deal with these women and it is also promising to see that they do get the cases to court and the victims feel empowered. It is also very heartening to see that the courts, in the vast majority of cases, send the perpetrator back to their mother’s (literally) so as to afford the victim security and a roof over their head in the matrimonial home.
But what happens to all those other women who sit at home in the kitchen, cowering... waiting for that next slap, forced sex, maybe a punch or a tirade of mocking abuse that saps their will day after day?
What about those victims who feel trapped in their own home, those who have been told that they will be hunted down like vermin and killed if they ever leave? What about those who have no family and nowhere to turn to? What about those who have given up and have consigned themselves to the fact that they will never get out of their miserable plight?
This is no exaggeration. This is what the government, its ancillary support arms, the law and society in general must strive to change.
The legal notice (LN 302 of 2009) is aimed at implementing a decision of the European Commission on the use of colour photographs or other illustrations as health warnings on tobacco packets; the decision establishes rules for the use of colour photographs or other illustrations to depict and explain the health consequences of smoking.
The LN includes the pictorial warnings and text that cigarette and tobacco importers and manufacturers will be legally obliged to use (some of which are published here, without the text warnings), and specifies that the warnings will have to be rotated at least once a year.
The Maltese government chose a set of pictorial warnings from the ones recommended by the EU and the World Health Organisation (WHO).
It is estimated that one in every four people in Malta smokes, meaning that about 300,000 people could be suffering the consequences of indirect smoking.
Charmaine Gauci, head of the Health Promotion and Disease Prevention Department, recently quoted a Health Interview Survey, saying that the number of smokers had gone down from 23.3 per cent of the population in 2002 to 20 per cent in 2008.
However, she said, the Health Behaviour in School Children (HBSC) survey showed that the number of 15-year-old smokers increased from 38.8 per cent in 2002 to 42 per cent in 2006.
Dr Gauci had spoken about the problems associated with smoking, saying that while lung cancer is the main disease related to tobacco, smokers stand a high risk of developing other cancers (mouth, throat and pancreatic cancer, for instance), and cardiovascular disease, and they are also more susceptible to infections.
She also mentioned the cost related to smoking, both the direct cost to smokers, the burden on the health system, as well as productivity levels due to sick leave.
A WHO report, entitled Showing the truth, saving lives: the case for pictorial health warnings, reveals that studies carried out after the implementation of pictorial package warnings in Brazil, Canada, Singapore and Thailand reveal remarkably consistent findings on the impact of the warnings.
Brazil
A study published by the Datafolha Instituto de Pesquisas, entitled Public Opinion: Campaign Against Smoking, shows that more than half (54 per cent) of smokers changed their opinion on the health consequences of smoking as a result of the warnings.
Two thirds of smokers (67 per cent) said the warnings made them want to quit. And according to the Cavalcante T. Labelling and Packaging in Brazil, in the six months following the widespread implementation of graphic health warnings on tobacco packaging, calls to the toll-free quit-line number increased almost nine times over.
Canada
Another study, published by the Canadian Cancer Society, and prepared by Environics, Focus Canada, entitled 'Evaluation of new warnings on cigarette packages', found that 58 per cent of smokers thought more about the health effects of smoking as a result of the warnings.
Nearly half of smokers (44 per cent) said the warnings had increased their motivation to quit, while more than one quarter of people (27 per cent) smoked less inside their home as a result of the warnings.
Singapore
In Singapore, the Health Promotion Board reported that more than two thirds (71 per cent) of smokers said they knew more about the health effects of smoking as a result of the warnings.
More than a quarter of smokers (28 per cent) admitted they consumed fewer cigarettes as a result of the warnings.
One out of six (14 per cent) smokers said they avoided smoking in front of children as a result of the warnings.
Thailand
And in Thailand, the International Tobacco Control Policy Evaluation Project found that four out of five young people (aged 13-17) – 81 per cent – and more than half of adult smokers said the new pictorial warnings made them think more about the health impact of smoking.
About 44 per cent of the smokers said the pictorial warnings made them “a lot” more likely to quit over the next month.
New Zealand
In New Zealand, a study by J. Li and M. Grigg found that in the six months following the implementation of graphic health warnings on tobacco packaging, new registrations on the quit-line increased by 14 per cent over the previous six months.
Within three months of introduction, the proportion of new quit-line callers who had obtained the quit-line number from the package warnings increased nearly threefold, overtaking the proportion of those who had obtained the number from television advertising.
Young people respond to health warnings
According to WHO, young people respond to information about the health risks of tobacco use, if the information is presented meaningfully. Young people tend to respond to shocking, realistic images and to real-life testimonials from smokers about the impact of smoking on their health.
The International Tobacco Control Policy Evaluation Project found that young people in Thailand indicated that pictorial warnings made them think more about the health risks and to reduce the amount they smoked.
And a study by V. White, B. Webster and M. Wakefield concluded that Australian cigarette packs were associated with increased cognitive processing of messages among adolescents, and more adolescents thought about quitting or cutting down.
Second-hand smoke
WHO data shows that second-hand smoke causes 600,000 premature deaths globally per year. There are more than 4,000 chemicals in tobacco smoke, of which at least 250 are known to be harmful and more than 50 are known to cause cancer.
In adults, second-hand smoke causes serious cardiovascular and respiratory diseases, including coronary heart disease and lung cancer. In infants, it causes sudden death. In pregnant women, it results in low birth weight.
Separate or ventilated smoking areas do not protect non-smokers from second-hand smoke. Second-hand smoke can spread from a smoking area to a non-smoking area, even if the doors between the two areas are closed and even if ventilation is provided. Only 100 per cent smoke-free environments provide effective protection.
About 40 per cent of all children are regularly exposed to second-hand smoke at home. Thirty-one per cent of the deaths attributable to second-hand smoke occur in children.
Youths exposed to second-hand smoke at home are one-and-a-half to two times more likely to start smoking than those not exposed.
Ten per cent of the economic costs related to tobacco use are attributable to second-hand smoke. Tobacco use imposes both direct economic costs on society, such as those associated with treating tobacco-related diseases and indirect costs, such as those associated with reduced productivity or lost wages because of death or illness.
The Independent
Thursday, 28th January 2010
Prisoners in their own home
http://www.independent.com.mt/news.asp?newsitemid=100792
Studies are once again being carried out to try and establish the extent of just how deep-rooted domestic violence is in Maltese families.
We have not heard many figures, but the Commission Against Domestic Violence has expressed concern about how many cases remain hidden and do not come to light.
Throughout the developed world, it is an accepted fact that while more and more cases of domestic violence seem to make the courts, it is not a case of a dramatic increase in the actual number, but the fact that more and more women are reporting them.
It is clear, when women (and a minority of men) are abused, they feel that they can turn to the authorities and other support organisations for help.
In Malta, sadly, it seems we lack behind. One case made the headlines last week where it was heard how a man treated his wife and child as objects, his possessions that had to do as they were told, when they were told and were expected to live off his ‘charity’.
And while the support structures are lacking (an issue we will tackle later in this essay), the fundamental problem we face is one of mentality.
Psychologists we are not, but it is pretty clear that the first thing that needs to be rooted out, from an early age, is the tribal chief mentality. If people think that these issues are related to the older generation, they are gravely mistaken – there are men and women who think that their partners and families are simply there to be used and abused of as they see fit.
How we are going to achieve this is beyond comprehension and is a result of systematically ignoring the problem for far too long. It is not that long ago, only a few years actually, when priests even used to tell battered women that they could never leave their husbands, no matter what they did to them. This is fact and while social norms have changed, such ‘advice’ can never be condoned, justified or repeated ever.
And this leads us in to the support structure argument. It is good that the police have a very able and understanding squad who deal with these women and it is also promising to see that they do get the cases to court and the victims feel empowered. It is also very heartening to see that the courts, in the vast majority of cases, send the perpetrator back to their mother’s (literally) so as to afford the victim security and a roof over their head in the matrimonial home.
But what happens to all those other women who sit at home in the kitchen, cowering... waiting for that next slap, forced sex, maybe a punch or a tirade of mocking abuse that saps their will day after day?
What about those victims who feel trapped in their own home, those who have been told that they will be hunted down like vermin and killed if they ever leave? What about those who have no family and nowhere to turn to? What about those who have given up and have consigned themselves to the fact that they will never get out of their miserable plight?
This is no exaggeration. This is what the government, its ancillary support arms, the law and society in general must strive to change.
Leap in quality healthcare
http://www.timesofmalta.com/articles/view/20100128/opinion/leap-in-quality-healthcare Navarro
Over the past few years, Malta has witnessed milestone developments in the organisation and delivery of healthcare services, culminating in the construction of Mater Dei Hospital, characterised mainly by significant investments in the establishment of optimal secondary healthcare services. It is evident that, now, as with the global trend, it is time to shift the focus to the primary care sector. The proposed personal primary healthcare service (PPHCS) reform appears to seek precisely that: address the clear need for changes or, more accurately, developments swithin the primary healthcare services in the country.
The proposed reform seeks to provide a cornerstone of future healthcare services delivery in Malta. In tandem with the services provided across the social policy and social security sectors, the proposed reform in the primary healthcare services seeks to provide a more comprehensive and collaborative service to members of the population that would, in turn, be characterised by maximal efficiency and effectiveness, rather than a fraction of the potential of either.
In seeking to synchronise primary healthcare services with secondary, tertiary and other social services, PPHCS is potentially the vehicle to bridging the gap between the provision of such various services, which to date are unfortunately plagued by incongruence, and thus, wastage, inefficiency and, more worryingly, compromised ineffectiveness at the point of service delivery to the client.
The long-term expected outcomes of the proposed reform in primary healthcare services largely comprise the establishment of an affordable healthcare system for all with better outcomes measured through health status of the population. The evidence suggests that, indeed, there is a correlation between primary healthcare and expenditure. The statistics derived from the United Kingdom and Spain illustrate that efficient primary healthcare systems secure a lesser per capita expenditure on healthcare services. It is against this backdrop that one may argue that the need for a reform in the primary healthcare services in Malta and, indeed, the content of the proposed reform cannot be dismissed.
Countries are arranged in three groupings according to the strength of primary care. The higher the score, the stronger is the primary care. Healthcare costs per capita have also been ranked with the higher the ranking (1 highest), the less the per capita cost.
The entitled/eligible persons for the reception of healthcare services in Malta and Gozo will be obliged to register with a medical doctor, who would have pursued a recognised established training programme in the respective field of practice. Initiatives to ensure the provision of and support for the relevant educational and training opportunities for medical doctors are being actively explored by all parties involved in the consultation process regarding the proposed reform. The medical doctor may be in independent full-time practice or also in part-time, independent or group practice.
Inter-disciplinary care is coordinated care for a particular condition provided by health professionals having different expertise. For instance, a person diagnosed as suffering from a chest infection by the family doctor could be referred to the physiotherapist. This coordination between different health professionals would offer better care resulting in a more rapid patient recovery.
The personal primary healthcare reform aims to provide an inter-disciplinary approach to care both in the health centres and in the private sector. To enhance this inter-disciplinary approach, the setting up of group practices in the private sector is being encouraged. A group practice is made up of two or more doctors together with a team of healthcare professionals that will include nurses, physiotherapists, occupational therapists and other supporting staff. It is felt that a group practice will encourage the different professionals to work in teams, thus offering a more efficient and widespread service.
The reform has been proposed and its details are being discussed through a thorough period of consultation with all parties involved.
An acceptable degree of consensus among the parties involved, across the providers and the consumers of healthcare, would need to be established before proceeding further. The proposed reform would need to be amended, tweaked and adjusted in the meantime in order to address this need for consensus.
Indeed, the sooner this is achieved the better it would be for all. The successful introduction of the reform would primarily enhance the provision and delivery of services to the patient in the community. This, in turn, would help release the pressure on secondary healthcare services, mainly on Mater Dei Hospital. In view of the critical over-demand for beds and services offered at MDH, this favourable aftermath predicted to follow the successful outcome of the reform is desperately awaited.
Supplementing the proposed organisation of GP services, the regional health centres would continue to offer a free walk-in GP service and urgent patient care on a 24-hour basis. The personal primary healthcare system is envisaged as a necessary tool to bring about a needed leap in quality in healthcare provided at primary level. This change has been expected for a very long time in Malta. This system would enhance access to more specialised healthcare and also to community care at a local level, closer to where the patient lives. This should translate into several benefits that will include better patient satisfaction and a better quality of life for the population at large.
The author is assistant lecturer at the Nursing Division, Institute of Health Care, University of Malta.
Over the past few years, Malta has witnessed milestone developments in the organisation and delivery of healthcare services, culminating in the construction of Mater Dei Hospital, characterised mainly by significant investments in the establishment of optimal secondary healthcare services. It is evident that, now, as with the global trend, it is time to shift the focus to the primary care sector. The proposed personal primary healthcare service (PPHCS) reform appears to seek precisely that: address the clear need for changes or, more accurately, developments swithin the primary healthcare services in the country.
The proposed reform seeks to provide a cornerstone of future healthcare services delivery in Malta. In tandem with the services provided across the social policy and social security sectors, the proposed reform in the primary healthcare services seeks to provide a more comprehensive and collaborative service to members of the population that would, in turn, be characterised by maximal efficiency and effectiveness, rather than a fraction of the potential of either.
In seeking to synchronise primary healthcare services with secondary, tertiary and other social services, PPHCS is potentially the vehicle to bridging the gap between the provision of such various services, which to date are unfortunately plagued by incongruence, and thus, wastage, inefficiency and, more worryingly, compromised ineffectiveness at the point of service delivery to the client.
The long-term expected outcomes of the proposed reform in primary healthcare services largely comprise the establishment of an affordable healthcare system for all with better outcomes measured through health status of the population. The evidence suggests that, indeed, there is a correlation between primary healthcare and expenditure. The statistics derived from the United Kingdom and Spain illustrate that efficient primary healthcare systems secure a lesser per capita expenditure on healthcare services. It is against this backdrop that one may argue that the need for a reform in the primary healthcare services in Malta and, indeed, the content of the proposed reform cannot be dismissed.
Countries are arranged in three groupings according to the strength of primary care. The higher the score, the stronger is the primary care. Healthcare costs per capita have also been ranked with the higher the ranking (1 highest), the less the per capita cost.
The entitled/eligible persons for the reception of healthcare services in Malta and Gozo will be obliged to register with a medical doctor, who would have pursued a recognised established training programme in the respective field of practice. Initiatives to ensure the provision of and support for the relevant educational and training opportunities for medical doctors are being actively explored by all parties involved in the consultation process regarding the proposed reform. The medical doctor may be in independent full-time practice or also in part-time, independent or group practice.
Inter-disciplinary care is coordinated care for a particular condition provided by health professionals having different expertise. For instance, a person diagnosed as suffering from a chest infection by the family doctor could be referred to the physiotherapist. This coordination between different health professionals would offer better care resulting in a more rapid patient recovery.
The personal primary healthcare reform aims to provide an inter-disciplinary approach to care both in the health centres and in the private sector. To enhance this inter-disciplinary approach, the setting up of group practices in the private sector is being encouraged. A group practice is made up of two or more doctors together with a team of healthcare professionals that will include nurses, physiotherapists, occupational therapists and other supporting staff. It is felt that a group practice will encourage the different professionals to work in teams, thus offering a more efficient and widespread service.
The reform has been proposed and its details are being discussed through a thorough period of consultation with all parties involved.
An acceptable degree of consensus among the parties involved, across the providers and the consumers of healthcare, would need to be established before proceeding further. The proposed reform would need to be amended, tweaked and adjusted in the meantime in order to address this need for consensus.
Indeed, the sooner this is achieved the better it would be for all. The successful introduction of the reform would primarily enhance the provision and delivery of services to the patient in the community. This, in turn, would help release the pressure on secondary healthcare services, mainly on Mater Dei Hospital. In view of the critical over-demand for beds and services offered at MDH, this favourable aftermath predicted to follow the successful outcome of the reform is desperately awaited.
Supplementing the proposed organisation of GP services, the regional health centres would continue to offer a free walk-in GP service and urgent patient care on a 24-hour basis. The personal primary healthcare system is envisaged as a necessary tool to bring about a needed leap in quality in healthcare provided at primary level. This change has been expected for a very long time in Malta. This system would enhance access to more specialised healthcare and also to community care at a local level, closer to where the patient lives. This should translate into several benefits that will include better patient satisfaction and a better quality of life for the population at large.
The author is assistant lecturer at the Nursing Division, Institute of Health Care, University of Malta.
Fighting child poverty
http://www.timesofmalta.com/articles/view/20100128/opinion/fighting-child-poverty
The last weeks at the European Parliament have been dominated by the Commissioners-designate hearings. Following a number of vague responses by the Commissioner-designate for Employment, Social Affairs and Equal Opportunities, László Andor, the EPP decided to press on certain important issues on which we received unsatisfactory responses. Below is the word-for- word translation of the questions I asked and the replies I received.
MEP David Casa: "I find myself rather concerned because I believe that the questions that you have been asked on issues that I care about deeply have only received extremely generic responses. When it came to the topic of youth unemployment, for instance, you do not seem to have any vision as to how to tackle this problem. When asked about illegal immigration and the social impact that this is having on Europe, I am sorry to say that you do not seem to understand how serious this problem is in the south of Europe. My question is related to poverty, especially as regards child poverty. What do you intend to do to solve this problem, this very serious problem. Seventeen per cent of EU citizens are currently living below the poverty line. What immediate action will you take in order to address this serious problem?"
Commissioner-designate Andor: "It really is a serious problem. I am talking about child poverty now. The fact, well, the expectation that we can solve this at the drop of a hat is unrealistic. However, I do feel that we need to continue the work that we have been doing up to now. As you know, the Commission has been trying to give assistance to member states in dealing with these burning social issues and come out with a solution to them. Obviously, in the throes of a crisis it is far more difficult to achieve this because it will be extremely difficult to encourage people to think in a social dimension when they are suffering the ill-effects of the crisis. We just talked about micro-credit facilities a moment ago. This is one example of how we can come up with new and innovative solutions to the problems given rise to by the crisis. Now the Commission should help member states come up with new opportunities and help them to spend money from the European Social Fund and ensure that the moneys from this fund are properly spent. I think that this portfolio is able to do that and I also need to have a clear picture of what my portfolio is not going to be able to achieve."
MEP David Casa: "Perhaps I was not sufficiently clear when I asked my question. I want to know what you will propose as a Commissioner, should you be chosen; what concrete measures you will seek to implement in order to address this problem of poverty. With regard to the European micro-finance facility I was hoping that you would enlighten us on where the funds to make up this facility are meant to come from. You have failed to answer this question. Poverty is a real problem. It is all well and good to decorate our responses with beautiful words, but there is a problem today. Action is needed now. What concrete measures will you propose so that we may start to reach the targets we were meant to achieve by 2010? What about the Active Inclusion Strategy created in October 2008? What do you think of the proposals that have been put forward and, more importantly, what new concrete measures will you as a Commissioner propose?"
Commissioner-designate Andor: "You are absolutely correct. Now as to whether I can give you an adequate response within the framework of the one minute at my disposal is a different matter altogether. It is true we need to tackle the root causes of poverty; we need to look at them and determine what they are and then start to tackle them. We are talking about security of income; we are talking about what support measures we can extend to people and expanding those support measures. We have to think in the long term and, as I said, we need to look at the root causes as to why certain groups in society are excluded; how we can help them get into employment; how we can help them to get into education and how we can improve their health and so on. So an awful lot hinges on these root causes and how people are excluded in society as a whole and how we can get to grips with that programme. Everybody will have to pull their weight on this and work together. We have to look at the education and health sectors. We need to delineate and define policies there and, hopefully, people will be able to get assistance at national level too."
According to what was reported by the Labour media - the new progressive party under the new leadership of Joseph Muscat - the above exchange was "silly". How shameful for a European socialist party to criticise those who take an interest in pressing for safeguards for the more vulnerable members of society! Indeed precisely those individuals that a socialist party should strive to protect and represent.
Employment and Social Affairs Commissioner Vladimír Špidla recently said: "Europe is one of the richest regions in the world and, yet, 78 million people live at risk of poverty. This is completely unacceptable. We need to do more and to change our approach. The EU, national governments and citizens together can and must take action to eradicate poverty. Eight years after the first European strategy for social inclusion, the time has come to reaffirm the EU's commitment to this important goal. Around the EU, throughout 2010, events will show the different faces of poverty and exclusion in Europe."
The last weeks at the European Parliament have been dominated by the Commissioners-designate hearings. Following a number of vague responses by the Commissioner-designate for Employment, Social Affairs and Equal Opportunities, László Andor, the EPP decided to press on certain important issues on which we received unsatisfactory responses. Below is the word-for- word translation of the questions I asked and the replies I received.
MEP David Casa: "I find myself rather concerned because I believe that the questions that you have been asked on issues that I care about deeply have only received extremely generic responses. When it came to the topic of youth unemployment, for instance, you do not seem to have any vision as to how to tackle this problem. When asked about illegal immigration and the social impact that this is having on Europe, I am sorry to say that you do not seem to understand how serious this problem is in the south of Europe. My question is related to poverty, especially as regards child poverty. What do you intend to do to solve this problem, this very serious problem. Seventeen per cent of EU citizens are currently living below the poverty line. What immediate action will you take in order to address this serious problem?"
Commissioner-designate Andor: "It really is a serious problem. I am talking about child poverty now. The fact, well, the expectation that we can solve this at the drop of a hat is unrealistic. However, I do feel that we need to continue the work that we have been doing up to now. As you know, the Commission has been trying to give assistance to member states in dealing with these burning social issues and come out with a solution to them. Obviously, in the throes of a crisis it is far more difficult to achieve this because it will be extremely difficult to encourage people to think in a social dimension when they are suffering the ill-effects of the crisis. We just talked about micro-credit facilities a moment ago. This is one example of how we can come up with new and innovative solutions to the problems given rise to by the crisis. Now the Commission should help member states come up with new opportunities and help them to spend money from the European Social Fund and ensure that the moneys from this fund are properly spent. I think that this portfolio is able to do that and I also need to have a clear picture of what my portfolio is not going to be able to achieve."
MEP David Casa: "Perhaps I was not sufficiently clear when I asked my question. I want to know what you will propose as a Commissioner, should you be chosen; what concrete measures you will seek to implement in order to address this problem of poverty. With regard to the European micro-finance facility I was hoping that you would enlighten us on where the funds to make up this facility are meant to come from. You have failed to answer this question. Poverty is a real problem. It is all well and good to decorate our responses with beautiful words, but there is a problem today. Action is needed now. What concrete measures will you propose so that we may start to reach the targets we were meant to achieve by 2010? What about the Active Inclusion Strategy created in October 2008? What do you think of the proposals that have been put forward and, more importantly, what new concrete measures will you as a Commissioner propose?"
Commissioner-designate Andor: "You are absolutely correct. Now as to whether I can give you an adequate response within the framework of the one minute at my disposal is a different matter altogether. It is true we need to tackle the root causes of poverty; we need to look at them and determine what they are and then start to tackle them. We are talking about security of income; we are talking about what support measures we can extend to people and expanding those support measures. We have to think in the long term and, as I said, we need to look at the root causes as to why certain groups in society are excluded; how we can help them get into employment; how we can help them to get into education and how we can improve their health and so on. So an awful lot hinges on these root causes and how people are excluded in society as a whole and how we can get to grips with that programme. Everybody will have to pull their weight on this and work together. We have to look at the education and health sectors. We need to delineate and define policies there and, hopefully, people will be able to get assistance at national level too."
According to what was reported by the Labour media - the new progressive party under the new leadership of Joseph Muscat - the above exchange was "silly". How shameful for a European socialist party to criticise those who take an interest in pressing for safeguards for the more vulnerable members of society! Indeed precisely those individuals that a socialist party should strive to protect and represent.
Employment and Social Affairs Commissioner Vladimír Špidla recently said: "Europe is one of the richest regions in the world and, yet, 78 million people live at risk of poverty. This is completely unacceptable. We need to do more and to change our approach. The EU, national governments and citizens together can and must take action to eradicate poverty. Eight years after the first European strategy for social inclusion, the time has come to reaffirm the EU's commitment to this important goal. Around the EU, throughout 2010, events will show the different faces of poverty and exclusion in Europe."
Gay rights activists object to President's definition of marriage
http://www.timesofmalta.com/articles/view/20100128/local/gay-rights-activists-object-to-presidents-definition-of-marriage
The Malta Gay Rights Movement is objecting to President George Abela's narrow definition of marriage, which it believes excludes a "significant majority".
In an open letter to Dr Abela, MGRM referred to his definition of the family as a man and a woman, in a life-long commitment, linked to procreation. Addressing a national conference on the family last Saturday, he also emphasised the need for both a mother and a father for a family to exist.
"Whether intentionally or not, he excluded all those married couples who could not have children, including childless couples, adoptive parents, foster parents, single parents, cohabiting couples and any children they might have, and, of course, gay and lesbian parents," the movement said.
Asked for its reaction, the President's Office said: "The speech is available publicly and, as a public text, it is subject to whatever interpretation anybody who reads it might attribute to it. There is, therefore, nothing to add to what has been in the public domain for the past four days."
MGRM said in explaining the understanding of marriage in Maltese law, the President held that this was understood to mean the natural union of a man and a woman based on the difference between the sexes.
"The implication is that a union between two people of the same sex is, of course, unnatural. Clinging to this 'understanding' is a failure to acknowledge that, while up to 40 or so odd years ago homosexuality was deemed unnatural and a mental illness, science and research have taught us this is not the case," it said.
"Homosexuality is simply a natural and normal variant in human nature as well as in other species. While there are plenty of countries that have failed to take on this knowledge and continue to criminalise homosexuality, we were under the impression that, in line with other Western nations, Malta had actually moved on."
MGRM said in its letter, also addressed to the permanent secretary at the Social Policy Ministry, Frans Borg, that, to "make matters worse", the President also questioned whether children adopted by same-sex couples could lead to them suffering psychological and social harm.
It said it was parenting qualities such as love, commitment, responsibility and the ability to provide for the needs of the child that mattered.
To suggest that by simply being gay or lesbian caused harm to children was "as ridiculous as stating that no harm will befall children if their carer happens to be heterosexual".
MGRM lamented that throughout the conference, the move towards secularisation was touted as a threat to the family. The underlying message was that anyone not subscribing to Catholicism was completely lacking in any form of value system or, at most, could only hold an inferior set of values.
All unmarried and separated parents were presented as selfish and irresponsible, parading one sexual partner after another with no thought to their children; all children whose parents had undergone a separation were presented as irremediably traumatised; the increased diagnoses of attention deficit disorders in children simply the result of unloving parents.
It said the introduction of divorce in Malta would unequivocally lead to the conceptualisation of marriage as a loose knot that could be easily untied at the first hurdle.
It felt the conference failed entirely to critically engage the subject matter its title portrayed: there was only one family being considered and all others were demonised and shot down.
MGRM said the conference was nothing more than "propaganda for a conservative government's agenda" and the religious right that sat solidly behind it.
The Malta Gay Rights Movement is objecting to President George Abela's narrow definition of marriage, which it believes excludes a "significant majority".
In an open letter to Dr Abela, MGRM referred to his definition of the family as a man and a woman, in a life-long commitment, linked to procreation. Addressing a national conference on the family last Saturday, he also emphasised the need for both a mother and a father for a family to exist.
"Whether intentionally or not, he excluded all those married couples who could not have children, including childless couples, adoptive parents, foster parents, single parents, cohabiting couples and any children they might have, and, of course, gay and lesbian parents," the movement said.
Asked for its reaction, the President's Office said: "The speech is available publicly and, as a public text, it is subject to whatever interpretation anybody who reads it might attribute to it. There is, therefore, nothing to add to what has been in the public domain for the past four days."
MGRM said in explaining the understanding of marriage in Maltese law, the President held that this was understood to mean the natural union of a man and a woman based on the difference between the sexes.
"The implication is that a union between two people of the same sex is, of course, unnatural. Clinging to this 'understanding' is a failure to acknowledge that, while up to 40 or so odd years ago homosexuality was deemed unnatural and a mental illness, science and research have taught us this is not the case," it said.
"Homosexuality is simply a natural and normal variant in human nature as well as in other species. While there are plenty of countries that have failed to take on this knowledge and continue to criminalise homosexuality, we were under the impression that, in line with other Western nations, Malta had actually moved on."
MGRM said in its letter, also addressed to the permanent secretary at the Social Policy Ministry, Frans Borg, that, to "make matters worse", the President also questioned whether children adopted by same-sex couples could lead to them suffering psychological and social harm.
It said it was parenting qualities such as love, commitment, responsibility and the ability to provide for the needs of the child that mattered.
To suggest that by simply being gay or lesbian caused harm to children was "as ridiculous as stating that no harm will befall children if their carer happens to be heterosexual".
MGRM lamented that throughout the conference, the move towards secularisation was touted as a threat to the family. The underlying message was that anyone not subscribing to Catholicism was completely lacking in any form of value system or, at most, could only hold an inferior set of values.
All unmarried and separated parents were presented as selfish and irresponsible, parading one sexual partner after another with no thought to their children; all children whose parents had undergone a separation were presented as irremediably traumatised; the increased diagnoses of attention deficit disorders in children simply the result of unloving parents.
It said the introduction of divorce in Malta would unequivocally lead to the conceptualisation of marriage as a loose knot that could be easily untied at the first hurdle.
It felt the conference failed entirely to critically engage the subject matter its title portrayed: there was only one family being considered and all others were demonised and shot down.
MGRM said the conference was nothing more than "propaganda for a conservative government's agenda" and the religious right that sat solidly behind it.
4 cases of incest reported
http://www.di-ve.com/Default.aspx?ID=72&Action=1&NewsId=68907¤tPage=2&newscategory=36
The police received 4 reports of sexual abuse of children by a parent in 2009.
Replying to a Parliamentary Question by MP Owen Bonnici, Justice Minister Carmelo Mifsud Bonnici said that there were 2 reports in January, one in May and another in August.
All the reports were filed by third parties. The police are currently still investigating the cases.
The police received 4 reports of sexual abuse of children by a parent in 2009.
Replying to a Parliamentary Question by MP Owen Bonnici, Justice Minister Carmelo Mifsud Bonnici said that there were 2 reports in January, one in May and another in August.
All the reports were filed by third parties. The police are currently still investigating the cases.
Family doctor visits 'should be free'
http://www.timesofmalta.com/articles/view/20100127/local/family-doctor-visits-should-be-free
A Canadian family medicine specialist believes it is a mistake for patients to have to pay for their GP visits and argues that their fees should be footed by the government.
Helen Batty, a family doctor and professor at the University of Toronto, strongly believes retaining the present system, whereby patients pay out of pocket for GP visits, will weaken the revolutionary reform of primary healthcare being pushed by the government.
"People who need to go to the doctor are usually the poorest and the sickest. I think you will lose some of the strength of the system if they have to pay to see their family doctor," she said during a short visit to oversee medical students' exams.
When questioned about this, Health Parliamentary Secretary Joe Cassar said doctors did not want to become government employees.
"They do not want to be paid by the government for the service. They shot it down in 1987 and they will shoot it down now," he said.
Last month, the government launched a consultation on the much-awaited reform that gives more powers to family doctors and pivots around a system in which patients will register with a GP. Registration will be free but patients will continue to pay for visits, although there will be a means-tested mechanism to identify those who cannot afford to pay.
Moreover, the 49-page reform document proposed that people with chronic diseases, who go to health centres for follow-up care and repeat prescriptions, would be able to obtain this service from their family doctor, with the visit subsidised by the government.
Prof. Batty believes the government should pay for everyone's GP visits, a system that has been in place in Canada for four decades.
Her reasoning is based on international research, which found that a strong primary health system reduces the need for hospital admissions and cuts healthcare costs.
In fact, the local consultation document pointed out that studies have shown primary care improves the health outcomes of a population and contributes towards the long-term sustainability of healthcare provision.
Prof. Batty believes results will start being seen after five years. "If you put more money in primary care, the hospital expenditure will go down because people will not go unnecessarily and won't stay longer than they need to," she said, adding that a strong community care system was also important.
The physician highlighted the importance of building a strong doctor-patient relationship, which is possible through the registration system that exists in Canada.
"We know the healthcare outcomes are much better when there is a strong relationship between the patient and the doctor," she said, adding that family doctors see patients as a whole person.
She explained that in patients with multiple conditions, the treatment for one disease might exacerbate another.
But a family doctor could find a tailor-made programme for the patients, leading to a better outcome.
She emphasised the importance of round-the-clock coverage by family doctors, a system that operates in Canada and is included in the local reform.
"A lot of small things can be solved through a five-minute phone call in the middle of the night, which avoids a visit to the emergency room," she said.
Prof. Batty believes healthcare protocols should not be set by bureaucrats but by the doctors themselves.
"As a professional, I feel the government should trust me. If I say that a patient needs a particular test, it is because I believe it is necessary and am willing to defend the decision," she said.
In Canada, the government foots the bill of such investigations, although patients pay for medications, mostly through insurance.
The local reform recommends that part-time doctors or those working reduced hours will only be able to work within the system as part of a group practice.
Prof. Batty believes part-time doctors should not be discouraged from being part of the registration system, even because they might want to have reduced hours temporarily. She stressed that family doctors were highly specialised and it would be a pity to have a number not included in the system because they could not work full-time.
A Canadian family medicine specialist believes it is a mistake for patients to have to pay for their GP visits and argues that their fees should be footed by the government.
Helen Batty, a family doctor and professor at the University of Toronto, strongly believes retaining the present system, whereby patients pay out of pocket for GP visits, will weaken the revolutionary reform of primary healthcare being pushed by the government.
"People who need to go to the doctor are usually the poorest and the sickest. I think you will lose some of the strength of the system if they have to pay to see their family doctor," she said during a short visit to oversee medical students' exams.
When questioned about this, Health Parliamentary Secretary Joe Cassar said doctors did not want to become government employees.
"They do not want to be paid by the government for the service. They shot it down in 1987 and they will shoot it down now," he said.
Last month, the government launched a consultation on the much-awaited reform that gives more powers to family doctors and pivots around a system in which patients will register with a GP. Registration will be free but patients will continue to pay for visits, although there will be a means-tested mechanism to identify those who cannot afford to pay.
Moreover, the 49-page reform document proposed that people with chronic diseases, who go to health centres for follow-up care and repeat prescriptions, would be able to obtain this service from their family doctor, with the visit subsidised by the government.
Prof. Batty believes the government should pay for everyone's GP visits, a system that has been in place in Canada for four decades.
Her reasoning is based on international research, which found that a strong primary health system reduces the need for hospital admissions and cuts healthcare costs.
In fact, the local consultation document pointed out that studies have shown primary care improves the health outcomes of a population and contributes towards the long-term sustainability of healthcare provision.
Prof. Batty believes results will start being seen after five years. "If you put more money in primary care, the hospital expenditure will go down because people will not go unnecessarily and won't stay longer than they need to," she said, adding that a strong community care system was also important.
The physician highlighted the importance of building a strong doctor-patient relationship, which is possible through the registration system that exists in Canada.
"We know the healthcare outcomes are much better when there is a strong relationship between the patient and the doctor," she said, adding that family doctors see patients as a whole person.
She explained that in patients with multiple conditions, the treatment for one disease might exacerbate another.
But a family doctor could find a tailor-made programme for the patients, leading to a better outcome.
She emphasised the importance of round-the-clock coverage by family doctors, a system that operates in Canada and is included in the local reform.
"A lot of small things can be solved through a five-minute phone call in the middle of the night, which avoids a visit to the emergency room," she said.
Prof. Batty believes healthcare protocols should not be set by bureaucrats but by the doctors themselves.
"As a professional, I feel the government should trust me. If I say that a patient needs a particular test, it is because I believe it is necessary and am willing to defend the decision," she said.
In Canada, the government foots the bill of such investigations, although patients pay for medications, mostly through insurance.
The local reform recommends that part-time doctors or those working reduced hours will only be able to work within the system as part of a group practice.
Prof. Batty believes part-time doctors should not be discouraged from being part of the registration system, even because they might want to have reduced hours temporarily. She stressed that family doctors were highly specialised and it would be a pity to have a number not included in the system because they could not work full-time.
Media urged to respect dignity of women and men
http://www.timesofmalta.com/articles/view/20100127/local/media-urged-to-respect-dignity-of-women-and-men
The National Council of Women has strongly deplored the publication and subsequent "sensational" media follow-up items on a students' newsletter "that depicts men and women in a degrading and offensive manner, under the pretext of 'fiction' or 'literary' work".
Without going into the legal provisions regarding such publications, NCW has urged the government, media outlets and the relevant authorities responsible for media publications, including print and audiovisual media, to ensure "by appropriate means" that respect for human dignity and the integrity of the person, in particular women, are guaranteed and that these are neither directly nor indirectly discriminatory nor contain any sexist insults or degrading images of women and men.
It also expects that publications do not contain material which, judged in its context, sanctions, promotes or glamorises all forms of violence, including sexist violence against women.
Action should be taken against sexist insults or degrading images of women and men in all publications, the MCW said.
It called for rules or codes of ethics where these are missing and to provide sanctions for lack of compliance with such rules.
Finally, the NCW said efforts to combat gender stereotypes in all forms of media should be accompanied by educational strategies and measures to cultivate awareness from an early age and to develop critical faculties from adolescence onwards.
The National Council of Women has strongly deplored the publication and subsequent "sensational" media follow-up items on a students' newsletter "that depicts men and women in a degrading and offensive manner, under the pretext of 'fiction' or 'literary' work".
Without going into the legal provisions regarding such publications, NCW has urged the government, media outlets and the relevant authorities responsible for media publications, including print and audiovisual media, to ensure "by appropriate means" that respect for human dignity and the integrity of the person, in particular women, are guaranteed and that these are neither directly nor indirectly discriminatory nor contain any sexist insults or degrading images of women and men.
It also expects that publications do not contain material which, judged in its context, sanctions, promotes or glamorises all forms of violence, including sexist violence against women.
Action should be taken against sexist insults or degrading images of women and men in all publications, the MCW said.
It called for rules or codes of ethics where these are missing and to provide sanctions for lack of compliance with such rules.
Finally, the NCW said efforts to combat gender stereotypes in all forms of media should be accompanied by educational strategies and measures to cultivate awareness from an early age and to develop critical faculties from adolescence onwards.
EU to give Malta extra year to narrow the deficit
http://www.timesofmalta.com/articles/view/20100127/local/eu-to-give-malta-extra-year-to-narrow-the-deficit
The European Commission is to recommend that Malta be given an extra year to cut its deficit to the levels set by the EU's financial rules.
The EU last July adopted an excessive deficit procedure (EDP) against Malta, ordering the island to bring its deficit down to under three per cent of GDP by the end of 2010.
However, Malta asked for more breathing space while the economy was still recovering from a recession and the Commission is today expected to accede to the request.
The final decision is expected to be taken by EU's Finance Ministers in the coming weeks. However, the Commission's recommendation is not likely to encounter any objection.
"In our assessment of the measures being contemplated by Malta to correct its deficit, the Commission found that, over the past months, Malta did indeed take effective action to lower its deficit," a Commission official said.
"It is also a fact that Malta is being hit by the global recession much more than we anticipated. This has prompted us to accept Malta's request and we will now be recommending to member states that Malta should be given an extra year, until the end of 2011, to bring its deficit down to three per cent of GDP."
Other member states are experiencing higher deficits than Malta's, including Germany, France and the UK, which have already been granted extensions to put their finances in order.
But the extension will come at a price because Brussels will want to monitor more closely how the island's finances are being managed.
"There will be enhanced surveillance of Malta's public finances as this is now necessary in view of the new deadline for the correction of the excessive deficit. This will require timely and regular monitoring of the progress made in the implementation of the fiscal consolidation strategy to ensure the correction of the growing deficit. In this context, Malta will have to submit more regular and precise updates on its financial situation to the Commission," the official said.
Malta ended 2008 with a deficit of 4.7 per cent of GDP and is projecting that this will drop to 3.8 per cent for 2009, with the final data still to be published.
According to the Commission's recommendation, Brussels is now expecting the island to stick rigorously to its projected deficit of 3.9 per cent in 2010 and lower it to at least three per cent in 2011.
The European Commission is to recommend that Malta be given an extra year to cut its deficit to the levels set by the EU's financial rules.
The EU last July adopted an excessive deficit procedure (EDP) against Malta, ordering the island to bring its deficit down to under three per cent of GDP by the end of 2010.
However, Malta asked for more breathing space while the economy was still recovering from a recession and the Commission is today expected to accede to the request.
The final decision is expected to be taken by EU's Finance Ministers in the coming weeks. However, the Commission's recommendation is not likely to encounter any objection.
"In our assessment of the measures being contemplated by Malta to correct its deficit, the Commission found that, over the past months, Malta did indeed take effective action to lower its deficit," a Commission official said.
"It is also a fact that Malta is being hit by the global recession much more than we anticipated. This has prompted us to accept Malta's request and we will now be recommending to member states that Malta should be given an extra year, until the end of 2011, to bring its deficit down to three per cent of GDP."
Other member states are experiencing higher deficits than Malta's, including Germany, France and the UK, which have already been granted extensions to put their finances in order.
But the extension will come at a price because Brussels will want to monitor more closely how the island's finances are being managed.
"There will be enhanced surveillance of Malta's public finances as this is now necessary in view of the new deadline for the correction of the excessive deficit. This will require timely and regular monitoring of the progress made in the implementation of the fiscal consolidation strategy to ensure the correction of the growing deficit. In this context, Malta will have to submit more regular and precise updates on its financial situation to the Commission," the official said.
Malta ended 2008 with a deficit of 4.7 per cent of GDP and is projecting that this will drop to 3.8 per cent for 2009, with the final data still to be published.
According to the Commission's recommendation, Brussels is now expecting the island to stick rigorously to its projected deficit of 3.9 per cent in 2010 and lower it to at least three per cent in 2011.
Commission says Malta's deficit reduction efforts 'effective'
http://www.timesofmalta.com/articles/view/20100127/local/commission-says-maltas-deficit-reduction-efforts-effective
The European Commission said today that Malta had taken effective action to rein in its deficit, and it therefore extended its deadline for the deficit to be brought under 3% by a year.
"The Commission concluded that effective action had been taken in response to the July 2009 Council recommendations," the EU said in a statement.
"However, due to a sharper impact of the global crisis on the Maltese economy, than was expected in the spring 2009 forecast, the budgetary position has been adversely affected beyond the government’s control. As a result, the existing deadline of 2010 for the correction of the excessive deficit has become unrealistic.
"Therefore the Commission recommends that the deadline should be extended to 2011. To this end, the Maltese authorities should achieve the 2010 deficit target of 3.9% of GDP set in the budget, if necessary by adopting additional consolidation measures, and ensure in 2011 a fiscal effort of ¾ p.p. of GDP."
Malta ended 2008 with a deficit of 4.7 per cent of GDP and is projecting that this will drop to 3.8 per cent for 2009, with the final data still to be published.
According to the Commission's recommendation, Brussels is now expecting the island to stick rigorously to its projected deficit of 3.9 per cent in 2010 and lower it to at least three per cent in 2011.
The European Commission said today that Malta had taken effective action to rein in its deficit, and it therefore extended its deadline for the deficit to be brought under 3% by a year.
"The Commission concluded that effective action had been taken in response to the July 2009 Council recommendations," the EU said in a statement.
"However, due to a sharper impact of the global crisis on the Maltese economy, than was expected in the spring 2009 forecast, the budgetary position has been adversely affected beyond the government’s control. As a result, the existing deadline of 2010 for the correction of the excessive deficit has become unrealistic.
"Therefore the Commission recommends that the deadline should be extended to 2011. To this end, the Maltese authorities should achieve the 2010 deficit target of 3.9% of GDP set in the budget, if necessary by adopting additional consolidation measures, and ensure in 2011 a fiscal effort of ¾ p.p. of GDP."
Malta ended 2008 with a deficit of 4.7 per cent of GDP and is projecting that this will drop to 3.8 per cent for 2009, with the final data still to be published.
According to the Commission's recommendation, Brussels is now expecting the island to stick rigorously to its projected deficit of 3.9 per cent in 2010 and lower it to at least three per cent in 2011.
National Youth Commission welcomes setting up of committee to review censorship legislation
http://www.independent.com.mt/news.asp?newsitemid=100757
The National Youth Commission, Kummissjoni Nazzjonali Zghazagh (KNZ), said that as representative of youths, it believes in youths as catalysts of evolution and protects their right and duty to fulfill such a role in society and there should be realistic measures to avoid the hindering of artistic expression.
It was commenting on the debate going on in the country after threatened police action against a university newspaper editor for a vulgar article which had no literary merit.
KNZ urged respect towards the fundamental human right of freedom of expression as outlined in Article 10 of The European Convention of Human Rights. “In this light however,” it added, “KNZ also highlights that the exercise of such freedoms shall be carried with duties and responsibilities as highlighted by the same Article of the Convention, and shall not be used frivolously without sense of accountability of one’s actions.”
If present legislation is ambiguous or not reflecting today’s society, the legislation should be updated, it said, welcoming the government’s and opposition’s will to review such legislation through the setting up of a committee.
The National Youth Commission, Kummissjoni Nazzjonali Zghazagh (KNZ), said that as representative of youths, it believes in youths as catalysts of evolution and protects their right and duty to fulfill such a role in society and there should be realistic measures to avoid the hindering of artistic expression.
It was commenting on the debate going on in the country after threatened police action against a university newspaper editor for a vulgar article which had no literary merit.
KNZ urged respect towards the fundamental human right of freedom of expression as outlined in Article 10 of The European Convention of Human Rights. “In this light however,” it added, “KNZ also highlights that the exercise of such freedoms shall be carried with duties and responsibilities as highlighted by the same Article of the Convention, and shall not be used frivolously without sense of accountability of one’s actions.”
If present legislation is ambiguous or not reflecting today’s society, the legislation should be updated, it said, welcoming the government’s and opposition’s will to review such legislation through the setting up of a committee.
PL calls for more protection to victims of domestic violence
http://www.independent.com.mt/news.asp?newsitemid=100756
Labour MP Justyne Caruana, party spokesperson for the family and equality, called for legislative amendments to give more protection to victims of domestic violence.
She expressed agreement with the Commission Against Domestic Violence in its concern about cases which remain hidden and said this situation meant they did not have a true picture of the situation.
They should not stop at conducting a study of the situation, but amend the law and enforce the existing law fully, especially relating to treating cases with urgency. These cases, which should be dealt with in court without delay, were in fact in a queue with other cases, Dr Caruana said.
Labour MP Justyne Caruana, party spokesperson for the family and equality, called for legislative amendments to give more protection to victims of domestic violence.
She expressed agreement with the Commission Against Domestic Violence in its concern about cases which remain hidden and said this situation meant they did not have a true picture of the situation.
They should not stop at conducting a study of the situation, but amend the law and enforce the existing law fully, especially relating to treating cases with urgency. These cases, which should be dealt with in court without delay, were in fact in a queue with other cases, Dr Caruana said.
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