Malta: The Elderly in Constant Political Focus

Report on the Regional Conference “South” (Mediterranean region) in Cooperation with
APAN and the European People’s Party

Text and Photos by
Ulrich Winz

(Valletta, 2nd to 4th of May 2010); In comparison to other countries, on the Maltese archipelago the older population lives under good social conditions, enjoying high
- pensioners can still be employed in the private sector without sacrificing their old age pensions (not in public administration) (currently 8,000, more to follow)
- many older people have a say in the destiny of their communities and are considered valuable advisers by governmen
- and senior day care centres are available in Malta and Gozo (the two largest of the three islands) to the needy and the lonely.

Regional Conference "South" Mediterranean region, Malta, May 2010

President Emeritus of Malta, Dr. Eddie Fenech Adami (right) honours the conference; next to him; Carlo Fatuzzo (Italy), Maria Mantziafou-Kanellopoulou (Greece), Thanos Michael (Cyprus) and the host Alfred Scerri, chairman of the APAN (Malta)

Who is to Thank for This?
Now, when Dr. Edward Fenech Adami of the Partit Nazzjonalista (Nationalist Party, PN) - now a highly esteemed President Emeritus – took over the government in 1987, he put an end to age discrimination and took the elderly back into the society, into life. A high government post was established for their concerns (now with the rank of secretary of State in the Ministry of Health and Senior Citizens). The result: a new age image of the elderly. It corresponds to the growing proportion of older people, comparable to other European countries.
It is no wonder that the politicians at the first European Senior Citizens’ Union’s Regional Conference in Malta like to talk about it. They have every reason to. The strong "Senior Citizens Organization" delegation from Cyprus with its new president, Michael Thanos listened carefully. Even the Vice-President of the Greek European Senior Citizens’ Union, Maria Mantziafou-Kanellopoulou (Nea Demokratia – New Democracy) was surprised. Her colleague Carlo Fatuzzo, president of the Pensioners Party of Italy (2,000 members) enthusiastically made a comparison with “paradise conditions.”
With applause a message from the European Senior Citizens’ Union President Dr. Worms was incorporated, stating: “The European Senior Citizens’ Union is proud of its Maltese friends.”

Regional Conference "South" Mediterranean region, Malta, May 2010

The “Welcome Photo” (Mellieha)

Recognition through Political Prominence
With pleasure the guests from abroad listened to their Maltese colleague Alfred Scerri, the chairman of APAN (Assocjazzjoni Pensjonanti Anzjani Nazzjonalisti / Nationalist Association of Pensioners and Elderly), telling of good relations with the "mother party" PN. The very careful preparation and careful implementation - including co-financing – of this first European Senior Citizens’ Union’s Conference on Maltese soil being only one of many examples. The PN headquarters in Pieta, near Valletta served as the meeting venue. Where in Europe does almost the entire leadership of the state elite and the ruling party follow an invitation to such a meeting?

These are some of the prominent speakers:

• The President Emeritus of the State of Malta, Dr. Fenech Adami, welcomed the participants in the senior citizen’s home of Mellieha (opened 2008), "it was the fruit of targeted political state activity" and was co-financed by the EU. His appeal to give senior citizens' organizations across Europe the necessary support was unmistakable
• Health and Senior Citizen’s Minister Dr. Joseph Cassar and his Parliamentary Secretary for Affairs of the Older Generation, Mario Galea, outlined motives, methods and results of state policy for senior citizens over the last 23 years
• PN General Secretary Dr. Paul Borg Olivier called "his" senior citizens an "active part of the party" (all 7,000 APAN members belong to the PN). Together they work to secure the Maltese welfare state - despite all the financial problems. The aim of preserving familiar surroundings for the elderly as long as possible is served by: medical care at home, meals on wheels, on-call repair service, arrangement of domestic help, a dense network of day centres (16 already exist), "night centres" and others.

Regional Conference "South" Mediterranean region, Malta, May 2010

PN General Secretary Dr. Paul Georg Olivier during his speech; left – Alfred Scerri; right – Rudolf Cini (moderator)

Answers to Old-Age Poverty
On the question of "old-age poverty" - an important EU issue in 2010 - Maltese society provides convincing and reassuring answers. As the Parliamentary Assistant, Dr. Peter Micallef emphasized, cheap hospital stays, support of carers, and low bus and ferry fares to Gozo stand among many other actions. From age 60, the Maltese receive an OAP ID card with photo to guarantee their rights, those over the age of 75 having some additional advantages. Such an ID card did the rounds amongst the foreign guests and caused quite a stir.

Senior Citizens’ Organizations Have a Duty
In Malta the title of the conference "The Elderly – an asset not a liability" was not really necessary, as in this country no one doubts this. Systematic political action has brought confirmation that the financial and organizational effort pays off, as much for society as for every individual. That the organizers - PN and APAN wanted to discuss the issue with their European neighbours demonstrates their awareness of solidarity.

This thought was deepened by the International Secretary of the PN, Dr. John Bonello, who found significantly improved quality of life for the elderly in Malta and at the same time – even under the influence of the descriptions from Greece, Italy and Cyprus – emphasized the co-responsibility of senior citizen’s representatives from all European countries for similar results.

Government Leader Stimulated by the European Senior Citizens’ Union
Dr. Lawrence Gonzi, Prime Minister and party chairman, can hardly believe that there are still "white areas" in the family of the European People's Party (EPP) in relation to senior citizen organizations. And this despite the European People’s Party Congress in Rome (2007) and Warsaw (2009), asking all party leaderships to found senior citizen organizations with a decision initiated by the European Senior Citizens’ Union. In this respect he wished to speak with the Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk, chairman of the Platforma Obywatelska (Civic Platform), Dr Gonzi said in an interview with the author.

Regional Conference "South" Mediterranean region, Malta, May 2010

After the closing speech by the Prime Minister and PN party chairman, Dr. Lawrence Gonzi (in the centre), at the party's HQ in Pieta, near Valletta

The government and party chief said he had taken inspiration for his closing speech by statements on the Internet from by the European Senior Citizen’s Union. The European Senior Citizens’ Union had shown steps toward a way of life in a changed world. These included the strengthening of inner values and the protection of individual rights.
Securing the human dignity from the beginning, learning from the older generation, including the elderly and disabled - this was his government's program and must be made the aim everywhere. On its website, the PN named its goal as the development of democracy, calling on "freedom and social justice for the Maltese, (and also) Christian and European tradition." The goal "is a society with equal opportunities for everyone." The party "works for European unity, for peace and justice around the world and for the development of all citizens, especially the Mediterranean region."
Successes and shortcomings, transnational problems and opportunities with an aging population made up the contents of several presentations and discussions, which must unfortunately be omitted from this report. The floor was taken by: Maria Mantziafou-Kanellopoulou (GR), Carlo Fatuzzo (I), Dr. Frank Bartolo, Alfred Scerri (M), Lina Caruana (M), Joe Cilia (M), Ulrich Winz (D), Rudolph Cini (M) and Thanos Michael (CY).

Cyprus - a Gaping Wound
How deep the pain of the expulsion from their homeland in the north of the country in 1974 still sits in the Cypriot elderly was shown by the description of that process and calls for help from among those affected. Comparisons with the violent division of Berlin and Germany between 1961 and 1989 were made. It was agreed to draw up a resolution calling for a new diplomatic initiative to resolve the Cyprus issue on behalf of the European Senior Citizens’ Union and signed by the senior citizen’s organizations meeting together in Malta.

Mellieha
The Regional Conference "Mediterranean" commenced in Mellieha, a small town in the northwest of Malta, where the ferries to the islands of Gozo and Comino dock. The guests from home and abroad took part in a procession, paused in the famous Chapel of our Lady, whose fresco is attributed to Luke the Evangelist, and were impressed by the high standard of the senior citizen’s home accommodating up to 350 residents or short-term guests.

Regional Conference "South" Mediterranean region, Malta, May 2010

Conference participants take part in a procession around the Church of Our Lady in Mellieha.

Marian Sanctuary of Our Lady of Mellieha, a famous place of pilgrimage, the painted wooden altarpiece is accredited to the workshop of Luke the Evangelist.

An Attempt to Summarize
The conference addressed key issues, strengthened awareness and the shared responsibility for a "single Europe" and established friendships between the representatives of senior citizen organizations and their members. Experiences strengthening of the member associations of the European Senior Citizens’ Union were exchanged and possibilities for further meetings discussed. A regional conference had thus once again proven itself as a specific "working field" of the European Senior Citizen’s Union..

At Every Step: History & Culture
Malta developed under the influence of the Phoenicians, Greeks, Romans, Arabs, the Sovereign Military Hospitaller Order of Saint John of Jerusalem of Rhodes and of Malta (S.M.O.M.), and the British. The great legacy of temples and caves are unique (some from the 4th millennium BC), two of which - "Hypogeum" and "Ġgantija" - enjoy UNESCO protection. Visiting the Archaeological Museum in Valletta our friendly hosts enabled a look at the most spectacular artefacts. The capital itself with the St. John Co-Cathedral (photo) and extensive fortifications is also a world heritage site and a regular attraction for tens of thousands of tourists from all over the world. Among them are many senior citizens’ travellers, all contributing to Malta's economy.
Malta became independent from Great Britain in 1964 and has been a republic since 1976, and has been an EU member state (as the smallest country) since 2004, introducing the euro in 2008. The Christian Democratic, Conservative PN gained about 49% of the vote in 2008.

Text and Photos: U. Winz