Justyne Caruana

One thing is for sure - we must keep children away from what might represent a danger even if remotely. Accidents do happen without anybody’s fault or negligence and Theo is a victim of such an instance.

Clayton’s story, apart from being heart breaking, is ambivalent. What is a twenty five year old doing in an elderly institution? Reading and hearing what Clayton said, seems that he is feeling buried alive. Why is this so? The answer is simply that government home care is unavailable for this young man. If this is the case, this is really obnoxious.

Over the years we have had a long list of government over-expenditure with regards to futile and ephemeral things from which society at large did not benefit a penny. I have had cases of requests for home care by disabled people and their families which requests have been pending for months and years. The reason for this is that there are no funds to employ home care workers. What kind of excuse is this?

If we want to give dignity to the disabled and really practise inclusion, we cannot allow this ostrich kind of behaviour. Clayton’s situation must be addressed and he has a right to be treated as a person not like some flotsam without rights and feelings.

My deepest condolences go the families of the Simshar tragedy victims. Simon Bugeja’s life will not be easy from now on and he will not feel better or solaced by the fact that he managed to keep his son alive for so many days. But what he did for his son in the circumstances deserve our admiration and respect and may he be the inspiration and example for all parents and all those having children in their care.




Theo and Clayton
Maltastar (26-07-2008)
These last days were marked with a lot of suffering and thought provoking issues. We had Theo and Clayton – two different stories but both heartbreaking and deserving thoughts and actions. Young Theo’s fate will leave an indelible mark not only to his family and the fishing community to which he belonged but to all the country. While the searches progressed, our hearts were beating fast hoping young Theo would be found safe and sound. Odds prevailed and the one who will bear the biggest hurdle will surely be his father – this man who did more than was humanly possible to save his son but to no avail. This tragedy must surely give us a lesson – we do not know what dangers might lay ahead, no matter how cautious and attentive we are.
One thing is for sure - we must keep children away from what might represent a danger even if remotely. Accidents do happen without anybody’s fault or negligence and Theo is a victim of such an instance. Clayton’s story, apart from being heart breaking, is ambivalent. What is a twenty five year old doing in an elderly institution? Reading and hearing what Clayton said, seems that he is feeling buried alive. Why is this so? The answer is simply that government home care is unavailable for this young man. If this is the case, this is really obnoxious. Over the years we have had a long list of government over-expenditure with regards to futile and ephemeral things from which society at large did not benefit a penny. I have had cases of requests for home care by disabled people and their families which requests have been pending for months and years. The reason for this is that there are no funds to employ home care workers. What kind of excuse is this? If we want to give dignity to the disabled and really practise inclusion, we cannot allow this ostrich kind of behaviour. Clayton’s situation must be addressed and he has a right to be treated as a person not like some flotsam without rights and feelings. My deepest condolences go the families of the Simshar tragedy victims. Simon Bugeja’s life will not be easy from now on and he will not feel better or solaced by the fact that he managed to keep his son alive for so many days. But what he did for his son in the circumstances deserve our admiration and respect and may he be the inspiration and example for all parents and all those having children in their care.
© 2008 - Justyne Caruana