SNAG have issued a statement expressing disappointment with Government and the ongoing issues affecting people with disabilities.

A statement from SNAG follows below:

SNAG is feeling very disappointed and let down by this administration. There are so many issues going on, all at the same time, that are having an enormous negative impact on people with disabilities. The disabled community are encountering major issues on every aspects of our lives and it is difficult to comprehend what is behind it all. 

There are serious problems with the new company providing Home Support and Domiciliary Care to so many individuals resulting in major problems to service users. The cutting down of the bus service (from 3 to 2 busses) that take children to St Martin’s School every day has had a massive impact on parents.

We have been waiting for over seven years for crucial pieces of legislation (Sections 13 and 14 of the Disability Act) to be enacted to transform the physical and social aspects of people’s lives. As a result of this lack of legislation, some government projects are not catering for wheelchair users and people with mobility issues. St Martin’s School, full to capacity barely a year since it opened, have been allocated 5 classes in neighbouring schools (Governors Meadow and Bishop Fitzgerald school) to cater for the increasing demand.

The tender for Respite Service for the over/under 16s appears to be put on hold, creating a huge problem with current demand. No information provided on the new development for St Bernadette’s Centre which is also functioning at maximum capacity.

The existing policy for Further Education for people with supported needs, which is only offered to very few individuals because of lack of resources, must be urgently reviewed to offer real life choices for many more service users. There is a lack of crucial therapy sessions due to poor resources forcing some parents to take their children to Spanish Centres.

The lack of information on the suspected merge between the Care Agency and the GHA is a serious concern to service users and their families especially after experiencing serious issues with Home Support and Domiciliary Care and possibly changing the way service users will be provided services in the future. Unfortunately the list goes on and on. 

One could be forgiven for not being too concerned with an individual issue hoping that a solution can be found but when you bring them all together you realise that there is one common factor that ties them all together - disabled people. So, what is going on? Is there a concerted effort to reduce resources and force people to go to private entities to ‘balance the books’? Does this administration have a clear direction of where it is taking the disabled community? Has the government let the foot off the pedal or is money more important than people? 

A community is measured by how the most vulnerable are treated and quite frankly, we are being treated horrendously!

Whether there is a lack of direction, lack of vision, lack of communication,  lack of resources, lack of transparency, lack of interest or sheer incompetence one thing is certain, things must change NOW!

Some may think that the most important issue affecting Gibraltar is the infamous deal but can a section of the community live in a world where essential services are put on hold ‘just in case’?

This administration must stop this rot from spreading any further and sort out the mess they have created immediately. For any business or administration to succeed, it is crucial that they consult with the right people and groups, the real stake holders, the ones that are directly impacted with their products/services, and then come up with reliable, sustainable and adequate solutions. This does not seem to be happening. Do government ministers think that they are the ‘experts’? 

It is inconceivable to believe that all the issues stated above are a product of coincidence. There  appears to be something big happening behind closed doors. Whatever the reason for this debacle, it must stop and be resolved immediately. There are many families that are feeling that they are being targeted and are directly affected by this attack on crucial services and are not getting the support they need and deserve. This is having a detrimental effect on this community and the effects will last for many years to come.

We urge government to act and end this dire situation NOW!