Mobility service in Sliema

Mobility Service in Sliema

Electric scooters for elderly persons in Sliema

Elderly residents with mobility problems in Sliema will have the opportunity to drive electric scooters to do their chores as part of a pilot project by NGOs which will commence in June. 

This is a very good example of community empowement through a public-private partnership involving volunteers, NGOs, Local Council, Government and business.

Times of Malta coverage of this can be read here. 

Skills space for persons with disability opens in Sliema

A skills space for persons with disability has opened in Sliema. It is run by Agenzija Sapport and is situated near Nazzarenu Church.

Read Times of Malta coverage of this here and here.

New Responsibilities as Councillor

In yesterday's Local Council meeting, Sliema Mayor Anthony Chircop re-assigned resposibilities to councillors. My responsibilities are as follows:

Chairperson Education;
Chairperson Committee for Accessibility and Disability;
Member - Committee for Public Gardens, Playing Fields and Promenade;
Member - Finance Committee;
Member - Tenders Committee;
Coastal Environment;
Environmental Pollution (Air, Traffic, Noise);
Member - EU Funding Committee

Those willing to assist in any of these areas are welcome to contact me at mbrig@hotmail.com

Sliema play area awarded for Accessibility

The Sliema Local Council has been awarded third place under the A+ Accessibility Scheme out of 26 participating Local Councils, for our latest project of new and accessible swings at Independence Garden.

We are proud that our efforts to ensure that the new play area is as accessible as possible have been fruitful. The design of the project was carried out by experts and we conducted comprehensive consultation to ensure best practice.

New Play Area inaugurated at Independence Gardens

The Sliema Local Council has inaugurated a new play area at Independence Gardens. The Local Council has strived to ensure that the area is as accessible as possible, and consulted with experts in the field, including NGO Breaking Limits.

The garden is already proving to be a success.

SLC would like to appeal to parents to ensure that only children with wheelchairs should use the swing which is designed precisely for this purpose. Unfortunately at times the swing is being used by lots of children at the same time - as can be seen in picture below. This is potentially dangerous for users.

Accessible Play Area to be inaugurated this Thursday

This Thursday 17 July at 7pm Sliema Local Council will be inaugurating the new play area at Independence Garden.

The top priority of the project is accessibility for children with disability. Sliema Local Council carried consulted with experts and activists for the rights of persons with disability so as to ensure the implementation of this goal.

Education and Accessibility

Michael Briguglio

Sliema Local Council magazine - Summer 2014

Education courses within Sliema Local Council are as popular as ever, and this inspires us to organize more courses.

Indeed, this Summer we will be organising language courses for primary school children – Maltese and foreign - as well as courses for adults in leading a healthy lifestyle through the food we eat.

In addition, Sliema will also benefit from Government initiatives namely a comprehensive summer school scheme (Skola Sajf), childcare facilities (Klabb 3-16), and a catch-up literacy programme for children benefitting from Complementary Education (Klabb Sajf)

In mid-August, Sliema will launch its proposals for Life Long Learning courses for the upcoming scholastic year, and applications will be accepted until 5th September. These courses are very popular, and Sliema is frequently cited as a success story due to the high participation rate of adult students. For the upcoming year, the Local Council has applied for a number of courses in Literacy (Maltese, English, Science; Maths); English and Maltese as foreign languages; Spanish Language and Culture; Zumba; Yoga; Understanding Child Development; Lace Making and Maltese Cultural and Natural Heritage.

Following summer we also plan to hold other courses including the ever-popular beading course and computer skills course for adults. Story-telling for children at the Council library will also take place for the third successive year.

Accessibility is a major priority in all courses and schemes. More details on both courses can be obtained by contacting the local council, through the respective Gov.mt websites or through the local council’s facebook page and noticeboards. One can also ask Sliema Local Council to add one’s address in the council email list, so as to receive such information.

On another note, in the first weeks of summer, the Local Council will inaugurate the new children’s play area in Independence Garden, which is going to be a flagship of accessibility. In this regard, Sliema Local Council carried out consultation with professionals and with experts in disability issues representing the Breaking Limits NGO so as to ensure that the swings are truly accessible.

Accessibility is also being given priority with respect to beaches in Sliema. We acknowledge that more needs to be done, yet a hands-on proactive approach is being adopted by Local Council.

I invite residents to contact me with suggestions and feedback especially on issues under my responsibility, namely education, disability and maritime affairs.

mbrig@hotmail.com

Persons with Disability - Sheltered Employment Training

The following was received by Sliema Local Council, which is of interest for persons with disability

The ETC is committed to help and support persons with disability to find and stay in employment. Together with our project partner, sector NGO Inspire, we have the experience to help these people become more independent and succeed in life.

We have embarked on a new project through which we will provide free sheltered employment training to persons with different disabilities with the aim of improving their employability.

Our job coaches will assist jobseekers throughout the whole training programme. The programme will include practical employment training in various sectors of the labour market.

Free transport will be provided by ETC.

Applicants must be registered as disabled persons with the ETC or the National Commission for Persons with Disability. Legal guardians may also apply on behalf of persons with disability.


Application forms may be obtained from the ETC website www.etc.gov.mt (‘Latest News’ section on the homepage) or by sending an email on set.etc@gov.mt. Applications may also be obtained from the Supported Employment Services Unit at the ETC complex at Ħal Far.


Applications should be sent either on the email address shown above or by post or by hand to:


Sheltered Employment Training (ESF 3.113)
Supported Employment Services Unit
Employment and Training Corporation
Ħal Far

This call for application will close when the maximum number of participants has been registered.

Initiatives in education, disability and maritime affairs

In this article - which also appears in the Sliema Local Council magazine (April 2014) - I would like to speak about some current initiatives undertaken by the Sliema Local Council in areas related to maritime affairs, education and disability.

As regards Maritime Affairs the Council is doing its utmost to keep increasing accessibility, safety and cleanliness of beaches. In addition to the recent construction of ramps and installation of railings, as well as improved signage, we aim to have more accessible steps, handrails and ladders in areas which were highlighted to us by residents and swimmers. Next Summer we will also have a beach fully accessible for dogs at the Fortina Area.

The Council also commissioned an underwater study and clean-up in the Exiles area, which is frequently littered with different types of material. We are also planning to have better waste management in all our beaches.

One should appreciate that whilst the Local Council has full authority of in certain aspects related to accessibility and cleanliness, we depend on co-operation and approval of Government Authorities for others.

In this regard, Sliema Local Council recently presented various proposals to the Central Government related to tourism, some of which were related to beach management.

As regards disability, Sliema Local Council acknowledges that there is a long way to go to increase accessibility and social justice, especially when one recognizes that disability has plural dimensions. Yet we are involved in both small and large initiatives in this area, as this is a Council priority. One current initiative we are undertaking is the new playing field at Independence Gardens, which will hopefully be in place by Summer. Professional consultation was carried out by the Council to ensure that persons with disability have access to the swings.

As regards education, once again our courses – including those which form part of the Lifelong Learning initiative - are proving to be a success, especially since they cover different areas ranging from languages to life-skills and health. In the coming weeks we will be planning for new courses for the coming months. Suggestions and feedback from residents are more than welcome

Our library is as popular as ever, and I once again encourage parents to send their children (aged 4-7) to storytelling sessions on Saturday mornings between 9am and 10am.

Some other interesting Local Council initiatives currently in place include the preparation for the Summer Sliema Arts Festival, as well as the upgrading of various services – ranging from waste management to upkeep of public conveniences – to ensure the best service possible. We are also giving priority to sustainability and fairness as regards expenditure programmes and management of public spaces and services.

New Playing field in Independence Garden

Sliema Local Council is proud to announce that works on the new playing field at Independence Garden are to start in the coming weeks. The top priority of the project is accessibility for persons with disability.

Education, Accessibility, Environment

Michael Briguglio - Sliema Local Council Magazine - December 2013

Education is a priority for Sliema Local Council. By education, we don’t simply mean the awarding of certificates, but we are increasingly referring to various life skills and abilities which can be learned in an inclusive atmosphere, where participants share a sense of belonging to their locality.

During 2013, Sliema Local Council was busy organizing various educational courses. These included computer courses for children and adults, first aid, drama, nutrition, breast cancer awareness, alongside others such as the popular courses within the Lifelong learning scheme, which varied from languages to physical activity, with alot of other courses in between. The Lifelong learning scheme in Sliema is the 2nd most popular in Malta, and courses are fully accessible for persons with physical disability.

Investment in the public library in Blanche Huber Street ensured internet and Wi-fi access in addition to an ever expanding collection of books. Story-telling sessions for children, on Saturdays between 9am and 10am, are now in their second year. The library is also fully accessible for persons with physical disability.

Indeed, the Local Council is giving priority to the need for universal access to public services and infrastructure. Works on pavements, gardens and beaches are examples in this regard. Other plans for the future include having more accessible swings and playing areas.

We are also one of the only five local councils to assign dog-friendly beaches. Part of the beach in Tigne’ near Fortina hotel has been assigned for this purpose, and by next summer we intend to have it better equipped.

Sliema Local Council has also been meeting the Bicycle Advocacy Group to increase awareness on the rights of pedestrians and bicycle users. We are doing our utmost to ensure safety for everyone, yet it is important to point out that we depend on approval from Transport Malta for certain initiatives which we are proposing.

As regards the environment, one main initiative by the local council was our official feedback to MEPA for the Local Plans public consultation process. Amongst others, Sliema Council expressed its opposition to more large-scale development similar to those at Tigne’ Point and Fort Cambridge; that the coast should be free from further development and should be fully accessible to the public; that permitted building heights should not increase, and should actually decrease in certain cases; that the area near the Police Station should be revived so as to function as a community centre with public services; that a park-and-ride scheme to Sliema be introduced at Manoel Island; that Tigne’ seafront should remain residential rather than be commercialized; that development in urban conservation areas should not simply preserve facades, but also important internal characteristics; that more buildings be scheduled; and that MEPA dedicates more funds to compensate for the impact on development in Sliema.

We expect MEPA to give the Local Council proposals the importance they deserve.

Disability, Education and Maritime Affairs

Michael Briguglio

Sliema Local Council Magazine, Summer 2013


It is with pleasure that this is my fourth legislature as Sliema local councillor since 2003. It is also very satisfying to note that the previous council won a vote of confidence in March’s local elections. The positive and forward-looking attitude by councillors and staff surely played an important role in this regard.

My responsibilities for the 2013-17 legislature are issues related to disability, education and maritime affairs. I also form part of the Council’s committees on finance, public offers and EU affairs.

In this article I wish to point out some of my priorities in the respective fields.

As regards disability, it is important to note that there are various forms of disability. Despite the increased awareness on the rights of persons with disability, ignorance still persists on this issue. For example, people with disability should not be seen as one homogenous group. There are various degrees and types of disability, from the physical to the intellectual and such identities intersect with other identities that each individual has such as gender, class, sexuality, age, and ethnicity. If one translates this to social policy, one would realize that, while all persons with disability should have their rights guaranteed, one cannot adopt one-size-fits-all policies. Persons with disability should have full access to the political, social, economic and cultural spheres of everyday life. Otherwise, it would be society which is disabling people.

One important priority regarding disability is to ensure that Sliema is a fully accessible locality. The current council is working on safer pedestrian pathways, more accessible pavements and public buildings and more accessible beaches. We also intend to ensure that all public spaces, including playing fields, are fully accessible.

As regards education, the Sliema Local Council will shortly launch the Lifelong Learning scheme for 2013-4. As was the case with previous years, the scheme was very successful last year. Next year we aim to further diversify courses on offer, where we also aim to include courses related to wellbeing, social and cultural issues and healthy living, in addition to language courses.

Following various upgrades at the Sliema Library, which is situated in the Primary School building, this year we aim to keep giving this service the importance it deserves. The library is constantly purchasing new books and also offers services such as storytelling for children, internet access and WI-FI.

As regards Maritime Affairs, one main priority is to ensure that beaches are well-organized, accessible and clean. It is for this reason that apart from the public cleaning services, Sliema Local Council works with NGOs and civic-minded persons for beach and underwater clean-ups. As regards the latter, much more awareness has to be created. This is important not only for the maritime ecology, but also for our diving industry, which is an important touristic niche. Sliema Local Council is also ensuring that beaches are not glorified carparks.

Another initiative in which I am involved with other fellow councillors is the drive to make Sliema the most bicycle-friendly locality. Last year we increased bicycle racks, but now is the time to introduce policies to make sure that this green form of transport is enhanced. Bikers’ and pedestrians’ safety is a key priority in this respect. For this reason, Sliema Local Council is regularly meeting persons involved in the field, including members of the Bicycle Advocacy Group.

I wish to emphasize that in various matters, Sliema Local Council depends on approval and/or assistance from Governmental Ministries/Departments/Authorities. In relation to local council reform, this is is a matter that in itself deserves due attention and discussion.

I invite all those who wish to give a helping hand or to send me suggestions regarding the areas I referred to above by emailing me at mbrig@hotmail.com.

Online version of Sliema Local Council Magazine - click here

My responsibilities in Sliema Local Council 2013-7

In the first official meeting of the Sliema Local Council (2013-7), I was assigned the following responsibilities: Maritime Affairs, Education; Disability Issues. I chair the Education Committee and I form part of the Finance, Public Offers and EU committees.

I invite those interested in being active in Maritime Affairs, Disability Issues and Education to contact me at mbrig@hotmail.com .