President inaugurates Dar il-Kaptan extension

President Marie-Louise Coleiro Preca, inaugurated a €140,000 extension at Dar il-Kaptan, the Foundation for Respite Care Services, in Mtarfa, on 10 November, 2015.

In her address, Coleiro Preca paid tribute to the pioneers who set up the Foundation 24 years ago, the National Commission Persons with Disability (KNPD) and the Association of Parents of Children with Disability, and also to Rotary Club Malta for their vision in financing the two entities so that they could set up the first respite home.

The extension project involved remodelling of certain areas, new construction and investment in new equipment on all three floors of the building.

“Although we have been offering a number of services to persons with disability in our country for many years, before Dar il-Kaptan was born we did not have a place that offered respite services so that the family of a disabled person can have their minds at rest and take a short break,” she pointed out.

Apart from Rotary Club Malta, who have helped all along, Ms Coleiro Preca also thanked the members of the respective boards who sat on the Foundation and the large number of volunteers who worked at Dar il-Kaptan. The new extension, she added, “confirms that this was a needed project.

“We need more awareness among parents and carers of persons with disability (of the need for) rest and relaxation because if we truly want the person with disability to continue to enjoy life in the community (and) life at home, carers – it could be parents or siblings – of the person with disability also need to stay healthy.”

Coleiro Preca took time to mention all those who made donations for the new extension, Rotary Club Malta, headed by the current President John Cooper and previous presidents including Anthony Gatt, Ulli Salomo and Dr Alfred Caruana Galizia; the Marigold Foundation, represented by Ms Elvia George; the Voluntary Organisations Fund of the Malta Community Chest Fund, represented by its Chairman Prof. Carm. Borg; the Good Causes Fund, represented by Claude G. Cuschieri from the Finance Ministry; and Bjørn Havnes of Wilhelmsen Lines Malta Ltd.