Disabled man on hunger strike, demands resignation of Austin Gatt

A man suffering from stroke syndrome says he has started his second day of hunger strike because his life has been drastically affected by the new public transport route, which he claims have left him unable to leave his house in the hot, summer weather.

Emanuel Cini, a Cospicua resident, yesterday posted a video on YouTube demanding the resignation of transport minister Austin Gatt, whom he is blaming for his confinement.

“I want the resignation of Austin Gatt and I want the Prime Minister to do his job and fire him himself for his sheer incompetence. He wanted a House of Commons’ salary but I see no House of Commons’ behaviour here. It is intolerable that people like me have been left in a situation like this, therefore I will continue this hunger strike as long as it takes,” Cini argued in his webcam video.

He added: “I hope the Prime Minister adds this to his list of things that he may have to do with conscience such as the situation disabled people have been left in because of their incompetence and also their arrogance as he seems not to want to budge from his place. Therefore Mr Gonzi, I urge you, throw him out now or I will not eat till you do so!”

For three years, Cini has been suffering stroke syndrome caused by encephalopathy. He described it as a disease which affects the brain. Those affected can recover from it over time through therapy, though not 100%.

So far Cini had managed to live with his condition. Up to two weeks ago he used to go to swim at St Thomas Bay (a bay which allows him independent mobility in his current condition) twice a day, as well as attend his therapy sessions at Razzett tal-Hbiberija in Marsaskala. He managed this routine because there was a direct bus, number 22, from Cospicua to St Thomas Bay in Marsaskala and back. With this route not included in the new Arriva set up, he now feels he has been imprisoned in his own house.

“I’ve been living with this disability for three years and I can even walk. However, now I am desperate. I live in a place with no buildings on top of it. Therefore it is constantly under the sun. Before I used to go to swim in the morning and in the afternoon to help alleviate the heat but I cannot do it now. I’ve been two weeks closed in my house and I feel I’m going mad,” Cini said.

Asked if he tried the bus service, at least once, Cini replied: “No, and I have no intention of doing so. Everyone is complaining about the service. I cannot risk waiting under the sun because I risk suffering a fit. I take pills to control the fits. Why did they change the numbers? Why did they change the routes? Why should I have to switch three buses to arrive to a destination which before required only one bus?”

He added that last Friday he stayed in his balcony from 7am till 10am. According to him only two buses drove into neighbouring Senglea and only one departed.

“I might have missed one of them but surely they were not commuting with the frequency they promised us they would. You never know at what time they will arrive. Before the buses were on time most of the time. The drivers, though some of them were not decent, used to wait for me till I sat down before driving and they used to stop in front of my house even if there was no bus stop. They have always showed me respect. I want the old bus service back and I’m not speaking with nostalgia but out of necessity.

“I cannot live like this anymore. I have no life.”

The route: before and after

Before, route number 22 used to commute from Cospicua through Vittoriosa and Zabbar every hour enroute to Marsaskala and back.

To complete the same trip, the new Arriva routes require commuting on route number 1 from Cospicua to Poala and then onto route number 91 from Poala to Marsaskala for a total duration of 34 minutes travelling time, according to the Arriva website. However this leaves one short of the final destination - St Thomas Bay. From Marsaskala the commuter needs to board either the 135 or 119 route at the terminus. Therefore what used to be a 30 minute journey, now lasts approximately an hour, excluding waiting time.