Statement by the Parliamentary Secretariat at the Ministry for Social Policy

Reference is made to the statement issued by Dr. Michael Farrugia and Mr. Silvio Parnis (MLP spokespersons for Health and the Older Persons respectively) and as reported in the various newspapers.

The Office of the Parliamentary Secretary in the Ministry for Social Policy after investigating the matter would like to bring to the attention that:

Unlike what has been stated in some newspapers no chocolate bars nor any other product issued by the Department for the Welfare of the Elderly has been beyond the expiry dates for consumption. The 'Best Before' dates printed on the respective products bear witness to this.

About 7870 bars of diabetic chocolate and 3272 kilograms of biscuits were delivered to the older persons in the community and in Older Persons homes. It is pertinent to point out that of the chocolate bars and biscuits delivered to the older persons resident in the Government Homes, St.Vincent de Paule Residence, Gozo Hospital and Mount Carmel Hospital, none of these products were found to be of a poor state or unfit for human consumption. The Opposition spokespersons are alleging that one or two bars of chocolate out of 7870 bars have been found to be of unsatisfactory quality.

Given that all bars of chocolate and biscuits were individually wrapped and with the Best Before dates indicating suitability for consumption it would be next to impossible for any person to know beforehand whether the product is free from defects. Should any beneficiary have found a product, which was not up to his/her expectations they should have informed the persons concerned and the product would have been replaced.

It is also pertinent to point out that the MLP spokespersons are hardly in a position to criticize the Office of the Parliamentary Secretary or the Department of the Older Persons when one remembers that under the previous administration no hampers were distributed to the older persons on the occasion of the International Day for the Older Persons which occurs on the 1^stOctober.

In conclusion, the Office of the Parliamentary Secretary regrets that persons who ought to know better are trying to take political advantage out of issues which are beyond the control of both the Department and the Secretariat and we emphasize the point that should any older person who has received any product which he/she thinks that it is not fit for human consumption they should contact the Department for a replacement of goods.