Dear Andrew,
I concede that we don't agree on how to address this problem. I seriously believe that what I wrote reflect my opinion based on personal experience as a disabled person for these last 31 years of life. I accept that my view might be misunderstood as being "tolerant" for the sake of "political correctness". I don't expect you or anyone on this list to agree with what I have to say. I just believe that confrontational approaches in dea`ling with this particular issue risk being counter-productive and, rather than solve this issue, risk creating new problems - if not prolong the solution.
Again, I believe that the current situation we face as disabled service users is unacceptable and remedial action should be taken as soon as possible. period. I may be interpreted, as you did, as being complacent and too tolerant and let Arriva! take us for a ride (which is in a sense what we also want). Seriously, I prefer to approach this issue with a certain amount of delicacy as it's a matter of showing our readiness to cooperate because a strategy aimed to close all doors to such needed dialogue only risks to result in creating an environment of enmity and further complicate issues. At the end of the day, our opportunities to travel will not only remain the same if not worsened.
I a acknowledge my own shortcomings in addressing the many issues, apart than transport, were I feel that I could do more. Yet, as explained in the previous email, the struggle of engaging in disability activism and you're a disabled person yourself this is a constant ride uphill. I regARD MYSELF TO BE COMMITTED TO disability activism and to other causes that are important to me. I don't feel it's fair that my call for cooperation is construed as being, in any way, an acceptance of the status quo. Indeed, if things persist and we are left without any equal access to public transport, then would I consider drastic action. But, since it appears that Arriva! appears to have good will, then a more diplomatic approach should be maintained.
I ALSO WOULD CHALLENGE THE CLAIM THAT PUBLIC TRANSPORT IS "still way way from accessible". I FEEL THAT, IN LIGHT OF DEVELOPMENTS TO PROMOTE MORE ACCESSIBLE PUBLIC TRANSPORT, THIS IS INCORRECT. GRANTED, AT THE MOMENT, THERE ARE STILL SERIOUS ISSUES THAT CREATE undesirable conditions that reduce our choices in accessing public transport to an extent - but we can still use it at least. It's essential that I don't wish to be misunderstood as implying that I find this situation in any way acceptable. However, I believe that a more reasoned approach is to be considered first.
That's all I have to say.
Thanks,
Gordon
Gordon C. Cardona
BA Hon. (Malta), MA (Leeds)
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“If you want to be happy, practice compassion.
If you want others to be happy, practice compassion”
HH The 14th Dalai Lama (6 July 1935 - present)
On 24 May 2012, at 19:42, Dr. Andrew Azzopardi wrote:
> This is a another really interesting contribution by Gordon.
>
> Gordon has with a few other disabled people in Malta done great great
> things for this sector, but I really can't understand how some disabled
> people have now become so tolerant to short comings in the system in Malta.
>
>
> Isn't it a short coming that the Ariva Customer Care have been taking people
> for a 'ride' expecting disabled people with mobility problems to phone
> Arriva to get a mobile ramp or else they said they would send people to push
> 'you' around. I am not a disabled person, but if I was I would think that
> this is really a typical example of political correctness and a way of
> shutting people up. This is a transport system that has cost the Maltese
> government millions and millions of Euros and 12 months down the line we
> need to take the crap from a company telling us that the parts haven't
> arrived yet.
>
> Gordon I do understand that change comes gradually but the way I see it, our
> transport is still way way from accessible and rightly so, as Gordon has
> been saying for years on end, good public transport is the cornerstone of
> inclusion. It's still not there and giving in to their sweet talk will only
> delay progress.
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Gordon C. Cardona [mailto:[log in to unmask]]
> Sent: Thursday, May 24, 2012 7:22 PM
> To: Dr. Andrew Azzopardi
> Cc: [log in to unmask]
> Subject: Re: blog post on public transport
>
> Yes, this is indeed an issue of concern to me as a wheelchair user who has
> found public transport a definite no-no.
>
> However, Arriva! appears to be addressing this issue and improve the
> situation as early as possible. Yes, it's not the best situation for
> disabled people like me to have to depend, on some level, on others to make
> use of public transport once again. Indeed, when I started using Arriva! for
> the first time, I really felt included in society in a way. Of course, as a
> disability activist, I am not happy with the situation at the moment. On the
> other hand, although disabled people currently might have to contact Arriva!
> to ensure their access needs are met, I also remember the time when people
> like me were completely excluded from public transport.
>
> In addition, it must be noted that disabled people making use of public
> transport don't have to pay the fee. While this may be interpreted as
> charity by some commentators, the fact remains that one can see this as a
> form of "compensation" for the many years I couldn't make use of public
> transport at all. It must be also acknowledged that change doesn't happen
> overnight and I was disappointed when only few disabled people seemed to
> talk about the positive development of accessible public transport. This
> isn't meant to be justifying the problems being caused by the faulty ramps.
> Indeed, one shouldn't interpret my comments to be a discrediting of the
> points raised in the blog post being discussed. However, we must acknowledge
> that efforts to resolve the situation are underway. Many of us have waited
> for almost a decade from exclusion. Can we not wait a little more?
>
> I must also redress the point made regarding lack of disability equality
> training for Arriva! personnel. Indeed, I myself have been involved in such
> training through my work at the local commission for disabled people.
> Indeed, I have been involved in conducting DET sessions with other employees
> working in the Maltese transport sector. Of course, there is still
> shortcomings as regards attitudes of disabled people. In this sense, I can
> identify problem with the perception that disabled people only speak out
> when they are faced with difficulties and problems. I feel that, as disabled
> people, we have to be more pro-active. Unfortunately, the challenge of
> disabled people in my position is that as we pursue our activist role, we
> have to face the challenges posed by a disabling society on a daily basis.
> And this poses limits to what one person can do. Even if this is not an
> excuse, if you're committed to one cause or another, it does feel like an
> excuse.
>
> Well, what I wish to say is that it's important to put the current situation
> within a particular context. While, as stated before, the this shouldn't be
> read as an apologetic for Arriva!, I only proposing that that drastic action
> should be taken if this situation is not resolved in a short and reasonable
> time frame. Even if it's not satisfactory, we are temporarily unable to
> access public transport when we want as other non-disabled people can. In a
> way, we have returned to a situation where our rights to access public
> transport are unequal. Yet, at the same time, we are not completely excluded
> from using it as we situation up to two years ago in Malta.
>
> I don't like to promote my own blogs on public lists. However, it might be
> appropriate to share a post where I describe my first experiences with using
> Arriva! I wrote this post last year when the service was still in the early
> days. This entry was called "Adventures on Arriva!" and can be read at:
>
> http://gdzone.gordongd.com/2011/11/adventures-on-arriva.html
>
>
> Thanks,
> Gordon
>
>
>
> Gordon C. Cardona
> BA Hon. (Malta), MA (Leeds)
> ---------------------------
> Contact Info
> Email: [log in to unmask]
> Web: http://www.gordongd.com/
> Join me on Twitter @ http://twitter.com/#!/GordonGT Join me on FaceBook
> @http://www.facebook.com/gordongt
>
> "If you want to be happy, practice compassion.
> If you want others to be happy, practice compassion"
> HH The 14th Dalai Lama (6 July 1935 - present)
>
> On 24 May 2012, at 08:40, Dr. Andrew Azzopardi wrote:
>
>> Cheers Keith
>>
>> -----Original Message-----
>> From: Keith Armstrong [mailto:[log in to unmask]]
>> Sent: Wednesday, May 23, 2012 11:08 PM
>> To: [log in to unmask]; Andrew Azzopardi
>> Cc: Keith Armstrong
>> Subject: Re: blog post on public transport
>>
>> Andrew,
>>
>> Sadly these buses were removed from Londons' Streets and sold cheaply to
> the private bus provider in Malta, as a Londoner, I feel able to make a few
> comments on your blog. The term "Bendy-bus" was invented by one Boris
> Johnson (whose first act as Mayor of London was to stop all access
> improvements to the London Underground) or one of his associates, and does
> treat this low-floor articulated bus with the respect it deserves due to the
> design technology the vehicle incorporates.
>>
>> I am surprised to learn that Arriva in Malta has had problems in getting
> spare parts for the access features used by the bus as this model of vehicle
> is used extensively throughout Europe as well as in the USA and Canada. If
> my memory serves me correctly the manufacturer of the ramp technology is
> Canadian, although, I am sure they have a number of offices in Europe.
>>
>> As for the rest of the issues mentioned in the article, I would suggest
> more training is required both for Arriva's staff and their vehicle
> repairers. I would also suggest that disabled people in Malta could offer
> Arriva some Disability Equality training for the going rate of trainers in
> Malta. It could create further employment opportunities for disabled people
> in Malta.
>>
>> Keep it up,
>>
>> Keith
>>
>> ________________End of message________________
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