Hassan Nahon highlights elderly concerns

Independent MP Marlene Hassan Nahon has called on the Gibraltar Government to be more alert to the concerns of the elderly, as she highlighted the impact of works at Bishop Canilla House on residents.

Ms Hassan Nahon first raised the issue last week having been approached by six different families who expressed concern at how ‘badly managed’ this project has been and how it has affected them “so profoundly”.

“The issue here is in conjunction with the bad management and planning is the lack of sensitivity to the residents,” she said highlighting that many of the block’s residents are elderly, some have dementia, disabilities or mobility issues.

“They’ve been landed with this project, which I understand is for the long-term good, but it is affecting them day-to-day.”

She added that tenants were not appropriately informed about the works, which are necessary as a result of damp, before they were commenced neither was the Bishop Canilla House committee consulted or even informed that these works would be taking place.

They only found out when scaffolding went up earlier this year, Ms Hasssan Nahon said.

The works have now spilled over into summer, with balconies sectioned off leaving elderly residents with no fresh air during the hottest months of the year.

“To add insult to injury there is no activity with the scaffolding,” she said.

She highlights health and safety issues connected with the works particularly the amount of dust which, she said “affects elderly people five times over.”

Flagging the lack of communication with residents over the project Ms Hassan Nahon said: “The best way the government can make it up to them would be to call a meeting, explain to them where the project is up to and offer them any solutions for their current inconveniences raging from mobility issues as a result to environmental issues.”