Social Solidarity Minister Dolores Cristina said yesterday that the new law on voluntary organisations reflected the government's support for this sector and its commitment to see it grow further.

This law, she stressed, was not intended to remove or diminish the independence, autonomy or individual identity of voluntary organisations but should serve to strengthen them and ensure there was transparency and accountability in their activities. This would mean they would enjoy greater public confidence.

Speaking at the opening of the debate on the Voluntary Organisations Bill in Parliament, Mrs Cristina paid tribute to the service given by voluntary organisations.

The voluntary sector was very widespread, grouping hundreds of organisations involved in social, educational, environmental, cultural, religious and sports activities. They had helped form the Maltese identity and character and constituted an important element of democracy.

This Bill was the result of a White Paper and intensive consultation during which many suggestions were made and a large number taken up by the government, the minister said.

Mrs Cristina said the voluntary sector had a long history going back to the time of the knights. Many institutions and buildings had been set up by philanthropists including Alfons Maria Galea, Vincenzo Bugeja, Adelaide Cini, Lisa Galea, Mary Asfar and Mary Zammit. The initiatives taken by these people were still being enjoyed today.

In more recent years the activities of voluntary organisations had become more varied.

The government believed in the importance that the state and voluntary sectors worked together to plan and implement the country's social policy.

A European Commission document "The Commission and Non-governmental organisations: Building a Stronger Partnership" explained how the main aim of voluntary organisations should be to operate in the general scene seeing to people's preoccupations and well-being. They should also work to remove any shortcomings in society.

Voluntary organisations also generated employment. It was calculated that 29,000 were employed in the sector all over the world. In the EU the sector grew by 24 per cent in the past six years. In Ireland more than eight per cent of people were employed in the sector.

An NSO survey held in 2004 among 149 voluntary organisations in Malta showed that 19 per cent were support groups. Such groups were very important because they were made up of people who would have gone through the problems for which they were now offering support, the minister said.

There were around 1,000 working in the voluntary sector at the time, most of them women.

Mrs Cristina said that the Bill reflected the government's commitment to give NGOs clear direction, helping them become more efficient and effective. The legislation was also aimed at facilitating the partnership between the government and NGOs and between the organisations themselves.

Mrs Cristina underlined the importance that voluntary organisations enrolled themselves with the Commissioner for Voluntary Organisations. Enrolment would be voluntary but important since it would certify that the organisation was truly voluntary and that the activities were transparent and accountable. Enrolment would also make the organisations concerned eligible for benefits and assistance given by the government.

The minister said her ministry's assistance to voluntary organisations was based on output.

A selection committee decided which projects were most deserving of state funding.

This system was helping increase responsibility on the use of public funds. The Housing Authority and many other ministries also had allocations aimed at helping voluntary organisations.

Guidelines on policies and practices for NGOs issued by the Commonwealth Foundation said that the four main characteristics of such organisations were that these would be voluntary, independent, not for profit and not self serving.

These elements were also reflected in the Bill.

Speaking on the various definitions in the Bill, the minister said organisations set up by the government for social aims which were non-profit making would qualify within the description of voluntary organisations unless they were agencies.

This had been a cause for concern among some organisations during the consultation process.

But the Charities Commission website of the UK, which many organisations had referred to, noted that government authorities could set up charities. What was important was that the purpose for which the body existed was completely charitable.

Among government organisations which could qualify under the definition of a voluntary organisation was Fondazzjoni Patrimonju Malti, Mrs Cristina said.

She noted that it seemed that there was agreement on the role and functions of the commissioner - he was to be the person to complement the voice of the voluntary sector.

As the Children's Commission helped make children more visible, the Voluntary Organisations Commissioner would give such organisations a stronger voice.

The commissioner would support voluntary organisations, monitor their activities and act when complaints of abuse were made.

The commissioner would be assisted by a council, most of whose members would be nominated by voluntary organisations.

The council would provide a forum for the organisations.

It would be the launching pad for all involved to voice their opinion and for the development of the necessary policies. It would also be responsible for administering the fund for non-governmental organisations.

Mrs Cristina said this was an enabling act and among the first regulations to be issued would be those related to benefits, the form and content of annual reports and accounts to be presented to the commissioner and public collections.

The aim of the Bill, she concluded, was to strengthen voluntary organisations and not to reduce their autonomy. It was everyone's wish to have regulations which would ensure transparency and accountability giving organisations support and greater confidence by the public.

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