NGOs Commissioner experiencing lack of human and financial resourses

The Commissioner for Voluntary Organisations has started enrolling NGOs but his work is hindered by the lack of human and financial resources.

"I am still awaiting the outcome of our budget proposals and request for staff. At the moment it's just me and one other person and we're finding it hard to cope," Kenneth Wain said.

Speaking in an interview with The Times, Prof. Wain, the first person to step into this new role in November, said he would need six to seven other members of staff for his office to achieve its objectives.

At the moment, Prof. Wain and his secretary are attempting to cope with NGOs calling at his office to register, providing them with guidance and the procedures.

"We need qualified people to handle public relations issues, create data banks and keep abreast of what's happening in the EU and what funds NGOs can tap into," he explained.

More importantly, once the Council for the Voluntary Sector - which will enable him to carry out his duties - is up and running by the end of the month, it will need staff to support it in its work. The purpose of the council is to assist the commissioner and provide a forum for the voluntary sector and a platform from which to develop cooperation between voluntary organisations and the government and cooperation between voluntary organisations among themselves.

"The law is very ambitious and the functions of the commissioner are pretty broad. We are trying hard to cope but it's not a situation we can endure for long (with the present resources)," he said.

The situation bears striking similarities to the situation of the first Commissioner for Children, Sonia Camilleri, who called it a day last year after she felt certain shortcomings hindered her work.

She had felt that the small budget and the lack of staff she was expected to operate with was another handicap and she had questioned whether the government was putting its money where its ideas were.

However, Prof. Wain is hopeful there won't be a repeat of such a situation and is anxious to see what will happen to his proposals.

At the moment, his immediate concern is to ensure the council of 11 members (which includes Prof. Wain as vice-chairman and an Education Ministry representative) is set up before this month is up, since without its existence he will be held back from fulfilling his function. Some 70 nominations from the different sectors of voluntary organisations have been sent in. Prof. Wain made his recommendations and is now waiting for Education Minister Dolores Cristina to appoint them.

In the meantime, since February, Prof. Wain began the painstaking process of encouraging NGOs to register. So far, just over 100 have enrolled but he imagines there are hundreds more that still have to come forward.

"We're extremely rich in terms of voluntary organisations but the landscape has been too fragmented. The law is meant to bring them together to strengthen their voice and ensure the sector is better organised," he explained.

By enrolling, organisations can participate in EU-funded projects and benefit from other privileges. It was in the organisations' collective interest to register.

Prof. Wain was keen to ensure his office was not merely seen as simply there to exercise control: "That's not my primary job. I have gone to great pains to push the sector forward in order to ensure it can function more efficiently. My role is to empower the sector."

Asked if NGOs were prepared to work together or if egos and territoriality came in the way, Prof. Wain was confident the organisations would realise it suited everybody to come together.

"To a certain extent, duplication of resources is not always a bad thing and it may be enriching at times. What's important is to ensure there is synergy. Working in the same field can be regarded as a source of strength. What's problematic is when duplication becomes a fight over territory and acrimony sets in," he stressed.

The success of the commissioner's role depends very much on his powers of diplomacy and getting people together. Prof. Wain has a role of mediation to fulfil.

"This sector has a great future ahead. There are so many people who are passionate about their cause in Malta and, as long as it's pointed in the right direction, I am sure we can create a culture of collaboration."