The annual charity telethon L-Istrina may not be the monument to Maltese solidarity it is sometimes made out to be but it has stood the test of time in its 10-year existence and has so far collected over €15 million for worthy causes.

In the midst of gloomy economic forecast for 2009 and the more immediate concern with higher water and electricity bills, the €1.2 million collected during the latest edition was an encouraging sign that L-Istrina can still be effective.

The sum raised was almost €200,000 below that collected at last year's telethon, which had followed a feel-good pre-election budget.

The idea that the telethon rallies a national bout of generosity was somewhat deflated this year after it emerged that the organisers had to scrap the entertainment just three hours into the show went on air because the public was only responding with donations when prizes were up for grabs.

But the money collected is still respectable and channelled towards a good cause. The total was higher than the sum collected in 2006, which only just topped the €1 million mark. That year was characterised by widespread disgruntlement with the energy surcharge going above 60 per cent and inflation biting hard on the family purse.

Of course, it is not just the economic situation, high electricity bills, rising fuel prices or bonanza budgets that dictate how much is collected during L-Istrina. In the past, the telethon has had to contend with political boycotts and racist appeals to withhold donations when it became known that one of the beneficiary organisations worked among immigrants.

In 2005, L-Istrina defied economic odds after the proceeds from an auction of 59 luxury BMW cars used during the Commonwealth summit were donated to the telethon. The car auction on its own raised almost €1.4 million. The public more than doubled that sum with its donations.

The total collected in 2005 was a record €3.2 million, the highest ever for any charity fund-raiser.

In terms of donations phoned-in by the public, L-Istrina 2005 signalled a drop of €66,000 in comparison with the previous year. It was the start of a downturn that has persisted except for 2007, which saw a reversal of trends from the previous year.

Factbox - L-Istrina donations

L-Istrina 2008 - €1,227,009
Telethon held amid global economic gloom and doom and higher utility tariffs.

L-Istrina 2007 - €1,398,313
The charity event was held in the aftermath of a budget that cut taxes and gave Children's Allowance to all children.

L-Istrina 2006 - €1,164,687
Inflation hit hard in 2006 with the surcharge going above 60 per cent for a couple of months.

L-Istrina 2005 - €3,207,547
The charity kitty was boosted by the proceeds of the auction of 59 luxury CHOGM BMW cars. The successful organisation of CHOGM boosted public confidence.

L-Istrina 2004 - €1,899,350
The telethon was held in the midst of a controversy over the government's decision to stop public holidays falling on weekends being added to an employee's leave entitlement.

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