NGOs commissioner insists discrimination must stop
A harshly-worded annual report by the Voluntary Organisations Commissioner calls for an end to the “discriminatory” situation whereby some large organisations are given state funding despite not being officially registered.
The law on voluntary organisations should apply for everyone if it were to encourage a culture of transparency and accountability, Kenneth Wain, the NGOs commission, said.
In his annual report for 2009, which has just been published, Prof. Wain outlined the difficulties encountered in a tumultuous year where problems arose with Church organisations and the Malta Community Chest Fund, which refused to enrol.
When The Times had questioned the Church authorities what was stopping their organisations from enrolling, a spokesman had replied the Curia was having talks with the Office of the Prime Minister and the commissioner’s legal advisor on the matter.
Prof. Wain pointed out that it was not compulsory for organisations to enrol with the commissioner but only those that did should qualify by law for state funding.
Despite this, some 30 per cent of the direct government grants last year went to one major non-enrolled Church organisation and about 12.5 per cent were distributed to various other non-enrolled Church organisations, Prof. Wain said. “This is not, evidently, a situation that can continue into 2010,” he said.
He criticised the MCCF saying it refused to publish the list of beneficiaries of the last edition of the annual charity event L-Istrina. The MCCF, chaired by the President, had in fact revealed the beneficiaries if only some months after the event, when the grants were given out.
“This situation with the Church organisations and the MCCF is harmful to the future of the voluntary sector as a whole and requires quick resolution. The message that the law applies to some organisations only while others are above it encourages a feeling of unfair discrimination among those who observe it,” he wrote in the report.
He said his job was to apply the Voluntary Organisations Act but this was “difficult to achieve” if the government did not commit itself and supported it with its actions and policies.
“This, regretfully, has not happened in 2009 any more than in 2008. To the contrary, the various letters I wrote and the verbal complaints I made throughout both years (...) were generally ignored...”
He said all organisations that received state money or assistance through taxpayers’ money and public funds should be publicly accountable “without exemptions”.
His view was shared by the chairman of the Malta Council for the Voluntary Sector, Robert Farrugia, who also wrote in the annual report.
The NGO commissioner’s complaints last year had dampened the jubilation that followed the latest edition of L-Istrina – the first time people donated money without prizes having been offered – prompting criticism by the MCCF.
Prof. Wain had claimed that the President’s charity had broken the law because it collected money through state assistance in the form of free airtime by Public Broadcasting Services.
The MCCF, however, insisted it had legal advice from the Attorney General that it was not even eligible to enrol because of the type of organisation it was.
In his report Prof. Wain also complained about the “very limited” budget of his office.
21 Comments
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Jan-Wouter Stigter
Sep 3rd 2010, 15:43
It's taxpayers money and money from donations, so there should be accountability. Prof. Wain has often pointed out that the issue has nothing to do with the quality of the work of the unregistered NGOs, which certainly is admirable is most cases. But you can't have two weights and two measures. Any donations made to the registered NGO I volunteer for are 100% traceable and accounted for and scrutinised, and that's how it should be.
Tony Pace
Sep 3rd 2010, 10:50
CZarb Why was the issue not raised when there were ex-PN presidents? Why is it being raised now? What is behind it? Sour grapes? This is nothing but attempts to undermine the good being done by the President and the Malta Community Chest Fund.
CZARB
Sep 3rd 2010, 11:52
The PN was in a perfect condition not to choose Mr Abela as president, so there is no sour grapes at all. Anyway that is not the scope of my argument. The truth is that the PL promises full accountability on anyone. Now should we not scrutinize the president just because he is an ex PL member?
Tony Pace
Sep 3rd 2010, 12:48
CZARB could it be sour grapes by those who used to run the show ZARB? As for scrutinizing the President, why was this never done when there were ex-PN Presidents? Why Now? Why not scrutinize the government that is squandering so much of our taxes? Why not scrutinize the local councils and the MPs, Ministers and the Prime Minister himself? How about scrutinizing the BWSC contract and all those involved? How about scrutinizing the PM for the roofless theatre, the Parliament on stilts, etc etc.How about it ZARB?
J Farrugia
Sep 3rd 2010, 10:39
The only discrimination I see is being committed by this Chairman of the Volontary Organisations due to his interference in the work of these Volontary organisations. Because of his liberal convictions he wants to pick up a fight against the catholic church and this for this own reasons. The sooner he is removed from office the better for the volontarjat. That's the only discrimination which exists, any other type of discrimination rests with his mind.
m.zammit
Sep 3rd 2010, 10:25
Naqbel mija fil-mija li l-Gvern ghandu politika hazina dwar l-ghaqdiet volontarji. Filwaqt li l-ghaqdiet il-kbar jiehu il-finanzi anki jekk mhux membri u dawn jintuzaw anki sabiex jimpjegaw nies maghhom. L_ghaqdiet iz-zghar li jaghmlu hafna xoghol miknghajr daqq ta trombi dejjem jibqu b'xejn. naf x'qed nghid ghax jiena kont involut f'diversi ghaqdiet ta kull daqs. Hemm bzonn li issir kampanja sabiex din l-attitudni tin bidel. Ta min jghid ukoll li din mhux il-politika tal-gvern biss imma anki ta entitijiet kummercjali kbar, li jghinu lil-ghaqdiet kbar biss.
R Grima
Sep 3rd 2010, 10:16
What makes the Church and the Community Chest fund so exceptional and arrogant?
Until they both open themselves up to total scrutiny as to what happens to the funds received an who gets paid for what and how much.The days of blind faith and blind trust are over. Until then don't bother knocking at my door.
Louise Vella
Sep 3rd 2010, 10:04
We all know it. The Church is above the law, above the government and above the State of Malta. It prefers to negotiate directly with the Office of the Prime Minister where it finds many friendly - and indeed subservient - ears. It gets the money but it does not abide by the conditions laid down by the law.
As for the President, we expect better of him - more transparency, more accountability, more readiness to meet today's standards.
J Farrugia
Sep 3rd 2010, 10:58
stop your church bashing, we all know your type. When you do the servicce which the catholic communities do with unwanted children, the elderly and the handicapped, who are all being cared for by catholic institutions, then you will have the right to open your mouth. The church does not have any privileges more than you and me.
T Camilleri
Sep 3rd 2010, 09:24
Why now Kenneth Waine? Because there is an ex-PL President?
Miguel Micallef
Sep 3rd 2010, 09:54
Not being a supporter of any party I don't care about this. What I care to know is why the major church organisations don't sign up. I also care to know why most people, like you, seem to have different interests than the well being of the country. You are more interested that 'your party' (it's not really yours, for your information) gets a nice image instead of moving forward.
Sebastian Micallef
Sep 3rd 2010, 10:03
Leave Politics alone for once, everything in Malta is politics. Why not call a spade a spade for once and be realistic. This is a serious matter and no one is above the law. If the law requires that only registered Voluntary Organisations may benefit from State Funds then why those not registered still benefit?
This is what people should discuss and not politics.
matthew tanti
Sep 3rd 2010, 10:18
tidher li laburist
CZarb
Sep 3rd 2010, 10:22
Why not? Because there is an ex PL president? I doubt that the PL is against NGO's accountability. That is why Im seriously contemplating of voting to the PL in the next general elections. Or am I wrong to think like that?
Sam Busuttil
Sep 3rd 2010, 10:44
Miguel Micallef ask yourself. Why was this issue not raised before and it is being raised now that here is an ex-PL President?
Paul Gatt
Sep 3rd 2010, 10:45
Have you read the law Sebastian Micallef?
T Camilleri
Sep 3rd 2010, 10:46
Ghandek l-ghali matthew tanti?
J Farrugia
Sep 3rd 2010, 11:01
Than we should change the law and ignore this Commissioner for Volontary Organisations when it comes to catholic organisations who are doing much more than this commissioner is doing. I am totally against this Volontary Organisations' law, but due to irresponsible lay organisations who abused the system, then all of us volonteers are being put in one basket to obey this commission for Volontary Organisations. Change the law, and remove those who do good deeds to their neighbours as Christ Himself has commanded, as well as the MCCF, from the tentacles of this Commissioner.
Ignatius Micallef Grech
Sep 3rd 2010, 13:09
Mr. Camilleri, are we to judge who is to be excempted from the Law. What about other religions? Don't they not have the same rights as of the Catholic Church or are we to discriminate. Where is the money collected going to? What proof do you have is being spend on what you have been told?
Transparency is the order of the day. if you or other people out there are afraid of transparency then do not come and knock on my door for any kind of reason.
Ignatius Micallef Grech
Sep 3rd 2010, 14:20
Mr. Farrugia, why change the law? Are you afraid of being monitored? The system as you claimed was abused so you should be clad that law requires for transparancy.
The law came to force after a lot of discussions with the stake holders.
Lets grow up for once and stop this political issue for the sake real voluntary sector.
Rita Spiteri
Sep 3rd 2010, 17:37
Ignatius Micallef Grech other churches? Why should I contribute to other churches to which I don't belong?