Talks over Church NGOs ‘nearing conclusion’

Discussions on the enrolment of Church organisations with the Commission for Voluntary Organisations are nearing conclusion, the Curia said yesterday.

The Church said the reluctance of its organisations to enrol with the NGO Commission “had nothing to do with” speculation that they did not want to report on their income and expenditure. However, it gave no reasons why they had refused to enrol.

“It has been alleged that the obstacle lies in the fact that the Church does not wish to render an account of the financial income and expenditure of its organisations, as stipulated by this legislation. This is certainly not the case. The difficulties encountered are of a different nature,” the Curia said.

It added that since discussions with the authorities were still underway and had almost reached a conclusion, “we feel that it is not prudent to divulge further details at this stage.”

According to the NGO Commissioner, Kenneth Wain, if a voluntary organisation fails to enrol with the commission it cannot make public collections without the permission of the Commissioner of Police.

Nor can it receive grants or enter into cooperation contracts with the government and it will not be able to avail itself of the support of the Office of the Commissioner for Voluntary Organisations or be a beneficiary of the policies which government entities are bound to provide in favour of enrolled voluntary organisations.

In its statement, the Curia thanked benefactors who, through their financial contributions and active participation, sustained the work done by Church organisations in favour of all those in need.

It also thanked the civil authorities “who have always endeavoured to contrive the legal means to financially subsidise these organisations,” saying such assistance was vital to continue to render their services.

The Times reported last month that Church NGOs may be granted a ministerial exemption to benefit from state donations even though they are not enrolled with the Voluntary Organisations Commissioner.

Prof. Wain had maintained that unregistered Church organisations could not benefit from this year’s annual charity telethon L-Istrina, organised by the Malta Community Chest Fund, a state entity.

He pointed out that state entities could only donate money to registered organisations.