The Malta Red Cross (Gozo Branch) this morning called on the Commissioner for Voluntary Organisations to look into how it had been suspended by the Malta Red Cross.

Etienne Micallef, who was the secretary of the Red Cross Gozo Branch until the whole committee resigned yesterday, said that no clear reason had been given for the suspension of the Gozo branch but he strongly criticised the recently-appointed director-general of the Malta Red Cross, Edward Caruana, for changes made in the society and for criticism of the Gozo branch.

Mr Micallef said that allegations made against the Gozo branch, such as with regard to its participation in rescue efforts following the Gharb fireworks factory explosion, had been proved to be baseless.

Mr Micallef also claimed that jealousy could be at the root of the issue since the Gozo branch was far bigger and much more active than the Malta Red Cross with 200 active members compared to 35 in Malta.

The Gozo branch, he said, had been left in the dark over several issues in the past few months.

Recently, training which used to take place in Gozo was stopped and it was falsely claimed that the courses held in Gozo by Gozitian instructors are no longer valid.

He said the proposals to amend the statute of the Malta Red Cross were never discussed. Amendments were made in such a way as to put the Gozo branch of the Red Cross, having the greatest number of volunteers, at a great disadvantage, by removing its majority.

He said the Gozo Branch was now calling for justice from the responsible authorities. He augured that the matter could be settled quickly because, he said, the people of Gozo could suffer if the Red Cross in Gozo was inactive.

Mr Micallef made his comments at the Gozo Sports Complex, where an activity for Gozo voluntary organisations was held this morning.

He said that the Gozo Red Cross had remained locked out of its quarters and as a result could not respond to calls for help and could not man first aid posts as it did in public events.

Mr Micallef said that recently, training which used to take place in Gozo was stopped and it was falsely claimed that the courses held in Gozo by Gozitian instructors are no longer valid.

He said the proposals to amend the statute of the Malta Red Cross were never discussed. Amendments were made in such a wayas to put the Gozo branch of the Red Cross, having the greatest number of volunteers, at a great disadvantage, by removing its majority.