A breakthrough in negotiations between the government and the YMCA may save the organisation’s shelter for minors through the implementation of a more sustainable system, YMCA chairman Jean Paul Mifsud said this evening.
The YMCA was today due to publish reports highlighting shortcomings that existed in dealings with the government.
As a sign of goodwill now that negotiations are underway, the organisation decided to present these reports to ministry instead.
Although these reports had already been sent to the ministry by e-mail, it appeared they had been lost.
Mr Mifsud said that after one of the six teenagers at the centre was relocated yesterday, another was relocated this morning.
The YMCA had to be told of the fate of the other four today. The organisation said it was confident that there would be a future for these minors.
If the government decided to find an alternative placing for them and YMCA was assured they would get the service they required, the organisation would have six vacancies available at its shelter, which would be filled up quickly enough.
Mr Mifsud said that ideally, there would not be need for the shelter but a lot of children fell through the safety net and this was their last resort.
He said that the negotiations with the government, which were undertaken following mediation by the Union Haddiema Maghqudin, would seek to make the system more sustainable for the shelter to be saved.
One such way of doing so could be through the services of an Appogg social worker, rather than employ one specifically for the centre.
Mr Mifsud said the YMCA said it was pleased with the new energy being shown by the ministry.
He said that yesterday’s government statement in reply to its news conference where it (the YMCA) said that the government had run out of funds and suggested closing the shelter for minors, might have been written by someone who took offence at what was said.
Certain claims about the YMCA were made but these were clarified during today’s meeting with the government.
One such claim was that the YMCA had not submitted its audited accounts but these, the organisation said, would be presented by the end of the month and it had already informed the ministry that they would be a month late.
Mr Mifsud noted that while yesterday the government expressed doubts as to how the YMCA was being run, it was up to last Wednesday, referring people to the organisation itself.