The grant given to Gozo LGBTIQ+ raises eyebrows about good governance
In the past few days, the discussion in Malta was about the supposed remuneration received by Rosianne Cutajar about four years ago for a consultancy job with a government body. Because of this remuneration or consultancy job with The Institute of Tourism Studies, Rosianne Cutajar was practically forced to resign from being part of the Labour Party parliamentary group.
Now we had the news that Gozo LGBTIQ+ received a grant of 30,000 euros. Of course, it is not a big grant, but still, it is a grant. Questions on Facebook were asked related to this grant. These questions addressed the issue of good governance.
The first question was why specific associations receive money, and others do not. What makes an association more important than another? The second question asked was whether this grant would lead to the creation of another phantom job.
But what is worrying here is that if the Government starts funding NGOs’ salaries, they are no longer NGOs. How can an association claim to be non-government when the Government supports the wages of its employees?
In an American context, this may appear scandalous! But, on the other hand, this may sound normal in Maltese circumstances unless the media does not give it a spin for ulterior motives.
Hemm bzonn li jsir ezercizzju kbir fuq il-kontabbilta’ ta’ hafna mill-NGOs! Kemm hawn NGOs li jiddependu mill-fondi tan-nies, u li jaghmlu Laqgha Generali Annwali sabiex jipprezentaw l-accounts taghhom u jaghtu rendikont ta’ fejn marru il-flus li rcevew mid-donazzjonijiet u mill-maratoni li matulhom jingabru l-miljuni? NGOs bhal Puttinu Cares, minghajr ma nnehhi xejn mill-mertu taghhom, huma wahda mill-NGOs li l-aktar jircievu ghajnuna kemm minghand in-nies u anke minghand il-Gvern (biss biss 50K fl-ahhar maratona, u 5 miljun ewro ftit snin ilu waqt maratona wahda). Qatt xi hadd ra l-accounts taghhom? Qatt xi hadd talab li jaghtu rendikont? Qatt xi hadd saqsa kemm jircievu minghand il-Gvern bhala sussidju ghal kull persuna li toqghod fl-appartamenti gewwa l-Ingilterra? Sussidju li jinghata per person, per night? Qatt xi hadd saqsa kemm ghandhom spejjez ta’ pagi? M’hemmx dritt li nsiru nafu dawn l-affarijiet kollha? Fl-ahhar mill-ahhar jekk il-flus jigu minghand it-telefonati jew minghand il-Gvern dawn huma xorta flus il-poplu. L-istess haga fir-rigward ta Marigold Foundation biex inkun semmejt ohra!
Haga ta’ l-iskantament, jinqala fuss biss fuq l-Istrina u l-Community Chest Fund, probabli ghax hemm il-Kap ta’ l-Istat affiljat ma’ din il-Fondazzjoni, izda fil-verita, hija l-uniku Fondazzjoni li qatt ghamlet AGM u ppubblikat Annual Report!
Imbaghad ghandna nistaqsu kemm setghu instabu blokok ta flats gewwa Londra, kemm setghu inghataw trattamenti ta kimoterapija, kieku erbgha mitt miljun ewro gew utilizzati b’mod ahjar!