President Marie-Louise Coleiro Preca has called for up-to-date statistics about the problem of homelessness in Malta while inaugurating Dar Niki Cassar - a YMCA shelter for the homeless in Msida.

Mrs Coleiro Precai said that, as per statistics provided solely by YMCA Malta, there have been over eighty referrals to the agency so far this year.

This was quite a large number for Malta, and it clearly “shows us the urgency to really know what is happening in this sector and why it is happening”, so that the problem can be truly addressed from its roots. The President called on the National Statistics Office to delve further into the problem of homelessness in Malta so that we can get to know the real picture of what the situation in Malta truly is.

“This is not an individual problem, but it is a problem for us all, as a society. All of us, in our different capacities have to understand what is happening and we all need to do our part to eliminate homelessness”, the President said.

Speaking at the opening of Dar Niki Cassar, the President thanked YMCA Malta for its longstanding support of the vulnerable people in Malta, and for the continuous visibility which YMCA Malta gives to the homeless in Malta.

President Coleiro Preca also thanked the authorities for the support which they give to YMCA Malta, adding that this support could be taken a step further through the provision of professional human resources, so that centres such as Dar Niki Cassar could not only provide board and lodging for the homeless, but also address the needs of the individuals who will be residents in the shelter.

The President thanked the mayor and the community of Msida for embracing the shelter and the people who are residents at Dar Niki Cassar. She also thanked the housing authority for making the place available and finally, the President thanked the staff and the volunteers of YMCA who put in countless hours to support these initiatives.