Education Minister Louis Galea said yesterday that any criticism of the draft bill regulating voluntary organisations should be based on the position taken in the bill and not that presented by the government in the White Paper.
Speaking during the second reading of the Voluntary Organisations Act, Dr Galea said the government wanted nothing but to create the best environment and legal framework to help NGOs and voluntary organisations to fulfil their vocation and their mission.
Acknowledging the points raised by the Opposition, particularly its criticism of the definition of a voluntary organisation and the powers given to the proposed Commissioner, Dr Galea said he did not see anything wrong with the definition as proposed in the draft bill.
With regard to the Commissioners’ role and powers, Dr Galea said the government strongly believed in a sense of self-regulation and the distinction between self-regulation and what should be regulated by the state.
“Elements of public and national interest have to be safeguarded by the government,” Dr Galea said, and these included fund-
raising activities on a national scale.
On the Commissioner, Dr Galea said he does not find the person’s powers as being wide-ranging, without limitation and that he or she will not be accountable. He said this individual would be chosen by the government and the Social Affairs Committtee, all decisions will be subject to a board of appeal, and the Commissioner has to file a report on his work with parliament.
Opening the debate, Parliamentary Secretary Tony Abela spoke highly of voluntary organisations and how they had changed society in every sector and were contributing so much to the country’s religious, social and cultural growth.
Labour MP Carmelo Abela said the law had been long in coming and he agreed that it would help voluntary organisations to be recognised for the sterling work they carry out.
He said the law would help to regulate the many organisations and members in the sector, guarantee transparency and ensure that these organisations operated in a democratic manner.
Mr Abela said that certain areas had still not been addressed in the draft bill and the definition of a voluntary organisation had to be improved. He questioned why the Commissioner was being given so much power and insisted also that the individual had to be given the necessary resources to work. He said the draft bill should be discussed by the Social Affairs Committee.
Labour MP Anglu Farrugia followed up most of Mr Abela’s arguments. He said there had to be accountability and transparency in the sector. Dr Farrugia said the country did not want “cowboys” and those who abused of their position should be held accountable because, at times, a lot of public money was involved.
Dr Farrugia said regulation was important and the public had a right to know how the many thousands of liri collected were being distributed and used.
He called for a better definition of the social scope of the law and to look out for possible discrimination by the government between different voluntary organisations.
Dr Farrugia reiterated the Opposition’s concerns that the proposed Commissioner had too much power and it was important that his or her actions could be challenged and monitored.
Concluding, Dr Farrugia said it is a good law that needs a bit more fine-tuning.