GO is the once again the official telecoms provider for l-Istrina and for the ninth consecutive year has pledged its full support to L-Istrina – Malta’s favourite fund-raising campaign scheduled this year for 27 December. GO prides itself in being one of L-Istrina’s longest-standing partner and supporter and in fact has just presented the Community Chest Fund with a hefty donation of e32,000 from call charges waived by GO during last year’s edition of L-Istrina.

Apart from being the official telecoms provider for l-Istrina, GO offers its support by waiving call charges and other fees connected with donations made by phone during the huge fund-raising initiative. Last year alone GO provided its man hours and communications infrastructure for free to l-Istrina so as to ensure that all the telecommunications systems were in place.

Logistic preparations have just kicked off at the Montekristo Estates in Hal Farrug earmarked as the venue for L-Istrina 2008. At the new venue GO will be installing a state-of-the art phone-in system that will enable members of the general public to pledge their donations via a telephone call to an indicated number. Donation lines will operate on two separate hunting systems dedicated to donations of varying denominations. Besides the provision of sophisticated telephone donation lines, GO’s involvement with l-Istrina will further include other data communication services needed to organise this huge event.

With regards to supporting staff, GO again plans to have a team on site during the event and in various GO exchanges and operations centres around the island.

GO’s Chief Executive Officer, David Kay said: “This time of the year is very special for GO as we focus some of our efforts on meeting our important social responsibilities. Throughout the year GO supports a range of worthy events aimed at enhancing the quality of life for the society in which we operate. These events span a wide spectrum of community experience and include philanthropic, social, environmental, cultural and sporting events. L-Istrina is by far the major initiative we have invested in over the years. I would like to announce that this year GO will again waive charges and, what’s more, will once join forces with other local companies and make its donation to L-Istrina in line with our social responsibilities.”

“We are indeed privileged to have the opportunity of working closely with PBS, l-Istrina organisers and the Community Chest Fund, towards this very worthy cause. Our technical teams – as always – will be making every effort to guarantee the success of the fund-raising marathon.”

“L-Istrina tops the list of GO’s Corporate Social Responsibility programme. lt is evident that this event is not just any other fund-raising event. L-Istrina is the annual event which raises awareness on a national scale about people who are in need and who need a helping hand,” he went on.