A Payment Service Provider (PSP) agreement between the Ministry of Family, Children’s Rights and Social Solidarity and Malta Gay Rights Movement (MGRM) will stretch over three years and amount to €191 million, said Family Minister Michael Falzon.

“These are agreements we made as stakeholders so that we can ensure that there is communication between the government and NGOs from different sectors as it is very important for us to reach everyone,” he said.

MGRM representative Collette Farrugia Bennett stated that, over the past seven years, during which the Rainbow Support Service was created, MGRM saw a noticeable change in the quality of life of the LGBTIQ community due to the support we could offer on a professional level.

“Obviously, the quality improved not only because of our services but also the legal and social changes that happened on a national level. With this PSP agreement, we were able to reach multiple members of the community, not only adults but also youths and their families.”

The minister explained that, when compared to the previous agreement which expired in 2019, “we will be seeing an overall increase of 38% in allocations towards MGRM.”

Falzon added that this is a commitment for the government on three levels.

“Primarily, it is a financial commitment as we have increased the number of PSP agreements seeing that we started from three NGOs and today we are working with forty-four. It is also a social commitment wherein as a government we want to see that everyone is adhered to and everyone has the same standing. Finally, it is a political commitment in the sense that we are committed that we have a more inclusive society wherein cooperation does not only happen internally but extend our reach outside.”

The signing of the agreement followed after these introductions.