The Nationalist party today issued several proposals to help the voluntary sector.
PN MPs Kevin Cutajar, Claudette Buttigieg and Ivan Bartolo presented an extensive list of the party's proposals for the sector. They said that the PN will exempt VAT when voluntary organisations work on certain projects of importance to society. The exemption will be given according to precise criteria which will be formulated in consultation with the voluntary sector.
They said that the PN is committed to simplifying and reducing bureaucracy for voluntary organisations, by ensuring that there is only one registry to be managed by the Commissioner for Voluntary Organisations, who receives the necessary documentation from voluntary organisations.
The PN MPs said that a PN government will ensure that there will be a single, user-friendly electronic portal through which forms and information by voluntary entities can be filled in and submitted.
It will also encourage voluntary organisations to self-regulate, and for this aim will seek to encourage the setting up of more platforms among groups with similar or common functions, by introducing financial incentives on this matter. Moreover, state supervision will be strengthened to provide reassurance to banks and persuade them to support these entities, the MPs said.
A PN government will strengthen the role of the Malta Council for the Voluntary Sector in administering and distributing aid from national funds to organisations, the MPs said. The funds will be given according to the work of the association, on precise criteria to be drawn up in consultation with the voluntary sector. They said that a PN government will ensure that the law on social enterprises is adopted and implemented in a way that best suits unions. It will also ensure that there are necessary financial incentives to encourage the establishment and operation of social enterprises in Malta, the MPs said.
Another proposal is that the government would conduct national exercises to identify vacant or unused State properties so that these properties are given, under an agreement, to voluntary entities for use.
More resources would also be given to the Commissioner for Voluntary Organisations.
"The PN would make the Malta Council for the Voluntary Sector more representative of the organisations by appointing a nominated representative on the Malta Council for Economic and Social Development (MCESD)," they said.
In addition, they propose that aid be given to organisations on a regional level, by providing centres which serve voluntary organisations in the regions of Gozo, Northern, Central, Southeast and the Southern parts of Malta.
In another proposal, the PN said it would provide more resources by allocating public sector workers to all voluntary and non-governmental organisations, to help ensure better work. Recruited individuals will be asked to give preference as to which voluntary sector they want to provide their services in.
The MPs said that the PN in government would also give all companies and individuals the opportunity to donate part of their income to an organisation of their choice, which will be deducted from their income tax. The tax reduction is granted according to the social work of the association.