Solidarity – our nation’s true character

Christmastime is perhaps the best time of the year to appreciate the sterling work accomplished by thousands of dedicated people in the many voluntary organisations with which Gozo and Malta are blessed.

Since my early years in public life, I have never hidden my admiration for all those who dedicate precious time and resources to help others. In various fields – both social and cultural – they live up to Aristotle’s axiom that the essence of life is to serve others and do good. That principle was complemented by none other than Winston Churchill, who noted that we make a living by what we get, but we make a life by what we give. Volunteers are, in fact, the highest expression of human solidarity which is essentially the strongest aspect of our character as a nation.

My admiration grew considerably during my years serving the country in the elderly and disability sectors, where several voluntary organisations led the way in creating public awareness of the challenges of vulnerable sectors within our society. The plight of some of our people and their families would have otherwise remained unknown to the rest of the community. Most of the new laws and other legislative measures I piloted were formulated after long consultations with these organisations and I am proud that I was part of the silent revolution we have brought about after long years of hesitation or inertia.

Voluntarism in Gozo

In my new role as Minister for Gozo, I have immediately given due importance to voluntarism on the island. The voluntary assistance scheme launched by the Gozo Ministry last August came up with several positive results in that many NGOs suggested very useful community projects, while others took the opportunity to reform and comply with the necessary structures and provisos of the respective regulations.

On December 5, we celebrated the United Nations International Volunteers Day with a regional conference organised by the Gozo NGOs Association at the Ministry building. I stressed the importance of volunteering in Gozo, with the Ministry helping the local sector in several ways, not only financially but also by allocating staff to various NGOs, so that they can operate more efficiently. It is imperative that there should be greater accountability and visibility of the contribution of allocated workers. In this way we are also able to quantify how much the Government is really assisting, so that we are able to strengthen the voluntary sector allowing it to cater for future challenges.

Assisting NGOs

Encouraged by the success achieved through our first scheme, we are now preparing for the second phase of the Gozo NGO Assistance Scheme that will enable more Gozitan voluntary organisations to benefit from funding to carry out their projects. I reiterate that the entire selection process will be carried out to the highest fair and transparent stan- Gozitans – and the thousands of summer visitors – are well aware of the natural beauty of Ramla lĦamra as a major tourist attraction. The internationally renowned Travel and Leisure magazine has recently named the beach and its environs in Gozo among the World’s 7 Most Beautiful Red Sand beaches.

This prestigious and influential travel publication is recognising the initiatives taken locally by various entities – not least the Gozo Ministry – to preserve the island’s environment. Over the past few months, the Ministry has been committed to improving the standard of the island’s beaches through a series of exercises, such as at Ramla – where our workers have cleared huge quantities of seaweed. This work had to be carried out manu- ally, in full compliance with the scientific and expert directives that do not allow the use of any machinery due to the sensitive nature of the environment.

Plans will soon be underway regarding a masterplan for Ramla, which will ultimately be discussed with stakeholders and other organisations. A programme of work is to start to improve facilities at Ramla and to make the beach more accessible, at the same time respecting the environment and the surrounding area. Related projects are also in the offing to include the cleaning of valleys and a series of improvements to government-owned pathways and tracks for local farmers, as well as the installation of a panoramic camera near Calypso’s Cave overlooking Ramla.