NGO watchdog crippled by staff shortage flagged two years ago
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The Commissioner for Voluntary Organisations has warned that his Office is unable to fulfil its duties due to an acute staff shortage, a “crisis” which has not been addressed despite having been flagged by his predecessor in 2017. “Authorities seem to bNGO watchdog crippled by staff shortage flagged two years ago
The Commissioner for Voluntary Organisations has warned that his Office is unable to fulfil its duties due to an acute staff shortage, a “crisis” which has not been addressed despite having been flagged by his predecessor in 2017. “Authorities seem to be totally unconcerned with the need to abide by the [Voluntary Organisations] Act and getting approval for even three additional staff is an unsurmountable obstacle incapacitating the workings of the Office and the need to carry out the necessary investigations as requested and required by Moneyval and the Auditor General,” Anthony Abela Medici lamented. Dr Abela Medici sounded the alarm bells in his 2018 annual report, in which he gave an overview of his first few months in office, after succeeding Prof. Kenneth Wain in May last year. He remarked that last year brought about new responsibilities and obligations for the Office with respect to the fight against money laundering and terrorism. Moreover, new legislation obliging all voluntary organisations to enrol with the Office meant that the administrative capacity had to be beefed up to cater for the added workload. In view of this, the NGO watchdog required lawyers,... Read more