Ir-Reġjun ta’ Għawdex Jiġbed l-attenzjoni għad-diskriminazzjoni fit-tqassim tal-Fondi permezz ta’ Skemi ta’ Diviżjoni tal-Gvern Lokali.
Ir-Reġjun ta’ Għawdex jigbed l-attenzjoni għad-diskriminazzjoni fit-tqassim tal-Fondi permezz ta’ Skemi ta’ Diviżjoni tal-Gvern Lokali.
Il-Kunsill Reġjonali Għawdex jixtieq jiġbed l-attenzjoni għall-fatt li Kunsilli Lokali Għawdxin qegħdin jiġu mwarrba milli jużaw skemi ta’ fondi għar-restawr ta’ siti storiċi u monumenti fi ħdan il-lokalità. L-Iskema dwar Restawr ta’ Postijiet/Monumenti Storici f’Malta 2024/2025 mnedija ilbieraħ, nhar it-Tnejn, 15 ta’ Jannar 2024 mid-Direttorat tal-Istrateġija u Implimentazzjoni ta’ Policy fi ħdan id-Diviżjoni tal-Gvern Lokali bi sħab mad-Dipartiment tar-Restawrazzjoni u Preservazzjoni. Jirriżulta li din l-iskema telenka speċifikament l-54 Kunsill Lokali Maltin bħala benefiċjarji, ħlief dawk il-lokalitajiet madwar iż-żona tal-Kottonera (jiġifieri l-Birgu, Bormla, l-Isla u l-Kalkara) u anke l-Imdina, peress li dawn il-lokalitajiet diġà jibbenefikaw direttament mill-inizjattivi tal-Uffiċċju tal-Proġetti ta’ Riabilitazzjoni. L-ebda spjegazzjoni ma ngħatat għaliex il-Kunsilli Lokali Għawdxin ġew esklużi bħala benefiċjarji potenzjali tal-iskema msemmija. Fil-fatt, kemm iċ-Ċirkolari kif ukoll il-Linji Gwida tal-Iskema li ġew mibgħuta, lanqas biss isemmu lil Għawdex.
Din mhix l-ewwel darba li ħarġet din l-iskema bil-Kunsilli Lokali Għawdxin jiġu esklużi mingħajr ebda spjegazzjoni. Fl-2022, ħarġet skema simili u l-Kunsilli Lokali Għawdxin ma tħallewx jipparteċipaw.
Il-Kunsill Reġjonali ta’ Għawdex qed jitlob li din l-iskema tkun disponibbli wkoll għall-Kunsilli Lokali Għawdxin, peress li għandna numru ta’ siti u monumenti storiċi f’Għawdex li jeħtieġu u jistgħu jiġu restawrati b’tali fondi, jekk dawn jitqiegħdu għad-dispożizzjoni tagħna l-Kunsilli Lokali. Din hija diskriminazzjoni kbira li żżomm Reġjun sħiħ milli jibbenefika minn skema partikolari mingħajr ebda ġustifikazzjoni. Il-Kunsilli Lokali f’Għawdex jixirqilhom li jiġu ttrattati b’mod ugwali, l-istess bħall-Kunsilli Lokali fir-Reġjuni l-oħra ta’ Malta.
Gozo Region Draws attention to discrimination in the distribution of Funds through Local Government Division Schemes.
The Gozo Regional Council is drawing attention to the fact that Gozitan Local Councils have once again been excluded from a funding scheme for the restoration of historical sites and monuments. This scheme issued by the Strategy and Policy Implementation (SPI) Directorate within the Local Government Division in collaboration with the Restoration and Preservation Department has just been launched and it transpires that the scheme lists specifically the 54 Maltese Local Councils as beneficiaries, then excluding those localities around the Cottonera area (namely Birgu, Bormla, Isla and Kalkara) and also Mdina, as these localities benefit directly on an ongoing basis, from the initiatives of the Rehabilitation Projects Office. No explanation was given as to why the Gozitan Local Councils have been excluded as potential beneficiaries of the scheme named. As a matter of fact, both the Circular and Scheme’s Guidelines received, do not even mention Gozo.
This is not the first time that this scheme has been issued with Gozitan Local Councils being excluded without any sort of explanation. In 2022, a similar scheme was issued and Gozitan Local Councils were not permitted to participate.
The Gozo Regional Council is requesting that this scheme is made available also to Local Councils in Gozo as beneficiaries, as there are a number of historical sites and monuments in Gozo that need and can be restored with such funding, if these are made available to our Local Councils. There is no basis for such sheer discrimination in this day and age by keeping a whole Region from benefitting from a particular scheme without any justification whatsoever. Local Councils in Gozo deserve to be treated equally, just like the Local Councils in the other Regions of Malta. Nothing more and nothing less.
Rita Mifsud Attard
Executive Secretary