Be the first to comment!GRC complains of “discrimination” against Gozo Region on Government schemes
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Restoration of Sites/Monuments scheme not available to Gozo Region – GRC says.
The Gozo Region has drawn attention to the “discrimination” in the distribution of funds through Local Government Division Schemes.
The Gozo Regional Council in a statement, said that Gozitan Local Councils have once again been excluded from a funding scheme for the restoration of historical sites and monuments.
“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 GRC said.
This scheme, which has just been launched, is issued by the Strategy and Policy Implementation (SPI) Directorate within the Local Government Division in collaboration with the Restoration and Preservation Department.
The GRC highlighted that “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.”
It argued that “no explanation was given as to why the Gozitan Local Councils have been excluded as potential beneficiaries of the scheme named.”
The GRC pointed out that “as a matter of fact, both the Circular and Scheme’s Guidelines received, do not even mention Gozo.”
The Gozo Regional Council requested 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.”
It argued that “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.”
The Gozo Regional Council concluded by saying that “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.”
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