The Gozo NGOs Association has said that the voluntary NGO sector in Gozo urgently needs support.
The Association has requested that, “in the shortest possible time action is taken to protect the voluntary and non-governmental sector in Gozo.”
While it welcomed the measures that have been announced by the Prime Minister “to safeguard the economy and protect businesses and workers,” the Association said that “there also needs to be a roll out of specific measures to cater for the particular difficulties of Gozo.”
The Association argued that as a result of its double insularity, “Gozo is bound to be effected more strongly by the ensuing Covid-19 pandemic.”
“A specific sector which definitely requires assistance at this critical time in Gozo is the voluntary and non-governmental sector,” the Association said.
“This is a sector that through its work makes a major contribution to Gozo’s cultural, economic and social development in particular; and the national economy of the Maltese islands in general,” it stated.
The Association said that in the context of the spread of Covid-19 a good number of Gozo based organisations are postponing, and in some cases even cancelling their activities.
“It must be appreciated that considerable expenses are incurred by VOs, even at the preparatory phase of each project or activity,” it said.
The Gozo NGOs Association stressed that if these expenses are not recovered, a number of VOs might encounter problems of liquidity which in some cases may hamper their operations.
The Gozo NGOs Association concluded by joining with the Gozo Business Chamber in its call for dialogue with all the Gozo based social partners in order to draw a tailored package of measures to address better the particular situation developing in Gozo.