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Another L-Istrina is in the offing and for another year, the PBS is refusing to publish the accounts of the charity TV programme. It argues that once the accounts are given to the media then it has no obligation to give us information as to how the donations that we have made have been spent and distributed. It shifts the responsibility on the media arguing that it is the media that is failing to publish these accounts.
This is purely baby talk and I cannot understand why the PBS is continuously being reluctant to publish those accounts. On 29 October 2005 history repeated itself when part of the proceeds raised last year were given to 14 organisations. L-Istrina 2004 collected over Lm1 million, to be exact Lm1,270,403, and Lm447,268 were donated to the Tsunami fund earlier in the year and Lm732,449 were distributed to the Malta Community Chest Fund and the rest between different organisations.
What probably raised eyebrows this year is the fact that Lm60,686 were spent on the production of the programme of l-Istrina. It is true that in this day and age nothing comes for free and nothing comes cheap, but to have more than Lm60,000 spent on this programme is to my mind excessive. Not only that, but we are not provided with a breakdown of how these Lm60,686 have been spent keeping in mind, that we are made to believe that those who work for L-Istrina do this voluntarily and free of charge.
It is curious to note that when the local charities were presented with L-Istrina 2004 funds last October, President Fenech Adami was reported as thanking PBS for its support and producers Where’s Everybody? for their enthusiasm and courage in organising the annual programme, as well as Maltacom and television stations who offered air time for free. Note that the mention of ‘free’ was only made to Maltacom and to the air time of television stations only.
I remember reading also about an issue that was raised by a reader in a local newspaper asking why this million liri is not deposited in a bank so that interest can be paid till the time that the money is distributed to their destinations. Nobody from L-Istrina or PBS gave this reader an answer and we are still left in the dark as to whether this money is deposited in a bank account, and if so, what happens to the interest accumulated and if not, who keeps all this money?
So I cannot understand why PBS continues to be adamant on this issue and continues to refuse to publish the accounts as do other charitable organisations. People ask questions and it is the credibility of the whole affair that is at stake, so why prejudice a noble cause such as L-Istrina? I am sure that you will agree with me that we will find nothing wrong and give our support to PBS to add about Lm200 or so expenses to the Lm60,686 for the publication of these accounts in all the local newspapers. If the local media did not consider this essential and important information to the public, the public does because it is after all its money that we are talking about.
The PBS also fails to provide us with information, year after year, as to how the charitable organisations that have benefited from the proceeds have spent the L-Istrina money. It is not enough to give to charity: the PBS has to ensure that the money was spent for the purpose that it was given for. People want to know that the money is going for a good cause and nor for a good organisation.
I therefore suggest and PBS is still in time that in L-Istrina programme of this year, they give us a breakdown of how the Tsunami Fund (Lm477,268), Malta Community Chest Fund (Lm366,224), the Malta Cancer Foundation (Lm91,556), the Oasi Foundation, the Little Sisters of the Poor, Dar il-Kaptan, Fondazzjoni Arka and St Rita Home (Lm36,623 each), the Salesians of Don Bosco (Lm21,973), Equal Partners, the Richmond Foundation and the Eden Foundation (Lm18,311 each), the Jesuit Refugee Service (Lm7,324), the Society for the Protection and Care of Animals and Reaching Out (Lm3,662 each) have spent this money. It is only in this way that L-Istrina can show that it is making a difference in peoples’ and now also animals’ lives.
And if this is the purpose of L-Istrina and if the PBS committee of L-Istrina was so quick in deciding to give part of the 2004 funds to the Tsunami victims, although this was not in the original plan, I cannot understand why the same committee cannot do the same with the ‘tsunami’ that has hit the workers of the Denim Services factory when this Christmas we are going to have more than 800 families with nothing to celebrate.
After all, charity begins at home and if L-Istrina fails to include them in their list of beneficiaries, than I suggest that other television stations take the initiative to raise funds for these families independent of L-Istrina. Although, let me put it this way, it will be a shame if L-Istrina shows no compassion and support for these families this Christmas because the people look up to L-Istrina as the major source of charity that we have in these islands and are expecting L-Istrina be charitable with these families.
What I may also suggest for this year’s L-Istrina is for the organisers to be cautious and careful in not rendering this charitable feast in another Super 5 lottery. We must instil in the minds and hearts of the people that giving for charity does come with a prize, but the prize comes from within because it is only through giving that we receive peace and happiness in our hearts. Gambling and charity do not go together and the focus of L-Istrina should be on charity and not on gambling.
L-Istrina last year collected Lm1,270,403 and like any other charitable organisation it is bound by law to publish the audited accounts. If PBS wants us to continue to have faith in L-Istrina it must publish these accounts, show us that the organizations have spent L-Istrina money wisely and include the denim workers in the list of charities that will benefit from L-Istrina of this year.
PBS is still in time to do this!
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