Commissioner for Voluntary Organisations Kenneth Wain resigns, Education ministry promises amendments

The Commissioner for Voluntary Organisations Kenneth Wain handed in his resignation after claiming that the 2007 Voluntary Organisations Act needed urgent changes.

In response, the Education Ministry promised a ‘long-overdue’ amendment of the act which will seek to avoid misuse of funds, tax abuse and abuse against voluntary organisations and the voluntary sector.

The ministry stated that in the proposed amendment, the mistakes of the 2007 act will not be repeated.

The evolution of the bill included input from the Attorney General’s office, the Financial Intelligence Analysis Unit and the Inland Revenue Department to produce a well-rounded and long-lasting framework.

The ministry has stated that the process for amendment was kick-started in the beginning of the legislature, and it has constantly provided aid to the office of the commissioner for voluntary organisations.

The bill is to be tabled in the coming weeks.