PD proposes national civic service programme to strengthen Malta's ‘sense of community’

The Democratic Party (PD) is calling for the establishment of citizen service programme through which people can be incentivized to practice responsible citizenship.

In a statement on Wednesday the PD, said it believed in a “society upheld and united by a sense of civic duty and responsibility, where the interests of the country come before the interests of a political party”.

The PD said there should be a national volunteer programme in place that teaches people “skills, traditional arts and crafts, where they can participate in programmes to plant indigenous trees, rebuild rubble walls and clean up the countryside, look after those in need and safeguard the country’s heritage through education.

“It is imperative that residents and citizens alike realise that along with rights come certain responsibilities,” PD MEP candidate Martin Cauchi Inglott said, adding that he could even “take it a step further and argue for mandatory services for youths”.

PD deputy leader Timothy Alden said that cooperatives, charities, NGOs and similar organisations were “the best expressions of the civic culture which Partit Demokratiku seeks to promote”.

“A national volunteer programme could foster a greater sense of community and make it easier for pensioners and youths alike to put their energy towards a good cause. Students graduating from school could be incentivized to spend part of their summer in such a programme. Aside from certification, experience and connections, we can also discuss light tax incentives for such a programme," Alden said.

Camilla Appelgren, who is also contesting next May’s MEP elections pointed out that there were many ways such a programme could benefit the country and “deepen the sense of community which underpins and keeps it together”.

“I have been in the forefront with such an entity. We must demonstrate that the country comes before the interests of any political party or corporation, by making the Third Sector and civil society a consistent point of reference,” Appelgren said.

Echoing Cauchi Inglott, MEP candidate Anthony Buttigieg said that a “defined period of voluntary work for all 16 to 18 year olds should be encouraged”, adding that participants could be rewarded through eligibility for travel programmes “Such programmes are a way to pass civic education on to them and make them engaged and active citizen."