In his article ‘Malta aid figures show little cash reaches world’s poorest’, published in the news section of MaltaToday on 16 November, Matthew Vella expounds the opinions of various unnamed NGOs.
They are cited as questioning, claiming, doubting and believing, but not one of them is identified and neither, of course, are their members and office holders. Most of them are probably the same as those forming the NGOs that promote the interests of illegal immigrants. Vella mentions “SKOP a Maltese coalition of 17 NGOs” which, again, are not identified; the total number of their members is not given either. I guess it is less than 100.
On the basis of this flimsy and anonymous evidence, Vella weaves a page-long article on the Maltese government’s development policies. “In past years Malta has been accused” he says; but by whom? He adds that “former foreign minister Michael Frendo came under fire by NGOs”. But which are the organisatons and/or persons who “fired” at Frendo?
Vella also makes statements such as “only three projects out of dozens that received aid money in 2007 and 2008 were spent directly on African projects. The rest of the money was spent on institutional donations”.
What’s wrong with that if some institutions work for development? And what’s wrong with a playground in Bethlehem? Is it too much to hope that Vella’s next article will contain more substance and less foam?

Louise Vella,
Mosta

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