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Photo: Ruben Overend

The Malta Co-operatives Federation’s member societies present at the AGM held on the 15th January 2016, have unanimously authorized the Federation’s Council to take all the necessary action to protect their interests and end the discrimination against MCF.

The very well attended AGM of the Malta Co-operative Federation was also addressed by the Federation’s lawyers Dr Leonard Caruana and Dr Michael Camilleri. Dr. Caruana and Dr. Camilleri said that despite numerous efforts by Council to resolve the discriminatory situation faced by MCF, there was no tangible progress registered, despite the commitment by government to complete the Central Co-operative Fund reform by the start of 2015.

The Central Co-operative Fund – a public fund – is financed by all co-operative societies in Malta. All co-operative societies statutorily contribute an annual 5% of their net surplus to this Fund. Since the Federation’s inception, the Central Co-operative Fund (CCF) backed by the Central Co-operative Fund Provisional Board (CCFPB) have failed to approve any funding for the Federation. On the other hand, they are choosing to fund annually the operations of the other co-operative federation, Koperattivi Malta.
The members of the committees of CCF and the CCFPB are appointed by the Minister responsible for co-operatives. The Federation has been considering the lack of funding devolution towards the Federation as an act of deliberate discrimination against the Federation and against the Federation’s Members, notwithstanding the fact that MCF’s members contribute around 40% per annum of the total co-operative societies’ contributions to the Fund.

The lawyers outlined the necessary steps the Federation would be taking in the coming weeks to protect its interests and the interests of its member societies.

The CEO of the Federation, Mr Rolan Micallef Attard, announced that the Federation’s Council has assisted successfully the last five registered co-operative societies in Malta through the start-up and registration process with the Co-operatives Board. He also informed the assembly that although the Federation is not funded, another two co-operative societies are making use of the Federation’s hand-holding services and are currently in the final stages of the registration process with the Co-operatives Board.

The Council elections were held following the addresses of the CEO & Secretary General Mr Rolan Micallef Attard and the President Mr John Mallia. The newly elected Council for the period 2015/2016 are: Capt Paul Chetcuti, Mr Mario Cini, Mr John Mallia, Mr Rolan Micallef Attard and Mr Paul Muscat.