The Gozo Ministry said in a statement on Friday that according to an auditor general report presented to parliament earlier this week, the island's elderly population had positively benefitted from its expenditure of public funds. 

The ministry's statement follows an article by Times of Malta on Tuesday about the provision of €1.1 million worth of Home Help Services to ineligible users between September 2019 and December 2021.

The Home Help Service provides older people and people with special needs with home cleaning help, errands, shopping, and collecting medicines, allowing them to continue to live within the community. The service is provided by social assistants employed within the public service or by a private contractor engaged by the Gozo Ministry.

The PN subsequently demanded explanations and accountability from the government over this major shortcoming.

On Friday the Gozo Ministry blamed previous PN administrations for these shortcomings.

It said the PN was criticising "a small part " of the Home Help service provided by the NGO Inspire.

"By criticising this part of the Home Help service, the Opposition is pointing finger at itself, as it was a PN administration that introduced the service in 2001.

"While the current administration did not feel the need to halt the service, the Gozo Ministry is committed to continue improving the department's operation."

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