Through an agreement between the Crime Victims Agency and the Association of Local Councils, awareness of the rights of crime victims will be increased. The agreement was signed in the Local Council of Fgura, by the Chief Executive of the Agency for Victims of Crime, Brian Farrugia, and the Executive Secretary of the Association for Local Councils, Lianne Cassar, in the presence of -Minister for the Interior, Security, Reforms and Equality, Byron Camilleri and the Parliamentary Secretary for Local Government, Alison Zerafa Civelli.
The Crime Victims Agency is working continuously to be closer to the public with the aim of preventing, educating and giving support to crime victims. In fact, through this agreement, the workers of the Local Councils will be given training so that they will also be a point of reference for the resident in the cities and villages. Professionals in the field will give training to local council workers so that they are trained on the first guidance they should give to residents who have fallen victim to a criminal offense.
The Minister for the Interior, Security, Reforms and Equality Byron Camilleri said the Agency for Victims of Crime has assisted more than 3,000 victims in just over two years that this agency has been established. He explained that these services are always being extended in order to reach the largest amount of people possible and that was why an agreement was made with the Association of Local Councils, so that through the same Councils, the agency and its services reach to more people, particularly those who have been victims of crime. He concluded by saying to the Government that he is committed to continuing to extend these services so that more victims of crime are helped.
Parliamentary Secretary for Local Government Alison Zerafa Civelli explained that the Local Councils are the first point of reference for the residents in the community and that this agreement will continue to give the tools to the Local Councils to be able to assist and help victims of crime in the best possible way. She wished that the training would be useful for the members of the Local Councils and from which they would create new services and initiatives in favor of these victims who live in Gozitan and Maltese towns and villages.
The Chief Executive of the Agency for Victims of Crime, Brian Farrugia, explained that the agency will be giving information and training to officers and employees in Local Councils, thus those who seek the service will now they also begin to find him in the respective Local Councils.
Lianne Cassar, from the Association of Local Councils, said that through this agreement the Association is committing to assist the Regional and Local Councils in order to provide first aid to their residents.
