‘Don’t Hold An Election During Valletta 2018’
Elections should not be held in 2018, which is the year Malta can dedicate fully to culture, according to the artistic director of Teatru Malta. Sean Buhagiar was speaking in Parliament during Forum Valletta, an event organised by MEP Therese Comodini Cachia.
“We have a great opportunity in front of us, which is 2018. We will be Capital of Culture in Europe today when Europe has all of these challenges. We can make such a big statement, as big a statement as is happening probably with the Presidency now. But I’d like to think we can make more of a statement. But I don’t think there will be an election during Presidency and I honestly don’t think there should be an election during Valletta 2018,” he said.
“After an election you change ministers, you change boards, you have a lot of meetings and spend a lot of money and time, when all that money can be spent on culture during one year”
“We have big opportunity to spend a year focusing on culture…. Even if there is an election I’m sure that artists can use that opportunity too but ideally there isn’t an election because after an election you change ministers, you change boards, you have a lot of meetings and spend a lot of money and time, when all that money can be spent on culture during one year.”
Prime Minister Joseph Muscat recently said that the election will be held on March 2018, exactly five years after the last one. If plans were to change to accommodate Buhagiar’s request, Muscat would have to hold the election some time between July and December 2017, after Malta’s EU Presidency term and before Valletta 2018. By law, elections must be held before June 2018.
Do you think Malta should dedicate the entire 2018 to culture by holding the election earlier? Have your say in the comments below or on Facebook.
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