Culture sector risks losing talent pool as funds dry up - Comodini Cachia
Shadow minister Therese Comodini Cachia warned on Thursday that Malta risks losing talent in the cultural sector because of the government’s failure to provide adequate support to a sector ravaged by COVID-19.
She also made proposals of how the government could help the media and ensure that this vital sector for democracy did not wilt.
Comodini Cachia was speaking during the budget debate in parliament.
She said the government lacked a vision for the cultural sector and the few ideas around were haphazard. There was no correlation between funding and cultural initiatives.
The COVID-19 measures had caused huge difficulties for the cultural sector. It was heartening to witness the determination, commitment and innovative efforts of the operators to keep going as best they could. But as the problems became deeper, the country risked losing its talent pool as artistes, photographers, producers, and many others, who had not found government financial support, sought jobs elsewhere.
Comodini Cachia said the new cultural policy, which had been completed, should have been published before the budget so that the budget should then have matched the various initiatives. Giving a list...