Jason Micallef has been given €48 million to spend on Valletta 2018
Published:
February 19, 2014 at 3:09pm
V-18 chief Jason Micallef with energy minister Konrad Mizzi
Tourism Minister Il-Guy said in parliament, in response to a question from Francis Zammit Dimech, that the government has planned a budget of €48 million “for activities related to the Valletta 2018 Capital of Culture programme.
Details of the programme are not yet forthcoming, though V-18 chief Jason Micallef has told the press they will include football matches and fashion shows.
The budget runs until 2020.
Incidentally, those of you who think that former V-18 head David Felice is still on board this project are wrong. He resigned quietly ages ago, and the government didn’t appear too keen to publicise the fact.
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Why not organise a pastizzi eating competition with ghanja as the soundtrack?
Or maybe a “play go l-Istitut Kattoliku”.
When Jose’ Herrera appointed Jason Micallef, he said that David Felice would supervise his work.
Now that David Felice has resigned, Jason Micallef should go too.
Can this word be used in this context :
From Cambridge Dictionaries Online :
English definition of “siphon”
siphon
verb [T] (also syphon) /ˈsaɪfən/
› to take money, especially dishonestly, and use it for a purpose for which it was not intended:
siphon off funds/millions/money
siphon sth from sth He siphoned €600,000 from company accounts to pay for his secret lifestyle.
siphon sth away Millions of dollars of city funds were siphoned away in the form of fake property tax refunds.
› NATURAL RESOURCES to remove a liquid from one place and put it in another using a pipe or tube:
The government decided to scrap its plan to siphon water from the North-East of the country to the parched South.
In this context, all of the above.
At 100 Euros per complete football kit, assuming a full eleven, how many teams will be competing in the upcoming V18 FestaFutbol Turnimint? Anything left over for a quick Ezebizzjoni ta’ Ritratti Storici ta’ Dom Mintoff fil-Kavallier ta’ San Gakbu?
Incidentally: http://www.independent.com.mt/articles/2014-02-19/news/1970s-rock-opera-to-be-performed-again-in-march-3998416899/
“Producer David Borg explained that Gensna is the only work that refers to three of the national anniversaries being celebrated this year.”
It’s also the only one to actually lie about them too. “Mittna għall-barrani” remains the most over-nationalistic tripe I have yet to hear. So much for culture and V-18.
How about a Festa Kawlata with Guinness World Record attempt to boot?
Or they could organise a massive Gangnam Style mob dance in Pjazza San Gorg and get Xarabank to film it.
Kenneth Zammit Tabona can easily replace David Felice. He is much more in sync with cultured people like Jason Micallef.
This is good news, everybody, even if not for everybody.
For starters, it will be a nightmare for poor Jason. Spending €48m requires vision, stamina and lots of grateful friends who are willing to sacrifice their time for negligible profit margins.
Hopefully, not much will be wasted on restoration so Jason can focus on the real events. Besides, the more Valletta is in ruins, the older it looks and the more prestigious it becomes.
Tinsiex lil tal-qubbajt, Gejs. Kulhadd irid jaqla lira u dawk mhux suwed.
And it gets even better. The €48m is just to squander on celebrations and doesn’t include infrastructural projects. Including the latter the budget goes up to €130m. Kemm ghandna x’nahlu dan l-ahhar.
On signing a collective agreement with The Housing Authority workers only last November Marie Louise Coleiro described the wage increase as a symbolic but important one.
“We would have liked to give the employees the wage increase they wanted but the financial situation is what it is,” she said.
I don’t work at the Housing Authority, but the statement struck me by its sheer hypocrisy.
http://www.timesofmalta.com/articles/view/20131119/local/housing-authority-employees-set-to-get-pay-rise.495422
“It is not too late to stop this obscene madness – no health service should be used as a political football or political springboard.
It should be run according to the opinions of the professionals in the front line who know what they are talking about and move forward for the benefit of patient care – full stop!”
http://www.timesofmalta.com/articles/view/20140217/opinion/Seriously-unfunny-Valentine-.507110
http://www.inewsmalta.com/dart/20140219-v18-se-jigi-jiswa-130-miljun
U l-parlament ta’ Piano insejhulu kapricc.
Anqas in-nar hdejn l-ilma.
Then there’s that rock opera Gensna which was given prominence on TVM’s 8pm news. Lovely. Quadrophenia and Tommy are certainly no match.
Only the worst dictatorships such as North Korea would appoint basic, incompetent people like Micallef.
What is happening there is sheer madness. I am inclined to say that, on the whole, today’s Malta is far worse than that under Mintoff’s.
With Eur 48 million Jason can pave Strada Stretta with Eur 5 notes while he turns it into “another Paceville.”
Biskuttini f’halq il-hmir.
They couldn’t have chosen a better person to f**k it all up. Really, fashion shows? Football? Let’s face it with a person like Jason Micallef with no class and no experience in organisation (except xi coffee morning hi) we cannot expect any better.
Valletta 2018 is a farce. But of course, in the Labour way of thinking, David Felice and Jason Micallef are six of one and half a dozen of the other.
Another new Labour millionaire.
Budgeting €48 million on celebrations shows that this goverment’s priorities are upside down.
The problem is that the government sees V18 as ‘celebrations’ (alias, an enhanced carnival or village fête) when it should see it as an opportunity to boost the dismally poor arts scene. But when you appoint pigs to manage the Royal Castle, the outcome is obvious.
I assume that Jason will be parading down the catwalk. Or that he would like to.
http://www.timesofmalta.com/articles/view/20140220/local/ministry-230-more-policemen-needed.507567
Swieqi’s permanent resident population :is 10,000 + TEFL students + Paceville parking. Brand new police station in new civic centre completed over a year ago (keys not yet handed over to Swieqi Local Council) closed as three, yes three policemen cannot be found to man it.
I guess they won’t even think about spending one euro in having this played and sung in Pjazza San Gorg, in Valletta
http://www.onbeing.org/blog/flashmob-or-polished-ad-spanish-plaza-video-feast/4740
DOM MINTOFF AUCTION
A select 700 lots from the private collection of the Late Dom Mintoff will be put up for auction on Wednesday 5th March and the following days.
The collection is varied and includes Maltese 19th C.furniture, a collection of Walking Sticks; Silver; African, Eastern & Asian art; Etnographic items; Historical interest lots; Metal wares; Militaria; Paintings, Books, and personal items such as Wrist watches & cuff links; Coins and medals.
The lots will be on view at Dom Mintoff’s residence The Olives, in Xintill Street, Tarxien over the 3 days from the 25th – 27th February;
The catalogue and images will be at http://www.belgraviaauctions.com on Sunday 23rd February.
Mela ma kienx umli, imjassar u fqajjar bhall-haddiema Maltin?
L-aqwa li l-povra mara tiegħu kellha tbiegħ il-larinġ biex tgħix.
http://www.independent.com.mt/articles/2014-02-20/news/pm-absent-from-privileges-committee-meeting-to-attend-milan-football-match-4012441601/
Dawk jitbaqbqu u min suppost kien hemm jixhed kien mar jara loghba futbol.
U tghiduli li dan hu bniedem serju li m’ghandux tir li jirtira fi zmien sena biex idahhal il-pensjoni ta’ Prim Ministru?
So , to celebrate Valletta’s 2018 Capital of Culture, we’re having football matches and fashion shows.
Am I that dumb? Because I just don’t get it.
Building a new football stadium in Saint George Square is going to cost a few millions, don’t you think?
If they build it on time, we might even be in time to organise the World Cup of 2018.
Knowing this lot, it won’t be football on St George’s Square, but beach volley.
Mark my words.
It is a pity that the management and drive for a successful V18 programme and year are actually being devised by a mediocre and sub standard team.
This would have been a good opportunity to showcase Malta as an alternative, diverse and interesting visitor experience, instead of which we have activities that would be an embarrassment at the parish fete or the school prize day.
It’s worse than that. V18 is not a one-shot wonder. 2018 is supposed to cap a programme of professionalisation of the arts and the creation and development of culture industries.
As yet, no director has been appointed to replace Wayne Marshall who, in Jason Micallef’s words, is a ‘kondittur tajjeb’ but not quite up to scratch.
Me thinks, the whole V18 will show up Malta for what it really has become – an island in the hands of amateurs who think they’re the bee’s knees when actually they’re anything but that.
Hamalli u princjipjanti.
Tghid se jsir skrutinju tajjeb ta kif u fejn se jinteffqu dawk il-flus.
Is it possible that minds cannot go further than organising footie matches and fashion shows for our once in a lifetime celebration of Valletta Capital of Culture? Did we really need to spend 48MILLION EURO, YES, 48 MILLION EURO, to celebrate this occasion? Ask the ever growing queue of unemployed!