Entity led by Clayton Bartolo found guilty of hiding how it spent public funds, PN says
The Auditor General's report states that the Film Commission concealed how it spent millions of euros in taxpayer funds, the Nationalist Party said Tuesday. Tourism Minister Clayton Bartolo continues to be exposed as unfit to remain a Minister,
The Auditor General's report states that the Film Commission concealed how it spent millions of euros in taxpayer funds, the Nationalist Party said Tuesday.
Tourism Minister Clayton Bartolo continues to be exposed as unfit to remain a Minister, the PN added. After being implicated in a scheme with Minister Clint Camilleri to appoint his secretary as a consultant with a salary of almost €70,000 per year without proper qualifications, the Auditor General, upon investigating the €137 million of the Malta Film Commission under his responsibility, found that the entity concealed its expenditure and did not provide evidence that public funds were spent wisely.
Following a request by Opposition Members of the Public Accounts Committee to investigate the Film Commission's expenditure of millions, the Auditor General found, among other things, that:
1. The Malta Film Commission lacked a solid strategic and business plan for the expenses related to Malta Film Week.
2. The Malta Film Commission did not provide account records and contracts - to the extent that the Auditor General could not determine the full cost of Malta Film Week.
3. The Malta Film Commission failed to show that the millions spent on Malta Film Week provided value for money.
4. The Malta Film Commission had serious governance deficiencies - even failing to provide minutes or sufficient details on the expenditure related to Malta Film Week to the Auditor General.
5. The lack of a serious audit trail results in poor business continuity and a lack of transparency, accountability, regularity, and value-for-money principles.
In its statement, the PN said it supported investment with a strong and strategic plan in the film industry - for both local productions and to attract foreign productions. However, it will never accept that this be done without the Labour Government accounting for how the funds are spent.
The Auditor General found that there was no job creation in the film industry. Instead, it was confirmed that the same number of positions was maintained from one production to another.
The PN reiterated that there should be a cap on the cash rebate and a wage regulation order for workers in this sector, among other measures.
Instead of squandering public funds, Film Commissioner Johann Grech should use the funds to repair the Rinella Tanks and build the Sound Stage that this Government has long promised.
The PN spoke about the need for increased support for the co-production fund, which would enable Maltese producers to compete on a level playing field with others in Europe.
The PN also maintained that investments in the film industry should benefit production and the artists, ensuring that Maltese artists and all workers in this industry are given every opportunity to grow within the industry in Malta and Gozo.
As recently revealed regarding the Minister's wife, who received nearly €70,000 of taxpayer money for consultancy services that were never provided, one wonders what occurred in all the entities under Minister Clayton Bartolo, where even the Auditor General could not find proper documentation or accountability for the millions spent.
The statement was signed by Darren Carabott, Chairperson of the Public Accounts Committee and Shadow Minister for Internal Affairs, Security, and Reforms, and Julie Zahra, Shadow Minister for National Heritage, Arts, and Culture
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