Government buys Qormi band club for €700,000
12 band clubs across island being ‘saved’ from eviction
Premises housing the Anici band club, in Qormi have been bought by the government, the culture ministry announced yesterday.
The property, which cost €700,000, was purchased out of fear that the society would be evicted due to legal issues with the landlords related to pre-1995 leases.
Having purchased the property, the government can now lease it back to the band club, allowing it to continue its operations as a local cultural centre, the culture ministry said.
So far, €19 million have been spent on band clubs in an effort to keep the culture alive. The government intervened by ‘saving’ 12 band clubs from eviction, Culture Minister Owen Bonnici said, noting that there could be more.
Bonnici said that, now that the Qormi property had been purchased through the people’s taxes, it would open the doors for different groups of people.
The Arts Council Malta, which manages the acquired properties, has set up the Band Clubs Acquisition and Management Unit to safeguard the long-term interests of the social band clubs and the government.
James Pearsall, who heads the unit, outlined the importance of inclusivity and transparency at a press conference yesterday.
“The band club is no longer just for the people of Qormi; it is now for everyone… The governance of the band clubs needs to be as transparent as possible, not how it was before. We must remain transparent, that is the only way we will achieve sustainability.”
Band club is no longer just for people of Qormi