Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/1231020
8 maltatoday | SUNDAY • 5 APRIL 2020 CORONAVIRUS CRISIS CLAYTON Agius has just put in the finishing touches on a collec- tion of small religious statues de- picting the passion of Christ on display at his parents' house. The statues are but a fraction of a much bigger collection of stat- ues and antique crucifixes that the 27-year-old has been exhib- iting for the past three years to commemorate Holy Week. But this year, he will have to contend with a downscaled exhi- bition to be enjoyed only by him- self and his family. Good Friday exhibitions have joined the myriad of other reli- gious, cultural and artistic events that have been cancelled as the country pitches in their efforts to contain the virus. The situation has soured the morale of enthusiasts like Clay- ton and his father Marco, 53. Preparations for this year's ex- hibition would have started just after Good Friday of last year, with the father and son team al- ready brainstorming new themes and artefacts to put on display. "It is annoying after all the work we would have put in, but the circumstances are what they are and like everybody else we have to obey the instructions given by the health authorities and the church," Clayton tells me over the phone. This year was to be a special one because it marks 20 years since his father first started an exhibi- tion with life size figures depict- ing scenes from Christ's passion. "For enthusiasts like me it is a disappointment to miss the chance of putting up the exhibi- tion but health comes first… what I do is take photos of the exhibits at home and in the warehouse to share with people on Facebook," Marco tells me. Social media helps Marco keep in touch with fellow enthusiasts, friends and family. And in the midst of all the glum news he also finds the time to joke about the situation. Marco captioned a photo of the scene depicting Christ in the Gethsemane being approached by Judas with the words: 'Keep one metre away from me'. It is his way of trying to make sense of this trying moment for everyone. This year's surprise was going to be a large crucifix dating back hundreds of years that Clayton recently had restored. "It will have to wait until next year," he says, in a resigned tone. But the situation has not stopped him and his father from still engaging in their passion for Good Friday exhibitions. With a giggle, he tells me that he re- moved all the wall frames at his parents' house and hung up a few of the 200 or so crucifixes he has in his collection. "My mother was very confused about all the frames stored be- hind the sofa," he says, pointing out that a 300-year-old wooden crucifix that started his collec- tion enjoys pride of place in their home. The coronavirus may have stopped exhibitions and religious functions but it hasn't dampened Clayton's passion for his hobby. But for him and his father this is not just about statues. It is also about creating the right atmos- phere to help them meditate during this important time for Christians. "In the evening, my father and I play funerary marches and Gre- gorian chants, we switch off the lights and put on the candles, and in that quiet have a few words be- tween us. It helps us get into the spirit of these religious days," he tells me. Clayton and Marco represent hundreds, if not thousands, of other enthusiasts who would be Coronavirus fails to dampen the spirits of Good Friday enthusiasts For 20 years Marco Agius and his son Clayton have been putting up a Good Friday exhibition. KURT SANSONE talks to them after the pandemic put a damper on this year's plans This year was to be a special one because it marks 20 years since his father first started an exhibition with life size figures depicting scenes from Christ's passion THE European Commission has pub- lished a decision to help Member States affected by the coronavirus pandemic to temporarily suspend customs du- ties and VAT on protective equipment, testing kits or medical devices such as ventilators. The measures outlined in this Decision will apply for a period of six months, with a possibility for further extension. Current EU legislation has exceptional tools available in order to help victims of disasters, which can be used to face the unprecedented health crisis caused by the coronavirus. EU customs legislation provides for the possibility of granting duty relief for the "benefit of disaster victims". It can be applied to imports by State or- ganisations or approved charitable or philanthropic organisations. To grant relief, a decision from the Commission is required, acting at the request of the Member States concerned. Similarly, EU VAT law has mirroring provisions on exemption from VAT on the final importation of certain goods. The Commission decision will be ap- plicable from 30 January 2020 until 31 July 2020. This allows for specific im- ports carried out during the incipient phase of the outbreak to also benefit from the exemption. The duty and VAT relief applies to imports by: state organisations (state bodies, public bodies and other bodies governed by public law including hospi- tals, governmental organisations, com- munes/towns, regional governments, etc.); charitable or philanthropic organ- isations approved by the competent au- thorities of the Member States. The Member States should inform the Commission of the nature and quanti- ties of the various goods admitted free of import duties and VAT with a view to combating the effects of the COVID-19 outbreak, of the organisations they have approved for the distribution or mak- ing available of those goods and of the measures taken to prevent the goods from being used for purposes other than to combat the effects of this outbreak. Paolo Gentiloni, Commissioner for Brussels waives VAT on medical devices and testing kits