Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/269668
maltatoday, SUNDAY, 2 MARCH 2014 3 Wayne Marshall complains of 'lack of structure' within V18 Malta's first sexual assault crisis centre set up at Mater Dei TEODOR RELJIC AS the Valletta 2018 Foundation continues to search for new artistic director and a team of artistic pro- gramme directors, MaltaToday can reveal grievances by the Foundation's former artistic director which point towards a lack of organisation within the V18 ranks. British composer Wayne Marshall, who was chosen as the Artistic Direc- tor for the Valletta 2018 Foundation in the summer of 2012 – though his contract was not renewed after a new team began to head V18 following the general elections – said that "nothing was being achieved due to the lack of structure in the foundation". Valletta – and by extension, Malta – won the bid to become European Capital for Culture 2018 in October 2012. The Foundation was originally led by architect David Felice as Chair- man, with Wayne Marshall having been chosen as Artistic Director in the summer of that year. Marshall was to be accompanied by seven artistic pro- gramme directors: Artist and lecturer Raphael Vella, actor Paul Portelli, ac- tress Coryse Borg, actor and theatre director Marc Cabourdin, transmedia producer Jean Pierre Magro, compos- er Ruben Zahra and musician Mario Frendo. After Jason Micallef was appointed as the new chairman of the Foundation, the contracts of both Wayne Marshall and the entire artistic programme di- rector team were not renewed. Speaking at a parliamentary com- mittee which took place after he was no longer serving as V18 Artistic Di- rector, Marshall said that the lack of structure and a proper marketing strategy compromised the vision for Valletta as European Capital for Cul- ture. "The whole point of appointing an Artistic Director and the Artistic Programme Directors (APDs) was to oversee the cultural programme lead- ing up to and beyond 2018. Unfortu- nately the administration did not allow for this to happen," Mar- shall said. He added that, de- spite in-depth discussions he had with his team of APDs, they were "given no direc- tion as to how to implement these ideas". "This was very frustrating. The artistic team needed to get the go-ahead from the Foundation in order for us to do our job properly," Marshall said, claiming that while they tried to point out the structural problems of the organisation, the team "never received a definite way forward". Claiming that all com- munication between him and the Foundation "came to a stand- still" by February 2013, Marshall said that "it became very clear that my role and the roles of the APDs was never going to be at the forefront and never allowed to be developed" – adding that "we could not fulfill any of our roles until the budget was determined". Attempts to contact Wayne Mar- shall by phone or email proved futile at the time of going to print. In a comment to MaltaToday, Valletta 2018 Project Coordinator Karsten Xuereb said that the Valletta 2018 board "will decide on the ap- pointment of an artistic director in due course, as has already been ad- vised". Commenting on the handover pe- riod after the artistic director and ar- tistic programme directors' contracts were not renewed, former Valletta 2018 APD Jean Pierre Magro said that he appreciated that the new chairman would also come with a new plan as to how to move the Foundation for- ward. In fact, Magro has stayed on at the Foundation on a voluntary basis to ensure that the second edition of Story Works – a series of screenwrit- ing seminars by international writing coaches, and something of a V18 pet project for Magro – moves forward as previously planned. "I believe that we are all adults. I understood that the new administra- tion had its own vision and I had no problem in giving over my handover," Magro said. "Jason Micallef explained what his vision was and also outlined that the current set-up was not functioning efficiently. I couldn't disagree as I had pointed out a number of times to the foundation that the framework within which we operated was shoddily built. This does not mean that there were no attempts to redress the shortcom- ings but there was still a lot of work to be done," he added. As European Capital for Culture of 2018, Valletta – as well as the whole of Malta – will strive to become a year- long hub for culture and the arts. A doctor, a nurse, a social worker, a psychologist and a police officer will be the team behind the sexual assault response team (S.A.R.T.) set up at Mater Dei Hospital. Set up as a joint initiative between the Health, Social Solidarity and Home Affairs ministries in collabo- ration with Victim Support, S.A.R.T. will operate round the clock, seven days a week. On average, 20 rape cases are re- ported every year. Last year, 11 cases of sexual assault were reported. These figures, as professionals them- selves confirm, in no way give a real picture on the real number of cases of assault. They are just the tip of the iceberg. A study conducted in 2011 by the Gender Issues Committee of the University of Malta among 116 stu- dents found that 15 of the respond- ents had suffered sexual violence at one stage or another of their life. In an effort to prevent and combat violence against women and do- mestic violence, the government on Wednesday will table in parliament the first reading of the ratification of the Istanbul Convention in national laws. The Istanbul Convention high- lights the fact that rape is not only about assault by strangers, but also about intimate partners and other people known to the victim. Addressing the media, Social Soli- darity Minister Marie Louise Coleiro Preca explained how a victim, of any sort of sexual assault, could now start receiving holistic care without being pushed from one place to another. A victim who approaches the police, their general practitioner, Appogg (or calls 179) will all be guided to S.A.R.T. In 2009, a task force was set up to coordinate the setting up of a sexual assault response team which would operate from Mater Dei Hospital. A report was prepared within a year, but shelved. The first time that funds were allocated for this team was in Budget 2014. A first public social partnership initiative in this sector, the unit will be led by Victim Support while the government will be providing the necessary funds – this year €40,000 – for the running of the unit. Victim Support will also be responsible of the training of the professionals. Health Minister Godfrey Farru- gia said S.A.R.T. formed part of the recently-launched sexual health strategy. The minister said it was a person's right to express his or her sexuality free of abuse. "The setting up of this unit is social justice in the making. Victims will no longer receive fragmented care. As a doctor, I know that victims suffer from anger and hurt, lack of self- confidence and a sense of guilt. This unit will provide the necessary care and support, all the way through," Farrugia said. The support to the victim would continue during the court case as well. Coleiro Preca admitted to feeling "ashamed" that S.A.R.T. will only be available in Malta so far. "We are working on improving services in Gozo," she said, adding that last year the government helped the Church in opening Dar Emmaus, a shelter for victims of domestic vio- lence. News After Jason Micallef (left was appointed as the new chairman of the Foundation, the contracts of both Wayne Marshall (top) and the entire artistic programme director team were not renewed