Edward Mercieca, who has contributed immeasurably to the local theatre scene over the past 30 years, criticised the Government for throwing the book at theatre and dance schools, and performing arts ventures, while showing leniency elsewhere, when enforcing COVID-19 measures.

Mr Mercieca is the Managing Director of FM Theatre Productions & Senior Principal Stagecoach of the Performing Arts School and took part in today’s episode of The Boardroom, presented by business-writer Jo Caruana.

He slammed the authorities for applying a double standard to COVID-19 measures, saying either all businesses and ventures are opened, or none of them are.

While he does not believe the debate of health measures versus economic measures is not so cut and dry, he lamented a situation where bars and restaurants were allowed to open, whereas performing arts ventures received strict treatment on COVID-19 measures.

As of 30th June, the 75-person limit on public gatherings will be lifted. What this means for theatres is anybody’s guess, as protocols for how they are to operate have yet to be published.

Mr Mercieca highlighted the staggering challenges to be faced if seating capacity is decimated in keeping with social distancing principles, and called out a situation where hotels and tourism industry figures shouted the loudest to be allowed to reopen, and thus received the Government’s attention.

“Sometimes, I feel the Government is a bully. Now, a bully is a bully with the vulnerable – and I am not saying this from a medical point of view. I am talking about vulnerable in terms of those who do not shout down politicians’ doors, who do not swear and shout.

“The Government is afraid of the loud ones, but those who have schools, those who offer art and culture to society – no those, we throw the book at them. We either receive the same treatment, or no treatment at all,” he said.

Much support was dished out to essential services and those deemed vital to society. Asked where the arts fit into society, Mr Mercieca said:

“The performing arts is essential for our moral fibre, for the moral fibre of society, and without it, we are barely human.

“We need culture – it is essential. If an alien population comes to Malta or the world, they will find the remnants of culture, and that’s what they will judge us on,” he said.