I watched with amusement and, indeed disbelief, the PBS news report of a press conference at the Manoel Theatre to introduce what is being labelled the Valletta International Baroque Festival.

I do not want to comment on the speeches as reported because they might not have been faithful resumés. But this does not apply to the music that was played during the event – a sonata by Bach. Nor does it apply to the statement that the new festival will bring to Malta some of the foremost artistes of the Baroque period in Europe, the obvious corollary being to give us concerts of European Baroque Music.

If the festival is a foretaste of what we will be getting during 2018, when Valletta will be the European Capital City of Culture, then all I can say is that our nation will be wasting a golden opportunity to present our music to the rest of Europe.

It is only by concentrating on indigenous achievements that Malta will get an international dimension. Let us put Maltese money available for culture where it matters most – to foster Maltese interests.