Manoel Theatre board member Pia Zammit has resigned her post, insisting “a more suited candidate could have been found” to fill the post of chief executive following consultation.
“I honestly and without prejudice wish CEO Elizabeth Ebejer the best of luck in her new post, and I sincerely hope that she will be an outstanding CEO, however I do question her ability, as her qualifications show no experience of management and accountancy, nor any experience in the cultural field. Surely, when we have so many people qualified in cultural management, a more suited candidate could have been found. Especially with V18 so hot on our heels,” she said.
Earlier this month the Times of Malta reported that Ms Ebejer, a former Labour councillor for Mġarr and assistant librarian at the University of Malta, had been appointed to replace the long-standing, widely respected chief, Ray Attard.
Ms Ebejer’s abrupt appointment raised eyebrows in the cultural sector, with some questioning her credentials.
Ms Zammit said she had tendered her resignation from the board partially because she did not want to form part of an “amateur” approach to running the national theatre.
We cannot operate with an amateur attitude
“We cannot operate with an amateur attitude. There are procedures to be followed, and these must be followed. This is our national theatre and a government entity – we’re not talking about a private, small, family-run business where you’re free to employ who you wish – whether they are qualified for the job or not,” she said.
Ms Zammit insisted there was a chain of command and procedures in running the theatre which must be followed.
The theatre staff reported to the board, and the board reported to the ministry.
“If the board is bypassed, then what is its remit?” she asked.
Ms Zammit also insisted this latest appointment had simply been the last straw. She had already objected when the theatre’s artistic director, Kenneth Zammit Tabona, was appointed without a call for applications and without consultation with the board. Now that it had happened again with the position of CEO, she “could not be part of this”.
“This is not personal, nor political – it’s about a principle. I have discussed this with the Culture Minister personally, and he has (reluctantly) accepted my resignation,” she said.
She reiterated that she could not stand by and be a part of a culture “where procedures aren’t followed, where lines of command aren’t respected and where good practice and governance are ignored”.
Despite this, Ms Zammit said she would give Culture Minister Owen Bonnici the benefit of the doubt when he said he felt Ms Ebejer was the best person for the job.
“However, I will reiterate that while my decision isn’t personal, nor political, I cannot allow my integrity to be compromised and merely object to the way things were handled without taking a stand. My resignation is my stand,” she said.