Culture Parliamentary Secretary José Herrera yesterday rejected claims by the executive director of the Malta Council for Culture and Arts that she had been kicked out of the job.

“Whoever is saying that we kicked her out is completely wrong. I wish she had opted to stay on under the new position,” said Dr Herrera, insisting her contract had expired.

Davinia Galea’s six-year tenure at the helm of the council was brought to an abrupt end earlier this week.

Dr Herrera insisted Ms Galea had come to the end of a three-year contract and was not offered a renewal. His comments, however, contradict statements by Ms Galea who insisted her contract was indefinite.

Contacted yesterday, Ms Galea maintained that her contract could not have ended as it had now become an employment agreement which is not usually terminated.

“My contract had gone on for more than four years and was indefinite. It should not have been terminated,” she stressed.

Dr Herrera said Ms Galea had been offered a new contract as the director of “an event of great national importance” with a financial package higher than scale three, however, she had turned down the position.

“She did not accept the job, perhaps due to some conflict with other people involved,” he said, adding that he was baffled by comments that Ms Galea had been axed from the council.

The council is due to be split into two separate entities, one responsible for festivals and the other to be named Creative Malta.

Asked who was earmarked to take Ms Galea’s position, Dr Herrera explained that the role of executive director would no longer exist as the two entities would now have separate heads.

The council did not comment on whether a public call for the heads of the two new entities would be made.

News of Ms Galea’s job termination sent ripples across many in the artistic community who wondered whether she was being sidelined to make way for Labour Party supporters.

Vicki Cremona, chairwoman of the University’s School of Performing Arts, described the decision as “an unjust reward for somebody who developed several structures in the arts scene and finally brought professionalism in the arts”.