'Government losing millions on BCC'

By Sam Banda Jnr and Jimmy Chazama: One of the creatives, who has staged a number of productions at BCC but did not want to be named, said Wednesday the government should be ashamed for taking ages on its rehabilitation. "BCC was ransacked in 2011, it is now 15 years. If the government is failing, let them lease it to the private sector otherwise millions are being lost," he said. He said creatives have had enough of the promises and that now it was time to reopen BCC to serve its purpose. "This clearly shows that the government is giving little attention to the creative sector," the artist said. Contractor Opco Limited recently halted rehabilitation works due to payment. Ministry of Youth, Sports and Culture spokesperson Macmillan Mwale said Wednesday the ministry has been funded but is yet to access the money. He admitted BCC renovations have been slow but was quick to say that once all is processed, works will resume. "It is therefore difficult to give specific timelines when BCC will be finished and available to creatives," Mwale said. He said that the rehabilitation of the Amphitheatre would have been finished by April this year but the contractor was not yet paid. The current development means creatives in the country have to continue waiting for BCC's reopening. A visit to the once mighty entertainment mecca recently showed some progress on the amphitheatre whose roofing has been done but there are other final works that need to be finalised. BCC has had several visits of ministers that have made assurances of reopening the entertainment mecca but nothing has happened so far with the venue remaining an eyesore. The government bought BCC formerly French Cultural Centre from the French government at K300 million. Minister of Youth, Sports and Culture Alfred Gangata recently also assured creatives in the country that BCC would be rehabilitated soonest. Meanwhile, Mwale has said that Copyright Society of Malawi (Cosoma) board issue is being handled by Comptroller of Statutory Corporation. This follows the copyright body operating without a board following a court order that it was served with. In April this year, The Nation that the High Court had suspended the appointment of new board members for Cosoma pending a judicial review. The decision followed a court application by Ezaius Mkandawire and Deborah Ntopa after their removal from the board. The two were endorsed during the Annual General Meeting, before being appointed as chairperson and member respectively. However, the government made changes appointing a new board headed by Bishop Reverend Chimwemwe Mhango with the two completely removed from the board. The High Court had ordered commencement of judicial review proceedings against the appointment of Cosoma board members and a stay order pending determination of the judicial review. Mkandawire said Wednesday that there is a stay order and that the ball was in government's court. "We are the board. I am the chairperson and that is what the law is and ruling is. It is the implementation of the same that is tricky," he said. Director of Communications Focus Maganga said the government would only respond on the issue once an official position is reached. Cosoma Executive Director Dora Makwinja said for now they were running other affairs including licensing and royalty distribution which do not require board's approval.

WIRE — By Sam Banda Jnr and Jimmy Chazama: One of the creatives, who has staged a number of productions at BCC but did not want to be named, said Wednesday the government should be ashamed for taking ages on its rehabilitation. "BCC was ransacked in 2011, it is now 15 years. If the government is failing, let them lease it to the private sector otherwise millions are being lost," he said. He said creatives have had enough of the promises and that now it was time to reopen BCC to serve its purpose. "This clearly shows that the government is giving little attention to the creative sector," the artist said. Contractor Opco Limited recently halted rehabilitation works due to payment. Ministry of Youth, Sports and Culture spokesperson Macmillan Mwale said Wednesday the ministry has been funded but is yet to access the money. He admitted BCC renovations have been slow but was quick to say that once all is processed, works will resume. "It is therefore difficult to give specific timelines when BCC will be finished and available to creatives," Mwale said. He said that the rehabilitation of the Amphitheatre would have been finished by April this year but the contractor was not yet paid. The current development means creatives in the country have to continue waiting for BCC's reopening. A visit to the once mighty entertainment mecca recently showed some progress on the amphitheatre whose roofing has been done but there are other final works that need to be finalised. BCC has had several visits of ministers that have made assurances of reopening the entertainment mecca but nothing has happened so far with the venue remaining an eyesore. The government bought BCC formerly French Cultural Centre from the French government at K300 million. Minister of Youth, Sports and Culture Alfred Gangata recently also assured creatives in the country that BCC would be rehabilitated soonest. Meanwhile, Mwale has said that Copyright Society of Malawi (Cosoma) board issue is being handled by Comptroller of Statutory Corporation. This follows the copyright body operating without a board following a court order that it was served with. In April this year, The Nation that the High Court had suspended the appointment of new board members for Cosoma pending a judicial review. The decision followed a court application by Ezaius Mkandawire and Deborah Ntopa after their removal from the board. The two were endorsed during the Annual General Meeting, before being appointed as chairperson and member respectively. However, the government made changes appointing a new board headed by Bishop Reverend Chimwemwe Mhango with the two completely removed from the board. The High Court had ordered commencement of judicial review proceedings against the appointment of Cosoma board members and a stay order pending determination of the judicial review. Mkandawire said Wednesday that there is a stay order and that the ball was in government's court. "We are the board. I am the chairperson and that is what the law is and ruling is. It is the implementation of the same that is tricky," he said. Director of Communications Focus Maganga said the government would only respond on the issue once an official position is reached. Cosoma Executive Director Dora Makwinja said for now they were running other affairs including licensing and royalty distribution which do not require board's approval.

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