Finding a balance between the commercial and socio-cultural aspects of Valletta is the biggest challenge, the Chairman of the Valletta Cultural Agency, Jason Micallef, told this newsroom.

Valletta is different today than it was ten years ago, when it would effectively go silent after 8pm. Nowadays, however, it is being seen as going to the other extreme in terms of noise, with the extension of music hours that had been introduced.

Responding to a question about this, Micallef emphasised three things that he will continue to work for. "Firstly, for Valletta to never go back to what it was prior to 2013. We didn't even have a capital city. Secondly, to ensure that we keep investing in Valletta's rich heritage, in terms of restoration, conservation, and with full respect towards the UNESCO World Heritage Site. Thirdly, and this is the biggest challenge, for a fine balance between the socio-cultural aspect and the commercial aspect of things which has exploded in Valletta."

The city has grown commercially and in popularity, he said, adding that finding the balance is the biggest challenge. "It is not easy, and I would definitely be against slamming the brakes as that causes a crash, but we need to find a balance."

Asked whether the 1am time limit for music on certain streets took it too far, he said that things could have been done better.

"Many a time the cases are amplified because of those who abuse, who are few. The rest of the establishments stop their music at midnight, and the number of people in Valletta start reducing. Except for one or two hot spots, few people remain out in Valletta at 2am or 3am. When I say that things could have been done differently, I would be ready to accept that a permit be given for an establishment to play music even until 2am or 3am, however that nightclub must have double insulation and also be sound proof. But the decision regarding the increase in time limit for noise that had been taken was a blanket decision, and that was the mistake," he said.  "The laws are so old and complicated that enforcement on noise pollution is hard to do. That is part of the balance that we need to find. If new places opening show that they want to be a proper nightclub, they must be 100% soundproof, and nowadays that is possible."

This is the second part of the interview conducted with the VCA Chairman, with the first part, which focused on his criticism of the Meditterrane film festival cost, the rule of law, and his support of former Prime Minister Joseph Muscat, having been published in yesterday's edition of The Malta Independent on Sunday.

Regarding tourism, whether Malta's culture and arts sector should be promoted abroad more than it is currently, and whether he believes that doing so can bring higher quality tourists to the country, Micallef said that Visit Malta has invested a lot into marketing abroad.

"Because it did so, today we have the numbers we have. The question now is whether we have too many, and whether we should focus more on niche tourism to balance incoming tourism. Visit Malta already advertises a lot on heritage."

He said that he would like to see specific marketing on religious tourism.

"I don't feel that the country benefits enough from the almost unique traditions. I am not a firm believer, but you cannot not appreciate the quality of the artistic and cultural traditions. If you were to make a comparison, agree or not, of the millions of tourists brought in by Lourdes, Medjugorje and Assisi, I don't think we are pushing this kind of tourism enough. The number of visitors to the Mosta Dome is incredible. After St John's Co-Cathedral and Mdina, tourists pick the Mosta Dome." He spoke of the need to promote religious tourism regarding Ta' Pinu, St John's Co Cathedral, religious processions and Good Friday.

"My second thought is that we have not invested enough in medical and rehabilitation tourism. We have six months of hot summer weather. Why aren't we investing in rehab tourism, for instance for elderly persons who have undertaken a hip replacement or other operation that requires rehabilitation?"

My third thought is on sports tourism. "This country could bring in between 30-40 training camps each season, but cannot do so because we still only have one national football ground, as the other belongs to a team, and one more in Gozo."

The government needs to provide direction on these niches, he said. "They would bring much more quality tourism, and we would start being able to balance. They would bring quality tourists and would leave a lot of money in the economy, while balancing the amount of tourists we are seeing today. Again you cannot just slam the brakes though. These are three niches we should tap a lot more."

Asked if there is a new event he would like to organise in Valletta, or see one expanded, he mentioned the Valletta Pageant of the Seas. "We organise it once every two years. Its costly and its very difficult logistically. But I wish to see it organised as a much larger event. My dream is to one day bring over the famous tall ships to Malta. But its very costly."

As for whether there is enough funding for the Arts and Culture sector, he said it is never enough, but "we've come a long way."

"I am very happy with government funding on culture. Aside from investment, agencies were created, and new opportunities were created over the past years of which we are seeing good results. For instance, Malta is taking part in the Venice Biennale which didn't used to happen, Malta's presence at the London Biennale in which we won a prestigious award, the work of the VCA as curator of flagship events in Valletta. There were also the openings of major infrastructural projects, such as MUZA, the Valletta Design Cluster and MICAS, which are multi-million investments. I feel that the government cut out the mentality of governments prior to 2013 that, whenever the country is passing through a difficult period, the first to suffer was culture and sport. The cultural sector has flourished. Naturally it is never enough funding, but the signs of good work are there."

Malta is set to host the next European Capital of Culture in 2031. Two regions have submitted their nominations - the region of Cottonera, which is the three cities together with Kalkara, and the region of Gozo.

Micallef said that in the first week of November, the panel from Brussels will come to Malta for two days, where they will ask the two regions questions, and the process to select one of the two would start.

He said that the winning bid will be known sometime next year. "The Commission always gives around four years for the chosen candidate to prepare, and the winner will be the capital of culture, along with one city that will be chosen from Spain, for the year 2031."

Deputy leadership withdrawal

Last year, Micallef had declared his intention to run for PL Deputy Leader, but after meetings with the Prime Minister, didn't. Asked if he was ordered not to run, he said "No".

"I and the Prime Minister had internal disputes in terms of how we used to see things, especially in terms of party politics. I have a very hardcore background, I spent seven years as PL Secretary General, I was Chairman of ONE, so I have strong feelings when it comes to the party. I can see certain problems coming before others see them. They would not be big problems, but if you don't tackle them at the start, they could start eating away at the core base. There were things that were bothering me, and we spoke about them. I wasn't agreeing on how certain things were being done. They were internal party issues and those will remain internal. It was obvious that there were things the Prime Minister and I were not agreeing on, but today we work hand-in-hand and shoulder-to-shoulder for everything that the party needs and I have the best relationship with the Prime Minister."

 He said that the change within the PL that took place was not cosmetic. "There was important change, where certain things gelled and today you have the result of that. One of my responsibilities is the electoral manifesto, the implementation of capital projects where I put pressure on ministries and other entities as to what stage they reached, because they would be electoral promises. I work on that and discuss things with Deputy Leader Alex Agius Saliba and others also who, while they have not been in their posts long, are doing very important work."

As for whether he feels that the party doesn't want him in a leadership position, given the above and that, soon after he had resigned as Secretary General the post was abolished, he said he doesn't feel that way.

Micallef said he left the position of Secretary General in 2009 because Joseph Muscat wanted a revolution in the party's media. "I have a background in production and media, having spent 16 years at PBS. He wanted me to undertake a restructuring of the party's media. At the time I didn't agree with the party having a CEO, and I still firmly believe that every political party should have a Secretary General. I still see not having one as a shortcoming in the PL. You can have a CEO, but shouldn't remove the post of Secretary General, and I believe the post will eventually return to the PL."

PN leadership race
Prime Minister Robert Abela had implied that it doesn't make a difference who wins the PN leadership race, saying that both men had "sold themselves out to the extremists within the PN." Asked if he agrees, Micallef said "yes."

Micallef said that the PN is in chaos, "where on the one side we have a candidate who for the first time since Independence would be contesting for the third time for party leader. On the other side we have a person who is 29-years-old and who only has three years of experience in Parliament, where generally at that age you see people contest for a local council post, not to be leader of the Opposition."

"You also need to look at how it arrived at this situation. There was hope by the Blue Heroes and also the extremist faction within the PN, that also exists in NGO Repubblika, that Roberta Metsola comes back, a hope she did not fulfil as she refused and preferred Brussels. The result today is that there is chaos. It is also clear that until now, and this is why I agree with the Prime Minister, I have yet to see either candidate distance themselves from the extremist faction, actually they are being careful to please them, and that is worrying for the PN. PN friends of mine tell me that the extremist faction held them back as you cannot have an NGO, that is a splinter group of the PN, dictate to the party."

Told that the claim that an Repubblika is an extremist PN faction is a PL narrative, he was asked whether he has any evidence. "I don't know if its a Labour Party narrative, but I agree with that narrative and its amply clear. All the protests organised by Repubblika are backed by the PN, by the PN leader and MPs. There were times when they spoke at their activities."