Election candidate Arnold Cassola has asked the auditor-general to investigate the spending by the Malta Film Commission on the  Malta Film Awards, held last Saturday.

He observed that the declared budget was €400,000, already a phenomenal amount given that the commission's annual budget was €600,000.

However, one suspected that the awards budget had been exceeded, with commissioner Johann Grech being evasive when questioned by Times of Malta.

One also needed to question the cost-effectiveness of the commission having spent thousands of euros on presenter David Walliams, who before an international audience declared known facts, including that this was a country of tax evasions, a humiliating declaration which further undermined Malta's reputation.

Separately, Matthew Caruana Galizia, tweeted late on Monday that a freedom of information request will be filed for the film commission to reveal how much it paid Willliams.

Addressing himself to Williams he added:  "I was wondering whether you could just cut to the chase and tell us how much you were paid to speak at what was turned into a party-political event."

 

 

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