Creatives in the country have to continue waiting for the reopening of the once mighty entertainment mecca – Blantyre Cultural Centre (BCC) as its rehabilitation works continue to drag.
Despite some progress on the Amphitheatre whose roofing has been done, there are other final works that need finalisation.
BCC has had several visits of ministers that have made assurances of reopening the hub soonest but nothing has happened so far.
Director of Arts in the Ministry of Youth, Sports and Culture Humphrey Mpondaminga admitted Tuesday that the rehabilitation works continue to move at a snail’s pace.
He could not come out clear as to when the rehabilitation works will finish for the entertainment mecca to reopen.
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“What I can say for now is that for us to make progress, we owe the contractor some payments and this alone has affected the deadline,” Mpondaminga said.
He said they were working with Treasury to sort out the issue revealing that they owe the contractor over K80 million.
“We have to follow the contract procedures. The work outstanding is not much if the contractor is supported. If supported by end May or early June, the works on the Amphitheatre would finish,” Mpondaminga said.
He said they were hopeful that things would work better and reopen BCC as soon as possible.
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Asked as to how much the government has lost out on BCC since it was ransacked in 2011 having been bought at K300 million, Mpondaminga said millions of kwacha have been lost.
“We acknowledge as a department that there is limited infrastructure and we look at BCC as a venue that has shaped and made artists in the country. The government has lost out on income on its closure and creatives,” he said.
Mpondaminga also noted that tourism cannot be promoted fully if the country does not have proper infrastructure.
“Our vision still remains on high where we want high end modern infrastructure to nourish the creative sector,” he said.
Officials from Opco Limited which is the contractor confirmed yesterday they are owed over K80 million but were quick to say that they were ready to finalise the works.
Organisers of the Easter Theatre Festival led by Solomonic Peacocks Director McArthur Matukuta said they planned to have their event at BCC this year but had to shift to Portuguese Club.
Minister of Youth, Sports and Culture Alfred Gangata recently assured creatives in the country that BCC would be rehabilitated soonest.
