Seeing the Cospicua Docks come to life is a breath of fresh air. After years of abandonment, the area became decrepit and was an eyesore. The project had been in the making for 20 years, and is finally coming to completion.

The now disused dock was built during the British period and some of the buildings on the Senglea side date back to the time of the Knights of St John.

The whole area has been rehabilitated and the two sides of the promenade are now linked by a 40-metre steel bridge. The boundary wall was removed and landscaping has turned the former eyesore into a peaceful recreational area. The project has seen the construction of green areas, fountains, street furniture and decorative lighting.

The project is set to cost some €11m once the old stores are rehabilitated. Credit where credit is due. The Labour government took this project to heart and really pushed it through under Joe Mizzi – known to be a doer in his inimitable style.

During the launch, he said the project was completed ahead of schedule and the costs had not exceeded the project budget.

Leftover money will be used for the rehabilitation of the Gatehouse building, which will house the new police station as from next year. Cospicua is an integral part of Maltese history as well as contemporary life. The vision was set out many years ago with the idea of a continuous waterfront running from beyond the Three Cities to Valletta.

The first was Valletta, then Vittoriosa was given a new lease of life with its own waterfront. Cospicua will catch up fast as businesses set up. The harbour area is looking better. But, of course, there remain gaps. One of which is Marsa. For starters, the power station is still there – and still functioning. There is also the issue of the Marsa Open Centre for refugees as well as the industrial area in Marsa Creek. The power station is due to close, but some serious thinking needs to be done if the government is to relocate the Open Centre and rehabilitate the area – which is in a terrible state.

But, if the government puts a plan together, it can be done. There is no doubt that the South of Malta has been overlooked for far too long. Investment and hard work was what was needed to get the physical aspect done, and this should, in turn, lead to social problems being addressed in the area. Bravo. A job well done. Now, let us hope for more regeneration in the South to restore it to its former glory. The trail around the Three Cities is a fascinating one, we should make more out of it.