The fact that the Government decided to split the American University Campus into two - one at Cospicuaand another at Marsascala - makes partial sense. I am using the adjective “partial”as such a split continues to shed doubts about the real aim behind this project and its educational merits. But let us for now forget about whether this is an educational endeavour or just another glorified touristic project.
When this whole controversy started, I used my blog to suggest that Government consider Cottonera. I spoke in favour of a spread over Cottonera and specifically indicated the area of Dock 1 as a site for one of the faculties. Whether Government read my blog and took up my suggestion I cannot say but, nonetheless, I must compliment the authorities and, in particular, Joseph Muscat for having chosen Dock 1 at Cospicua as one of the sites for this so-called American University.
Finally, Government is suggesting something fresh and new for Cospicua and not another series of restaurants that bring no additional benefit for the people living in the locality. The developments that have taken place in Valletta confirm my analysis, as from a population point of view, Valletta continued to experience a loss in its number of residents. Those making profit from the business activity created in the city, did not reinvest part of their profits in Valletta. Instead, the money went somewhere else. What Cottonera, and Bormla in particularneeds, is that part of the profitgenerated is reinvested in the locality. At least, the idea of a Faculty in the area guarantees such a basic economic necessity.
In itself this decision has proved me right. After writing my blog on the subject, there were individuals from Cospicua, whose Labour leanings are well-known, whowent all out on social mediato criticise my proposal and declaring that this was not feasible.
Irrespective of this discussion, which I find very stimulating, I maintain that if this were a true university, I would expect that all the campuses would be within walking distance. It is all quite bizarre that they are not. There areother decisions, which are still odd and reflect that those taking decisions do not really appreciate Cospicua’s past history and potential. Dock 1 is being earmarked to house the Faculty of Humanities while the Faculty of Engineering is going to be at Marsaskala. This latter choice shows that those taking decisions do not appreciate the industrial heritage of this locality. Most probably, their decision wasbasedon the fact that the edifices at Dock No. 1 areembedded in history and history goes hand in hand with the Liberal Arts. But as rightly pointed outby Robert Ghirlando in an informative article about the Dockyard, this site in Bormla has been the harbinger of Malta’s modern industry. The first industrial workshops were set up here. Therefore, why not capitalize and consolidate on this factor by having the Faculty of Engineering there where it belongs?
Moreover, such choice would give an added boost to Cospicua.With the Faculty of Engineering in this locality, Government would be creating an alternative to improve this area, away from the usual demographic strategies known in France as théorie dupeuplement. An Engineering Faculty would inculcate and resuscitate the spirit that made this place one of the most important industrial hubs in Malta.
Most probably, those involved in this project did not want to go throughthe hassle and bureaucratic headaches created byMEPA, whose policiesare the causefor Bormla’s present plight. I still remember with contempt how some architects from Sliema,who were appointed on the MEPA board only because of their family connections with Nationalist ministers from the district, judged development in Cottenera. They were utterly incompetent in this area. I happen to be one of their victims. In one case, a female architect, again from Sliema, sitting on a MEPA board, did not know the difference between Bormla and Birgu; she did not know which of the two cities, was Vittoriosa! I hope that these lacunae are now in the past, but certain articles and blogs about the locality do not augur well for the Nationalist Party. Iexpected that the current Nationalist memberof parliament elected from this district to react to certain negative criticism concerning Cospicua. Failing to do so will lead the Nationalist Partynowhere but simply make it more irrelevant, despite the fact that in the last election, the Nationalists did well in the district.At least, theParty suffered the least number of vote losses on the Second District.
On the other hand, if Government is going to see Cospicua only as a historical site, good for humanities but not as a place of industry, then the politics of settlement or as they are called in French peuplementneed to be taken into consideration to have a healthy urban regeneration and not a failed one, as has occurredwith Valletta. This means that our Labour Government needs to start investing in the family, marriage, education and social hierarchization;values normallyassociated with Conservative Parties. The introduction of such values can lead to a healthy revalorization of property in Cospicua. In fact, those areas normally described as ‘posh’ residences enjoy a traditional, conservative mentality and a “traditional”way of living and family life. But to achieve this, Cospicua needs a long series of permanent interventions at the level of the body conduct, health and everyday life.
At least, the area has one value, which has kept it from foundering altogether. In sociology, thisisdescribed as the mystical justification. In Cospicua, this mystical concern was translated into the residents’ lovefor the Immaculate Conception. This image is not only a powerful totem protecting the locality but an image of triumph against enmity. If one wants to adopt aneugenic discourse to explain this whole idea, the image of the Immaculate Conception has ensured the survival of the anthropological concept of the “Bormliżi”.