Flimkien ghal Ambjent Ahjar and a number of citizens are to present an open letter to the prime minister, requesting a reconsideration of important decisions in the regeneration of Valletta, to relocate Parliament to the opera house site, and the St John’s Co-Cathedral Foundation’s plans to excavate an underground museum in St John’s Square and cover over its graveyard.

“We welcome the holistic remodelling and regeneration of Valletta, from the bus terminus, City Gate and the opera house site, down to Fort St Elmo as well as the expansion of the Cathedral Museum but maintain that it should respect the social, cultural and religious values of Valletta’s residents and tourists as well as the needs of the business community,” FAA said.

The excavation of St John’s Square to at least four storeys deep for the St John’s Foundation underground museum is a threat to the stability of the Cathedral which will inflict years of dust, noise, vibration and heavy vehicle traffic on Valletta’s residents, tourists and shops. Turning the St John’s graveyard into a roofed-over visitors’ centre including ticketing booths, large lifts and a souvenir shop is an unacceptable desecration of the last resting-place of the heroes of the Great Siege who gave up their lives to protect Christianity in Malta and Europe. The Environment Impact Assessment is already flawed however we are still in time to consider existing alternatives and save e16 million which could be used for more urgent projects.

“The opera house site is a monument to the sacrifices our people made during our second great siege, World War II. Rather than an opera house Malta needs a national theatre for large productions such as concerts, musicals, ballets, drama and operas which cannot presently be staged for lack of adequate facilities.

“A national theatre will promote culture, give our young performers a future and boost tourism all over Malta. A parliament on this site will achieve none of these, but could paralyse Valletta’s commercial centre every time a state event or rally calls for security measures. The Maltese public has been promised the rebuilding of this theatre at every election and we count on this government to honour its promises.”