An intense battle of words broke out between those who want the site to be developed as an Arts Centre, those who do not want the site to be built at all, and almost all agreeing that it would be a bad idea to spend so much money when the country’s finances are in such a bad way, to spend it on Parliament and MPs, and to commission Richard England to be the architect.
When he appeared on Bondiplus, Transport Minister Jesmond Mugliett was practically the only one to be in favour of the concept of developing the Opera House as the new Parliament. Everyone else opposed the idea in one way or another.
While Mr Mugliett said that the cost of developing the site to become Malta’s Parliament would be of some Lm16 million, including Lm7 million for an underground car park, Mr England informed The Times that the project would cost some Lm40 million, and that his fee, as established by law and by the Chamber of Architects, would be six per cent of the expense.
Speaking on Xarabank, Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi said nothing has been decided yet. Government is still studying the matter, he said.
Government sources told The Malta Independent there is an ongoing study being conducted by an audit firm to see if the concept could be implemented at zero cost. The study is aimed at finding out whether the other areas around Freedom Square can also be developed and handed over to private enterprises that would fund the whole construction project.
Government does not intend to spend Lm16 million on the project, the sources said.
Developing the areas under Freedom Square as a shopping mall and parking facility is one way of involving the private sector.
Dr Gonzi told Xarabank that, as a Maltese citizen, he is angry and sad that the Maltese have let such a prime site remain derelict for more than 50 years.
Bondiplus ran a clip showing the parties’ promises regarding the site for the past five elections.
The Nationalist Party’s 1987 electoral manifesto promised to develop the site “in the best way possible” but the MLP manifesto promised nothing of the sort. None of the parties remembered promising anything about the site in the 1992 manifestos.
In the 1996 electoral manifesto, the Nationalist Party not only promised to do something about the site but also gave 1999 as the date when the works would be concluded. Labour once again promised nothing.
Undaunted, the Nationalist manifesto for the 1998 election again promised to develop the site while Labour once again promised nothing.
It was only in the electoral manifesto before the 2003 election that Labour promised to begin work on the project while the Nationalist Party once again repeated its earlier promises to rebuild the site as an arts centre, an opera house and an interactive centre for science and technology.