Rising sea water levels due to climate change may affect SmartCity! Well, this may not start to be noticed before 40 years’ time, but why shouldn’t we build a new city that could be completely enjoyed for hundreds of years as we still enjoy Valletta and Mdina today? Also, this SmartCity will take at least 14 or more years to complete. At least, this is what is being predicted on paper. I remember, there were a lot of predictions for the new hospital, but it is only next summer that it will hopefully open its doors officially.

During that long time controversies abounded, even on whether it was to be called San Raffaele or Mater Dei.

So, returning to the SmartCity mania, does this mean that day after day, week after week, month after month, and year after year, we have to hear all the time about this SmartCity business every time we open the newspapers or hear the news?

I’m sure that I’m not going to tell the government what to do, but in my humble opinion, going around and promoting SmartCity all the time will not earn it many extra votes! Smart people vote on what they get and not on what they hope for. SmartCity is still in its very early infancy. By the time it is completed, governments may yet change and change and change.

The majority of the common people will only start realising the true importance of such a project, that should hopefully offer them great opportunities of work and start translating their appreciation into votes, only on the eve of their employment at SmartCity. At present, what comes into their minds is simply a gigantic dust cloud in the sky that would further pollute the south. But other much smarter people would have, by that time, got tired rubbing their hands with great joy.

Please give us a break, will you?

C. Micallef

Fgura