It is symbolic in a way. Rebuilding the bridge to the breakwater is definitely something that will give the whole of Malta a lift. It is a bit like the Opera House ruins really, with many Maltese people silently thinking “It was destroyed by torpedoes in 1941, does it really take that long to rebuild?”

But it is not only about that. It will also make a difference with cruise liners coming in – there is no view quite like the one you get when pulling into the Grand Harbour and let’s face it, the missing bridge is a bit of an eyesore. Moreover, the walk under Fort St Angelo is a very pleasant one indeed and having the footbridge spanning the gap to the breakwater will definitely enhance it, especially for people who like photography and such.

But there is still much more to do. It was also good news to hear that Fort St Angelo is to be restored. But perhaps we should also give some more attention to Fort St Elmo. Each and every part of the Grand Harbour’s defences should be restored and turned into living museum pieces. There is layer upon layer of history in those bastions, dating back to the Knights of St John, all the way to the defences entrenched in the impregnable stone during World War II.

The wealth of restoration work undertaken in the construction of the cruise liner terminal is breathtaking and VISET deserve the plaudits for it, and it is continuing as we speak. The old power station, eventually Sir Paul Boffa Hospital and many other buildings are gradually being restored to their pristine condition. It looks lovely, and it does add quality, both as a tourist destination as well as a living area. A suggestion. There have been many ideas for the site of the Opera House ruins, a new House of Parliament, an underground car park and many others have been touted. But perhaps we should turn the Opera House into a War Museum of sorts. It can be covered with transparent glass or Perspex and be used to show the human struggle that accompanies war. It seems like nothing will ever be done with it and the only worry is that if something is built in its stead – it may turn out to be a white elephant eyesore.

We should not, however, make the mistake of thinking that the Grand Harbour is only about Valletta – it also incorporates the Three Cities and Marsa as well as a few others including Kalkara. There have been positive steps, most notably in the construction of the yacht marina in Vittoriosa and the accompanying waterfront. The news of plans for more cruise liner terminals in that area is also very good news.

But Cottonera, Senglea and Marsa are in dire need of attention. We need a holistic approach to tackle the whole Harbour basin. Again, we do not need to re-invent the wheel here. We simply need to look at restoration achievements (and embellishment) in Valletta, Vittoriosa, Mdina and countless other villages and draw on the experience we have already garnered. It has been said time and time again, the Grand Harbour is a jewel and we need to make the most of it. Instead of bickering, the political parties should get together and discuss this, it is a matter of national importance. The daft thing is, both have plans for the area, and it is a national issue – for goodness sake share your ideas and hopefully instead of a good plan, we can have a great plan.