During the consultation process on the Piano Valletta entrance project, the pigeons’ role was not sufficiently highlighted.

The new Parliament building would offer numerous types of shelter not only for the homeless politicians who are now bracing for colder winds blowing from melting majorities and from empty coffers. Pigeons too will get plenty of shelter. The roof top area will be an ideal place for shade and refuge for our feathered friends. But pigeons also need nesting places and the masonry sun shade grids conceived by Piano will ideally present themselves for this purpose.

Pigeons do not only seek shelter. They are continuously in search of observation points. With the new adjacent open air theatre (with or without partial roof), the ‘Parliament’ pigeons will have numerous poles, column tops, lighting beams and canvas frames in the vicinity where to perch for hours on end, even during rehearsals and performances. And where pigeons are, we have to reckon with their droppings.

Malta is well on its way to becoming famous for spending e100 million for sheltering pigeons at the entrance of its capital right in the middle of a financial and economic crisis. Even though it seems very late in the day, our representatives should take some more time for consideration and let three or four other renowned architects present different concepts for the entrance of Valletta. It could be that the Piano project would still be the favoured one after this process but only then could we speak of a real choice.

By pressing ahead with this project now, the present administration is also offering its own head to the opposition on a silver plate. This time the opposition does not need to go all out against the Piano project since it is evident that this exercise of arrogance will cost the present administration enough abstentions that will facilitate the return of Labour to power.

Pigeons are looking forward to the implementation of the Piano project. With the roof of the new Parliament they will have a whole Freedom square to call their own beyond the reach of the questioning masses.

Agnes Debono

Kercem