The person who coined the phrase “only in Malta” deserves to be given one of the honours that are presented on Republic Day.

The news that St Paul’s Street in Valletta will be closed till October starting next week came as a big shock to one and all – the residents of Valletta, the business community and the people who work or shop there.

This stretch was always an important thoroughfare in Valletta, and it has become even more so now that the road that used to pass over City Gate was demolished to make way for the Renzo Piano project. It is now only one of the two entry points into Valletta, and we are sure that the work will cause great inconvenience, in spite of plans to redirect traffic through other streets.

Is it possible that it is only now that it has been realised that work needs to be carried out on the underground services in this road? Is it possible that it is only now that the council thought of upgrading the road and repairing the steps? Couldn’t the job have been carried out before the demolition of City Gate started?

It shows gross mismanagement and lack of planning. The Valletta local council knew about the City Gate project, and that St Paul’s Street would have become one of the main entry points into Valletta. And yet it is only now that the work will be taken in hand.

It has been argued that August is the best time to start such a project as fewer people enter Valletta. Maybe it has been forgotten that August is the busiest month in tourism terms, and that most tourists who come over do not go back without visiting the capital city.

It has been said that the work will be finished by October, well in time for the Christmas rush. But, then again, how many times has work been scheduled to finish within a certain deadline but then needs to be extended because something extraordinary takes place?

We hope that we are wrong on this one, and that the work will be finished in time, but we still question why the Valletta local council waited for the City Gate project to start before its own work on St Paul Street is to take place.