In Malta many people are quick to form an opinion on a wide range of issues.   Political controversy is never short and may be considered as a national hobby.  Some issues, people take with a pinch of salt, others take in their stride and many are quick to express their views on the social media.  But then there are other instances where people put their foot down. In extreme and rare occasions people take to the streets to express their frustration and anger.  

The €90 million project at the Valletta entrance earned the green-light in early 2010 and had to be completed by 2012. The avant-garde plan which was drawn up by world renowned Italian architect Renzo Paino that included the tearing down of city gate and turning the ruined Royal Opera theatre into an open-air performance space provided all that was necessary to ignite a national controversy. 

The project was launched under the stewardship of former Prime Minister, Dr Lawrence Gonzi. He and the PN were heavily criticized for taking the decision to transform the entrance of Valletta.  Back in 2010 the project sparked a ferocious row.  Opponents to the project and self-appointed experts claimed that the new parliament building is an unnecessary vanity project.    

The project was bad mouthed from the initial stages.

Many contentions were raised against the project. For ease of reference here I pen some arguments floated against the project at that time.  The demolition of city gate will bring unacceptable levels of traffic into Valletta.   Some claimed that the project was going to radically change the face of Valletta.  Indeed, claims of arrogance and lack of public consultation were common.  Similarly Government was accused of squandering public funds.  Some even called the new parliament building ugly - a building on stilts.

Notwithstanding, the change in Government the Valletta entrance project moved on as was planned in 2010 save for some details due to lack of funds.  The Renzo Piano contemporary masterpiece building at the entrance of the capital city built by the Knights of St. John in 1560s is now officially inaugurated, blessed and functioning.

The new building will house our parliamentarians.  Hopefully this new building will bring about fresh air in the political arena. The unnecessary politically motivated bickering to gain short-term political mileage will be limited to a minimum.  Political opponents’ should debate whatever the House has on the agenda with the sole purpose to protect the best interest of the nation and to improve the quality of people’s life. The political partisan debate should be left for other places.   

I have to confess I was surprised that protests were not held during the inauguration of the new parliament. A peaceful or a symbolic protest could have been in place by those who criticised heavily the project. But none was reported. I am thinking that most of those who had expressed various concerns against the project must have realised that the project has enhanced by a thousand folds the entrance of our Capital City.  I do not wish to think that the concerns of those against the Valletta entrance project were politically motivated.     

At the inauguration of the new parliament invitees had broad smiles and did not express any disappointment at the new building.   Rightly so Mr. Speaker, Dr Anglu Farrugia made his views known about the new facilities and the many advantages the House has for our Parliamentarians.  Indeed it is a Parliament, which our Parliamentarians deserve and have been waiting for many years.      

At the same time the new parliament was being inaugurated the Opposition had a hot potato in their hands. When things started to look better for the PN the unexpected happened Mrs Giovanna Debono tendered her resignation from the PN after her husband was arraigned in court.  This resignation prompted Dr Simon Busuttil, Opposition Leader to take immediate action.  He accepted Mrs Debono resignation from the PN and simultaneously called on Dr Chris Said, to take charge of Gozo once his term as PN Secretary General comes to an end in the coming days.  Both decisions must have been difficult to shoulder but the PN Leader has once again demonstrated that the Party is in his grasp. This augurs well for the PN.

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