Editorial

People sometimes wonder whether Malta has any authority that monitors existing or potential damage to tourism. Why? Because apart from the torrent of statistics that are dished out from time to time to measure the performance of the industry, they see little progress in matters which they rightly feel are important when it comes to projecting the island's image in the eyes of tourists.

How many times have correspondents, and The Times itself, raised the point that action needs to be taken urgently to spruce up the entrance to Valletta? Never mind the project for the rebuilding of the horrendous gate that has now been shelved. Or the Labour Party's plan to give priority to the project if and when they are returned to power. We are talking here about the stretch from the car park up to the intersection with South Street, a stretch we shall, from now on, call Malta's walk of shame.

Indeed, this stretch puts Malta to shame day in, day out. And yet, hundreds of tourists are taken there by tourist guides to start their tour of the city precisely from that spot. Straight up to Valletta from their gleaming, ultra-modern cruise liners, they are marshalled there in groups, under the gate, in an utterly nondescript, dirty space, all juggling for elbow room in between horse-drawn cabs and hawkers. They are occasionally also greeted by a strong whiff of perfume - a stench of urine.

Hanging on each wall of the gate are the frames of two panels that up to some time ago displayed the maps of the city. Presumably the panels have been removed in order to be updated. Whatever, the frames have been left there, for the tourists to admire as the guides begin to proudly point to... the ruins of the opera house.

And as the guides talk and talk and talk about the war and how the theatre had been hit in one of the harshest attacks, the tourists stare in wonder at the ramshackle we call square! And where do you think is Malta's tourist office? On the right, as you enter the gate, in this magnificent jack-of-all trades square.

The people have for long worked out for themselves the damage this has done to Malta's image in the eyes of the hundreds of cruise liner passengers. But the government does not seem to be perturbed. Had the tourism authorities, for instance, taken notice of the situation, they would have ensured that no guide would start his tour of the city from there.

But all pleas for tourist guides to change their route have fallen on deaf ears. All pleas to the government to spruce up the area have been disregarded. Oh yes, one or two cleaners sweep the area regularly now, but the situation has essentially remained the same. The situation outside City Gate is simply chaotic. We speak of restoration, renovation, impact assessments and what not, but when we come to tackle basic matters, we fail - miserably.

Why do we make so much fuss about the place? Because it is doing us harm. When are we going to shake off the inertia? Is there anyone out there who will finally take heed of our appeal? Who is going to take the initiative to bring about a change? How can we be so indifferent?