Do something about the opera house site!

I have always agreed with the President of the Republic that we should treat Valletta as a whole and not a fragmented city, to be patched up only in certain areas, neglecting others.

Let us take the old opera house site, for example. If we cannot afford to rebuild it, we certainly can no longer afford to keep it as it is!

Do we really need a new theatre, when we know that for many of the performances held at our small jewel of a theatre, the Manoel, with the exception of the Christmas pantomime, it is nearly always half-empty? What would happen had the theatre been able to take, say, 1,000 or more patrons?

Similarly with shows at St James Cavalier. I know of people who have never been inside the newly and beautifully restored Centre for Creativity. I admire what has been done with the place. But was the expense justified?

I very much doubt this, but does this mean that we are to be eternally saddled with a millstone of a "war ruin" slamming into our faces every time we enter or leave Valletta? We have made ourselves a laughing stock with many tourists, who ask "what on earth are the people of Malta thinking of, leaving their City entrance in such a mess?"

Well, the money, of course, many will say! I would say, lack of will to really do somehing about it all!

Experience and knowledge of the Maltese (and Valletta residents) has shown me that whenever money was needed, money was forthcoming! So please, do something, but don't just do nothing!

My suggestion is to build a decent House of Parliament on the old site, with a beautiful look, in accordance with Valletta architecture on the outside and modern facilities inside. The Palace could go back to being mainly a tourist attraction, minus of course, the Presidential offices, which should be protected on both fronts - security and upkeep.

I also think it is a downright shame that Valletta has no monument to its founder, Grand Master La Vallette.