Lobby group wants to give Valletta new lease of life

A new lobby group has set out on a mission to safeguard and enhance Valletta's role as a hub for business, leisure, culture and residence.

The Valletta Alive Initiative (VAI) is made up of representatives of the GRTU, Association of Retailers and Traders, the Chamber of Commerce and Enterprise, the Malta Tourism Authority, the Merchant Street and Republic Street business community associations, the Valletta Rehabilitation Committee and the Valletta local council.

These organisations feel the structures and resources allocated to Valletta have not been sufficient over the years so they have joined forces and drawn up a position paper on the way forward as they see it.

The group's public relations officer, John Ebejer, said the position paper highlighted 10 principles that outlined the holistic approach the group felt should be adopted for the capital city. The paper will be formally presented to the government soon.

The principles include making Valletta a more liveable city and planning and investing in improved access such as increasing the provision of underground parking, improving harbour ferry services and installing passenger lifts in the city's centre.

It also focuses on reducing on-street parking by extending pedestrianised areas, improving refuse collection and ensuring public conveniences are well maintained.

Another point raised is to provide a more befiting entrance to the island's capital. Pending the implementation of a major project for the area, the current chaotic situation should be resolved, the paper argues.

In addition, the lower part of Valletta has to be regenerated, empty properties and Fort St Elmo rehabilitated and public spaces upgraded.

Valletta's role as a shopping centre has to be reinforced, evening leisure encouraged and the city's role as a cultural capital better promoted.

Mr Ebejer said the group recognised the fact that certain points would take a number of years to implement. However, the city's cleanliness, basic infrastructure and situation at City Gate had to be tackled with urgency.

VAI president Alfred Zahra said the city's diverse uses had placed intense pressures on Valletta's infrastructure, pressures which resulted in dirty streets, public spaces swamped with parked cars, broken pavements and unkempt historic buildings among others.

"The significant efforts of the city's council and the VRP are appreciated but they have not gone far enough to address the many and varied problems," he said.

"There needs to be a stronger sense of direction and more coordinated action. New structures need to be established and the existing ones strengthened," Mr Zahra said.

Apart from lobbying, the group will also take initiatives aimed at raising public awareness and instilling greater civic pride in the island's capital.