Heritage society calls for regeneration of Valletta

"Valletta is a city betrayed," Din l-Art Helwa executive president Martin Scicluna said at the national heritage society's annual general meeting yesterday.

In a comprehensive presentation, Mr Scicluna said successive governments over the past half a century have largely neglected the capital due to a lack of political will.

"Our politicians have for too long paid lip service only to the needs of Valletta," he said.

"This must change."

In a separate resolution, presented by DLH's council, it called for a Master Plan for the regeneration of Valletta. "The state of Valletta today presents a national challenge which must be tackled on a national scale," the resolution goes. "We therefore urge Government to appoint a Minister to act as the Ministerial Supremo for Valletta - to be responsible for co-ordination and action in Valletta."

Mr Scicluna said the minister should be a Parliamentary Secretary with direct responsibility for Valletta, within the Ministry of Culture, "with the necessary over-arching control over other departments and government entities".

DLH's resolution calls for a ten-year Master Plan underpinned by the necessary financial resources. "The Master Plan must first focus on the immediate improvements to the appearance and day-to-day quality of life of Valletta that so offend any visitor to our capital.

"In parallel, it must tackle the major projects of Fort St Elmo, City Gate, the Opera House, Parliament and the fortifications of Valletta in a pragmatic, phased and incremental manner.

"We urge the Government in this, the 40th anniversary of Malta's independence to exercise the necessary political will to implement the long-outstanding improvements to the regeneration of Valletta so that it may become in future a City redeemed, rather than a City betrayed."

Mr Scicluna mentioned in his presentation such "bread-and-butter issues" as the state of most pavements in the capital, street lighting, uniformity of signage and a general clean-up that should not cost more than Lm3 million. Other projects, including those in the resolution are longer term.

DLH recommends that a more fitting place for Parliament would be the Mediterranean Conference Centre, that the Monti should be moved to the ditch near the War Memorial where it is held every Sunday and that the centre of Valletta should be pedestrianised, with St George's Square restored for public use.

Mr Scicluna touched in his presentation on the need to regenerate Valletta to attract cultural tourists, bring the city back to life and to encourage the restoration of residential properties through a "wholesale revision and updating of the rent laws".

In a second resolution, also presented by DLH's council, it said the interim engineered landfill near Mnajdra not to be permitted since this "would pose an unacceptable risk (and be) an utterly inappropriate location for such a project. We urge the Government to reject the proposal without further ado and urgently seek alternative arrangements."