A theatre of dreams

It is really very sad to note the announcement made by the Minister for Urban Development, Jesmond Mugliett, about the future of the opera house site.

May I remind readers and everyone concerned that President Emeritus Guido de Marco recently made a public statement while still in office saying that "the jewels of Valletta, namely Fort St Elmo and the opera house, should be restored to their former glory and returned to the people of Malta and Gozo".

The minister's statement really leads to deep concern; I sincerely hope that the Cabinet of ministers would think twice and look to their conscience before casting their vote in this regard.

If the overall calculated costs to rebuild the opera house would have been in the region of Lm19 to Lm22 million, and the new proposal for a Parliament building for Lm12 to Lm15 million, then why make all the fuss, for a mere Lm3 to Lm7 million? The Maltese taxpayer has been pumping more than Lm140 million into the Malta Drydocks over the years.

The Mater Dei Hospital budget has gone up into another alarming figure. Surely any savings from these units could have been allotted to build the opera house with money to spare for other projects?

The opera house would have been a real trampoline platform for all the upcoming musicians, artistes and entertainers of tomorrow, also creating new jobs in all other related categories, but I sadly say that no government, past or present, has ever looked into these matters, nor will they ever.

Last May I brought up this subject again with Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi. We have now got the real answer and a cold shower as well; now the government intends to build a Parliament House instead.

Why was the golden plate offer made by the heirs of the late E. Barry (the architect entrusted with building the opera house) to rebuild it from their own pockets, rejected by both Nationalist and Labour governments? Surely this offer would have been beneficial and in the interest of Malta and Gozo.

What creative new jobs will the proposed Parliament building bring to the people of Malta and Gozo?

No matter what the Chamber of Architects' statute may say, I personally do not wish to see a new modern eyesore built around such an old and rich historical site at the entrance to Valletta.

I urge the mayor of Valletta and his council members to speak out strongly.

Finally, I turn to the government of the day to simply say: "Give Caesar what's due to him".