The opera house

I followed with interest Lou Bondì's programme discussing the government's proposal for turning the site of the old opera house into a building for Parliament. Let me try to be objective here, and, for the moment, put aside the emotional aspect of this issue.

Fact: This site has been a national disgrace for the last 60 plus years.

Fact: Malta had been offered both the resources and the money to repair the damages done.

Fact: The funds were required for a different "project'' and Reggie Miller and his union objected to using foreign workers... (does this sound familiar?)

Fact: Something needs to be done.

As a country that depends on tourists as a substantial part of the economy, this issue - if for no other reason - should have been sorted out long before now. Thousands of tourists pass through Valletta every day; this bombed out ruin is a disgrace to all of us. Something definitely needs to be done, and soon.

Back to being a bit emotional now, listening to Richard England speak, I wonder why this gentleman stops at the opera house - why doesn't he go the whole hog and do the whole country up... we could have little marble signs all over the place... love, peace, brotherhood... yellow stars, the possibilities are mind-boggling... pull down the Neolithic temples, take out the hypogeum... change our history... or is it just Barry's work, a reminder of (to quote the gentleman ) our colonial past, that bothers him?

I have news for him... that's what we were for quite a few hundred years! Well I, for one, would like to see the opera house back to its resplendent glory, Parliament can move to that other national disgrace... Fort St. Elmo, where hopefully some much-needed life can be restored to our capital.

One final point, after the uproar on the villa in Brussels purchase, the government would do well to heed the need of consulting the people; a lot of us really are sick and tired of the pompous posturing of some of our so-called leaders - put it to the test, carry out a referendum (include the Brussels issue as well in the questions asked) and for once, do what the majority of the people ask.

My congratulations to the other two speakers on the programme. They spoke from the heart, with passion and without being paid a few hundred thousand liri for their trouble! Keep it up, 16,000 signatures in a few days mean a lot.