Another year begins and before one can blink the old is becoming a distant memory. What does this say about the human race as individuals? Well, I believe that looking forward is progressive while looking backwards is without a doubt a retrograde step that seldom brings forth worthy outcomes. There are, of course, exceptions to that rule and that must be when we find a sequence of past events that structures our thoughts, beliefs and future thinking or actions.

I advance this opinion that stems from an article by Tony Zammit Cutajar (January 3).

In his Monumental Decision-Making, much point is made about the long-awaited redevelopment of the Royal Opera House and City Gate projects. He points out that as far back as 1952 committees and governments pondered the dilemma of what and how to go about this task with no concrete decisions being made. As an Englishman living happily in retirement here with my wife, may I implore the powers-that-be to look to their own for a radical solution to what has become an age-old problem?

I believe that the wonderful old and unique World Heritage Site, the capital city of Valletta, with all its past history and beautiful architecture, requires a gate that affords proper respect and grandeur to the age of the fortified city. Why do people in Malta so often appear to go beyond their own resources to get jobs done? I implore the government to seek Maltese architects and designers to produce plans and drawings for both the outstanding reconstructions. The Maltese people have a tremendous professional talent within their own rank and file, so set the local talent a task to come up with a number of suggestions for the development of both sites.

The City Gate must be as grand an entry to the city as the city is itself. A concrete aberration is just not adequate enough; it must and has to stand as the gateway to a city that has all the splendour and history steeped into its boundary walls; it must be a majestic entrance to a proud nation's capital city.

Don't let past generations or future Maltese citizens down by allowing a monstrosity of a development become a reality. Malta must produce and build a fine and worthy entrance gate and then move on to the Opera House that should also be of suitable design in keeping with the overall ambience of Valletta.

Don't do it for the visitors or other foreigners who happen to live here and love the islands; do it for yourselves and future generations of Maltese citizens. It is your capital city and history demands it.