What's the vision?

This is a strange time for our islands. It is a time of fast paced changes and new beginnings, a time when we are being asked to look into the mirror and do some important soul searching about ourselves, our priorities, our values.

This is a time to search for direction, make the right decisions and, above all, evolve. This is a feeling one can readily appreciate in the streets in Malta; the people you meet, snippets of conversations in coffee shops, what one sees, what one hears. And nowhere is this more obvious than in the teaming streets of our capital.

Valletta today is an evolving city, a resurgent city rediscovering itself and its potential following years of abuse and neglect. Under the grime of ages lies a sure trove that is only now being rediscovered.

Ideas abound as to how, when and why this city needs to evolve. From every part, Government, institutions, unions, the public; everyone must have their say and rightly so. This is our city, our heritage, and perhaps our greatest asset.

Ideas I said abound, a cable car to link the Grand Harbour to upper Valletta, the return of the Upper Barracca elevator, the reconstruction of the Royal Opera House (one prominent businessman even offered to build it himself), underground parking beneath Freedom Square, Park and Ride, and many more.

In 2004, the Valletta 2020 conference saw the participation of major players in business and industry, heritage organisations, the authorities, team up with architects, artists, thinkers and the public. Together, they explored the possibilities and potential of the city.

Among the points raised, and they were many, were that for starters Valletta needs cultural development, the city needs to become family friendly, it needs to allow for cultural diversification, and needs to build a concept of civic pride.

This, together with strong and solid planning, leadership and policy making can contribute to continuous progress. Issues, such as co-ordination among stakeholders (ah now there's a clincher, that too was mentioned quite assiduously), as well as the need for clear and specific responsibilities and jurisdictions, came to the fore.

Many asked: "Who is really responsible for what in Valletta and who should be at the helm of this development?" In other words: Valletta, one ship but how many captains?

The lofty aim back then had been to institute a network of players intent on harnessing their collective creativity for the benefit of Valletta.

Two years on, what has been achieved?

As matters stand, the Valletta local council is today one of the least funded councils on the island. This is due to the way funds are allocated, something to do with land mass and population size.

No value is given to considerations, such as heritage or history. We want to attract the tourist to Valletta and Malta in general. Yet it is estimated that with current funding arrangements it will take 80 years to sort out the horrendous pavement situation in Valletta.

On a general level, we speakly of turning Valletta into a showcase city, yet so far no known real plan seems to exist. Maybe a lot is being done. Maybe not. What is starkly lacking is a clear sense of strategic direction.

I believe the time has come to reassess our priorities and performance. We seem to go about things project by project, like a blind farmer indiscriminately sprinkling seeds over fertile soil and hoary stone, then hoping for the best.

In other words, where is the planning? How are we linking issues, such as tourism, culture, entertainment, capital works, transport, environment, conservation and a lot more?

Do we really have a workable, holistic approach? That's the real question.

What Valletta and, the entire island, needs is a holistic vision.

Regeneration of Valletta nightlife, revamping of Strait Street, ring road walks...bla bla bla bla! We've heard it all before, and we'll hear, more before things really start to happen.

But does anyone know what we want for Valletta and why? Do we know what we want for ourselves and have we the slightest clue of how to get there? A more pressing question springs to mind: is anybody really looking for something remotely resembling direction? I fear that tragically the answer is a bland, resounding no.  

We are in a situation where players are at loggerheads, pulling a different rope, and, what's more, in different directions! It has become a proper maelstrom of diverging, conflicting, agendas.

We cannot seem to find a balance between conservation and functionality; between old and new; between conservatism and innovation; between the bureaucratic and the practical; between priorities and funding. In the meantime, the city screams for attention.

What's the vision? Can we draft it, discuss it, agree upon it, write it down, set targets, put our money where our mouth is, and get cracking?

But really, isn't it time we sort this whole business out and give Valletta its proper due? In truth we are fortunate in that what needs to be done here has been done elsewhere before by others.

All across Europe cases of regeneration of historically relevant sites and cities abound, such as Norwich, Liverpool, Barcelona and the London docks. These examples are all there for us to see and take up.

The first inklings of a burgeoning regeneration are indeed beginning to show but now we need to take stock of the situation and develop a concerted plan, one supported, unified drive towards holistic regeneration.

A plan where all parties concerned have clear-cut roles and responsibilities and where all are ultimately striving towards the same goal. In the end let us remember that we are not being asked to reinvent the wheel but merely to set it rolling.

Carlos Debattista is a property consultant with Citypro Valletta.