Rehabilitating Valletta

Successive governments have proved their keen interest and competence in restoring parts of Malta's main city Valletta to a measure of grandeur and beauty, as with the paving of Republic and Zachary Streets, restoration of St John's Co-Cathedral's belfries and steeples, St James Cavalier's interior, some walls at the President's and Magisterial Palace, and the Pinto Wharf warehouses now collectively known as the Valletta Waterfront.

Yet it is clear that much else needs to be done to enhance Valletta's general aspect. In my view, this calls for a master plan spread over many years, which will improve the city's visual impact immeasurably.

Wooden doors and balconies go unpainted and house fronts are left unkempt for years, giving the city a rather shabby look. And there is no policy for the proper maintenance of house fronts in Malta. The Royal Theatre or Opera House lies un-restored over 50 years after its devastating bombing in April 1942.

At this late stage, the stalling of the Opera House's restoration over so many years may prove to be a blessing in disguise, if we are to follow what has been achieved in central and eastern Europe.

The city of Dresden, the Florence of the north, has seen its Semper Opera House restored to its former grandeur, and latterly the city's cathedral, the Frauenkirche.

Yet the jewels of European restoration lie further east, notably in Poland, Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia. The proven experts at restoration have been the Poles, with their reconstruction of the Hanseatic city of Gdansk (former Danzig), and admirably with the meticulous restoration of their capital Warsaw, which had been totally obliterated by bombing during World War II.

I have been informed that the Estonians, Latvians and Lithuanians have done an equally marvellous job of restoration with their respective capitals: Tallinn, Riga and Vilnius, which are reported to now possess beautiful centres.

So why not Malta, with Valletta? Valletta's entrance of 1970 was a costly mistake, which needs to be redressed. It is most disappointing.

The only serious snag is that, with the restoration of Valletta's Opera House, this city would have three concert houses: The 18th century Manoel Theatre and the 20th century roofing of the old yard at the Sacra Infermeria into the present Mediterranean Conference Centre's theatre. This apparent problem needs to be tackled proactively and creatively.

Expert, intelligent and sensitive restorers are available, as outlined above. What now remains is a measure of funding from the European Union in Brussels, which Latvia - to mention one case - has succeeded in obtaining in order to restore their city of Riga.