No decision on Opera House site

Till now I still waiting for a reply from someone to tell me what happened to the site plans made by Architect Richard England for which he was paid thousands of Maltese liri(I have nothing against him as he did his job)for the proposed rebuilding of the Royal Theatre and reconstruction of City Gate. I think that an estimate how much such project would cost was done once the architect was paid! Could some expert give me a reply?And please don't be patetic with the excuse that we don't have funds to finance it !As staying to Gonzi PN worlds together everything is possible and that the economy is on the right track ! Infact in November,2005 we found around LM 2.5 million to organise the CHOGM from which we just got photos,speaches and refreshments not a single cent in our pockets! Ah Yes I forgot at least some people got tax free BMW 'S !!!

I could have said that Austin and I didn`t even get half-a-vote!

It will be foolish if any government wil re build the Opera House differently from what it was originally. The exterior design should be faithfully reproduced. How to use the interior I leave it up to the "experts" to decide.

The building was an architectural gem and should be built as it was.

REBUILD THE GLORY AS IT WAS! A lot can be done to secure funds for rebuilding it. I would first engage all operating banks in Malta to secure accounts for world wide donations. Powerful elite movie actors who have filmed, are filming, and will film in Malta would be glad to contribute towards this noble revival. A government-financed blitz would solicit donations from all over the world from expats and others. Perhaps offer to famous actors who have experienced Malta, and who would donate generously, their names inscribed on a gold-plated plaque permanently displayed inside the Opera House foyer, and perhaps their monickers encapsulated under the first stone to be laid down. And how about tapping those oil-rich barons building Smartcity, plus the portended tenants such as Dell, HP, Microsoft (Mr. gates would be delighted, I'm sure), IBM, Vodafone, Lucent, Verizon etc.). Perhaps even start a lottery for the Opera House. All is needed is for someone to think big and go for it instead of the Opera house remnants serving as a urine deposit, or worse a car park or a flea market. Make it a major world class opera venue.

The main reason why our past govs have renounced to the rebuilding of the OH is because bread comes before circuses. The fact is that this jewel was destroyed by the Nazi war machine for which the German people had to pay war reparation money. Dom Mintoff had used the war damage money maybe wisely in a social way or in a political way' or both. Its loss was one of the sacrifices we had to endure, second, of course to loss of life and limb but a sacrifice that gave us valuable returns in the form of freedom.

Lets rebuild the OH but first we have to finish off the road renewal programme. We still have some dangerous bone rattlers, such as Zabbar-M'Scala, Valletta Road, Zurrieq, through which a million tourists pass through on their way to Hagar Qim, Mnajdar, Blue Grotto and Ghar Lapsi, Siggiewi-Rabat, and others.

Whoever gets a decision done merits a monument!

Noooooooooooo! you must be kidding right?!

A never ending story - so sad !

The old City gate was destroyed in the 60s and to date has not been completed because works stopped during the 70s reign and never resumed after the 80s - look at the architects plans and find out for yourselves.

The late Opera house site - an eyesore for whoever enters Valletta.
The original stones and columns are scattered all over the island - two upper column pieces are at MCAST by the outer staircase.

It's now time to move forward and create a museum depicting the past glory of this place using state of the art visual technology and also incorporate other historical artifacts of maltese culture through the ages.

It will be imperative to correlate the architecture of this building with the one on the opposite side on the street.
Investing a capital expence to revive this plot of land will in the long run render revenue as a museum of Maltese history.
As for the surrounding buildings the large white coloured block can easily be re painted to blend in with the others .

Only one guy took a decision on the Royal Opera House ruins... D. Mintoff decided in the 1950s to use the war-damage money given to Malta to rebuild the Opera House for the removal and rebuilding of the Mandragg.

I think that we, as a people, underestimate the great negative impact this site had been having continually on our subconsciousness. When I think of it, it makes us feel like a nation of losers, even though many of us may not be aware each time we walk past it. The theatre had taken just four years to build in 19th century Malta under colonial rule. Even when it suffered a great fire, still in the same era, the monument took only a few years to restore. It is quite incredible to my mind that in 21st century Malta, with an abundance of labour, funds, and machinery, an independent republican government continues to behave like a chicken without a head in the face of such a modest challenge. In my view, nothing less than the original plan can be truly fitting to this historical site and to the Maltese soul. And the longer it keeps taking for this national treasure to be restored back to the people, the more the Maltese government will continue to look like an artless ass.

Government has to consult, listen, analyse and implement. Time for the first 3 processes has long ran out and time for action has long been overdue. Agreed, the country had definetly other important priorities but if we did not manage to set the rehabilitation of this site a priority in sixty six years, than I am really out of words....

No money! No decision! Money big problem (for some)! What happened to the site plans for which a certain architect was paid thousands of Maltese liri for? Where are they?People need an explanation where the tax payer money is being spend. Thank you Dr.Gatt!

No surprise there either!

How to take people for a rid for free.
Milli ghidna dawn l-ahhar 17 il-sena kien kollu bzar fl-ghajnejn!

But then again, PN promise a lot, they deliver very little, and when things go wrong, there is always a plausible excuse for their failures.

Other opera houses were destroyed during the war and have been rebuilt. Why can't we do the same?

I think the best way to utilise this area is to put up an open air theater
Just build a raised stage and dressing rooms that go under it
This would make ideal platform for band concerts, choirs and Xmas activities.
The shops could remain where they are now being a continuation of the said platform

iT IS A PITY that NOBODY appears to have the Brains to DETERMINE DECISIVELY as to what this country, our country, should do with the bombarded OPERA HOUSE Site in ruins for the past [ SHAME ON US !!! ] SIXTY - SIX YEARS. As it was a glorious artistic structure in an architecturally imposing style at the entrance of our majestic Capital City, it is obvious that we should go back to that style,refer to it as The National Cultural Centre,utilise it for a multi-cultural purpose and naturally infusing in it business and commerce.It will be a GREAT TASK but I have faith that Dear Austin has the gargantuan energy to go for it and get on withthis Project. DO NOT INVOLVE THE CURRENT EDITION OF THE VALLETTA LOCAL COUNCIL as we will only get to hear about it when the next Local Council Elections approach.

Minister Gatt should have a pluralistic Cultural Committee to assist in this PROJECT,not the silly chosen inner boys and girls,but mature culturally-oriented individuals who have a soul-burning loving desire for A GREAT VALLETTA as I believe GATT possesses.PLEASE LET US GET ON WITH IT.....WE CAN DO IT! ALPHA EMMY.

Why not an open space to include freedom square with a trafalgar sq type of fountain and use money to design something appropriate for City Gate?