
Monday, 1st December 2008 - 19:24CET
PL calls for public consultation on Valletta project
The Labour Party this evening called for public consultation on the City Gate and Opera House project, announced this evening.
The party in a statement said that the Prime Minister this afternoon spoke about the project on the phone with Joseph Muscat, who is in Madrid.
The Labour Party said it agreed on the need to rehabilitate the harbour area, including Valletta. However it appeared that the decision on the project had already been taken and architect Renzo Piano had been selected to present his ideas.
Rather than consultation, this was, therefore, a case of the Prime Minister simply informing the Leader of the Opposition on the decision that had been taken.
The government needed to specify whether it had allocated funds for this project since nothing about it was said in the budget, just a few weeks ago.
A project of this scale deserved consultation which would not be limited to politicians but would involve all of civil society.
At a time when the people were being asked to pay higher bills for water and electricity, among other rising costs, they deserved a better account of how public funds would be used, the PL said, quoting Dr Muscat.







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Comments
Mela you forgot GonziPN`s election gimmick.."..Flimkien Kollox Possibbli.."..??? OR this had an unwritten continuation of... "..WEHIDNA AHJAR.."...!!!???!!!! Haaa Haaaa
Are you confirming that in a Democracy, REAL CONSULTATION DOES NOT COUNT....!!!!!????!!!!????
We had sixty years of tentative starts only followed by complete stalling. The public and foreigners alike have been praying for the day which will see the rebuilding of the Opera House which, unfortunately will morph into the House of Parliament. However, given the size of the site, it would have been hardly economical to rebuild it solely as an opera and centre for the arts.
There should be a time limit on public consultation otherwise there will be the danger of this drive to come to a slow halt like previous half hearted attempts.
The size of the combined City Gate and Parliament Building projects will provide hundreds of jobs at a time when governments around the world are finding ways to spend the recession away. It is a bold move which should be embraced by all including the Opposition and various NGOs.
Mr. Piano is world renowned and he will certainly deliver a first class product.
For those who crying in their morning cereal, complaining that no prior consultation with the Opposition was undertaken, let me remind them that it is the government who makes decisions, not the Opposition.
A modern project for an old city?
Give us back City Gate as it was built before it was raped with the FASCIST Gate that we have now.
What is being proposed now is only to alienate the people from the burden they have to bear because of the Gonzipn budget and take care of friends and friends of friends in the construction industry.
I would like to take the opportunity to invite all those who have the environment at heart to go and vote for Astrid Vella on the European Forum of Voluntary Work website at http://www.benevolat.eu/en/vote.php
Right side about nearly half way down there is a drop down box. Choose Astrid Vella and vote for her. She deserves it.
Why get Renzo Piano when we have the design of how the main gate was meant to be? I just cannot comprehend this idiocy ... There cannot be a valletta without its fortifications and centuries old architecture so who is Renzo to say what it should look like now? The architects who designed the city as a whole surely must know better!
It decides on his own and dictates on the whole country . Thanks Dr Gonzi for the importance you are giving to the capital city and you do not bother about us citizens .
And to say it all and funnily enough this project will be ready with in four years time ? God knows why the deadline is within four years time ? MAYBE THERE WILL BE ANOTHER ELECTION .
Dr Gonzi grow up and realise that we have brains too !!!!