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.