Out of sight, out of mind

Sometimes the tenacity of politicians simply amazes me. After the Irish referendum threw out the Lisbon Treaty, the Irish government has been under pressure by Brussels to revamp the EU Constitution, for that is what the treaty really is, in order to push it through. I find it hard to understand how and why the Irish, after rejecting the treaty, are being allowed to redraft it.

I hear that there is talk of nothing else in every Irish pub in Ireland and throughout the world! Is this a purely PR ploy? Nobody really knows what precisely the Irish were objecting to.

However, it seems that some sort of compromise has been reached with the land that is forever green and if the October referendum results are positive the Constitution for Europe will become a reality and will cause untold joy in Malta because we will have a sixth MEP and a permanent commissioner. As Onslow says, "How noice!"

The utter pigheadedness of the Brussels-based political bureaucrats in shoving this hydra headed Constitution willy-nilly down our throats whether we like it or not runs parallel to the government's latest brainwave about City Gate. It seems quite clear that, although the overwhelming majority of "people who care" are in favour of the Piano project, they are not, repeat, not in favour of Parliament being sited in a location that historically, culturally and emotionally was and will remain an opera house built for the greater delectation of the people. There are many reasons why the very idea appears repugnant, however, the most salient is the lack of interest and financial commitment given to art and culture by successive administrations.

As we can see quite clearly today, art and culture are not even deemed important enough to merit a humble parliamentary secretary let alone a minister. Culture in Malta has reached its nadir. Hence, the entire intelligentsia, quite understandably, is up in arms.

For 66 years we have put up with the most un-picturesque ruins imaginable in the midst of our capital. For 66 years we have allowed this site to haunt us; to literally spook us out as successive governments dumped it in and out of their political manifestos without doing a thing about it. For 66 years the "numbered stones" near the Addolorata Cemetery have been spirited away as if by magic! For 66 years the culture of opera in Malta has been depopularised to the extent that the economic viability of opera is non-existent. For 66 years we have argued and squabbled about this site without doing anything about it. For 66 years this very topic has been used by successive governments to deflect the public's attention from things like taxes, tariffs and other unpleasant measures deemed necessary to keep Parliament in the pink.

This is why the very idea of housing Parliament on the opera house site has been met by a chorus of disapproval. The idea has been mooted several times before and it has been met with the same reaction, so what does the PN government think is so different this time around?

Let's face it. Although one would think that the rank and file couldn't care two hoots about whether an opera house is built or not and that they couldn't give a tinker's about whether the site remains as it is or not, Notte Bianca and Notte Magica have, in my opinion, proved otherwise. Therefore, Dr Gonzi do not run away with the idea that imposing a Parliament building on us where we least want it would only put a few members of the intelligentsia in a tizzy but I am positive that this move would alienate even more of your erstwhile supporters than ever.

For many of us, politics is only something that one thinks about as a necessary annoyance occurring every five years when one is practically forced to vote. For a few short weeks wannabe MPs become everybody's best friend and promise the moon and some planets too; anything to get into that seat in the House where it seems the sky's the limit and it is no problem to up one's salary and pension, to have a driver at one's beck and call, to go on jaunts to places that most can only dream about; which are as just three perks to compensate for the arduous task of being part of an Administration.

Sorry to disillusion you all but, believe me, that is how most people perceive you to be.

Therefore, unless you would wish for this project to go the way of the St John's Co-Cathedral bunker, which has at present gone underground because of the hackles it raised, please re-designate the opera site as a cultural one and place Parliament somewhere else. A bunker under the Palace Square may be a good idea; out of sight out of mind.

kzt@onvol.net