City Gate should be a multi-cultural site

May I, in my view as an average Maltese person, point out some very apparent observations on the plans for City Gate.

The vast majority of visitors to Valletta, be they Maltese or tourists, are not interested in visiting our Parliament building, so the positioning of it on such a prime site does not make sense. Furthermore:

• I would assume that MPs will much rather drive unobtrusively to the present Mediterranean Conference Centre building, which is still very central, and which at the same time enhances our Maltese identity with the dramatic backdrop of our world famous Grand Harbour.

• For security reasons this area is much more conveniently placed and logistically it caters better for the numerous staff associated in the running of an efficient Parliament.

• Any visiting heads of state and VIPs would no doubt enjoy visiting such a historical building which can also be accessed from the sea. The building would be given another tremendous boost if we take advantage of a glaringly obvious and practical solution of utilising the huge hall of the Sacra Infermeria to display our priceless tapestries.

• The present theatre hall at MCC can be dismantled and refurbished to house offices.

• The above is at the same time an immediate, economically sensible and multifaceted solution to many urgent issues.

City Gate should be turned into a multi-cultural site since it is so accessible to Maltese and tourists alike. As a people, at present we very much lack a sense of culture, which after all forms the backbone of a civilised nation. On Saturday evenings and Sundays I would much rather see people queuing up to attend concerts, ballet and opera shows or cultural exhibitions, rather than queuing up to eat in restaurants. No wonder we Maltese are becoming among the most obese in the world - restaurants have become the focal point of entertainment on the island, recession and all. Cultural performances can also be an occasional alternative to the now fashionable wine bars and night clubs. Shouldn't we better invest in promoting the arts? The National Museum of Fine Arts is remotely placed at the bottom of South Street, crying out for more space to house the many works of art it can boast of, most of which are just stored away for lack of exhibition space. I understand Malta is the only country in the EU which does not have a Museum of Modern Art - I cringe with embarrassment when foreign friends and artists visit Malta and ask about our contemporary and modern art.

With regard to opera, how - I ask Lou Bondì - can the Maltese be expected to love opera if my generation and the present youngsters were deprived of the opportunity to experience such shows in a proper manner? Ballet and other forms of dancing are becoming so popular in Malta with many young people committing themselves to hours of rehearsals. I am sure that in this day and age, and with Renzo Piano's world renowned inventiveness, a concert hall can be designed to simultaneously house orchestral and other music shows, ballet, contemporary dance as well as opera. The latter would also provide the opportunity for creative work associated with designing stage backdrops and costumes, for which the Maltese have so much flair. We could turn this into an opportunity for Malta to become a centre of culture. We have the talent and people like Joseph Calleja and Miriam Gauci have already built a reputation for Malta in the international art scene. Let us get our priorities right and make use of our talents to regain a sense of merited national pride.