City Gate project - Labour reaction
The Labour Party in a reaction to the unveiling of the Renzo Piano plans for the entrance to Valletta, said this evening that it was never involved in the planning but still intended to contribute positively.
Everybody had his views and preferences and not everybody could agree on everything, the PL said. Its view for Valletta extended beyond appearances and was a vision of and economic and cultural showcase.
The party called on the government to heed the people's views, to set and respect budgets and to say where the money would come from. It also insisted that the project should be completed within the established timeframes.
Earlier, Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi described the Renzo Piano plans for Valletta as conveying dignity and a sense of history and identity.
Speaking at the unveiling of the plans for the entrance to the capital, Dr Gonzi said this was an event which should unite the people in pride of their idenity, forged in a long and rich history.
Valletta, he said, should be the expression of the people. Its streets should not only be beautiful, but they should also reflect the values of the people, particularly their hospitality and their respect for the dignity of man.
The streets of Valletta should also remind the people of their struggle for independence and freedom. It was in these streets that the people struggled for the formation of the first Parliament and for democracy.
These were streets which reflected the sense of history, but they should also showcase culture and the arts.
This, therefore, was a city which manifested the elements that formed the Maltese people.
The new projects which were now being unveiled, as well as others which had been made or were being planned, gave the dignity which the city, and the people, deserved.
Valletta was being renewed, its bastions no longer kept people out but invited people in. They were the guardians of the people's heritage, the custudians of its wealth.
Dr Gonzi thanked architect Renzo Piano, the people of Valletta, the business community and all those who had contributed in moving this new project forward.
His wish, the Prime Minister concluded, was that this project would make all the Maltese more proud of their country.
See also:
http://www.timesofmalta.com/articles/view/20090627/local/revealed-the-new-face-of-valletta
http://www.timesofmalta.com/articles/view/20090627/local/the-new-city-gate-and-parliament
http://www.timesofmalta.com/articles/view/20090622/local/renzo-piano-interviewed
The designs are available at:
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Mike Magri
Jun 29th 2009, 15:58
Dr. Muscat said, (when asked about the project,) that the PL was NEVER inolved in the planning, but STILL intend TO CONTRIBUTE POSITIVELY...
What`s SOOO Wrong with that Guys..!! The PL, as every one else, has the sagrosant right to express its openion on this subject, as on any other, for that matter... Besides, it has just been proven that today, IT IS the Greatest Political Force in Malta and Gozo...
As for my personal openion of the opera house site, and with due respect, the way it is proposed, it looks more like a Tennis Court than an Opera House. In fact, i would like to suggest, that the powers that be, before they do anything of the sort, they should have serious talks with our world renowned Opera Tenor, Mr. Joseph Calleja, and other experts in the theatre field, for their most professional advice... Period...
Antoine Vella
Jun 29th 2009, 12:50
Arthur Vella
"FROM MY POINT OF VIEW ITS GOING TO LOOK LIKE A JUNGLE OF CONCRETE.."
You have to change your point of view because no concrete is being used.
And stop crying.
R. Gatt
Jun 29th 2009, 11:54
@ Pat.Muscat and Muscat apologists - Your leader was asked a simple question i.e. what he thinks of the project. As in many other instances, he chose not to answer the question but spoke on something completely different. A leader and party just for the gallery. About Muscat being the only one not applauding, I'm not the least surprised. If not done by him, not worth applauding. You only have to look at his smiles and smirks to see the arrogance of this person.
@ all the other experts on the subjects - pity Gonzi did not know about you beforehand as you would have saved the country lots of money.
Bottom line - you can't please one and all all the time. Even tough one can tell that most of you do not like it cause of your political views rather than your expertise in the subject.
ARTHUR VELLA
Jun 28th 2009, 20:36
FROM MY POINT OF VIEW ITS GOING TO LOOK LIKE A JUNGLE OF CONCRETE, AND I REALLY WAS CRYING WHEN I SAW THE PLANS OF OUR CITY BUILT BY GENTLEMEN DESTROYED BY OUR PARLIAMENT MEMBERS IF THESE PLANS GO AHEAD. AND BY THE WAY, WHERE IS THIS MONEY COMING FROM??????????? MORE TAX?????????
M. Mizzi
Jun 28th 2009, 19:59
Maybe the uprooted trees from the Bahrija development may just be re-planted in the garden in the ditch .........
R. Attard
Jun 28th 2009, 17:37
As I was reading comments below, I could not understand why someone asked N Calleja to apologise for expressing his opinion. This is not something untouchable. Everyone has the right to agree or disagree. I beleive that if something is not criticised, people do not do their best to do it even better. Let us not only focus on this part of the city, as many buildings in it need restoration!!
joanna farrugia
Jun 28th 2009, 17:12
can someone tell me from where all this money will be coming?its better to solve this problem instead of critizing PL for everything
N Calleja
Jun 28th 2009, 13:46
@J Mercieca
From your intervention, I can only conclude that you are intimately involved in this project - given your anger at my comments and the detail mentioned about the sunshades.
Indeed, I never said I'm infallible - I have seen as much of the plans as Joe Public. You have obviously seen more.
In any case, your personal attack was completely unjustified and I stand by my original comments given the original evidence made available to me up to midnight last night.
@S Falzon
Who said fake replicas are not 'in fashion' nowadays? Aren't we simply regurgitating words that other people have fed through our throats. Have you ever been to Japan? Do you know that, since most historical structures are wooden, almost all of them are reconstructions? They are still beautiful. Just imagine if the Japanese just said - fake replicas are not in nowadays.
g.c.Forte
Jun 28th 2009, 11:11
I was born in lived in the City. I remember the "Porta Reale" as it was. It was so nice and makes you feel that you are leaving, or entering the City. In the 60`s because of some reasons Carnival was one of them, it was abolished. I do not remember the Opera House, but I know that it was something that makes you keep looking at. To day after all these years, we have plans made by a very famous foreign architect. As it seems not even the Prime Minister is totally happy with these plans. Every body have got an opinion, and every body should respect each other. Personally I do not agree with the whole project, because I know how is was before the 60`s, I know how it is now, and I am seeing of how it may be. For me a the Opera House without a roof, makes you laugh. City Gate without a roof makes you cry.
dusty williams
Jun 28th 2009, 10:43
elizabeth camilleri
forsi kien ghadu ghajjien bic-celebrazzjonijiet u ghalekk ma capcapx.
What do you mean, what do you expect from labour?
Mela se naghmlu ballun politiku ukoll minn dan? mhux suppost li ghandu jghaqqad lilna maltin? mela ejja nkunu ipokriti u ha nghid li ghandi nghid hekk jek hekk xorta ballun politiku ser jispicca dan.
Fejnu t-teatru? fejn hu t-teatru? mghotti bkaxxa taz zraben. Mitfun ghal dejjem! U zgur li ma taghmlux teatru bhal ma kien darba! kieku min jaf meta jkun lest? inkella ma jlestuhx ghall-elezzjoni li jmiss. Dak izjed qisu bieb tal antika egittu ghalija. Tat-10 commandments. HAHA
Ara veru toqoghdu ghal kollox ta. Basta barrani.
joseph zammit
Jun 28th 2009, 10:42
@Stephanie Falzon
incidentally, yes, i am serious. A modern city buitl in 2009 does not mean to be artless! have you ever been to other countries and seen art and the beautiful meaningful artistic statues adorning the places? But maybe, you were more interested in shopping?
And BTW, what has la Vallette got to do with the Grail myth?
George Bugeja
Jun 28th 2009, 10:29
I'd have expected the Labour Party to be a little bit more positive about this project. After all, it was Karmenu Mifsud Bonnici's government that first approached Renzo Piano to draw up designs for Valletta. If ever there was a national project of which we should all be proud, this is it.
Muscat.Pat
Jun 28th 2009, 10:28
It is NOT Joseph Muscat that is the Godfather of this project; it is Gonzi! So, listening to PN apologists, criticising Joseph Muscat, as if HE was the one who talked secretely with Renzo Piano-in fact it was a hush hush meeting between Piano Gonzi and Gatt- makes me cry if anything.
What PL is asking for is OPEN discussion on the designs of Renzo Piano. Everyone wants the project to go ahead, but the Maltese do not want an other obscenity such as the PN built and sponsored City gate, and does not want a repeat of the PN built and sponsored abnoxious Law Courts!
We want the project to go ahead BUT with the INPUTS of the Maltese, and not just a made up scene of "djalogu"- like the ones we've had for 20 years- when everything is decided before hand from Castille.
The project does NOT belong to Gonzi, it belongs to the Maltese people. Yes Piano should be the designer and should have more than two designs, and then the Maltese should decide, and NOT the usual clique at Castille!
Stephanie Falzon
Jun 28th 2009, 10:15
@joseph zammit
are you serious? i think the gate being built in 2009 represents a modern city and this design does exactly that...we have to remember that w e cannot build fake replicas - it just doesnt happen nowadays - so we have to be fresh in our design and approach and more importantly our mentality but from your comments it seems that this is goin to be the holy grail
joseph zammit
Jun 28th 2009, 10:11
@Carmen Mangion
X'ghandu x'jaqsam il-labour? Imma kif dejjem l-istess f'dal pajjiz! Mela ghax bniedem ikollu opinjoni diversa, ghandna ntuh il-kulur u t-timbru?
Ehh! jahasra din l-art twelidi--il-patrun taghha ghandu jkun GAHAN--sa kemm forsi xi darba nitghalmu.
joseph zammit
Jun 28th 2009, 10:01
Prime Minister's words are meaningful and welcome. However, the model by Renzo Piano does not reflect Prime Minister's words, and, to me, is horrible!
Where is the Baroque grandeur? Yes, at least for the City gate, as someone already suggested. And how about two beautiful majestic statues at the city gate, flanking each side of the gate, one of La Vallette and the other of Grand Master del Monte?
Fejn hi L-Arti sagra ta Belt daqsekk Kbira?? Where is the art?
Elizabeth Camilleri
Jun 28th 2009, 10:00
What you'd expect from Labour..
Yesterday I was watching the transmission, for which Joseph Muscat was present. Apart from the designs presented by Renzo Piano, I was impressed with two other moments.
The moment when the Prime Minister was doing his speech, he has vision. He is a statesman.
The other moment was, when Renzo Piano concluded his speech. Everyone applauded, except one person. This person was Joseph Muscat. It's either ego or I don't know what ....
Joseph Mercieca
Jun 28th 2009, 10:00
@ Joseph Brincat - reading your comments makes me believe that the Maltese population doesn't deserve this project but we should actually leave the place as is because we just don't deserve it as a population - everyone believes that only they are right and they understand more than world-renowned architect
@ N Callejja - you definitely do not represent the people to say how this project unites us a population - I believe that you are either joking or blatantly lying about your assertion on stone masonry - I do suggest that you do go and visit the exhibition and see the masonry work that Piano has in store - it is all about stone especially the sun shades at parliament...I hope you are a gentleman to offer an apology
@Labour Party - as usual a non-committal and moaning stand - pure opportunism - shame on you Joseph
A Zammit
Jun 28th 2009, 10:00
What a bunch of moaners!
What do you want for Valletta...Alfred Sant's 'gandott' project?
Everyone has his own views but for once we have the chance to have a project from a world renowned architect. Let's give the man a chance! The ruins have been there for 65 years and nothing was done.
Carmen Mangion
Jun 28th 2009, 09:46
@ Joseph Brincat.
Int tippretendi lin-nies jehduk bis-serjeta !? Iva xejn mhu qed tara tajjeb minn dak li qed jigi prezentat.
Iva anke lid-ditch ser tkun gnien qed tara negattiva. Ahjar minn parkegg ?
Minn fejn gibtha li l-Belt ser tispicca l-attivita ? Veru ma fhimt xejn ! FIl-belt ha tibda l-attivita mela tispicca b'dan il-progett.
Ghandi dubji kemm rajt x'qed jigi propost. Jien nissuspetta li qrajt l-istqarrija tal-Labour, u kien bizejjed ghalik. Nies bla vizjoni !!!!
G .Mangion
Jun 28th 2009, 09:35
@ Joseph Brincat
Can you be more specific?
do you Know that Malta has been waiting some 60 Years, for this Wonderful Valletta Project ?
SHAME !..........
alex grech
Jun 28th 2009, 09:17
I am not involved in an way i only manged to see brief out lines of the project but coming out of by world master Renzo Piano i havae no doubt, about his respect for our culture and identity what worries me more is do we have respect to our own capital city? we need desperatly to clean up the city remove dangerous hazzards and set standers to roads and pavements a like. I have recently been to Valletta and was astonished to see what a mess our capital city lies.As i am on the subject a general clean up of our island are dire needs . well done at the presentaion of the lanching of the project and looking forward to see it complete.
Joseph Brincat
Jun 28th 2009, 08:05
Come on, let's not all do like the fable about the king who wanted his tailor to dress him in the most fabulous dress in the whole kingdom!!
We all know how a little child exposed the king and made a laughing stock of him.
This time we had a dream about a city:
The City gate......will become a XAQQ,
The Ditch............will become a ROVINA where IL-FJURI LI MA KIBRUX FIL-PARLAMENT SER JIKBRU BLA XEMX,
The Opera House........will become a HOFRA fejn ma jkunx hemm bzonn suggerituri,
Freedom Square...........will become a PALK li jkun facli ghal GUY Fawkes biex itajjru,
Valletta.............will become more of a cemetery minghajr karnival, manifestazzjoniet, christmas activities
STOP ALL THIS BEFORE IT IS TOO LATE.
N Calleja
Jun 27th 2009, 23:01
A project to unite the people in shame!
Helisa hafifa!
The resuscitation of the original bridge and the creation of a garden in the ditch are most certainly good ideas. One could also entertain the concept of the transformation of the Opera House ruin into an open space which still has an artistic and theatrical function,
But the rest is a 'helisa hafifa'!
No use has been made of the local stonemasonry trade - what has shaped Valletta for the past 400 years. Instead of reintroducing its Baroque grandeur, at least for City Gate, it is being left with just a breach in the wall. A gate, like a door to a traditional Maltese house, should welcome the visitor to the sitting room while clearly but politely demarcating the boundary between what's public and what belongs to the host. But our Valletta has now been degraded from a dame to a ravished, raped noble lady. What definitely jars is the new Parliament House - a massive monolith with absolutely no stonemasonry features. It's a shame that our parliamentarians do not want to adorn the powerhouse of the country with the impressive work of the workers they represent.