Sense on Budget but not Piano project

The government has presented a Budget full of common sense, thereby earning the plaudits of a very wide cross-section of the public.

Why, if I may ask, cannot the government apply the same dose of common sense towards the Valletta project?

Either it is ill-advised or it is too proud to admit that the brief given to Renzo Piano is flawed. And it appears that the government is planning to ride roughshod over the desires and pleas of a great number (perhaps the majority) of people who disagree with the Piano plans.

This does not mean that Mr Piano's plans are not up to his usual brilliant standard, but simply that the government's priorities, as given to Mr Piano, are wrong.

It is abundantly clear, the more so from the government's strong marketing campaign in respect of the Piano plans, that in developing the Valletta entrance and the Freedom Square area, Mr Piano was asked specifically to build Parliament at the expense of the national theatre. This is evident from Mr Piano's explanation that the old Opera House footprint is too small to build a National Theatre with appropriate modern amenities.

The reason being that Free-dom Square is being taken up by the proposed Parliament building.

If Mr Piano had been given a clear brief to develop the Valletta entrance incorporating the building of a new national theatre, there would have been ample space to do so, adding perhaps a music academy building, which makes more sense than having Parliament occupying the area.

After all, Parliament could have been housed elsewhere in Valletta without losing its presumed prestige. In any case, having witnessed the dishonourable behaviour of the Opposition during the Budget delivery, it is hardly desirable to dedicate this much funding and energy towards building a new Parliament!

Government would do well to remember the saying "to err is human, to persist is diabolical".