David Casa
Once again a city for gentlemen
Like many Maltese citizens, especially those who, like me, hail from the capital city, I was thrilled to hear the news that, finally, Grand Master de Valette will be honoured with a statue that will immortalise the man who wanted a city built by gentlemen for gentlemen. I know for a fact that many Valletta residents have been waiting for a long time to have the statue of this hero in the heart of the city. All the credit has to be given to those who have not only supported the initiative but pushed to ensure the work is carried out.
Valletta has undergone tremendous changes throughout the past years and we have seen our capital city transform itself from a neglected and dirty town to a living cultural gem that is truly one of the most striking cities of Europe. What Valletta lacks in size is surely made up for by the multitude of places of interest that literally pack every street. It is not only tourists who appreciate Valletta. Since the regeneration started, Maltese people and, indeed, Valletta citizens have been able to enjoy buildings they never took any notice of before.
Many must have raised an eyebrow when the works started; many complained that too much was being done at once but now that everything is shaping up one must commend the decisions taken by the authorities to proceed in the way they did as all projects will be finished in pretty much the same time and the end result will be a vibrant, clean and welcoming capital. The open spaces that were created, such as St George’s Square, have already given the term city centre a new dimension. With the creation of a new open space in St Catherine’s Square we shall be adding yet another place where young and old can meet, chat and interact. I have no doubts that, like St George’s Square, it will also be fitted with the latest amenities such as Wi-Fi to make the place even more user-friendly.
We can rightly say that Valletta is indeed coming alive again thanks to these projects but it would be incorrect to stop there. Events organised by the private business and organisations also play a huge part in giving our capital city its soul back and such activities should have the backing and cooperation of the authorities, including the cutting down on bureaucracy and being more practical. I am fully in favour of setting up a one-stop shop via the local council for permits and other logistical problems that come with event organising. The thousands who attended events such as Notte Bianca and others similar to it have shown us that people want to entertain themselves in Valletta. So, with this in mind, we should cater to make our city more accessible to those who want to visit and want to organise events.
What’s so positive in all this regeneration is the fact that even though we have redone squares, public spaces and gardens, restored façades and 100 other things, the needs of the Valletta residents have remained high on the agenda and should remain this way. The rebuilding of St Paul Street has maybe caused quite a stir over these last few days but residents have been rightly complaining for years on the sorry state the road and sidesteps are in. We must remember that the population of Valletta is an aging one and one must cater for their demands and needs in every possible way.
I have said this before but I think it’s never enough to stress the fact that a lot of Valletta people are forced to leave the city once they become adults due to the lack of dwelling space. I am sure that if a serious drive were made, tens if not hundreds of places would be made available. In this manner we will not only be regenerating Valletta’s historic value but we will be giving it a living soul to restore the vibrancy that was once present. We must be careful of not creating another Mdina and the only way to do so is to make apartments and houses (many of which have been closed for decades) available to those Valletta people who want to live there.
We have a city to be proud of. Millions of euros have been invested for this transformation. I only hope we all do our part in keeping the city clean and clear of vandalism.
The author is a Nationalist member of the European Parliament.
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Alex Falzon
Aug 6th 2011, 10:07
Every worldwide capital city has its own neglected areas - including popular places such as Rome - London - Dublin so on and so forth.
It is a fact that since Malta joined the EU that we have started seeing projects and restorations all over our island. The funds being given are helping alot than just moaning as we maltese really know!!
Ben Agius
Jul 29th 2011, 12:06
Mr Casa is right that alot of work has been done lately to improve areas in Valletta. However Mr Casa is easily pleased as while it is true that some areas have received some attention and a number of main buildings have been restored etc - overall, the City or most of it is still more of a slum than anything. If you only walk half way down the city and only on republic and Merchants Street than one is impressed. Nothing special mind you but there has been improvements and they're welcome and much needed given the state they were in since the Knights left!! However further down than St George's Square if one takes Old bakery and or Merchants St, then what you see is old dilapidated houses - most of them empty and neglected, unusable foot paths and a general feeling that you're walking thru slum areas , which they are -sorry to say. You can't ignore a place like the Governments of Malta have done together with private owners for 400 years and pretend you did anything lasting and really classy in 2!!!! Of course il-"bzar fl-ghajnejn" Maltese style is alive and well!
Mr Lawrence Fenech
Jul 29th 2011, 06:33
Kompli ohlom fejn qieghed Casa.
Ms Monica Muscat
Jul 29th 2011, 16:11
Naħseb bit-tibdiel li qed isir fil-Belt Valletta, żgur li Casa mhux qed joħlom. Għalkemm jaħdem fi Brussels, kull week-end ikun Malta,.....u jaf eżatt x'inhu għaddej.
Dwar il-fatt li jidher li kollox imbedgħa f'daqqa, dan kien inevitabbli. Il-Proġett ta' Piano hu wieħed li jkopri b'mod sħieħ arja kbira, kunsidrata c-cokon tal-Belt. Dan bilforsi kellu jipproduci certu diżaġ. Dawk li tilfu l-ħwienet, instabilihom post ieħor, dawk li qed ibagħatu min trabijiet u ħsejjes jafu li dan ser ikun għal certu żmien.
Le sur Fenech, David Casa mhux qed joħlom! Forsi bħalissa, dak li għaddejien minnhu jidher iżjed ħmar il-lejn min ħolma - ejja ftit sa Strada Forni, kif semma Martin fil-kummenti tiegħu.
Jien niftak xi xħur ilu, mort il-Kunsill biex nistaqsi meta kien ser imiss li jirranġaw il-bankini tat-triq tagħna. Is-risposta kien li kenna nistennew xi sentejn oħra. Jien rajtu eternita'. Iżda wara bdew proġetti ta' rihabilazzjoni fejn qed jintużaw inġenji kbar, li bilfors ikollhom jipparkjaw fuq il-bankijna! X'kien jiġri mill-bankini ġodda kieku saru? Veru li bħalissa, inħoss li għaddejien minn ħmar il-lejl - storbju, ħmieġ u trab, ...u parking nieqes għar-residenti. Iżda dan kollu jgħaddi! Jalla nkun għadni hawn biex ingawdi ftit minn Belt Kapitali regenerata.
Martin Bezzina Wettinger
Jul 29th 2011, 00:04
Dear Mr Casa, It seems to me that you have not walked through Old Bakery street for quite some time. The pavement and the state of some of the buildings there is scandalous. I am also not so happy to see the building up of one of the few open spaces in Valletta. I understand that Renzo Piano is one of the top international architects however he was given a brief and he had to work within that brief. To bring Valletta back to life a solution to transport is necessary. We were hoping that the new bus system would improve the situation. In practice, the situation is much worse now.
Mr Steve Sant
Jul 28th 2011, 19:39
David Casa makes three blunders in his nationalistic approach to an article of distaste and rhetoric. First he says "the man who wanted a city built by gentlemen for gentlemen". Say what ? Sorry, who said anything about a city for any other. Is Mr.Casa trying to tell us we or the previous visitors were a bunch of animals?. The he goes on to say "our capital city transform itself from a neglected and dirty town to a living cultural gem". Well bless you, what has the state been doing these last 30 years?. Did the present administration dirty it or caused for the neglect? And more insults follow when he claims that "We can rightly say that Valletta is indeed coming alive again thanks to these projects but it would be incorrect to stop there. Events organised by the private business and organisations also play a huge part in giving our capital city its soul back" and so who exactly were you waiting for, father Christmas?. He then continues to claim his views almost in a communist fashion of ideas "I have said this before but I think it’s never enough to stress the fact that a lot of Valletta people are forced to leave the city once they become adults due to the lack of dwelling space." I mean where on earth did he get this idea from. Was he aware that there was a survey that showed how many properties were owned by the state, and that because they were lived in for a long time on next to nothing rent, it didn't give anyone the chance to buy a decent property. This because a family would live in it all their life and pass it on to a family member for the same peppercorn rent (as the privately owned properties) and therefore without a chance for marketing. Now go read a book and research a little bit before you throw in a party political baffle of comments.
Ms Pauline Busuttil
Jul 28th 2011, 19:12
Minn jaghmel granet, gimghat jew anki xhur barra il-pajjiz u specjalment fil-Belt li jkun twieled u ghex fiha ma jistax jitkellem fuq kull ma jkun ghaddej ill Belt jew Rahal tieghu. L'istess nghid jien lill David Casa. Trid tkun tghix hawn il Belt Valletta biex tara min x'hiex ghaddejjin r-residenti. Dur mat-toroq pero' trid taghmel dan minghajr ma jarfuk in-nies. Isma, ara u osserva dak kollu li jkunu qed jghidu in nies li jew ikunu migburin madwar mejda jew dawk li jkunu ghaddejjin. Mur fit-toroq l'iktar imwarrbin tal-Belt taghna. Dur il hwienet kollha u ara b'ghajnejk f'liema sitwazzjoni jinsabu. Hares lejn il-hmieg u trab li hawn fit-toroq. Osserva il-parking hazin li jipparkjaw certi karrozzi.
Dan kollu diga kont issugerejtu lill Prim Ministru Gonzi, biex jidhol u jara b'ghajnejh dan kollu li ghadni kemm ghad. Pero ma jridx jintaraf minn nies u ma jridx ikollu mieghu il bodyguards.
GOL BELT SIRNA LI KULLHADD JAGHMEL LI JRID. WARDENS MA JIDHRUX GHALL GRANET SHAH.
Jien inhossni imdejjqa u imweggha hafna bis-sitwazzjoni li tinsab fiha il Belt.
Naf li qed issiru hafna xogholijiet imma jiena bhala anzjan ghaliex irrid nibki biex jirrangaw certi toroq?
U strada san Pawl issa qed jaqalawha? Mux veru qeda fi stat hazin kif ta' x'jifhem David. Is-sindku kien jaf minn Jannar li ser tinqala, mela ghaliex ma infurmax lir-residenti u sidien tal hwienet go din it-triq biex ikunu infurmati. Ghaliex gimgha qabel kellhom ikunu jafu? U minn lahaq ghamel xi arrangamenti bhal per ezempju booking tal-Knisja ta' San Pawl ghall tieg? Dan huwa sew?
David jiena gieli kellimtek pero u tghidli li veru dak li qed nghid pero qatt ma ghatli li kont ser taghmel biex tiprova tirranga xi ftit is-sitwazzjoni.
Gol Belt ma ghandniex kunsill tajjeb u dan izjed ser ikompli jidher issa li telqu l'ahjar impiegati li kien hemm.
Tkomplux toqtluha lill Belt Kapital taghna
Simon Oosterman
Jul 28th 2011, 17:34
Dear Mr. Casa,
There is no doubt that Valletta is becoming more attractive to look at and that we should take care to keep it a living vibrant city. However, whereas sufficient dwelling space is important in this respect, you ignore the elephant in the room, which is parking space for residents and visitors or convenient alternative travel arrangements. About these much has been said - with some very sound and reasonable suggestions - but nothing has been done by the powers that be and to which you are close, except reducing the available spaces further. Just something to keep in mind.
Carmel Cilia
Jul 29th 2011, 06:19
Go and tell it to the business men at Valletta especially with the new routes Arriva has introduced lately.I am afraid that our capital city is becoming another silent city. David Casa must surely be dreaming. Keep on dreaming my friend when you finally wake up you are in for a big surprise.
Mr Edwin Vella
Jul 28th 2011, 14:32
I wonder if David Casa is actualy living in the same planet. I wonder where are the Valetta Bussiness community. Are they all hibernating? Valletta was like a ghost town yesterday afternoon. Arriva or who ever planned the bus routes made a mess of our capital city. It took from 4.00pm till 8.30pm yesterday to go from Bugibba to Valletta and back to collect an item from a shop in Valletta. It would be quicker to go to Harrods in London and come back than going to Valletta. I thought that Valletta is being turned into a silent city but Mdina is much busier. It's more like a ghost town in the afternoons.
Mr Charles Caruana Carabez
Jul 28th 2011, 11:27
Er, sorry, but what is a gentleman?
Mr Tony Gatt
Jul 28th 2011, 20:37
My dictionary defines a gentleman as a man above the rank of yeoman. Now you know.
Mr Lawrence Fenech
Jul 28th 2011, 08:24
A city built for the pocket of Renzo Piano and ruined for the second time by the PN party. Piano must be laughing all he way home to Italy knowing how all the maltese architects were ignored and put aside.
Ian Tamaris
Jul 28th 2011, 10:14
Mr Fenech, Renzo Piano is one of the greatest living archtects with vast experience in large-scale projects and a Pritzker Prize winner to boot. When the City Gate Project is complete, it will be a source of great pride to Valletta. By the way, what qualifications do you have in architecture and town planning?
Mr Peter Barbara
Jul 28th 2011, 11:16
Did he also laugh his way home to Italy, when he designed the Pompidou Centre and other projects in Paris , knowing how all the French architects were ignored and put aside, and......in other major cities around the world for that matter. ??!
Mr Tony Gatt
Jul 28th 2011, 11:39
Mr. Fenech-
Not to worry, most of the money will be coming from the E.U. It's better to see the old buildings refurbished than knocked down and more useless flats built.
guido cutajar
Jul 28th 2011, 12:59
Ma nafx kif certu nies jirragunaw.. Ghax ghamlu Renzo Piano bilfors irridu li joghgob lil kullhadd. Din bhal l-arti , ghawn min jghoxa jara xi bicca arti, pero kif jara arti astrata jitlaq jigri. Bhal pitturi ta wiehed mill l-akbar pittur li qatt rat id dinja, Picasso. Il pitturi tieghu lili ma jghogbunhiex, ma fissirx li Picasso hazin. L-istil huwa kollox.. Renzo Piano huwa arkitett famuz, u xogholijiet li ghamel huma sbieh, pero ghal hafna Maltin ,u ghalija ghawn Malta ghamel froga. Mela qatt tista tghamel Belt bla bieb, Mela parlament ghandu ikun fid dahla tal belt, ghandu ikun fic cenrtu, mela kellu jghamel tennis court flok teatru, ghandha tlett gonna li jghaxquk fil Belt, nghamel gnien go foss...Pero bhal ma jghejdu mitt bniedem mitt hsieb.....u Tony Gatt, min qallek li parti mill flus gejjin mill l- U.E.? Dawk diga imnizzlin fuq il kotba tad dejn tal pajjiz......
Mr Lawrence Fenech
Jul 28th 2011, 14:46
@Guido
Prosit.
Mr Tony Camilleri
Jul 28th 2011, 23:40
Ian Tamaris do you call a city gate without a gate but a gash in the walls, a parliament on stilts as used by circus clowns and a roofless theatre a source of rpide in Valletta?