Let there be a Piano Parliament

I do not know how many countries would seriously have a discussion like that going on in our midst about the Renzo Piano building under construction at the entrance of Valletta. I do not give it a name on purpose. For, although designed and promoted by the Gonzi administration as our new Parliament building, in the past two months it has turned out it might not become that. At the moment, it is a bit of a no-man’s-land which Prime Minister Joseph Muscat would like to have ideas about.

The building was controversial the moment it was mooted as an abstract idea

The building was controversial the moment it was mooted as an abstract idea. More voices were raised against it than for it. Those against included various nuances. Some wanted to know why we needed a new Parliament – the existing one served our needs. Others felt the new Parliament should not be at the entrance of Valletta, but at the rear, suggesting the conversion of St Elmo fort for the purpose.

Strong voices were raised against the concept itself. It would sit – or rather stand – like an alien intruder into the noble bastions constructed by the Knights of Malta, part of a trio of shambles. The other two are the wide-open entrance to a walled city, the other a roofless theatre, exposed to the elements and to the bitter-sweet sound of fireworks, ‘bombs’ and all, during the summer period when it might be expected to host its main attractions.

The fact that the bulk of the reaction was against him did not deter Lawrence Gonzi from ploughing on. He was not even put off by the widespread opinion that this was not the time to splash out €80 million – probably more – on a white elephant. A special purpose vehicle was devised to keep the financing of the project out of the government’s capital expenditure and the soaring public debt.

Timelines were determined with grim intent, imposing penalties in favour of the company running the special purpose vehicle if the government faltered from its timetable. The penalties became due and are running along even as you read this.

Worse was to follow. When the Gonzi government was displaced by that of Joseph Muscat, the newcomers took a closer look at the project. It turned out, according to the new political masters, that the new building would not be spacious enough to house all that needed to go into it as a brand new entity. It was like buying a costly new house, and on the date of moving in, discovering that it would not accommodate all the family.

One expected the old Gonzi team to declare that such a conclusion was impossible and absurd, to quote the philo­sophising in Fiddler on the Roof. Yet, they did not, thereby allowing by a very wide margin the possibility that what the new Labour Government was saying was correct.

So what happens now? That is what Prime Minister Muscat is trying to work out, though he probably has already arrived at the inevitable conclusion. Even if the offices in the new building could be allocated to some non-parliamentary use, the chamber of deputies itself, it seems, cannot be used for any alternative use, unless for a children’s parliament to debate how they can ensure not to repeat their forebears’ follies.

My own idea since before the new building rose up was to try to entice some international organisation, an agency of the United Nations or the European Union, to locate in a purposely built set-up in that area, smaller in design and more in harmony with the environs. I wish I could suppose that the idea could still be taken up. But the fact that the building is practically ready, and more so that the space intended for the Chamber of Deputies does not have a meaningful alternative use means it is a dead letter.

In the circumstances, there is nothing to do but to work around the existing reality to ensure we do not end up with a derelict building that sucked €80 million down its drain. Let it, then, be used as the main new Parliament buildings – but with extensions in Valletta itself. The Prime Minister has already hinted that some activities intended to be carried out in the building can be conducted elsewhere in Valletta.

For starters, take the beautiful old building in front of Piano’s effort, which at present houses a ministry, Palazzo Ferreria, and turn it into a set of offices. Looking further afield in Valletta one could find other locations to house subsidiary parliamentary offices if needed.

The restriction against this idea is that the Opposition might call a snap vote – for instance, to determine a quorum in the house – and the government is caught with its pants down. Aside from this Government’s ample majority, that should not happen even when there is an administration with a majority of one. Nowhere in Valletta is more than some 10 minutes away on foot. Telephones aside, these extensions could be linked to the Chamber of Deputies such that they receive the warning signal as soon as it is triggered in the House.

This is not a novel idea, but a variation on arrangements said to be made in the House of Commons. For one reason or another, including variations of pants down, MPs could be temporarily absent but active in some nearby hotel. As soon as the warning bell shrieks they could quickly end whatever it was they were involved in and rush to the House breathlessly to vote as required.

So let there be a Piano Parliament. As a sweetener, do get him to devise a roof for the theatre within the old opera house. At least those who totally disagreed with the City Gate project will have something going their way.