Well, OK, maybe not 101, but close. Ever since its inception, back in the rule of the previous administration, Smart City has never – quite – lived up to the sum of its parts. As a concept: Thriving hi-tech ‘city’ making Malta an epicentre of all that is new and innovative in the world of modern electronic technology, it was, at least, well-meaning. But in practice?
For those of a cynical persuasion – and yes, that does include myself – the whole thing looked far too pie in the sky. And so it seems to have proved.
The myriad of hi-tech companies that were supposed to come flooding into Smart City to set up multi-billion-dollar factories there, employing hordes of local people, just didn’t happen… or hasn’t happened yet. So now it seems the current government is throwing open the doors of the complex to whoever wants to move in there.
Already the Malta Gaming Authority has set up shop there – and – while acknowledging that gamblers are far more IT savvy than of yore, I’m not sure that this is what the instigators had in mind when they took a punt on the concept originally.
Similarly the pending arrival of the headquarters of the Malta Tourism Authority in this neck of the woods is just a little puzzling. Nice place though it is, Kalkara is hardly the epicentre of our tourism industry.
However, if low-tech is the direction in which Smart City is moving, why not explore the trend a little further. And so – with my public service earphones on – I, Sylvanus, would like to venture to suggest a few other facilities that might just consider moving down south.
If low-tech is the direction in which Smart City is moving, why not explore the trend a little further
For all the defiance of its instigators, the Montekristo ‘zoo’ is surely on borrowed time. So why not move it to the almost wide open spaces of Smart City? The penal conditions currently afforded to the big cats and other fauna in the complex is an anathema. They could all be much more comfortably accommodated in the balmy surrounds of Rinella.
And here’s another thought: Hardly a day goes by when some complaint isn’t aired about the totally inadequate facilities for all those irregular immigrants housed at Ħal Far and Marsa; they would surely be better off being boarded in some of those redundant buildings originally set aside for the likes of Mackintosh, Dell and Hewlett Packhard.
Then while we’re on the subject of rehousing, why not step up the security in some of those constructions on the estate and relocate the Corradino Correctional Facility (the prison to you and me) to Smart City? It might upset one or two wealthy punters who have bought so-called luxury houses/ apartments on the site, (if there are any wealthy punters there) but what a wonderful opportunity to integrate felons and fortunes.
But if the powers-that-be turn their noses up at a penal colony in the ‘soutt’, why not turn the whole shebang into a theme park. I’m sure Disney would jump at the opportunity. They’d also find most of the infrastructure already in place. All they’d have to do is add on a couple of white-knuckle rides and dress some members of the Cabinet up in Micky and Minny outfits and Malta’s Disneyworld would soon rival the Paris and Orlando versions.
In a similar vein, if Disneyland doesn’t appeal, there are enough buildings already constructed on the site to turn it into a sort of Mistra Village of the south. Yes, that’s right, yet another holiday complex… well, why not? To my untutored eyes it already looks like one.
Of course, if the Smart City administrators really wanted the place to thrive, the answer’s simple: just turn it into one giant supermarket complex. Lidl, Walmart, Tesco, Sainsbury’s and the rest could occupy the whole area and turn it into yet another retail mega-store.
And – while personally shuddering at the thought, I reckon that, given the prevailing political climate here… a mega-Lidl superstore is a distinct possibility as a going concern.
There you are… Smart City becomes a retail complex: problem solved.