A few days ago I was fortunate enough to listen to Karsten Xuereb, the project co-ordinator of V-18, deliver a masterly exposition of the objectives, work and plans of the Valletta 2018 Foundation. Having listened to Dr Xuereb I have no doubt that he, his colleagues, chairman and directors have the vision, dedication and will to make 2018 a huge success.
Nonetheless, I have a big ‘but’. I do not think sufficient attention is being given to the general aesthetics of Valletta. 2018 is a wonderful opportunity to put several things in our capital city right and allow V-18 leave a lasting legacy when its time is over.
Like the mythical god Janus, Valletta has two faces. Unlike Janus, whose two faces are monotonously unattractive, Valletta has a beautiful face and an ugly face. The entrance to its two harbours is wonderfully spectacular, although in the case of Marsamxett it is preferable to look to port rather than starboard. The two Barrakkas, Castille, the restored Santa Catarina and Our Lady of Victory, Piano’s masterpiece, St John’s, the President’s Palace and the two main piazzas are sights all our visitors must surely savour and we natives delight in.
Sadly, the other face of Valletta is one that is and looks slummy. In particular, I am thinking of St Mark Street and the areas at Old Bakery Street below Old Theatre Street, Republic Street below St Christopher Street and St Paul’s Street, below Melita Street. Converting Strada Stretta into a second Montmartre is a good idea but not enough. V-18 must look beyond. It must look at 2018 as the catalyst and upon itself as the engine that is going to make Valletta one of the more outstanding cities of Europe.
V-18 can take on the role of promoter, or better, that of provocateur of such measures as putting the Baviera to a far more befitting use than a rent collection office for the government, and ensure that the wonderful example of Rococo architecture now to be vacated, which for a century and a half housed the Admiral of the largest fleet in Mediterranean, is used as a naval museum rather than another set of government offices.
V-18 can also restore the facades of the many other properties in Valletta owned by the government to their original glory, create fiscal incentives or introduce regulations to cause shop owners to alter their shop windows so as not to continue ruining the lovely old buildings that line the main streets and release controlled properties to their private owners so as to enable them to upgrade them and restore them to the state they deserve to enjoy.
Born and bred in Valletta, proud of my city of origin, I have strong feelings on the subject which I make no effort to hide. I take this opportunity to appeal to V-18 to take advantage of the moment and all the initiatives now available to it.