More talk, suggestions, and proposals - a never-ending debate but nothing concrete after all these years. It will be insane to consider the opera house site without addressing the whole issue of the entrance to the city. An all encompassing plan and project that includes the bus terminus, the city gate, the square, the opera house site, and the retail buildings around the square is the only thing that makes sense.

Doing it piecemeal will only result in structures that do not fit together or blend in with the surrounding historic buildings. The government needs to show leadership in order to restore the entrance to this heritage city to its former glory.

So what needs to be done?

1. The bus terminus should be put underground or moved to another location.

2. The city gate should be rebuilt using an architectural design that is compatible with the rest of the architecture in Valletta - no modern designs please!

3. The façade of the stores and retail outlets around Freedom Square should be rebuilt using an architectural style that fits in with surrounding historic buildings.

4. The Opera House site should be rebuilt as a national arts centre using a design that reflects its former architectural style.

I realise that this is by no means a trivial undertaking.

A project that includes all the elements mentioned above will require imagination, political will, millions of euros, and national pride in the country's rich heritage.

Such an undertaking will have to be tackled over a number of years and funding for the project should come from the Maltese government and the EU.

Hospitals in Ontario raise millions of dollars every year for building and research projects through lotteries.

The Ontario provincial government funds sports and the arts through government-run lotteries.

Why can't Malta so the same to fund such a project?