I have been following the tapestries saga quite intently due to my interest in historical projects of a certain value that pertain to our beautiful capital. It will be interesting to see how everything develops, especially when one takes into consideration the powerful forces acting in this saga: the clergy, the St John's Co-Cathedral Foundation and a couple of "big shots" on one side in a tug-of-war with the NGO's and all those who, like me, have a heartfelt conviction that this proposed project, though well-intended, will turn out to be just an expensive farce.

I would have liked a clearer and more decisive stand by the Valletta local council, giving its views as to why it deems this project objectionable. The council might have participated in the talks even though I acknowledge that it may be severely strained on human resources and time. Having said that, I ask myself what is the council's official position on this whole issue? And what about the Church? Is the Church in favour or against this project?

I do agree with Kenneth Zammit Tabona's contribution (August 26) where he argues that business and tourism are being given priority and forgetting that, first and foremost, this is a place of worship. A monument, yes, to the naked layman's eye but what about the spiritual eye? I can imagine Jesus storming into St John's Co-Cathedral and flogging all the foundation members yelling: "This is but my Father's place of worship not a monti!" The monti is just a few metres down the road...

But then Mr Zammit Tabona also needs to acknowledge the contribution by Din l-Art Ħelwa's Martin Galea the following day where he states that, in the peak season, St John's has an intake of 4,000 visitors a day. This means an opportunity to generate much-needed funds for the running and maintaining of our national monument, which, sadly enough, didn't even make it to the euro coins (We preferred the façade of a pagan temple!).

Though Mr Galea's point is understandable, and I fully agree with him, he adopts a very mediating tone in his contribution which, at times, verges on the appeasing. And though he suggests the option that an alternative site be found to house the 29 tapestries, he fails to substantiate it by attempting to suggest specific venues.

And this is one of the problems when people voice opinions: they do acknowledge a problem but then fail to suggest plausible alternatives, which is a pity.

Mr Galea mentions the installation of a glass ceiling over the church yard of St John's and tries to back his argument by citing examples on mainland Europe such as the underground entrance to the Louvre in Paris or the glass roof at the British Museum. It doesn't necessarily mean that if London or Paris did it, so must Malta! This tends to be our common local malaise that once they do it abroad it's good to do it here. Paris and London have a much cooler climate than Malta, so what about the suffocating heat inside this structure? Air conditioning? Well, yes, but that means a need for more energy resources, more expenses and a burden on the environment too.

So here are my suggestions.

I do agree that an alternative venue must be found and I propose that an agreement be reached to house the 29 huge tapestries inside the spacious high vaults, which have been just restored inside the lower part of Fort St Angelo. My suggestion can have a number of side-benefits:

• It will help decentralise the high influx of people into Valletta and to St John's Co-Cathedral. Tourists will still flock to St John's Co-Cathedral so this will not take away cash-generating visitors but traffic will be reduced and distributed with less intensity.

• Creating a good, no, a great reason to visit Fort St Angelo and, perhaps, dedicate a fraction of the entrance fees to the upkeep of the vaults housing the tapestries, hence supporting part of the upkeep of St Angelo itself.

• Climatically, the temperature inside these vaults is easier to control.

• It will be an incentive for the government/private enterprise to launch a sea-traffic system for both Maltese and tourists to commute between Valletta Waterfront and Vittoriosa in order to visit the Tapestry Museum.

• Consequently, this will be an added incentive that will help generate more visitors to Vittoriosa and the three cities.

• It will be making use of precious historic space, which currently remains idle and vacant and turning it into another money-making opportunity while promoting a rich historic legacy. We certainly have the know-how, the expertise, the funds and human resources to make such a project happen.

One doesn't need to go abroad to find tangible examples where alternative sites have been chosen and are used as an extension of the main premises. The Mdina Cathedral's Museum is housed in the palace just across the road from the actual cathedral. So, there, we do have our Maltese example to follow too. Granted, Fort St Angelo is not what I'd really call "across the street" but, in this day and age, virtual and road communications can bridge any gap.

And while we are on the subject of housing our cultural heritage, we now get to know that the government is about to construct a new modern-looking school in Mosta, which designs have been described as "artistic".

While I don't want to be misinterpreted and have people thinking that I'm against the building of more schools where these are needed, I ask: When one considers that this new school in Mosta will be on a footprint that is of the same scale or larger than the former Opera House site, what is stopping the government from putting funds into the building of a much-needed National Museum for Contemporary Art on this site in the heart of Valletta? Wouldn't a National Museum for Contemporary Art be an educational establishment too?

Certainly an educational establishment that will teach not only the young generation but all generations, including the potential 1.5 million tourists in the subject of art and culture and promote Maltese talent.

Berlin is finalising its White Cube, a derelict communist building that has been turned into a contemporary art museum. Qatar is preparing for the imminent launch of the International Museum of Islamic Art with prestigious Islamic artefacts in a bid to lure culture-seeking holidaymakers to the country.

What pains me is that we are in the heart of the European cultural basin and the very heart of this heart, Valletta, still features an empty derelict hole. I don't think the problem is funds. The problem, as is with housing our 29 tapestries or any other cultural project, is, and will always remain, politics. Before we bridge this problem we are but a helpless nation.