Grand Master de Valette fought off the Turks seeking to breach his bastions in 1565, but a gabbana (kiosk) cropped up in his own back yard, De Valette Square in Valletta this morning.
The kiosk, selling burgers, chips and other take away food and drinks, was parked there just days after the Culture Minister and the mayor of Valletta agreed that the square should not be used for parking.
The square was built as part of Renzo Piano's plans for Valletta. But, like the monti in Ordnance Street, the kiosk was not in the designs.
Valetta mayor Alexiei Dingli said on Facebook that the location of the kiosk 'unacceptable'.
When a Times of Malta reporter went on site to ask questions, a man who claimed to be from the Culture Department in an aggressive voice asked what the whole issue was about. He said that any questions should be addressed to him and not to the kiosk owner and insisted that everything was legal.
More kiosks will be erected in the square over the Carnival period, he said.
He also urged the kiosk attendant not to say anything.
Earlier the attendant said the location was identified by the "authorities" and she shuffled papers including a VAT receipt of payment for a permit.
KIOSK MOVED
In a comment, Culture Minister Owen Bonnici said that, as was the norm, the Arts Council and the local council designated areas around Valletta for stalls to be put up. De Valette Square was included in these areas, but no stalls were meant to be placed in the middle of the square, but on the sides.
The owner of the kiosk had interpreted the word 'stalls' to also apply to his kiosk. He has been asked by members of the Arts Council to remove it and set up a stall on the side of the square instead.
The kiosk was this evening being dismantled.
Mayor Dingli confirmed that the council had agreed to include the square as one of the areas where stalls could be set up, but said that did not mean having a kiosk in the middle. That was unacceptable.
MALTA COUNCIL OF ARTS LOSES VALLETTA COUNCIL'S TRUST
In a statement this evening, the Valletta council said that when nationwide events were organised by the Malta Council of Arts, it (the council of arts) issued and vetted the tenders for stalls and provides the council with a list for the permits will be issued.
This was so much the case that even the expression of interest application stated that the council would only issue permits to applicants accepted by the Malta Council of Arts.
“For the first time in all these years of collaboration, it is evident that the way in which the stalls were selected goes against what we would like to see in Valletta. Because of this, we believe that we cannot trust the choices performed by the Malta Council of Arts any longer,” the council said.