The "cemetery of cars" at St George's Square, Valletta is finally being transformed into a proper city piazza.
The sound of jackhammers reverberated across the open space in front of the Presidential Palace during the past two days as workers began to remove the paving from the square, which used to double as a car park for MPs during parliamentary sittings and for the public at other times.
The €1 million regeneration project, which should see the square repaved and water jets installed, started on Monday and was expected to be ready by November, Resources Minister George Pullicino said yesterday. The Sette Giugno monument has been dismantled and will be incorporated in the project for the building of a new Parliament when a site for such a purpose is decided upon.
"We are transforming the area from a cemetery of cars to a square for the people," he said.
But the embellishment has not gone down well with everyone. The owner of Malata Restaurant, Verney Carbone, complained that the trees lining the square were being removed.
Mr Pullicino was quick to point out that the Superintendence of Cultural Heritage had ordered the trees' removal because the roots were damaging underground tunnels.
The trees will be replanted at the Ta' Qali National Park and will be replaced with a number of potted decorative plants.
"Our wish was to keep the trees but we could not," he said.
He told Ms Carbone she would be benefitting from the project come November but she quickly retorted: "I will be bankrupt by that time".
The owners of horse-drawn cabs, who used the square as their base, were also disgruntled after they were told to clear out by July 10. "We have not been told where we can use as a station afterwards," cabby drivers' representative Neil Fenech said.
He said the Malta Transport Authority shot down their suggestion to move the cabs to Archbishop Street or in front of the law courts.
Mr Falzon said St George's Square was a very lucrative spot for cabbies and compared its importance to the airport for taxis: "It is one of the best spots in Valletta".
When asked about this, Mr Pullicino said talks were underway with the transport authority. "The area will be completely pedestrianised and we cannot have cabbies here," he said.