NEWS | Wednesday, 17 December 2008

PRINT THIS ARTICLE

Muscat’s nod to Gonzi on Valletta irks party insiders

Julia Farrugia
Labour leader Joseph Muscat has hinted to Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi that he will support the Valletta regeneration project entrusted to world-renowned architect Renzo Piano, sources in Castille told MaltaToday.
But Muscat’s nod to Gonzi was lukewarmly received inside the Labour party headquarters, stirring up internal criticism over Muscat’s personal initiative.
“During a telephone conversation Joseph Muscat hinted to the Prime Minister that the PL won’t oppose the Valletta project,” an aide at the OPM said.
But as Labour insiders pointed out, Muscat’s bid to wipe out the negative image of Labour as a ‘party of dissention’ was met with disapproval from party MPs.
Sources close to Muscat said he wanted to make “new politics and not be criticised as a ‘no man’… it’s a healthy approach since we’ve had an Opposition that immediately shot down any ideas suggested by the government.”
But Muscat only elicited criticism from MPs and officials who described his move to support the Renzo Piano project as “unilateral” and a “one-man decision”.
“We expected serious talks within the PL on this subject. Are Renzo Piano’s proposals feasible? Does the country’s current economical scenario permit us to undergo such expenditure? There are so many questions that need to be discussed and answered,” one junior Labour MP said.
The PL originally demanded a public consultation on the project, after the government unilaterally decided it would be taking on Renzo Piano for the project and financing the regeneration effort using public monies.
It had pointed out that rather than consultation, this was a case of the Prime Minister simply informing the Leader of the Opposition on a decision that had already been taken.
The party said the government made no mention of the project in the budget back in November. “A project of this magnitude deserved consultation which would not be limited to politicians but would involve all of civil society,” the party had said.
Asked about Muscat’s support for the project, a government spokesperson relayed the comments made by Gonzi during his presentation of the Valletta project, that the two held a telephone conversation.
“When the Prime Minister addressed a press conference on this subject he had revealed that he had communicated with the Leader of the Opposition,” the spokesperson said.
During that press conference Gonzi said he had called Muscat, who was in Madrid, to broach the issue on the appointment of the new data protection commission, but also to talk about the Valletta project.
Gonzi also said his appeal was for a united front on a decision that so far has been pending for 60 years. “This decision needs to be taken and therefore we are therefore determined to walk down that road. Hence my appeal is that we unite together, that we carry out a job that belongs to the nation, to all our people.”
Renzo Piano was brought back on board to take on the revitalisation of the Valletta City Gate and Opera House project, after a meeting in Paris with Gonzi and infrastructure minister Austin Gatt.
The design process for City Gate is expected to kick off soon in 2009, there having been no forewarning whatsoever of the project during the Budget. Indeed, the project is expected to cost millions over the next four years.
Piano had elicited strong objection when his contact with Malta started in 1985. In 1988, he presented his guidelines for the master plan for Valletta, with conceptual designs for the urban space of Freedom Square, including the old Opera House, and detailed plans, down to materials, for its entrance.
Although the Cabinet of the day had originally approved the project in 1990, it had to be dropped due to growing criticism.

PRINT THIS ARTICLE

Any comments?
If you wish your comments to be published in our Letters pages please click button below.
Please write a contact number and a postal address where you may be contacted.