The people have spoken
Published:
July 3, 2009 at 11:22am
timesofmalta.com Jonathan Cini
This design is a complete insult to the Royal Opera House ruins. The design is based on the modernist style and I suggest any prospective Prime Minister after 2013 to secure that the first pledge in his party’s electoral manifesto will be to demolish Piano’s nightmare within a week. Any prospective candidate for the next general election who promises this to me will gain my number one preference. God, and Architect Barry, please forgive us.
Victor Laiviera
The last time a Notte Bianca was held at Valletta, the bridge was so crowded when I arrived I could hardly walk. What will happen with a bridge just a fraction of the present width?
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Reminds me of a hospital a new Prime Minister had declared he was going to dismantle – but then extended. The subtle politicisation of the project started a week before the unveiling and the undertones are evident in the comments on timesofmalta.com. The PL will stop short of criticising the project per se – but their supporters will not be discouraged from criticising it – they may even be encouraged but we do not know that.
What is certain is that every minute detail will be scrutinised for political mileage and they will make the government sweat – nothing wrong in that as long as the job gets done properly.
It is always the same problem with Labour. They have never, ever managed to make a significant positive impact in the country. They always miss the boat. And here we have it again. Labour did not come up with the idea so it must be shot down.
John Azzopardi: This one doesn’t think so. http://www.timesofmalta.com/articles/view/20090703/opinion/capital-city-grilling
John Attard Montalto jumps on every bandwagon that becomes available. If it’s not the hunting issue it’s the Renzo Piano proposal.
[Daphne – However, in this case it is quite obviously genuine. And I especially like his observation – which is the first thing I noticed about Piano’s interview, too – that he is one of those quietly amused people.]
You will note that he did not repeat the petulant “and we weren’t even consulted”.
I’m surprised, but then, not that surprised. This is a well written piece. It confirms my suspicion that Attard Montalto would be a good politician in a bad party, if he wasn’t so lazy about it.
Another dullard (the Cini guy). He should go and see the plans; the entrance is free. Also, the prospective prime minister after 2013 will probably take credit for the project.
I think this should become Labour’s slogan or trademark “We will pull it down when we are in government”. Sometimes we hear more about what they will stop, freeze or destroy than what they will do, build or enhance.
Here are two more persons who think they speak on behalf of the public. This is what Tony Zammit Cutajar wrote in the today’s The Times: “As Marisa Micallef Leysin rightly points out in her contribution in The Times (Colonising A Concrete Jungle) the public has been clamouring for the reconstruction of the old opera house site and not for a new building to house our parliamentarians in luxury. We also wanted to rid ourselves of the monstrosity of present day City Gate. Those, I think, were the public’s two prime concerns. But in true “we-know-what’s-best-for-you” spirit, the powers that be have decided otherwise.”
When will these people get it into their heads that they have no right to speak on anyone else’s behalf, let alone on behalf of ‘the people’. Every time someone claims to be speaking on my behalf, I have a very strong negative reaction.
If anything, it is the MPs they disparage who have the right to speak (and in the case of the government, to decide) on behalf of the people because they were the persons chosen by the people in the general elections.