@ P Shaw:You’re wrong.

“I would rather not let some wop disfigure my country’s capital but if that’s what most people want, so be it.”

Some wop. Renzo Piano is not just an architect of world repute. He’s also an Italian architect – and Italians have a flair for art and creativity running in their veins.

joseph p – My point is that if he is so much in favour of an open-air theatre, then why did he sign the protest AGAINST it? You clearly haven’t bothered reading the links.

Watch the video clip. At least the squeaky shrills take your attention off the actual verbal diarrhea.

G. Debono did not give any scientific studies and personally I have not come across any studies that have compared Maltese towns or regions.

Overall the prevalence of asthma is around 8% (Global Burden of Asthma). It is true that Malta has a high rate compared to other Mediterranean countries, but not as high as USA, Canada, and the UK. The UK has one of the highest rates – around 17%.

Though the amount of dust present over Malta is a precipitating cause, the major causes of asthma would be an immune system that due to the low rate of parasite infestation did not mature properly, and thus we become more vulnerable to allergic disorders. The other major reason are our predisposing genes.

So yes, we should fight to reduce all levels of dust – especially the submicron particles (quarrying, building, diesel fumes), but I would prefer it if these self-declared experts were to stop quoting figures as if they were playing the weekly Super Five.

The prevailing wind in Malta is from the power station towards Fgura. The government wants to extend the Delimara power station to close down the expired Marsa power station, which is churning smoke in the inner harbour area: Cottonera, Corradino, Paola and Fgura. So Astrid is on the wrong side of the fence.

The Marsa power station is around 27% efficient while a good fuel burning power station would be around 38% efficient. So people should stop being scandalised when they hear about the ‘inefficiencies’ of Enemalta,which are mainly due to mechanical and chalorific losses, which we cannot do much about.

When one turbine is on it produces 30 Mega watts of power. If the demand increases to 40 Mw another 30 Mw turbine has to be started to compensate for the 10Mw increase.

John Schembri. The march along tal-Barrani Road was justified and politically valid. It was a strong and clear statement against the abuse of power by the MLP then in government, and against the thuggery that was encouraged by that same government to act unhindered .

The riots in 1919 were not politically valid; they were on a par with the riots and troubles orchestrated by the MLP in the 1950s and in the pre-/post 1987 general elections.

The 1919 events were characterised by looting and attacks on private property, at no time were any British/Government establishments attacked. The only targets were the Maltese-owned flour mills, the residences of the mill owners, and the offices of The Malta Chronicle which was also Maltese-owned.

Such confrontations that took place between the Maltese and the British were between looters and British soldiers protecting Maltese-owned private property.

Excellent comment. I will never pardon those people who were dead against the St. John’s museum before knowing exactly the plan and logistics of the project. Now we need to clean Castille Place from that Dimech monument and have a big open space high-lighting Auberge de Castille.

@ Grezz It’s the same Adrian Buckle.

The fact remains that an open-air theatre is doable and feasible. With it, City Gate will become a beehive of cultural and entertainment activity in the evenings during the summer months (and probably also in April and May).

@ Chris Ripard You think that what is being proposed is madness. There are many who disagree with you. It is no surprise that there are different opinions. So be it.

What would be a far greater madness is if we do nothing. Having abandoned ruins at the entrance of our capital city is the madness to which we must put an end.