Astrid and FAA: a nice bite in the ass from AD
Don't worry, Astrid - Norman Lowell is right behind you
Michael Briguglio, chairman of Alternattiva Demokratika, had an article published in The Times, in which he said that had he been on the MEPA board, he would have voted in favour in of the Renzo Piano project for Valletta.
It wasn’t long before Astrid Vella and George Debono had hit the comments-board with their Part 1, Part 2 and Part 3 disquisitions, claiming to be ‘flabbergasted’ (Astrid) and ‘insulted’ (George).
I guess they’re on their own now with Nikita Zammit Alamango of Stop Project Piano, Alex Saliba of FZL and Norman Lowell and Jo Meli of Imperium Europa. Nice one.
The Times, today
The City Gate spectacle
Michael Briguglio
Judging by the massive feedback by civil society on Renzo Piano’s plans for City Gate, it is evident that Maltese society is reflexive and not simply made up of passive yes men and women.
Indeed, a spectacle has been created, with environmentalists pitted against each other, traditionalists yearning for a golden age that might have never existed, cultural elites and self-appointed spokesmen of “the people” (whatever this means) attempting to maintain their status in the field, while postmodernists rub their hands with joy as they see all that was solid becoming fragmented. Realists say that Mr Piano was ultimately conditioned by the government’s brief and budget and partisans support or oppose the project for partisan reasons! Others might not be interested at all in the project and many, after all, like or dislike all or parts of it depending on their taste.
Professional expertise is a must in the case of such projects and Mr Piano is definitely a world leader in this regard. Yet, experts themselves know that there is no royal road of truth on such matters. On Bondiplus, Mr Piano himself said that hearing the voices coming from society is a prerequisite of the type of intelligence that he favours.
It is natural to expect different and contrasting opinions and tastes. Any decision taken would have had supporters and opponents, at least on particular aspects. If anything, the present government should be applauded for having the courage to take a decision after 60 years of waiting.
My opinion of Mr Piano’s plans are that they should be welcome. Were I on the Mepa board, I would have voted in favour of the project, though I would surely have put forward certain critical comments.
It is true that the entrance to Valletta needs to be regenerated, not only for aesthetic reasons but also because this can create multiplier effects by generating employment and encouraging cultural activities. Tourism, culture and the arts have much to gain from this. The expenditure on the project, though hefty, should be seen as an investment and not a waste of money, as some opponents, in some cases motivated by partisan interests, are unfortunately implying.
As regards the Parliament building, I believe it would have been better to have it sited elsewhere but, at least, the fact that it will have environmentally-friendly aspects is commendable. One also hopes that, beyond the construction aspect of the building, Parliament becomes a true symbol of a plural and open democracy with a vivid civil society and not simply a bastion of power jealously kept by the two-party oligopoly. It would also be great if space is found for a public library in the building.
The open-air theatre has the potential to be used for various purposes and, in a way, it is as if Mr Piano has created an open space to compensate for the space taken up by the Parliament building. One hopes the theatre will be accessible to various forms of arts and culture and not simply restricted to the elite. As regards the roof, I honestly can’t see why the rain should be seen as a reason for having it, given our climatic conditions. Sound is another issue but should we, at all times, be held hostage to certain uncontrollable festa enthusiasts, bent on forcing as many people as possible to hear their loud bangs?
It is very positive that Mr Piano used the fortification imagery to keep cars outside of Valletta. The pedestrianisation process in the capital city, which should be repeated in other towns, is conducive to the democratising of open spaces. This has significant social, environmental and economic benefits. Accessibility by pedestrians enhances social interaction, decreases pollution and improves business opportunities. A visit to cities that have taken this route gives ample evidence of this.
A city with a lack of open spaces is a city that stifles human interaction. Suffice to say that, in the course of history, various rulers tried to control open spaces to give less space for their adversaries to rebel!
Of course, the reduction of access to cars has to be coupled by a holistic traffic management plan and bold changes in Malta’s public transport. The latter is the best guarantee that there will be fewer cars on the road. Besides, alternative modes of transport to Valletta and within the city itself should be encouraged.
It has taken 60 years to decide on the City Gate spectacle. Now that a decision has been taken, let us ensure that as many different voices and identities in Maltese society as possible can make use of it. A regenerated city entrance would, ultimately, be a triumph of everyday democracy.
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Astrid is a hopeless case. In her comments on timesonline.com, she keeps making senseless arguments. For example, she claims that a national theatre will attract tourists. This will require more than just a theatre to happen.
It will require a large number of professional artists able to produce top notch performances. It will require massive investment in marketing cultural events.
In any case, if a national theatre is what Astrid & co want, why don’t they suggest another site instead of using it as a pretext to torpedo the City Gate project?
Another stupid claim is that locating parliament house on Freedom Square is illegal according to the Structure Plan. This was already replied to by none other than one of the most prominent legal experts. And yet, she still claims illegality.
She quite simply cannot accept the most basic aspect of a democracy; in elections, people choose persons they trust to take decisions on their behalf. The government chosen by the people has decided.
The crux is that Astrid refuses to respect that decision.
[Daphne – But that’s because she and the most prominent and vociferous members of FAA almost certainly didn’t vote for Lawrence Gonzi to become prime minister back in 2008, and so they do not feel that he represents them. They did not vote for him to take decisions on their behalf and because of their undeveloped understanding of democracy, they are unable to accept that others did.]
“The national theatre will attract tourists”
There’s an opera house in Manaus. That’s not the reason anyone goes there.
embor, Astrid comments on timesofmalta.com:
.
“I cannot understand how he came to this conclusion given that polls indicate that 80% of the public is opposed to this project in one way or another”
Which polls would these be?
You’re not supposed to question that statistic. You’re supposed to accept it as an unquestionable fact.
How about an opinion poll about the abolition of taxation?
“Which polls would these be?”
The one undertaken by the same people who made the report about where the black smoke is coming from.
What black smoke?
Astrid Vella has inherited Alfred Sant’s legacy of going against the reasoned and obvious conclusions.
The real bone of contention in all of this is the fact that the project will be ready in time for the next general elections. The PL and its allies (some making very strange bedfellows) are afraid that the populace might just like it after all.
So there has been a change for the better – opinions are slowly but surely changing – by the time the project is completed all will be waiting for the postman to deliver the invitation for the opening ceremony, except for Astrid, who will be howling in the wilderness.
Oh my oh my! Some people just cannot bear others with different opinions – and guess what? Norman Lowell has just posted one of his usual crackpot comments, sticking up for Astrid on timesofmalta.com. The fraudster who is preparing his imperial forces to take over Europe has spoken – what a miserable country.
I do not understand how Michael Briguglio is now in favour of the Valletta project. Didn’t he attend the Legality Now protest, in which the Piano project was under attack?
According to MaltaToday of Sunday 14 March 2010:
“…environmentalists, members of heritage organisations… yesterday marched down Republic Street to protest on a mishmash of issues: …the plans for a roofless theatre in Valletta…”
And also:
“Officials and members of Alternattiva Demokratika … were also present.”
“It is time to make the time.” — Henry Dumas:
I notice that Astrid never puts a space after a comma. It’s quite irritating. I am also amused at her reference to “the autocratic arrogance of the Knights”. Isn’t this ironic?
It is more than ironic.
It reveals a deeply ingrained colonial and backward mentality. On timesonline.com Astrid Vella said, “a foreign social scientist studying Malta told me that attitudes in Maltese society have not progressed much since the autocratic arrogance of the Knights.”
Assuming that she quoted him/her correctly, she quotes a typical foreign patronising git who is ever so keen to show off his or her presumed superiority over the “backward locals” and Astrid Vella falls for it.
Astrid on timesofmalta.com: “80% of the public is opposed to this project in one way or another”.
80% of what/which public? Probably 80% of those who took part in some online survey … perhaps. So Astrid is voicing the opinions of this insignificant 80%. A few hundreds. Her public, the public she claims to represent and which Michael Briguglio refers to as “self-appointed spokesmen of “the people” (whatever this means)”.
And Astrid herself claims that her 80% opposed the project “in one way or another”. It’s far from being a homogeneous group – it’s a group that included some very strange (I won’t say ridiculous) proposals.
What about the other 400,000?
Again, Astrid: “A politician like him (Michael Briguglio) must surely be aware that Malta has signed the Aarhus Convention, undertaking to carry out public consultation specifically at an early stage in projects, before permits [sic] are submitted”.
Therefore, when the few hundreds she claims to represent have spoken everybody is expected to listen and shut up. The rest of us are expected to humbly bow our heads and accept her opinions and tastes. Michael Briguglio, leader of a party, seems to have no right to criticise her, not even indirectly.
Norman Lowell:
‘This is the last, miserable act of Briguglio’s miserable party.’
Sounds like a broken record.
This thing about 80% being against the project is becoming a bit of a joke.
There are so many different aspects of the project that it is no surprise that there is some detail of the project which one disagrees with. Many people are mature enough to understand that decisions need to be taken and that even if there is disagreement on some detail, the project must proceed. I am all for the project being implemented even if there are some aspects which I disagree with.
At the political level, PN is for the project. PL have not declared itself against the project. AD is in favour. These are the persons who have the trust of almost all those who cast their vote. So where are the 80% who are against the project?
May I ask these people if they know what the yearly government subsidy is for La Scala in Milan?
@red-nose
The Teatro Alla Scala is run by a foundation set up in 1997, with private, commercial and state financing. It just manages to break even. Corriere della Sera reported on 13 November 2009 that were it not for extraordinary corporate sponsorships, the foundation would have run a deficit of Euro 10.8 million.
The same report says that about 57% of the foundation’s funds derive from ticket sales, subscriptions, and private sector contributions, and this percentage is rising – this with about 450,000 seats sold in a year.
Whatever the greens say is irrelevant…credibility was never their forte.
Astrid is against the government for reasons only known to her.
Piano’s project is a good one on the whole.
Of course there are details that I don’t quite like or agree with.
But when you get Nazi fetishists HATING the whole project, it makes you think.
Hmm there must be something good about it.
Astrid Vella should also be told that the Aarhus Convention has got absolutely nothing to do with the case… yet she has made a mantra out of this….