After the clashes, in Parliament and on the Web, of the previous days, with storms of all sorts dominating, a sort of silence has enveloped the country.
It may even be a good thing as the country turned to the usual pastimes like St Paul’s feast to Carnival (weather permitting) that not even Ash Wednesday can dampen.
No one seemed ready to speak about what is on the boil with regards to the selection of the new Chief Justice, what is happening inside the parties and also between them. Assuming, that is, that anything is happening at all.
I write this well knowing that it can take one sentence between now and the readers turning to the paper to upset all that I’m saying.
There is a sense that the country is moving into a pre-electoral period and the government is trying very hard to get all its chips in order.
More than the achievements that the government can point at, the government seems to prefer looking ahead. It costs nothing to dream – perhaps a computer mock-up or two.
In fact, I cannot think of any tangible achievement in 13 years of Labour other than Pjazza Tritoni which the previous government left half-done anyway.
And one other achievement of this administration is the less than admirable tradition of letting most of the works of the previous administration come to a stop.
From the bus system to the Mater Dei Hospital what the previous government left has been systematically undermined and twisted beyond recognition.
From the many computer mock-ups that cost nothing I select the plan to convert and improve the inner reaches of the Grand Harbour.
I supported this when it was mentioned by the PN administration but that administration decided to retain the harbour for mixed use rather than follow what had been done in London with regards to Docklands for example.
It is a fact that the inner reaches of the Grand Harbour are derelict and such a prime area is full of potential. But that does not necessarily mean more residential units such as has been done everywhere in Malta.
So, to cut it short, I agree in principle with the regeneration of the harbour but will judge it when things are mature and when this is not just an electoral ploy.
I am still waiting to see what use will be done to the properties the government is offering such as Manoel Island, Fort Campbell etc. How will they be used? And a reminder there are many other sites that should be included such as the Lower St Elmo, Fort Ricasoli and others.
Basically our so-called development consisted in developing upwards the plots of land we hold. This is why our development many times is so piecemeal, our streets remain crooked and narrow and any development is hackneyed. We can never attain the level of development we can see in other countries, even considering the difference in volume.
Having said that, we cannot remain a sea and sun holiday island for ever, especially with our summers becoming more sizzling.
As I have been saying for a long time, there is still room for growth. Consider this week’s announcement by Ryanair which adds more flights and more venues, especially Tirana, which should be attractive to Maltese holidaymakers when they discover how cheap it is and the amount of pristine beaches we can only dream about.
At the same time I note with sadness the limited vision at MIA as seen in recent interviews which reinforce the sun and sea outlook which in my opinion is near full capacity.
MIA would do well to emulate the example set by its shareholder and parent, Vienna International Airport, which has made offering connections a motor of growth. Malta is uniquely placed, perhaps just as Vienna, to offer intercontinental connections. See the varied airlines which fight for space at VIE or even nearby Larnaca and ask why can’t we attract at least half of them with an underused runway built on assumptions that have long become outdated.
But then land in Malta, especially government-owned, is always cheap.
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