It-Teatru Rjal
Hawn ghadna prova ohra ta' kemm il-Gvern Nazzjonalista assolutament ma jitghallimx mill-izbalji. Din il-prova taghilna l-gvern stess meta frisk mic-canfira kbira li nghata wara x-xiri ta' Dar
Tant il-gvern hu nsensittiv ghall-opinjoni pubblika, tant il-gvern rasu iebsa u arroganti li minkejja li kellu jitghallem il-lezzjoni li nghata dwar Dar
Ir-rejazzjoni tal-poplu kienet immedjata u mistennija. maltapolitics.com tkompli tikkwota sorsi li m'ghandhomx rekord ta' appogg lill-MLP. Dan isir sabiex l-argumenti f'din il-website ikunu aktar kredibbli u hadd ma jkun jista jgib l-iskuza li l-kritika gejja mill-kamp Laburista.
Xi jrid il-Gvern?
The Times 14.10.2004
The government wants to relocate Parliament to the old opera house in
L-Ispiza
The Times 27.10.2004
It is estimated that if Parliament were to be built on the site formerly occupied by the Opera House this would cost about Lm16 million, including Lm7 million for an underground car park, Urban Development and Roads Minister Jesmond Mugliette said.
Jista l-progett jistenna?
The Times 27.10.2004
Asked why an international competition was not held for the designs, Mr Mugliette said the government wanted to get on with it, when Cabinet approves it, and did not want to lose time organising such competitions, which were very time-consuming.
L-Oppozizzjoni ghal-progett
Opinjoni Pubblika
Over 58 per cent of those who took part in a The Times online poll are against the government's proposal to build a new Parliament on the site of the old opera house in
The Times 19.10.2004
Alternattiva Demokratika
Alternattiva Demokratika described the government's proposal to spend Lm18 million on a new Parliament building on the opera house site as an example of the government's distorted sense of priorities. AD chairman Harry Vassallo said that considering the country's serious financial problems, it was simply irresponsible to spend this amount of money on such a new building.
The Times 23.10.2004
Union Haddiema Maghqudin
With reference to the proposed Opera House project, UHM said that the government must stop taking on major projects which the workers end up funding by paying more taxes.
(di-ve news) - 27.10.2004 - 1600CET
GRTU
GRTU opposes to Parliament at Royal Opera House site. The part of
The
Kunsill Malti ghall-Kultura u l-Arti
In a statement issued this week, the Malta Council for Culture and the Arts told government that the site formerly occupied by the Royal Opera House is not suitable for Parliament. The Council said that the location of Parliament there would contribute to the death rather than the revival of the image and life of
The
The Times
It has been argued that setting up a shopping mall on the opera house site would kill off business in the rest of
Editorjal, 16.10.2004
The Sunday Times
one feels that the arguments brought so far to build the new Parliament chamber, and ancillary offices, have not been persuasive enough. somehow, the idea of transforming a former temple of culture into a temple of politics does not sit well with a lot of people.
Editorjal, 17.10.2004
The Times
There can hardly be any doubt about it; the way the government has floated the idea of developing the site of the former Opera House into a new Parliament building is a first-class diversionary tactic. How can it be described otherwise when it is so patently clear that it is half-baked in concept and that the government must have known well enough that it was bound to stir the emotions and, also, strong opposition? In line with its expectations, this is what the proposal has brought about. The emotions have been stirred and opposition to the idea is mounting with every day that passes.
If the government were to deny that it is a diversionary tactic, then the situation would be one that calls for serious analysis of the kind of administration we have. Indeed, it would hardly make sense to even think about it, let alone announce it publicly, when the government has as yet barely recovered from the onslaught it quite justifiably received over the purchase of the
Editorjal, 30.10.2004
Guido Saliba
it is not wise nor viable, given our dire financial position, to spend many millions for accommodating MPs that do not operate full-time. Indeed there are times when it is difficult to form a quorum in Parliament.
The Sunday Times 31.10.2004
Is-Sitwazzjoni bhal issa
Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi said he wasted two years in trying to enter into a public-private partnership to carry out the project of the Royal Opera House. The Prime Minister made the admission during the TV programme Reporter hosted by Maltatoday editor Saviour Balzan. He explained that the new opera house has to be paid from the taxpayer's money. Dr. Gonzi said that this project will be undertaken in the next legislation and will take around four years to be completed and will cost around Lm12 million.
(di-ve news)--
SENA 2008
Dr. Gonzi rega beda fuq it-Teatru
Joseph Vella Bondin, Sta Venera
The Times 29.12.2008
Let me add my voice to the flood of justified protests being made against the proposed building of Parliament on the Royal Opera House site. Giving us vague promises that cultural venues will be included in the project and that a theatre is planned for a rehabilitated Fort St Elmo still do not make the proposal even remotely attractive or acceptable. Telling us that the nation cannot afford the running costs of another theatre implies that there is not the right type of people running existing venues. For if the reputed losses registered by the annual Opera Festival is taken as the yardstick, I suggest that the authorities examine the revenue account of the splendid operas held at the Manoel Theatre between 1996 and 1998. At that time, the Manoel did not import wholesale opera productions, knowing that they were an easy way out option, would be substantially costlier and would lead to a deplorable and unacceptable loss of local stage know-how. Moreover, I do not accept the fact that such fundamental projects are not included in the electoral manifestos on which we were asked to vote. For these do not affect solely the present population but also the inheritance rights and cultural well-being of future generations. If Parliament needs to be moved, let it go to Fort St Elmo. From the logistics, security and social viewpoints, it is surely the best location. Moreover, if it is designed to accommodate the Prime Minister's offices, the Auberge de Castille, perhaps the most beautiful of all edifices inherited from the Knights of St John, can be rehabilitated to its pristine condition to serve as an important and unique tourist attraction.
Frans H. Said,
The Times 27.12.2008
Much has been written on the use of the site formerly occupied by the Opera House. Perhaps our politicians have found the right use. A theatre for Parliament! Is this their opinion of what occurs in our Parliament? Is our Parliament just theatrics? Are parliamentary debates only drama and comedies? Or is it just a comedy of errors? With Parliament moving to the city entrance fewer people will move around
Michael Bonnici, Zebbug
The Times 27.12.2008
May I suggest that the building opposite the President's Palace in
Karl Consiglio, Paceville
The Times 22.12.2008
It is scandalous to have such an important part of our heritage used for the sole purpose of political capriciousness, worse still that we, the people, will have to pay for it from our own pocket. I always believed the government's purpose was to make itself, as much as possible, felt unnecessary, not have our Parliament smack in the middle first thing on entering our capital, no matter the attractive sugar-coated Renzo Piano architecture. Politicians manoeuvre like businessmen, but they are not going to fool anybody. Now what about the desperate need to update, of late, the art and cultural scene in
Erin Stewart Tanti, Swieqi
The Times 21.12.2008
I am disappointed by the government's plans for the rebuilding of the Opera House. I believe that public opinion should be heard on this matter. Will anybody listen to what the people have to say? Only a week ago I joined the online Facebook group "No to House of Parliament instead of Opera House (Malta)", and I am proud to see that those who joined have now swelled to 2,000 (at the time of writing), all wanting to contribute to the debate. British supporters of our cause, representing potential tourists upon whom our economy depends, have also tried to make their voice heard and built a website - www. maltaoperahouse.com - to create international awareness. Many people would like to see their money spent on culture and the arts. I believe we should put this issue to a referendum. Once it concerns a national heritage site, to which so many are sentimentally attached, I feel that giving the people a say is the least that our democracy may give us.
Paul Xuereb, Birkirkara
The Times 21.12.2008
Though unfortunately it appears that our government has firmly decided to build a parliament (plus a couple of vague cultural centres) on the Royal Opera House site, I feel I should still try to appeal to the Prime Minister and his advisers to rethink their decision. Moving Parliament from the Palace is, we are told, meant to make the Palace more accessible to tourists and to make it possible to move the Armoury of the Knights of St John back to its historic setting. Should this consideration, based solely on what the tourists are thought to need, weigh so much more heavily than what our citizens need and many of them want? This will mean, of course, that Malta will have given up, perhaps forever, the enrichment of its capital city with what it had for nearly 100 years, a largish theatre fully equipped to house elaborate performances of opera, operetta and musicals. Most people know that the theatres now available in Valletta - the Manoel, the theatre at the Mediterranean Conference Centre, the round theatre at St James Cavalier and the studio theatre known as the MITP - are either largely unsuitable or completely unsuitable for the kind of production our parents and grandparents took for granted and were able to enjoy again and again every season. I know we are unlikely to be able to mount, say, two or three large productions each month from October till May, but our increasingly skilful theatre people and daring administrators and musicians plus visiting productions would prevent a new theatre from being dark for weeks on end. The new theatre would also be available, of course, for smaller productions. Our government should also consider that making Parliament occupy
Salvino J. Sullivan, Ta' Xbiex
The Times 12.12.2008
I fully agree with Austin Sammut (December 2) when he wrote: "There has been much talk of moving the House to the Opera House site (that site damned to remain as it is). But I say, move Parliament to Fort St Elmo. It is one way of reviving lower
The GRTU this afternoon launched a stinging attack on the governments plans to move Parliament to the site previously occupied by the Opera House. In so doing, the chamber said, 20 business establishments in
The Times 4.12.2008
John Manduca, Mdina
The Times 6.1.2009
Eric Parnis (The Opera House Saga, December 30) was right to speak out about the need to re-build our Opera House where it belongs. It seems the Prime Minister has been misinformed about certain aspects of the controversy. Every European country has an Opera House of which it is proud. This is also true of the
Richard Lapira, Attard
The Times 6.1.2009
During the brief Sant administration in the 1990s, plans for the reconstruction of the entrance to
John Galea,
The Times 16.1.2009
When I was a teenager, my cousin and I used to go to
Bernard A. Vassallo, Swieqi
The Times 28.1.2009
As for the double site of the destroyed Opera House or Theatre Royal (Teatru Rjal) and of the vast space mistakenly integrated in the project of a new box-like City Gate (Porta Reale, Putirjal), in my view a restored Opera House would still be the best option. If in 1945 this restoration of such as majestic and meaningful building had been undertaken, we wouldn't now be in a quandary, caused by the theatre built in the early 1980s at the Mediterranean Conference Centre. The prestige gained by the city of
Kristian Bonnici, Fgura
The Times 30.1.2009
Building the House of Representatives instead of the Old Opera House site seems to be a little bit Pharaonic, and would go against the spirit of a Republic. Why? First, the people see that space as theirs. Moreover, the Maltese citizens' blind faith in the impeccability of their representatives seems to have diminished. Second, a democracy, which has its foundation in the culture of ancient
Simon A. Bonello, Floriana
The Times 3.2.2009
Turning the old Opera House site in
Michael Bonnici, Zebbug
The Times 24.2.2009
Ten years ago, on January 12, 1999, Joe Debono Grech, from the Labour Party, and I, from the PN side, jointly suggested in Parliament (sitting no. 48) that the Dun Mikiel Xerri monument (at present in Independence Square) should be relocated to the other side of the Sette Giugno monument on St George's Square in Valletta. The then Education Minister Louis Galea, answering a question on March 2 of the same year, said that the Museums Department was having talks with other competent authorities about the suggestion. Ten years is way more than enough. Now is the opportune time to take a decision while preparations are in hand to rehabilitate
Robert Arrigo
ILLUM 22.2.2009
It-Teatru Rjal jekk ikolli l-għażla nżommu teatru u mhux nagħmlu Parlament. Naqbel li l-Parlament bil-funzjoni li għandu għandu jkollu post differenti. Imma żgur mhux flok l-opera house.
L-idea BRILLANTI ta' GONZIPN li jaghmel teatru minghajr saqaf minflok it-Teatru Rjal