Government’s plans revealed earlier this week to rebuild City Gate and the former Opera House are bound to garner a significant amount of attention. This is due to the fact that the entrance to the capital city has long been waiting for a suitable architecture which reflects the cultural riches found within the fortified walls.

The plan to bring down the current nondescript entrance and replace it with an architectural masterpiece designed by a world renowned architect has been on the cards for more than 20 years. Italian architect, Renzo Piano, famed for his contemporary architecture which attracts crowds for their particularity, has been waiting to embellish the current city gate since 1985. At that time his plans were unceremoniously dumped by public opposition.

It is difficult to envisage whether public opinion will once again oppose the fresh plans which will be submitted based on Mr Piano’s avant garde style. Mr Piano’s track record leaves no doubt on his capabilities to create unique masterpieces and thus objections are bound to be based on his vision for city gate and the proposed new site for the country’s highest institution, the Parliament.

According to the Prime Minister, the new city gate entrance should be completed prior to the expiry of the current legislature. In other words, Mr Piano’s architecture will be government’s main achievement, in terms of national projects, during this term in office. Entrusting Minister Austin Gatt to oversee the project is bound to ensure that strict deadlines are adhered to and, if necessary, short circuit the system to ensure timely completion for unveiling prior to the next general elections.

In dire times, national projects are deemed as one way of stimulating the economy and creating employment opportunities. Nonetheless, a few considerations have to be factored into the process before anyone can make a majestic entrance through a revamped city gate.

The timing of the project is one factor which could seriously undermine the project. Rebuilding city gate and the former opera house and relocating Parliament to the former opera house require a substantial amount of funds. The nation will be expected to fund this project according to the Prime Minister who declared that private partnerships and EU funding have been excluded.

At a time when the nation is being asked to make sacrifices, could this project come across as an extravagant spending spree which could have been postponed further? The economic stimulus which this new landmark can create coupled with the culture rich capital city should pay back in the long term the investment made. This concept, however, should be explained clearly to the nation who is making sacrifices to make up for the increase in energy tariffs when the price of oil reaches a record low and many powerful economies declare a recession.

Another consideration is the inconvenience which will be created due to the construction work to the capital visited by the absolute majority of tourists. The construction of city gate cannot be considered as an isolated project as the harbour area regeneration project is getting underway following the consultation process held earlier this year.

Moreover, once the city entrance is completed, it is the rest of the capital which requires a thorough seeing to. Fort St Elmo, while steeped in history, is a national shame as it lies in shambles. The eviction orders issued and the guard by the Armed Forces are one step in the right direction. To complement the new entrance, this fort should be restored to its former glory more or less within the same time to provide a holistic cultural product.

First impressions are what count most and for the next five years tourists are bound to return to their homeland without a favourable impression of the city which defines the islands. Making it obvious to everyone that the finished project will be a Renzo Piano creation could generate interest for a future visit. Mr Piano’s architecture in different cities continues to attract visitors.

Aspiring to have a rebuilt city gate and Parliament building within a stipulated time-frame of under five years is a tall order judging by the current track record which shows that the majority of national projects are bound to overshoot by a significant margin both their intended time-frames as well as the allocated budgets.

The capital city is in dire need of the city gate project and government is bound to ensure that this is completed on time, within budget, and with the least inconvenience possible. Moreover, with Fort St Elmo and the harbour area regeneration projects also in the pipeline, caution should be exercised to ensure that the capital city does not become a permanent construction site.