A truly grand harbour

All those who enter Grand Harbour from the sea are invariably impressed by the grandeur and majesty of our main port, with its imposing centuries-old fortifications, the history-drenched Three Cities on the starboard side, and the Baroque city of Valletta on the other.

Many of the thousands of tourists who arrive here on cruise liners believe that there is hardly any other port in the Mediterranean which compares with our Grand Harbour - one of the finest natural harbours in the world. And surely all Maltese, especially those who in growing numbers are taking cruises starting from Valletta, share that opinion.

The development of the Pinto Stores beneath Floriana and Valletta by the VISET consortium in what has become known as the Valletta Waterfront, eventually incorporating the new cruise liner terminal, has surely enhanced the beauty of Grand Harbour. Its careful blending into the architectural texture of the capital city, and of the harbour as whole, while giving it a breezy, modern look with its multi-coloured apertures, has been acknowledged by the Malta Environment and Planning Authority, which gave it its conservation award last week for its high architectural standards and sensitive respect for the environment.

The Valletta Waterfront provides cruise liner passengers disembarking in Malta for the day - or for longer stays - with the right first impression of the island, an image we should do our utmost to project: that of a unique destination steeped in history and culture, certainly like no other island of its size in the Mediterranean, offering hospitality, good service, sun, sea and beaches, entertainment and good value for money.

The Valletta Waterfront comes on stream, as it were, at a time when much is being said, and hopes are being raised, about "reviving" the capital after 7 p.m., i.e., when the shops close. Already, a number of restaurants are staying open now, while musical entertainment is being provided for patrons of the open-air cafes on Pjazza Regina (Republic Square) on some days of the week. And the Waterfront itself has already hosted a number of cultural events as part of the summer festival. Indeed, it has already become a fashionable venue in its own right. A number of shops have already opened, and restaurants and bars cater for evening patrons.

Besides, summer brings a host of cultural activities all along the Valletta shoreline, what with the Jazz festival at Ta' Liesse, and the hugely successful Etnikafè performances near the former Barracca lift last weekend.

And the rest of the Grand Harbour is gradually coming alive, as new bars and restaurants open in the Three Cities, with the Casinò di Venezia, the yacht marina, cultural activities and more developments in the pipeline - such as the project involving the old No. 1 dock - contributing to the area's renaissance.

But let's get back to Valletta. The whole raison d'être of the Valletta Waterfront and of the cruise liner terminal is to capitalise on the growth of the international cruise liner business and attract more seaborne tourists to our shores, and eventually to provide a hub for cruises and fly/cruise holidays in the Mediterranean. A large number of those who call at Valletta join various excursions organised for them by the ships' agents; others remain on board the ship - the better to absorb the majestic sight of Grand Harbour, perhaps - but many others make their own way to Valletta.

This brings up the question of making access to Valletta easier for these passengers, and indeed, for all those, including ships' crews, whose vessels are berthed in port. In the absence of cheap taxi fares (it is difficult to understand why taxi drivers do not see this as a way of making more money by attracting more custom thereby), some form of rapid transit system is essential - the alternative is a long, gruelling climb up a seemingly endless flight of steps or an equally gruelling uphill 20-minute walk.

Since the idea of a cable car has been, perhaps wisely, discarded (one would think for aesthetic reasons, but there are security considerations too), some have suggested the rebuilding of the Upper Barracca lift. This makes perfect sense, but some doubt its financial viability.

We have now learned that Government has applied for EU funding for a Lm1.5 million escalator project, which will link the old Customs House at Pinto Wharf to Castille. If accepted, the project could start functioning by 2007. Malta has a good case for such funding. A fast and reliable access system to Valletta is indispensable to ensure the success of the cruise liner terminal.