Barry revisited

Allow to borrow this title which Lino Spiteri used in his "Wide Angle" column last Sunday. Mr Spiteri stated that his friend had met a British government minister soon after the UK Labour Party came to power in 1997, who suggested that his government...

Allow to borrow this title which Lino Spiteri used in his "Wide Angle" column last Sunday.

Mr Spiteri stated that his friend had met a British government minister soon after the UK Labour Party came to power in 1997, who suggested that his government could be persuaded to contribute some £20 million towards the reconstruction of the Opera House, provided that the exterior was built according to the Barry design.

According to Mr Spiteri's friend this information was eventually passed on to the secretary to the Cabinet led by the then Prime Minister, Dr Alfred Sant.

Mr Spiteri, who by that time had resigned as finance minister from Dr Sant's Cabinet but was still Labour MP, wondered what happened to this proposal, since he thinks it highly unlikely that Dr Sant failed to follow up the suggestion.

Whatever took place in 1997, the people have a right to know the truth and readers expect a confirmation or denial of these facts referred to by Mr Spiteri.

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