Communications in the inner harbour area

The other day, Angelo Xuereb made a presentation on his ideas for a transport communication system to service Sliema, Valletta and the three cities. I have since gone into his ideas very deeply and I feel the scheme deserves a very close scrutiny by the authorities.

The local councils should be very pleased because there will be much more activity in all areas and less traffic and the Valletta rehabilitation group should be ecstatic as this will help the eventual justification and enjoyment of our true and deserving World Heritage Sites.

Why am I so sure? I'll tell you.

Because there is a dire need to get people from A to B and C without creating excessive city parking and congestion. There is a dire need to get people into Valletta and the three cities in the most attractive and efficient way possible.

There is a dire need to get cruise liner passengers up to Valletta and the three cities with the least discomfort.

There is a dire need to get commuters into Valletta from the parking spaces outside the city in the shortest time and at the least cost possible. Need I go on?

I strongly feel that the scheme deserves a very close look by the authorities so that a final transport system can be organised in as little time as possible. We have already waited too long and absolutely nothing has happened to solve the problem. We just have a concentrated mess.

If there is a similar scheme in the pipeline that is on the verge of being implemented, then I sincerely apologise for the last statement and I will be very pleased to see the results very soon.

The scheme presented by Mr Xuereb involved the creation of a short tunnel and a small bridge and the utilisation of the existing old railway tunnels. It also envisages the use of real ferryboats and the installation of two lifts. (Imagine Hong Kong without it's ferry system and tunnels.) The cost will not be exorbitant and, if carried out by private enterprise, which it definitely should, the authorities could offer incentives for the project to become economically viable. A real private-public arrangement.

Without such a transport communication scheme, the new and proposed developments in the Vittoriosa and Cottonera areas will find it very hard to succeed. In fact such a communication system will be essential, if they are to succeed.

Like him or not, it is people like Mr Xuereb who, through their foresight and energy to carry out what they envisage, get countries developed, functioning and moving.

Can you imagine what was said to the person who suggested that there should and could be an underground communication system under a historical city like London? It was done, and today, what would London do without it?

Let us make a decision to do something about the communication system in the inner harbour area that we all know is very necessary and let us start by looking at this realistic plan.