10 years ago - The Sunday Times

Sunday, March 29, 2009

Parliament could be in Freedom Square

A cultural and performance centre could be built on the site of the former opera house in Valletta after all, if one of the main options presented by Italian architect Renzo Piano is taken up by the Prime Minister.

No official proposal has been made to the government, but it is understood that this option places the new Parliament building in Freedom Square, next to the opera house site.

Mr Piano has suggested embellishing and developing the inside of the opera house site to create a versatile recreational area which can be used for cultural activities in summer and winter.

The necessary structures would be put in place to house both the sound and lighting equipment.

Mr Piano’s original brief was to turn the old Royal Opera House ruins into a multi-purpose building that would host Parliament and also play a cultural role.

But Parliament’s relocation from the Palace in Valletta sparked a national debate with many demanding that the site should be used exclusively for cultural purposes.

25 years ago - The Times

Tuesday, March 29, 1994

Reforms for EU membership agreed

Malta and the Commission of the European Union agreed on the timetable of a programme of priority reforms needed to prepare Malta for membership of the Union, a letter sent by EU Commissioner Sir Leon Brittan to Foreign Minister Prof. Guido de Marco has confirmed.

The letter, sent on March 23, was laid on the Table of the House of Representatives yesterday by Prof. De Marco, along with another letter he sent to Sir Leon, bearing the same date.

Lm60m in grants under new protocol with Italy

Malta is to receive around Lm60 million in grants from Italy between 1995 and 2000, under a new financial protocol signed between the two countries yesterday.

The grant includes commodity aid – to make up for the negative trade balance between the two countries – and Italian technical, economic and cultural assistance to Malta.

Between January and September last year, Maltese exports to Italy reached Lm111.7 million, and imports Lm171 million.

Half a century ago - Times of Malta

Saturday, March 29, 1969

Drive to prevent cruelty to animals

No fewer than 4,641 stray dogs and 2,786 cats were taken to the Dogs’ Home in Floriana last year. A total of  438 dogs and 277 cats were placed in homes, while the rest were painlessly destroyed.

These figures were given by Major T. G. Lyons, honorary secretary of the Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, at the annual general meeting held at the Palace, Valletta.

Major Lyons said in his report that the Society had sought government assistance in the form of legislation on the control of intensive methods of breeding, rearing and killing of poultry and meat producing animals, the sale and slaughter by unlicensed hawkers of kids and lambs, the conditions of carriage, unloading and marketing of livestock at Marina Pinto, and the shooting of birds from traps.

New telephone service

The new Birkirkara automatic telephone exchange comes into operation today at 11pm. All the lines on the central and Sliema exchanges, serving Attard, Balzan, Birkirkara, Għargħur, Għar Lapsi, Lija, Mosta, Mrieħel, Naxxar, San Pawl tat-Tarġa, Siġġiewi, Santa Venera and Żebbuġ will be transferred to the new exchange.