English version further below
Illum fl-10:00 ta’ filgħodu irċevejt stedina minn naħa tal-Awtorità tal-Ippjanar sabiex nattendi diskussjoni virtwali fl-10:30 dwar applikazzjoni sabiex eks-ħanut tal-ħaxix quddiem il-Knisja tal-Karmnu fil-Belt Valletta jinbidel fi spazju kummerċjali għall-ikel u x-xorb.
Kienet laqgħa kordjali li għaliha attendew madwar erbgħin ruħ. Tħallew jitkellmu xi nies iżda mhux kulħadd. Kien hemm min bħali esperjenza problemi tekniċi u ma ingħata l-ebda widen meta ħalla kumment miktub fuq il-pjattaforma offruta mill-istess awtorità. Anzi, dawk li kienu qed jikkummentaw bil-kitba ġew mgħarrfa li l-kummenti tagħhom kienu ser jiġu injorati!
Il-laqgħa żvolġiet b’ċertu sens ta’ għaġġla, possibilment għax dawk responsabbli kellhom wisq x’jgħamlu u każijiet x’jisimgħu. Ġejna mitluba nkunu konċiżi u ma nirrepetux. Meta aktar persuni esprimew ix-xewqa li jintervjenu, niżlet id tal-ħadid li kkonkludiet id-diskussjoni. Sa mn’alla bgħatuli stedina!
Nibqa’ mistagħġeb kif quddiem dawn id-deċiżjonijiet kruċjali fis-salvagwardja tat-tessut soċjali, l-arkitetti u dawk responsabbli fl-awtoritajiet jeħlu ma’ interpretazzjonijiet tar-regolamenti fuq il-karta u fuq preċedenti, minflok jaħdmu b’risq il-benefiċċju tal-komunità lokali, l-aktar dik residenzjali. Huwa sempliċement tal-mistħija kif preċedenti huma meqjusa bħala raġuni valida sabiex inkomplu inkabbru l-froġa!
Inħoss li huwa diffiċli mmens li din is-soċjetà timxi ‘l quddiem ladarba dawn id-diskussjonijiet isiru minn persuni-“magni” li kapaċi biss jirraġunaw bil-1 u 0, jgħamluha ċara li jridu jevitaw kummenti “emozzjonali” u lanqas biss għexu d-dinamika tal-komunità li dwarha jkunu qed jiddeċiedu.
Saħansitra illum smajna kumment li uża l-festa tal-Madonna tal-Karmnu bħala xi forma ta’ preċedent għal storbju li jkun hemm fit-triq! Smajna wkoll idea li jingħalaq bieb fi Triq Żekka biex l-applikazzjoni tidher verġni minn kull skop li joħloq l-ewwel preċedent f’din it-triq. Bħallikieku l-preċedenti ta’ spazji kummerċjali għall-ikel u x-xorb ċkejkna li jestendu l-attivitajiet tagħhom tul metri sħaħ fit-toroq tal-madwar mhix diġà realtà evidentissima fil-Kapitali fl-aħħar 15-il sena!
Apparti dan kollu, u b’sens ta’ ironija, dejjem kelli kurżità kif l-ebda stabbiliment kummerċjali li mhux fil-qasam tal-ikel u x-xorb, ma japplika sabiex jokkupa spazji pubbliċi bħall-oħrajn. F’ġieh l-ugwaljanza huma wkoll misshom joħorġu vetrini u mwejjed biex ikabbru l-bejgħ. Meta ħa naraw lill-Agenda Bookshop, Heritage Malta jew lil D’Amato Records b’tilari tal-kotba u vinili tal-mużika tul Strada Rjali? Hija ironija kif stabbilimenti b’kummerċ artistiku mhumiex trattati l-istess?
Fl-aħħarnett nemmen li wasal iż-żmien li l-Beltin jibdew ikunu rappeżentati għal dawn il-laqgħat mill-Kunsill Lokali tal-Belt Valletta u/jew minn rappreżentanti tal-komunità li huma kapaċi jirriċerkaw u jiddibattu dawn is-sitwazzjonijiet.
Nittama li aktar Beltin jitħajjru jkunu voċiferi. Inutli ngergru wara.
📸 Romina Gianoli
The fate of Valletta
Today, at 10:00 am, I received an invitation from the Planning Authority to participate in a virtual discussion at 10:30 regarding an application to convert a former vegetable shop in front of Our Lady of Mount Carmel church in Valletta into a commercial space for food and drink. The meeting, attended by approximately forty people, maintained a formal atmosphere. While some individuals were given the opportunity to speak, others, like myself, encountered technical difficulties and were overlooked when leaving comments on the platform provided by the authority. Those who wrote comments were informed that their input would be disregarded.
The meeting proceeded with a sense of haste, likely due to the organizers’ heavy workload and numerous cases to address. We were instructed to be concise and avoid repetition. As more participants expressed a desire to contribute, the discussion was abruptly concluded with a firm hand. I couldn’t help but reflect on the irony of receiving the invitation!
I am astonished and very much concerned that, in the face of critical decisions affecting the social fabric, architects and authority figures adhere strictly to interpretations of regulations and precedents on paper, rather than prioritizing the well-being of the local community, especially the residential one. It is disheartening how past decisions are used as a valid basis to perpetuate problematic practices.
I feel it is difficult to move this society forward once these discussions are held by people-“machines” who are only able to reason by 1s and 0s, make it clear that they want to avoid “emotional” comments and have not even lived up to the community context on which they are deciding.
During the meeting, a comment was made, using the feast of Our Lady of Mount Carmel as a precedent for street noise. Another suggestion was to close a door in Old Mint Street to present the application in a more favorable light, and not setting a precedent for the particular street. A flawed suggestion, especially considering the longstanding presence of small food and beverage businesses expanding onto adjacent streets in the Capital over the past 15 years.
Furthermore, and with much irony, I’ve always been curious why non-food and drink commercial establishments do not apply to occupy public spaces in a similar manner. Equality demands that bookshops, cultural institutions, or record stores, such as Agenda Bookshop, Heritage Malta, or D’Amato Records, should also be allowed to showcase their offerings outside to boost sales. Isn’t it ironic how establishments with artistic commerce are not treated the same?
In conclusion, I believe it is high time for Valletta to be represented in these meetings by the Valletta Local Council and/or community representatives capable of thoroughly researching and debating these situations. I hope more residents will be inspired to voice their concerns, as grievances expressed afterward will be futile.
📸 Romina Gianoli
