Is-sitwazzjoni fil-Belt Valletta hija inkwetanti ħafna. Minn naħa, nosservaw gvern li hu ffissat fuq ir-retorika tar-“riġenerazzjoni tal-Belt Valletta,” filwaqt li min-naħa l-oħra, b’mod sfaċċat qed nassistu għal komunità li bi pressjoni sottili sfat iddiżintegrata.
Lura fl-2012, ħafna minna konna mimlija eċċitament meta l-Belt Valletta ntgħażlet mill-Kummissjoni Ewropea, flimkien ma’ Leeuwarden fl-Olanda, biex tkun il-Kapitali Ewropea tal-Kultura għall-2018. Jien ukoll kont entużjast u għamilt kull sforz biex ningħaqad mal-Fondazzjoni Valletta 2018 biex nikkontribwixxi għat-tiġdid tal-belt għażiża tiegħi. Sfortunatament, aktar tard skoprejna li l-mexxejja wara din il-mewġa ta’ “progress” ma kellhomx ħsieb ġenwin għall-benessri tar-residenti tal-Kapitali.
Minflok, il-Gvern Malti, immexxi minn Partit Laburista li aktar tard kien espost b’ħafna stejjer ta’ korruzzjoni iddettati mill-ġenn tal-profitt monetarju, iffoka biss fuq l-aspetti ekonomiċi ta’ din l-inizjattiva kruċjali, u injora l-impatti soċjali u kulturali sinifikanti, minkejja li dawn kienu dokumentati u enfasizzati sew mit-tim tar- riċerka fl-istess Fondazzjoni Valletta 2018. Filwaqt li l-Gvern ħabbar “impatt ekonomiku totali ta’ aktar minn €325M, investiment totali ġġenerat ta’ €678M fl-ekonomija Maltija, u żieda reġistrata ta’ 2.23% fil-PGD tal-2018,” il-komunità tal-Belt Valletta ffaċċjat ġentrifikazzjoni severa, li rriżultat fl-ispostament ta’ ħafna residenti u rajna tnaqqis evidenti sa ma spiċċajna bi ftit eluf.
Għalkemm ċerti aspetti estetiċi tal-Belt Valletta ġew restawrati għas-sbuħija ta’ qabel, l-element uman ġie traskurat, u dan wassal biex ħafna jitilqu, jaqtgħu r-rabtiet tagħhom u jrabbu apatija estrema lejn il-Belt għażiża. Għaddew għaxar snin, u l-ispirtu u r-ruħ tal-Belt Valletta issa jinstabu fuq it-tarf tal-kollass, bi ftit reżistenza, anke mill-mexxejja kreattivi, atletiċi jew politiċi tagħha. Is-sitwazzjoni tiggrava ruħha hekk kif kulma jmur aktar spazji tal-Beltin qegħdin jiġu mgħoddija lill-privat mingħajr ebda konsultazzjoni diretta mal-komunità u mingħajr ebda studju validu li jara x’impatt ser ikollha l-komunità fuq il-wirt kulturali tagħha.
Kull membru ġenwin tal-komunità tal-Belt Valletta għandu jirrifletti u jagħraf li jekk inkomplu niddependu fuq il-gvern u r-rappreżentanti tiegħu, l-influwenza tagħna tibqa’ suxxettibbli għal pressjonijiet esterni. Il-mexxejja tagħna kkultivaw kultura fejn meta tiddividi lill-komunità tkun tista’ tiddominaha
Il-vuċi tagħna li xi darba kienet indipendenti u r-reputazzjoni Beltija illum jinsabu kompromessi. Hekk ukoll il-belt tagħna. Jien għajjejt bir-retorika diviżiva li tpoġġi lil PL kontra PN, San Pawl kontra San Duminku, residenti kontra negozji, kunsillier lokali kontra ieħor, eċċ. Xbajt minn dawk il-Beltin laqa li joqogħdu lura milli jikkritikaw lill-gvern għax ipprovdilhom impjieg. Hemm bżonn aktar provi dwar kif ġejna manipulati f’dawn il-fazzjonijiet u tilwim bla sens?
Wasal iż-żmien li ningħaqdu u nżommu l-valuri mgħoddija lilna mill-antenati tagħna matul is-snin. Ejja ngħollu leħinna kollettivament u nibqgħu ulied leali u veri tal-Belt Valletta. Jekk għadna Champions!
Dispersing the Valletta community
The situation in Valletta is deeply troubling. On one hand, we observe a government that is fixated on what it believes is the “regeneration of Valletta,” while on the other hand, we witness a community that has been subtly pressured to disintegrate.
Back in 2012, many of us were filled with excitement when Valletta was chosen by the European Commission, along with Leeuwarden in the Netherlands, to be the European Capital of Culture for 2018. I, too, was enthusiastic and made every effort to join the Valletta 2018 Foundation to contribute to the renewal of my beloved city. Unfortunately, we later discovered that the leaders behind this revitalization lacked genuine concern for the well-being of the city’s residents.
Instead, the Maltese Government, led by the Labour Party, which was later exposed as corrupt and driven by profit, focused solely on the economic aspects of this crucial initiative, ignoring the significant social and cultural impacts, despite these being well-documented and highlighted by the research team at the Valletta 2018 Foundation. While the government touted “a total economic impact of over €325M, a total generated investment of €678M in the Maltese economy, and a registered increase of 2.23% in 2018 GDP,” the Valletta community faced severe gentrification, resulting in the displacement of many residents, reducing their numbers to just a few thousand.
Although certain aspects of the city’s appearance were restored to their former beauty, the human element was neglected, causing many to leave and sever their ties with their hometown. A decade has passed, and the core spirit of the city now teeters on the edge of collapse, with little resistance, even from its creative, athletic, or political leaders. The situation deteriorates even further as an increasing number of community spaces are being transferred to private entities, with no direct consultation involving the community and no proper study conducted to assess its potential impact on the cultural heritage of the community.
Every genuine member of the Valletta community should reflect and acknowledge that if we continue to depend on the government and its representatives, our influence will remain susceptible to external pressures. Our leaders have cultivated a culture of division and domination, promoting divisiveness within our community.
Our once-independent voice and our formerly esteemed spirit have now been compromised, as has our city. I am weary of the divisive rhetoric that pits PL against PN, St. Paul against St. Dominic, residents against businesses, one local councilor against another, and so forth. I have had my fill of those who refrain from criticizing the government because it has provided them with public employment. Isn’t it clear that we have been manipulated into these meaningless factions and pointless disputes?
It is time for us to unite and uphold the values passed down to us by our ancestors throughout the years. Let us collectively raise our voices and remain loyal and true children of Valletta. If we’re still champions of our own destiny.
