Valletta businesses want CVA to stop in afternoon, or face prospect of 'dead city'

Paul Fenech, the president of the Republic Street business community association, has warned that unless Malta's cultural and commercial jewel is nurtured back into prosperity, Valletta risks becoming a dead city.

Fenech says that the City Gate project in particular, the multi-million project that includes a new parliament and an open-air theatre at the old Royal Opera House site, is hitting the city’s shops hard.

"Every phase of development in the City Gate project is having a negative impact on Valletta’s commercial lifeblood," Fenech told Sunday newspaper Illum. He said that during the demolition project itself, the shops lining Republic Street saw no business for 15 days.

While conceding that this hiatus was understandable and that shop owners looked towards the future with optimism, Fenech said shop owners are calling on authorities to take them into account. “This burden could be reduced when you keep in mind that the City Gate project will take another two years,” he says.

The City Gate project is not the only issue that Valletta faces, Fenech says. The complications caused by the controversial CVA (controlled vehicular access) system, have only gotten worse.

“For shop owners, the CVA system is a stumbling block,” he says, adding that the lack of parking has also become a considerable difficulty for retailers and shoppers alike.

“We are experiencing huge problems from the losses of parking spaces around Valletta. We’re currently carrying out studies among shop owners to possibly try and recommend options to the authorities to improve accessibility to Valletta,” Fenech says.

Fenech is also lobbying with government to try and change the CVA operating hours to end at 4pm. “In the afternoon, business in Valletta is decreasing noticeably,” he said. “We are in discussions with government to have the CVA stop at 4pm as soon as possible. In this way, consumers would not have to pay if they enter Valletta from that time onwards.”

He added that shop-owners are also insisting for that change to be publicised, should it take place. Fenech also drew attention to the number of abandoned buildings in Valletta. “We cannot let this waste pass. We need to see how to encourage the modernisation of these buildings to attract people every class.”

“My dream is a Valletta that is the largest hub for commerce and business in the country. The capital city is still too traditional,” he adds.