Largesse is alive and kicking

Abstract

The restricted dimensions of our archipelago do not seem to dent in any way the delusions of grandeur and largesse that the Maltese in general seem to have. In fact, size limitations are constantly brushed aside by proponents of esoteric developments of all kinds, from mega fuel stations to golf courses to the long-touted motor sports race track. I happened to tune in inadvertently to a radio programme last week where the guest was a representative of the local motor sports federation, who was leaving no stone unturned to convince listeners about the reasonable nature of his lobby group’s demands for a new race track. In particular, the representative was downplaying the footprint of the envisaged race track, asserting that the area they needed amounted to just 20 hectares. When the programme host interjected to point out that 20 hectares was equivalent to 200,000 square metres (roughly 22 times the size of the Granaries in Floriana), the representative rebutted by stating that this area was also equivalent to the combined footprint occupied by the National Stadium, Centenary Stadium and training grounds.