Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/503337
maltatoday, WEDNESDAY, 29 APRIL 2015 News 2 Oceana Restaurant at the Hilton. Hilton Malta Hotel, Portomaso, St Julians. PTM 01. Malta Call. +356 21 383 383 www.hiltonmaltahotel.com Celebrate Mother's day at the Hilton Malta. This Mother's day our chefs have paid extra attention to present a lavish buffet for all to enjoy. E V E R Y M O M E N T H A S A S T O R Y Adults €60 Children €25 Compilmentary parking on first come first served basis. Inside Renzo Piano's parliament building Permanent exhibition to be housed in new foyer, but security measures to be amped up at the building MARTINA BORG REPRESENTATIVES of the me- dia were yesterday taken round the new Renzo Piano parliament building – where the House of Representatives will start meet- ing from Monday – with Speaker Anglu Farrugia pointing out that securit y measures will mean that all those entering the building will be screened. MPs, he said, would also have a special identification card to gain access to the offices and plenary chamber. The new parliament, gracing the new impressive entrance to the capital, was built to the de- sign of Italian architect Piano, and has cost some €45 million, which is double what was origi- nally budgeted. The contrast could hardly be greater between the new location and the one the parliament is re- linquishing – after the Tapestry Chamber, where heated debates left their ink mark on historic Flemish tapestries, the House of Representatives had moved to the centuries-old and historic Palace Armoury – Malta's parlia- ment always had imposing meet- ing chambers, where history was written. Now it moves to Renzo Piano's grand building, newly built to fit into historic surroundings. Ple- nary meetings will be aired on television. Speaker Farrugia took journal- ists on a tour of the new build- ing and explained that access to the surrounding area would not be completely off-limits, though concerns have been expressed about securit y. The police had recommended banning access to the public along the building's perimeter, but Farrugia said that securit y features would also be discussed in the future, with a possibilit y of installing new bollards as a form of protection. During the tour Farrugia ex- plained that the entrance would be open to the public and that it would house a permanent exhi- bition about the history of the parliament ranging from 1921 to the present day. "The exhibition will include interesting historical points, like changes in the constitution. An- other section of the foyer will al- so be used to house other exhibi- tions," Farrugia said, explaining that many had already expressed an interest in exhibiting their work here. "May will see an exhibition of works created by inmates at Cor- radino Correctional Facilit y," Farrugia said stressing that this aimed to show that the parlia- ment was a building for all the people of the country. During the tour, Farrugia ex- plained that the plenary cham- ber could hold up to 80 MPs, and that the desks were partially re- tractable to offer more space. He added that the prime minister and ministers would be sitting on the speaker's right hand, with the prime minister being seated on the third seat on his right, while opposition MPs would be on the corresponding side opposite. The Speaker said that chair- men of the various committees would be sitting right opposite the chairs and that they would no longer be divided by part y leanings. He also stressed the premium being given to time re- strictions. "The Speaker now has control over how long MPs' interven- tions can be by means of a Per- spex sheet which changes colour from green to red to show speak- ers when they are out of time," he said, adding that the stipulated time period would be discussed and agreed by both parties. The plenary meetings will also be broadcast on TV, radio and on the internet, with MPs being filmed as they speak. Parliament will also be getting its own tel- evision channel on the Melita network. Addressing concerns about the sound-proofing of the chamber, the Speaker said that these de- tails would only be discovered on the official opening of the build- ing next Monday. Farrugia said that the press chamber can house 25 reporters at a time and that the strangers' gallery would accommodate a to- tal of 150 people. "The building also caters for the possible need of interpreters in the case of international con- ferences," Farrugia said, showing the media the two interpreters' booths on the lower level of the building. PHOTOGRAPHY BY RAY ATTARD Unusual exterior – the new parliament building Speaker Anglu Farrugia and (right) the parliament chamber