19 - 25 October 2000

Speakers corner comes to Bay Street

Individuals wishing to express their sentiments, articulate their thinking or vent their anger on a particular issue or institution will from 25 November be given the right to speak in public at Bay Street’s Speakers’ Corner. Based on the same elements that have sustained London’s Speakers’ Corner at Hyde Park for over 150 years, the speakers will be given a full licence to talk about anything under the sun as long as they do not insult, hurt or ridicule other individuals.
Speakers’ sessions at Bay Street will be held daily from Monday to Sunday from 10.30 am to 1.30 pm. All one needs to do is to register and sign up to speak anytime up to 30 days before the intended speech.
Speakers may put their names down to speak every day for a whole month. A Bay Street town crier will announce the roll-call of the speakers for the day at the beginning of each speaking session. No sound amplification will be permitted and speakers will provide their own soap boxes.
Speaking about the Bay Street Speakers’ Corner, Albert Marshall, coordinator of the project stated that “the introduction of the Speakers’ Corner forms part of our philosophy of making Bay Street accessible to all. We are taking this project seriously in order to create a unique scenario where local and foreign visitors can meet in a pleasurable atmosphere. There will be no entry requirements, no rules of intellectual formality and above all no class restrictions imposed on the speakers. In coordinating this project we have also consulted the Commissioner of Police in order to obtain the necessary permits and to ensure that everything will be done above board.”
Mr Marshall added that “we are expecting the Speakers’ Corner to attract soap box speakers from all walks of society. Generally speakers would want to talk about bread-and-butter issues but other themes like the arts and community affairs are also expected to be popular.”
Individuals wishing to reserve the right to speak at the Bay Street’s Speakers’ Corner are asked to write to Bay Street’s Speakers’ Corner, The Penthouse, 114, The Strand, Gzira GZR 03.