Government's duty to protect records

As the coordinator for the Royal Air Force Air Sea Rescue and Marine Craft Sections - Malta Siege Crews Group, may I express the feelings of our members which will, no doubt, be echoed by a large number of veterans of all the armed services who served in Malta during the last siege.

We have worked with Frederick Galea over a number of years in the preparation of his excellent book Call Out and some of us have been members of the National War Museum Association for a number of years.

Our members have donated valuable and rare records, documents, books and photographs etc to the National War Museum. As a result of the arson at Fort St Elmo, much of this valuable material is lost forever and cannot now be replaced.

We consider that the Maltese government has a duty to protect the records of the heritage of Malta but, unfortunately, they appear to show very little concern for the safety of the buildings and records contained therein. Many people visit Malta because of their interest in your heritage and the records which you have of the same. Veterans who still have artefacts which would be of interest to the National War Museum will now have reason to have grave doubts about the security of such and may well decline from offering any more to be kept in Malta.

The best place for all artefacts relating to the heritage of Malta, to be kept and be available to the public, is in Malta. We therefore implore your government to take strong and immediate action to protect all forms of records of your heritage.