Our heritage and the environment

The other day I saw a film that I had not seen for a long time. The film was called The Malta Story.

It is a film about the defence of Malta during the war and the terrible trials that both the British and the Maltese went through during that time in order to survive and triumph over the incredible odds that were stacked against them.

It is a film that every Maltese who is feeling a little bit inferior should see. It is a film that every parent who wishes their children to be proud to be Maltese and to be very proud of what Maltese people are capable of doing should see. It is a film that all children and each generation of Maltese children should see.

It is a film that the local cinemas should show to the general public. I believe it is that significant and important.

If this doesn't happen, and it probably won't, then the film can be purchased at local video stores for about Lm5. It will be the best fiver you will ever spend and, if after seeing this film your eyes are still dry, then you are a much stronger person than I.

What is so important about this film?

Apart from showing the desperate struggle to survive, all the hardships endured at that time and the eventual triumph, it also showed the tremendous bombardment that Malta endured during that time.

The film was made quite soon after the war, so the country was still showing a great deal of bomb damage. After the thousands of tons of bombs that fell on Malta, you can see buildings after buildings badly damaged or destroyed. The whole country was in a terrible state. An island so full of the most beautiful, historical buildings, was practically razed to the ground.

After the war, the Maltese took a deep breath, looked at all the destruction and started to rebuild. It was an amazing undertaking that took great character and enterprise.

Incredibly, out of all this rubble there remained a significant number of historic buildings that were either untouched or were capable of being renovated. These were tackled over a period of time and after about 15 years Malta was practically rebuilt, a great number of new properties erected and many of our beautiful old buildings saved.

Our lovely old structures were built by our ancestors for us to use and admire. They were saved or renovated after one of the most terrible and prolonged air bombardments in history. We now have the utmost obligation to look after them and preserve them for future generations. We have no right to let them fall to pieces or be vandalised. Too many people paid too much and worked so much for them to be preserved.

It is also very significant that, at the present time, the largest and most important industry we have in Malta also needs them, and needs them very badly.

They are vital for a successful tourism product.

Many other countries have good weather, lovely seas, beautiful beaches and we have to fight very hard to compete with these places. But no other country in the world has so many beautiful and historic buildings in such a small area, that are worth preserving, visiting and admiring.

Let us thank God we still have them and let us make sure we look after them.

Mr Salt, a real estate agent, is a former chairman of the Malta Tourism Authority's product planning and development directorate.