The Malta Centre for Restoration will be merged with Heritage Malta on March 22, Tourism and Culture Minister Francis Zammit Dimech said yesterday.

He was speaking during the debate in Parliament on a motion for the approval of the financial estimates of the Superintendence of Cultural Heritage, Heritage Malta and the Malta Centre for Restoration.

Opening the debate, Dr Zammit Dimech spoke on the importance of the cultural heritage as a factor which gave Malta its identity. The cultural heritage was also an important element of the tourism industry.

Dr Zammit Dimech spoke on the role and activities of the various government-appointed bodies involved in the cultural heritage.

He said the Superintendence of Cultural Heritage played the role of regulator. Among its activities were the compilation of an inventory of Malta's cultural heritage. It also participated in the processing of applications for development permits which affected the national heritage and in the scheduling of important buildings. The superintendence monitored works at heritage sites and watched over any transfer of items forming part of Malta's heritage. The superintendence was also involved in national policy making and in this context hosted a national forum, last held in November, for consultations with all interested parties.

The superintendence carried out investigations such as those at Vittoriosa to trace the remains of the Clock Tower.

It also represented Malta in overseas fora and organised activities such as the National Heritage Days.

Dr Zammit Dimech said the superintendence hoped, in a year's time, to present Parliament with a document which would form the basis of a national strategy for the protection of the national heritage including operation frameworks, coordination in the public and voluntary sectors and with the Church and protection methods.

The minister also underlined the role of NGOs for the protection of the national heritage and thanked all volunteers.

Turning to Heritage Malta, Dr Zammit Dimech said this was the government's operational section on the national heritage. Its main purpose was to make the national heritage accessible to as many people as possible.

The government was showing commitment to the sector. In its last budget it allocated Lm1.1 million as recurrent expenditure, an increase of Lm300,000. There was also an increase of Lm70,000 in capital expenditure which would be addressed mostly for the upgrading of the Ggantija site. Heritage Malta was also retaining revenue from ticket sales at heritage sites.

The minister praised the agency for its various initiatives, aimed at giving a future to Malta's past, including publications, presentations, and activities for various sectors, such as children. This was an agency which was being run cost effectively and adding value to Malta's heritage attractions. Indeed, it was actively seeking greater private sector financement for cultural heritage.

The agency over the past year negotiated a new collective agreement, which, importantly, saw heritage attractions being kept open in the afternoons. The agency had also just set up, through a consortium, shops selling information material and related souvenirs at historic sites.

The agency was also active in the promotion of Malta's heritage abroad, such as through exhibitions.

The most important initiatives, however, were better management of historic sites, the restoration of the Domus Romana and the work done at the Inquisitors' Palace, the Palace Armoury, Vilhena Palace, the Archaeology Museum, the Fine Arts Museum and other sites.

Dr Zammit Dimech said the agency had acknowledged that Malta's historic sites should not simply be preserved but they had to be made accessible and presented to the people in a way which was easily understood. This concept was amply demonstrated at the recently reopened Domus Romana. The agency was also turning cultural sites into hives of activity. Over the past year Heritage Malta hosted or organised 167 activities, mostly lectures in 20 museums and other sites.

Dr Zammit Dimech gave an update on the Conservation and Interpretation Project at Hagar Qim and Mnajdra Temples, for which Malta would receive €3.5 million from EU funds.

He said a development permit was expected from Mepa by the end of June. This project involved several tenders. One, on project management, would be awarded by the end of this month, followed over the next few months with tenders on studies of the site, security monitoring and actual construction work.

Turning to the Malta Centre for Restoration, Dr Zammit Dimech said the centre had had a busy year, restoring various buildings and paintings all over Malta.

The centre was also very active in the training of students at all levels. A Masters in Applied Conservation Studies had attracted five students from Malta and abroad.

Dr Zammit Dimech said that as announced in the budget, the centre would be merged with Heritage Malta. This was not, in any way, a reflection on the standards of the centre, which were nothing short of excellent. The only reason for the merger was better financial efficiency as these two organisations worked in the same sector. There was also need for better integration in the heritage sector and, indeed, he would like to see more such mergers. The merger would take place on March 22.

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