Heritage Malta, please note!

We talk a lot and do very little. This laissez-faire attitude is nowhere as evident as in our most important industry - tourism. People, including tourists, write to the newspapers listing our shortcomings. Meetings and seminars are organised regularly, but what is the outcome? Nothing. If one had to analyse the results of one's efforts aimed at improving prevailing problems one would really lose heart and give up. The simplest interventions take an eternity.

The Malta Union of Tourist Guides has organised various meetings with Heritage Malta in the hope of initiating a spring-cleaning process. We have made simple suggestions to improve site appearance and efficiency. These things don't cost much; all it takes is for somebody to listen and pay attention. We inevitably received sympathetic affirmations that our complaints and proposals are perfectly justified, but that's where it ends.

Something needs to be done. We refuse to lay back and care less. In our effort to improve standards on our tourist excursions, consequently making Malta more tourist-friendly we have decided to go public, in the hope that somebody will take us seriously.

We are hereby listing salient points we have discussed over and over again with Heritage Malta, to no avail:

One of the main problems that needs to be addressed and resolved urgently is the staircase leading to the State Rooms in the Palace. As things stand, the same dark, narrow, winding staircase is used by groups going up and groups going down. This is dangerous; accidents have happened and will continue to happen if something is not done immediately. We recommend that this staircase be used for one-way traffic. Another staircase has to be made available to enable tourists to descend safely and in an organised manner.

The corridor that leads from the Armoury to Neptune's Courtyard stinks. Drainage problems at the Palace need to be addressed urgently. Toilets are highly inadequate. Hundreds of visitors tour the Armoury and the State Rooms and only one toilet is available in the Armoury. More often than not this is very dirty or out of order.

Disabled visitors are unable to tour the State Rooms as access through Neptune's Courtyard is usually denied. This problem is applicable to most sites under Heritage Malta administration.

In the catacombs poor lighting and numerous potholes are potentially hazardous. Unwary visitors tend to fall and hurt themselves. The absence of a custodian in the catacombs often results in the unruly behaviour of certain visitors. A telephone connection should be installed to link the catacombs to the office on the ground floor level to be used in case of emergency.

At Hagar Qim the opening up of the back gate to give access to the passage leading to the Mnajdra temple will facilitate tour visits. The installation of a simple turnstile would prevent gatecrashers from accessing the temple. As things stand, tourists have to walk over a rocky, slippery stretch of land to access the passage. Safety precautions and accessibility should be given top priority.

Ghar Dalam is poorly lit and the pedestrian path inside the cave is hazardous. Existing rails do not offer secure protection. A telephone line linking the cave with the custodian in the museum is indispensable.

In the Hypogeum licensed tourist guides should be allowed to guide their group. Visitors who do not understand English are clearly at a disadvantage.

In all sites administered by Heritage Malta toilets need upgrading.

Certain visiting places are not accessible to all; some senior citizens opt to rest. It would be ideal to create a small rest area in a strategic place where people can sit down comfortably in the shade while waiting for the group.

Most sites we visit are in urgent need of a general clean-up. Weeding and clearing up of rubbish that has accumulated in and around the sites would definitely give an instant facelift. The planting of some plants, flowers and trees would help in making the sites more welcoming.

In the Archaeological Museum the situation is largely unchanged. Only the Neolithic and the Temple Age artifacts are exhibited. This is giving our visitors only a partial view of our archaeological heritage.

Heritage Malta's policy of making tourist guides on an individual visit buy their entrance ticket is deplorable. Tourist guides need to be well prepared in order to conduct a site tour; it is thus indispensable for them to visit these sites as often as necessary before the tour to build up their knowledge of the place and formulate their commentary. All sites should be made available to all licensed tourist guides free of charge.