Call for public inquiry into Marsa historic find

The Archaeological Society of Malta has called for the appropriate legal steps to be taken against those responsible for any possible disturbance and destruction of the Roman port remains exposed during trench works in Marsa.

The society said a public inquiry should be ordered since in the opinion of qualified archaeologists, trenching and digging works in the vicinity of the Old Tram Station in Marsa were damaging the archaeological remains.

The issue was broached in yesterday's issue of The Times, which reported that the Superintendent of Cultural Heritage Anthony Pace had asked for the designs for a new storm water channel to be revised if further damage is to be stopped.

The society recommended that professional archaeologists carry out a thorough investigation of the exposed features and possibly of those that may lie buried in the area.

"Such deposits are simply irreplaceable and their loss would mean the loss of significant information concerning Malta's Roman and possibly Byzantine past," society president Patricia Camilleri said.

Malta is a signatory to the European Convention on the Protection of the Archaeological Heritage 1992 (Valletta Convention) and cannot ignore its duties under that Convention, the society charged.

The Works' Division, which is carrying out the works, is however faced with a dilemma, since the canal being built in Marsa is considered to solve much of the flooding problem in the area.

Contacted yesterday, a spokesman for the Resources and Infrastructure Ministry said that a "method statement" had been drawn up with the Heritage Superintendent in order to continue with the required works.

"We have no intention to bulldoze our way through the remains and we're working under the supervision of the Superintendent of Heritage, so much so that works have been delayed by a month," the spokesman said.

However, in the meantime, a source close to the actual project said the authorities were faced with a catch-22 situation.

"We have to choose between solving a flooding problem which has been getting worse for decades or transforming the area into a major historic site. It's not going to be easy.

"We also have to take into consideration the fact that a lot of electricity cables that feed the south go through that area," the source said.