Cotton museum for Zebbug

I very often roam the old, narrow streets of my town enjoying its unique and almost mediaeval setting. Having spent time abroad, I have learnt to be observant and notice details. My town has many strengths and, alas, some weaknesses, too.

Thanks to the hard work put in recently by the local council, the historic centre and 12 roads encircling it, and the area commonly referred to as Tad-Dawl, have all been upgraded, and new road surfacing and infrastructural facilities have been newly installed.

The flow of traffic has consequently been re-thought and intelligently reorganised. The pjazza, with its truly baroque buildings, is always very busy, with all the bustle that goes on around the clock.

Undoubtedly, the rest of the town has a very long list of infrastructural priorities, the execution of which depends largely on meagre finances. Very impressive are the very old buildings, some of which are extremely well maintained and used as homes that look very modest from the outside but luxurious and stately on the inside. Unfortunately, other buildings are left to deteriorate and rot. A case in point is a derelict building (picture) half way along Vassalli Street, a meandering narrow street, and a few hundred metres away from the town's historic centre. It used to be the very first elementary school in the village, over a century and a half ago. Presumably, the building is scheduled, and therefore cannot be pulled down. The frontage, uniquely decorated in local limestone lavur, is a work of art.

The premises are not used at all. Loose masonry occasionally falls down, an obvious risk to passers-by. I understand that a few years back the local council was about to enter into negotiations with the owners to rehabilitate the building, maintain it properly and use it to house the many old agricultural items, and cotton wooden machinery, that are still treasured in this rural area, thus creating the first "cotton museum" on the island. This project would at the same time put the town on the tourist map.