Safeguarding cultural heritage

The explosion of the makeshift fireworks depot during the celebration of the feast of Saint Lawrence on August 10 has opened once again the debate on the use of Fort St Angelo as a launching pad for the firing of petards and other type of pyrotechnic rockets.

Yet, the press release issued by Fondazzjoni Wirt Artna on this event, and their plea against the use of Fort St Angelo for such activities, leaves much to be desired.

I am not against the plea for the safeguarding of the fort, but their appeal that certain organisations should have been consulted over whether or not petards should be fired from it needs to be rectified.

Fondazzjoni Wirt Artna insisted that both the Superintendence for Cultural Heritage and the Cottonera Waterfront Group should have been consulted. However, the past records of these organisations, with particular regard to a number of decisions that have been taken in the past concerning Vittoriosa, does not qualify them to be consulted on the safeguard of cultural heritage. Historic buildings in Vittoriosa have been irredeemably destroyed.

The Malta Historical Society thinks that these organisations and associations do not have the necessary qualifications to be consulted on the safeguard and preservation of our historical past.