A labour of love

The renovation of Palazzo Falson at Mdina and the restoration of the numerous artefacts to be found therein cannot be described as other than a labour of love.

It has been an arduous task over many years and we are now regaled with this monument to history and culture. This task required great perseverance and relentless courage. These are qualities the man behind the project, Maurice de Giorgio, chairman of Patrimonju Malti, certainly possesses.

I do not need to heap praise on this gentleman who has given a unique gift to the nation. This was amply done by the President of Malta and by the Minister of Culture at the official inauguration of the palazzo held at the Presidential Palace.

If I had to single out what I believe is Mr De Giorgio's foremost quality, I would choose "meticulous".

Perhaps detail is the dominant aspect of the renovation and restoration of Palazzo Falson. This aspect has also been reflected in the many memorable exhibitions held by Patrimonju in the past, as well as the regular publications it issues.

Of course, it would be unfair not to mention the team which the chairman of Patrimonju has around him, both members of his committee and the technical staff involved in the project, who gave him their full support. But any project, particularly a monumental one, requires a mover and a leader and Mr De Giorgio was just that.

It is a pity that we do not have many of his ilk around us. There are so many other sites that require serious renovation and restoration. One, on a totally different scale, is our capital city. Valletta is crying out for attention. It is largely neglected and deteriorating. It is crying out for full- (not half-) hearted rehabilitation. What is perhaps worse and very, very alarming is the danger that it will lose its status as a Unesco World Heritage Site, a status it was granted some 20 years ago, presumably after no mean effort.

Ray Bondin, a relentless crusader for the rehabilitation of our historic cities, is right to be seriously worried and I can assure him he has the support of all who have an iota of national pride.

But what has gone wrong? I and many others have been writing about the state of the capital for many years. Not only has little been done, but we have heard nothing official from the authorities. And I doubt we know who these authorities are: the government, the local council, Mepa, Heritage Malta? Someone has to be responsible.

The local council is responsible for Valletta's upkeep, but can do nothing about its structural rehabilitation, except exert pressure. The government certainly shoulders the ultimate responsibility. Mepa must guard against structural degeneration, the antithesis to rehabilitation. I don't know if and when Heritage Malta (which I must stress is doing another great job under its chairman, Mario Tabone) comes into the equation at all.

A lack of funds has always been mentioned as an obstacle to Valletta's rehabilitation. But Mdina, admittedly much smaller, has been rehabilitated. The Three Cities, by far the most difficult task, are being given due attention. Surely, EU funds can be sourced for our capital city. Have any of the millions of euros Malta has been allocated by the EU been earmarked for Valletta's rehabilitation? Surely, the Opera House site deserves attention in international fora?

Sometimes, things are just inexplicable! I propose that a national conference be held, involving all authorities involved, as well as our hard working environmental NGOs and representatives of civil society. Perhaps a stronger awareness resulting in a greater national conscience will be aroused and Project Valletta will finally get going.

On a similar note, the judicial letter filed last week by a Maltese migrant against the cultural authorities (provided its contents are correct) also give cause for concern.

Gejtano Mifsud claims he donated three funeral horse-drawn carriages to the museum authorities over 20 years ago to be exhibited in the National Folklore Museum. These are over 60 years old. However, the, now probably priceless, antique pieces are not only in a state of neglect but have never been exhibited.

Those of us who remember these funeral carriages in use can appreciate their cultural value. The gilded gold hearses alone are a true work of art. Museums belong to us all. Accordingly, the donation was made to the Maltese people. What right do the authorities have to hide them away and allow them to fall into a state of neglect?

What is going on? When will we get our act in order?