The guns of the Gozo Cathedral (2)

Reference is made to Joseph Apap's letter entitled 'Return the Citadel guns' (The Sunday Times, May 27). Like Mgr Gauci in previous correspondence (May 13), Mr Apap stressed that these two guns were removed at night. This is not correct. Heritage Malta personnel, with members of the Armed Forces of Malta, arrived at the Citadel at 6 p.m.

Mass was being celebrated in the Cathedral, so the team waited for Mass to end before proceeding to remove the cannon. It was also decided to conduct this operation in the evening, so as not to disrupt the daily activities at the Citadel.

I would like to assure Mr Apap that Heritage Malta has applied and obtained all the necessary permits, as well as informed all the stakeholders, including the Gozo ecclesiastical authorities before removing the cannon.

In a recent parliamentary question (No. 25,405), Tourism and Culture Minister Francis Zammit Dimech confirmed that all bronze cannon were removed by Heritage Malta following the approval of all civil and ecclesiastical authorities concerned.

For the record, Heritage Malta removed guns from Mdina, Floriana and Valletta - and not just from the Citadel.

On a separate note, contrary to what was reported in the 'Gozo Newsletter' on May 27, Heritage Malta did lower its fees by 50 per cent to the Old Prison and the Museum of Archaeology in the Citadel during the Lejlet Lapsi - Notte Gozitana.