Faith: The property of all

I have always gladly supported Heritage Malta in its efforts for Malta's cultural heritage. The latest occasion was Claire Baluci's concert in support of the restoration of four major paintings of the Caravaggio school.

Having again read about the saga of the Gloster Sea Gladiator Faith in the Malta Aviation Museum Foundation's Windsock newsletter (April-June 2007) and Heritage Malta's obstructive tactics, as if the aircraft was its own personal property, I am starting to have serious doubts about the agency's real agenda.

Its PR executive, Pierre Cassar's protestations that it has no hidden agenda in the issue of whether Faith should be transferred to its rightful home (the Aviation Museum) for restoration and fitting exhibition in the Air Battle of Malta Memorial Hangar needs much more than just words to be believed.

If I am not mistaken, Faith is the property of all the Maltese people, not Heritage Malta's. And as the elected representative of the Maltese people (even of those who did not vote for it) the government should feel in dutybound to intervene in this issue.

Let me assure the Prime Minister that any toe-treading on Heritage Malta's seeming empire-building aspirations will be more than compensated for by making thousands of aviation enthusiasts happy - quite besides the satisfaction of doing what is right, of course.

As one of those aviation enthusiasts, I am starting to have serious doubts about whether I should continue to support Heritage Malta's efforts until this issue is solved in the only way it should be.

Of course, it would be a high price to pay for any culture buff, but if it gets the desired end result, it would be a price well paid.

How about it, aviation enthusiasts? Let's really make our protests heard via our pockets.