Doing now what foreign dominions did not do...

Day by day the Ħaġar Qim visitors' centre project, co-funded by the European Commission from Structural Funds, is gaining more flesh. But it doesn't mean that it is gaining an inch more in grace. On the contrary, the horrendous monstrosity of the ugly building at its present site is slapping everybody who happens to pass by in the face. Except, that is, Heritage Malta which, I presume, put forward the proposal, Mepa which gave its approval, and the Qrendi local council with its deafening and worrying silence on what is happening.

I call on the council to take a stand. And I extend this appeal also to Din l-Art Ħelwa, Nature Trust, The Ramblers' Association and to all environmentalists and history lovers.

I beg you not to take me on my word. Spare a few minutes' drive from whichever place you live in Malta and go and see for yourselves. Go and speak to the visitors to this one of the foremost historical places on the Maltese archipelago and ask if they have a positive opinion or not about the huge steel structure that is taking shape there. In my opinion it has ruined the entire landscape leading to the Ħaġar Qim Temples. It is too ugly, too modern, too huge, too high, too close to the temples, too prominent, thereby divesting the temples of their importance.

To add insult to injury, the second paragraph on the poster stuck to the railings surrounding the construction site says: "The Visitor Centre has been located in an unused part of the existing car park to avoid physical impact on the landscape. It has been designed to have minimal visual impact on Ħaġar Qim Temples".

Incredible and unbelievable!

The horrendous construction has towered above the Ħaġar Qim Temples skyline, it has obstructed half the view uphill to the temple, it has destroyed the psychological peace and tranquillity that used to reign in the area.

And all this, according to the authorities, is the way "to avoid physical impact on the landscape" and "to have minimal visual impact on Ħaġar Qim Temples".

We must really be living in the land of Mickey Mouse.

What goes beyond all my imagination is that the construction is being supported by money from the European Commission. I expected much better tastes from the European Union if they have seen the construction plans in their holistic perspective at all.

In fact, I expect an immediate serious investigation into what is going on and the impact it is having now on the environment.

And to those who dare go and have a look for themselves in these days, let me remind them that what they are marvelling at now is just half of the proposed construction!

This would never have happened under the worst foreign dominion.