Foundation accuses detractors of misleading public
A virtual reality image submitted by Bencini and Associates of the roofing over the churchyard with a transparent material to create a visitors centre.
The St John's Co-Cathedral Foundation has expressed serious concern over the proposal made by Flimkien għal Ambjent Aħjar and Friends of the Earth to utilise part of St John's Co-Cathedral or its adjacent historical buildings as an exhibition space.
The Foundation said that it was alarmed that such organisations felt that they were in a position to make such a proposal without conducting any sort of professional or technical research.
The proposal, the Foundation said, goes against the interests of Malta's national heritage and of the co-cathedral and the treasures found within it.
Reacting to Wednesday's press conference held by the two NGOs which are highly critical of the proposed extension of the Co-Cathedral museum, the Foundation accused them - and particularly Flimkien għal Ambjent Aħjar - of mounting a "destructive campaign based on wrong information, sensational statements and misconceptions".
The Foundation said that it was neither sensible nor logical to propose using St John's co-cathedral or parts of it as an "exhibition space" and at the same time argue for the relocation of the museum somewhere else. The buildings within the co-cathedral and the extended museum within the premises should be used specifically and only to exhibit the treasures and priceless jewels that were given to St John's Co-Cathedral throughout its history.
The Foundation stressed that the palazzo mentioned by the organisations as a possible venue for the extended museum is not adequate because it is not linked to the complex of premises of St John's and because it is not large enough to exhibit the priceless historical collection of tapestries which is being professionally restored.
It stressed that a critical success factor of the proposed extension is for it to be located within or adjacent to the premises of the co-cathedral. The extension is urgently needed to better manage the influx of visitors which is approaching 450,000 visitors each year, the Foundation said.
The Foundation claimed that Flimkien għal Ambjent Aħjar has been actively campaigning and sending e-mails to members of the public to ensure that it will manage to collect a large number of objections to the project.
"As a result, very probably, Mepa has received 1,500 copies of the very same protest that FAA has formulated. Unfortunately, Flimkien għal Ambjent Aħjar has based its campaign on wrong information and speculation and it has never given or presented to the public or the people it has been contacting any professional or technical information, and, therefore, it has misled the public," it said.
The Foundation appealed to both NGOs to treat the issue in a technical and professional way.
It stressed that, as soon as Mepa prepares the terms of reference, it will be conducting all the necessary environment impact assessments to ensure that it will not expose the Co-Cathedral or any of the treasures to any real or apparent risks.
Moreover, the Foundation will be commissioning scientific studies as well as other specialised studies of a historical nature that will go beyond the environmental impact assessment to ensure that the proposed extension will not pose any risk to the co-cathedral and neither to the artefacts within it, it said.
Popular Stories
Update 3: Woman found dead in car,...
Updated: Woman dies in car crash
Part of Dwejra 'Azure window' collapses
Updated: Shot migrant in critical...
The end of the bar that ‘never closed’
Bundy does not know whether to...
This WAS the night - Kurt makes it...
Yana Mintoff: Family speaking to...
Petrol price up 6c
In Discussion
5 Comments
Post comment
Please sign in or create your Account to post comments.
M Camenzuli
Aug 22nd 2008, 16:51
This NO...NO...NO from FAA for anything that develops and enhances
anything has now become off-putting.
For people who have been to cutting-edge museums abroad
this is an excellent project that will put our Co-Cathedral Museum
on the map of world-class museums where it belongs.
We have this backward looking maxim in Malta of 'Don't Touch Anything' -
just like the lazy guy in the parable of the talents
who hid his talent and the Lord punished him and told him that
even if he had deposited it in a bank he would have got more.
For those saying this is a graveyard,
even the Co-Cathedral proper is a graveyard.
In the Co-Cathedral we even walk over the gravestones of the Knights.
In a related page, someone mentioned Les Invalides in Paris.
Even there they have a modern museum.
Les Invalides contains 'L'Institution Nationale des Invalides'
which is a retirement home for war veterans,
with a hospital and surgical centre.
In Paris too, you have Pei's Pyramid at the Louvre.
And in the British Museum, Lord Foster
glazed over the Great Court.
But in Britain and France,
they celebrate such architects.
Here we have FAA to keep repeating NO...NO...NO...NO...NO...NO...
Anthony Briffa
Aug 22nd 2008, 15:35
Where does government feature in this project? This time last year, for several weeks, all who went by St. John's Sqaure and Merchant Street had to endure the disruption that was caused by the paving project. The commercial community around the Co-Cathedral was at a stand still. A big sum from the taxpayers money was spent and the project was inaugurated with a lot of pomp with a walk about by the Prime Minister, Ministers and other high ranking people. My question is, first of all, where was the foundation when those works were in hand? Was the government aware of the foundation's intentions about this project? Surely,a project of such entity and involving such a sensitive area of the capital did not come to this stage in such a short period of time; preparations must have been in hand for at least a few years. The Minister responsible for the National Heritage and the Prime Minister who is responsible for `Mepa should step in before it is to late. Valletta cannot face another shut down , which would last for a few years. If this project is finally undertaken, it will be the final blow to the city.
C Gatt
Aug 22nd 2008, 15:21
The unfolding saga of the foundation vs the NGO's would be amusing if it were not so ridiculous. The foundation has created for itself a mega-pr disaster. Its press releases smack of a siege mentality which should have been avoided at all costs.
Then again taking a look at the people running the place this is hardly surprising.
It accuses the FAA of basing ' its campaign on wrong information and speculation and it has never given or presented to the public or the people it has been contacting any professional or technical information, and, therefore, it has misled the public," without giving a proper presentation itself. in fact if it were not for the pressure created by the FAA, it is highly likely that the Foundation would not even have bothered explaining itself thus far.
It would also be interesting to hear what the dormant watchdog Superintendance of Heritage has to say
v.pulis
Aug 22nd 2008, 12:26
Refering to the artist's impression published with this article. There is no indication as to where the canteen/cafeteria is to be located. This matter is only one of the many questions being asked by Joe public. If the foundation wants the public to form a healthy view of the proposed project it should give all the details. Unless and until this is done no one can blame the public of having doubts about the whole business. I assure you that the public is concerned because thank God there are still some who cherish our heritage and have no other interest other than seeing this heritage safeguarded.
Franco Farrugia
Aug 22nd 2008, 09:56
The more that the Foundation chooses to attack the so-called 'detractors', the more it is very clear that this is yet another fait accompli, and that all is prepared for this monstruous development to proceed, because it has the blessing of a few people - the people who count!
' A critical success factor of the proposed extension is for it to be located within or adjacent to the premises of the co-cathedral.' - At Mdina, the Cathedral Museum is not 'within' or adjacent to' the Metropolitan Cathedral. And yet, none would question its 'success factor'.
And why should it be up to the Foundation to conduct studies? Why shouldn't it be some other independent entity to do so?
How can the Foundation think that the public is so ignorant as to think that we cannot make our own minds up? How can the Foundation think that, in order to bring to order the many tourists visitng the Cathedral every day, it has to DESTROY an important part of the fabric of St John's?
Bencini and Associates - now, we also know who the architects are behind this monstruous project.
WHERE IS THE ARCHBISHOP IN ALL THIS?