A war of words between the NGO Flimkien Ghal Ambjent Ahjar and St John's Co-Cathedral Foundation continued this morning, with the FAA accusing the foundation of violating the Aarhus Convention on harassment of environmental activists.
The two have locked horns over the foundation's proposals to extend its museum by creating underground chambers below St John Street or building facilities at St John's church yard.
Flimkien ghal Ambjent Ahjar said it was surprised that the foundation had expressed itself so strongly against public participation in the St. John’s Cathedral debate in a statement earlier this week.
"By failing to hold a public presentation before submitting the applications, as is the norm when dealing with a project affecting Malta’s premier national monument, the foundation clearly looked upon the public’s interest as unwelcome and uncalled-for trespassing on the hallowed grounds of "experts", the FAA charged.
"Far from being based on speculation, FAA’s stand on the St. John’s case has been arrived at after researching the information available, attending the foundation’s presentation, widespread consultation and studying the MEPA file and plans three times. Just as FAA committee members are not experts in the matter, neither are the members of the foundation. On this subject FAA is also echoing the views of other entities including MEPA, the Superintendence of Cultural Heritage, the Valletta Local Council and the Church Cultural Heritage Commission," the FAA said.
"By preparing communal objections (to the project), FAA makes it possible for the public to participate in the planning process, a right established by the EU Directive on public participation as well as the Aarhus Convention which the foundation is obliged to respect, being partly appointed by the State. Submitting identical objections does not make them any less valid, however the foundation’s dismissal of the voice of the public is downright patronising and arrogant; a totally inappropriate response coming from an entity that is partly Church-run."
The FAA asked if this attitude had been approved by the Curia and the Archbishop. It said the over 1,050 who objected to MEPA in record numbers represented all of Maltese society, from the layman to many University lecturers and ambassadors.
"The foundation’s disdain of their committed objections is an insult to the Maltese public," the FAA said.
It said it would continue to support the foundation’s efforts to extend the Cathedral museum through more viable, less costly and less disruptive alternatives that respected Malta’s laws on protection of scheduled monuments.
"Leading cathedrals of Europe like Cologne, Vienna, Milan, Florence and Siena, not to mention Mdina, have not resorted to excavation but to off-site museums, an option which deserves serious consideration to house the ancillary collections, offices and restoration workshops," the FAA said.
It said it would also continue to defend the public’s right to voice itself on planning issues through every means at its disposal.