Monday, 6th October 2008

Heritage sites must be protected, MLP spokesman says

The Labour Party has criticised the government for not protecting Tarxien Temples and ignoring advice to build a shelter to protect the heritage site from harsh weather conditions.

Part of a wall in one of the apses of Tarxien Temples collapsed during heavy rain last Wednesday.

Owen Bonnici, Labour spokesman for youth and culture, said that between 1996 and 1998 the MLP had a full plan for the protection of these megalithic temples but, for some reason, the Nationalist Party did not follow through with the plans.

Dr Bonnici pointed out that the temples had also been damaged in 1999 due to bad weather. The government had since adopted a management-by-crisis attitude on the matter but it should have a clear vision when it came to the management of such heritage sites.