FAA welcomes initiative to preserve historic properties

Environmental pressure group Flimkien għal Ambjent Aħjar (FAA) yesterday welcomed the government's initiative to acquire properties that are of cultural or historical significance.

FAA said the legislation should focus primarily on sites and properties that are at risk. It proposed drawing up a single list of buildings that are of historic and cultural value by experts in the field, as well as a national restoration strategy, listing sites which are in need of urgent work.

"There is a lot of work to be done and, though this legislation is commendable, FAA emphasises that it will be crippled while heritage authorities such as the Superintendence of Cultural Heritage and the Malta Environment and Planning Authority's heritage unit are grossly understaffed and the heritage advisory committee is left without resources.

"While Mepa's DCC boards are allowed to ignore these authorities, treasured structures in our towns and villages will continue to be endangered."

However, FAA said it was laudable that the bill was not only aimed at archaeological sites, fortifications and buildings of architectural merit, but for the first time recognised buildings that were closely connected with major historical events.