Preserving Valletta’s skyline (2)

• I feel a great urge to kick myself for refraining from criticising earlier the monstrous erection on the roof of the property in Old Bakery Street, Valletta, as an extension to the Family Court in Strait Street. It was certainly not due to my lack of conviction but only to a feeling of sheer futility.

I have to suffer the horrendous look, slap on my face, every morning as I leave my house right opposite on the other side of the street. This building is so intrusive and towering that it overlooks a corridor at the back side of my house that was identified by Leonard Mahoney as built by Francesco Buonamici in 1640 as his own residence. I did not spare myself any pain in restoring this property with caring sensitivity, earning in the process a prized acknowledgement by Din l-Art Ħelwa, and publicly by Ray Bondin. We now have this indecent structure, which has been dubbed as the Judges’ Chambers, and, ironically, sitting on the house that was for a great many years the residence of Judge Anthony Montanaro Gauci, of revered memory.

I do not see any remedy to the situation short of putting the whole thing down or to a level that it cannot be seen from the street. Any other solution would only show that two yardsticks are being used considering the strict norms that are imposed in other areas. With all due respect to Unesco regulations, we should keep our house in order for the love of beauty and culture. Anything that comes beyond that will be appreciated and cherished.