Cafe owner goes to war over plans for gunner’s quarters

M Cachia

Nov 1st 2012, 20:29

Rajt 2 filmati u b rispett kollu MR M.Farrugia mhux qed tikonvinci xejn hlief li jkun restawrat is sur,rigawrd li huwa propost muzew etc li ma nistax nifhem tal imma daqs ha jkunu dawn:muzew ,store,toilet etc nahseb iktar skuza pulita. Bhala cittadin malti nipreferi kif jinsab illum mejda,siggu u kafe ghal kwiet . Grazzi

Joseph Scerri

Jul 27th 2012, 08:31

@ Mario Farrugia. Sur Farrugia niggarantilek li kieku ikolli l'ghajnuna bhal ma tinghata lil kunsill tal-Birgu ibqa cert li daqs il-Birgu naghmlu hoss. Haga biss neghidlek mill-E.U gew fondi biex jittrangaw is-swar . 30,000,000 euros . Jekk idur il-Birgu is-swar kollha imdawrin bli'scafolding xoghol li qieghed jaghmel il-gvern, jekk idurr is-swar ta' Bormla u l'kumplament tal-Kottonera qedin jaqaw bicca bicca. Dik hi differenza

Joe Fenech

Jul 25th 2012, 12:25

Malta's skyline and environment have been destroyed. In 25 of PN government nothing has been done in term of sustainable energy. The country has been given the final stab by illegal immigration. Then what do we worry about? A lousy gunner's room !

Steven Camilleri

Jul 25th 2012, 11:45

@ Mr Joe Grech ......is it now , 70 years after the end of WW2 that the people of Mosta are asking about this Air Raid Siren ?

Mr Scerri dosen't want to be screamed at............well if you wore a uniform it was you yourself that applied to be a so called toy soldier ......and if you really are a historian as many your ilk claim to be by attaining a masters in university you should well know that Victorian military regiments are all about screaming and shouting ............it isn't really our fault if at FWA reanactors do things by the book as they originally were .

I have worked for Mr.Farrugia for 5 years . With just like any other previous employers he has his own character . Mr Farrugia offers people who want to learn every opportunity to learn .

And without going into this legal argument.....No FWA ? No Lascaris, No Rinella , No MAW, No Saluting Battrey ..............its ironic that so called people who like history are taking the side of a business man who plays around for his own pocket...............as to regarding Maltese people paying to visit all FWA's sites...........FWA offers a membership of 24 Euros per Family each year for visiting all the sites it holds ...hardly gonna make a hole in your pocket is it .but then again ....he got his caffeteria cause he loves Valletta ......what a joke

M. Baron

Jul 25th 2012, 11:28

In 2010 FWA applied under PA05408/10 for "alteration works at the Saluting Battery to provide entrance/ticketing area, viewing point, toilet and starage enclosure"; NO MENTION OF ANY MASTER GUNNERS QUARTERS!

In May of 2011 FWA applied under PA01110/11 for "proposed cleaning/refurbishment works to make original Lascaris war rooms and St. Peter and Paul Counterguard fit for public visits: AGAIN NO MENTION OF ANY MASTER GUNNERS QUARTERS!

Then only a few months later on the 22 FEB 2012, one finds yet again a fresh application PA01237/12 "to re-build the master gunners quarters? Surely FWA did not learn of the existence of these quarters only a few months ago? Why wasn't their re-building applied for in either one of the two other very recent applications? What is the real reason behind this latest application?

Joe Grech

Jul 25th 2012, 08:31

Mr. Farrugia, the people of Mosta would like to know how come the siren that was until recently at the Civil Defence Post at Targa Gap has ended up in the FWA's possession?

The Civil Defence Post is a scheduled monument and no one had given permission for the removal of the siren.

Do your sponsors GO and Bank of Valletta know about this?

Joe Grech

Jul 24th 2012, 18:50

To Mr. Mario Farrugia: in your reply to Tarcision Bonnici, you mention your restoration of Notre Dame Gate (Bieb is-Sultan) but you forgot to mention that it was the Ministry for Resources and Rural Affairs that restored the roof there through the Cottonera Rehabilitation Project. Why are you so reluctant to give credit to your benefactors, you so keen to take the credit for everything and pretend that you're "self-funded".

You also forgot to mention how Malta Tourism Authority paid for the restoration of Madliena Fort or that MEPA paid for the restoration of Fort San Anard. MRRA also repaired the Saluting Battery no? And remind me, what was it that Ministry of Infrastructure paid? And how come the Good Causes Fund gives you something almost every year, even to spent 60,000 euros on a cannon that never belonged in Malta? How come you get so much more than other NGOs who do very valid work in this field?

Again in your reply to S Scerri who do you avoid admitting that your salary is paid by the Goverment, like two of FWA's other employees until you fell out with one of them recently? Why does your website say "No statutorial support is offered by the Government." when the word 'statutorial' does not even exist - another attempt to pull wool over people's eyes?

Well, I'm sorry for people like your sponsors Bank of Valletta and GO who are taken in, is that how you have managed to set up such grand offices with leather sofas, instead of spending that money on restoring heritage? The sponsors may be taken in, but the public is not!

S Scerri

Jul 24th 2012, 16:59

Valerie Calleja (probably a FWA employee) you accuse James Tyrrell of talking about things and organisations he does not know; well here is a description of Mario Farrugia and FWA from someone who obviously knows him well:


I’m a historian and I am against Wirt Artna’s proposal
http://camillerimark.wordpress.com/2012/07/24/im-a-historian-and-i-am-against-wirt-artnas-proposal-19-2/

Wirt Artna wants to rebuild a gunner’s quarters where there is currently a cafeteria in the Upper Barrakka Gardens. Don’t be fooled. This is just an arrogant attempt by Wirt Artna to take control of the lower part of the Upper Barrakka because the rebuilding of the gunner’s quarters has no historic value. Not all British era buildings have historic value and there are several criteria which a building must pass in order to be considered historic. It is not easy to grant historic value to a modern era building which was built on a building of an older era. In certain cases, the British misused historic buildings for their strategic interests. One can’t cut a straight line and say, ‘listen as long as it is a British building, it’s history and hence should be given priority over everything else’. In this case, the open space and the free access to the public should be given priority.

I say this with total confidence and with the backing of a University degree in history and not with sheer dilettantism. The sad thing about this issue is that, Mario Farrugia, Wirt Artna’s boss, is a dilettante who has been handed responsibility of numerous historic sites by Government. He was a soldier or a police officer of some sort with a fetish for guns and military history and now he is making good money out of tourists by showing them old guns [imported ones at that, not even genuine guns that served in Malta] and cannons going off. I am pretty sure he is favoured by somebody from Government because no one in his right mind would hand over historical sites to such an arrogant dilettante.

Years back I was employed as one of his toy soldiers to earn some extra money and I left after a couple of weeks after I got tired of being shouted at and treated like a real soldier. I remember Mario perfectly well. Just watch the way he speaks in the Times’ video. It says a lot about himself.

M. Baron

Jul 24th 2012, 14:37

This morning the Cafeteria, open to all, which stands to be replaced by some stuffy latter day British Gunner's house, was patronised by a great Maltese, a genius by the name of Prof. Edward de Bono, who enjoyed the best view that his mother Island has to offer. Prof de Bono, with his revolutionary Lateral Thinking work is perhaps the most distinguished son this nation has ever given to the world. He could have made the Island known to all, had he found the right support, but as usual the prophet is not without honour, except in his own land. The weak and incompetent are threathened by the Great and the Glorious.

Joe Fenech

Jul 24th 2012, 11:00

Why on earth is this room so important?

Why don't the NGOs focus on getting the slums and council flats demolished! Mr Baron is running a business and is not in any way ruining the environment. It's these little cafés that give some life to a boring, dead city.

C Desira

Jul 23rd 2012, 21:57

This is really getting silly now, from behalf of F.W.A staff we totally believe in Mr.Mario Farrugia and that what we do is not for money. For a strange reason some forgot that the balcony of the garden is free for all, and actually that doesn't help us making the millions you are imagining. Mr.Farrugia salary I am sure it is not fair as him self being the director of the organization (not a company) which he lives it, works in all roles from cleaning to guiding and standing in the way of bulldozers when objecting in front heritage site not to be pulled down. This man that truly believes in his mission doesn't deserve this. All because of a few tea pots and sandwiches when the cafeteria owner was offered other agreements to liberate the site, bigger and closer to the view he doesn't have presently. Let more who think they can do his work throw more stones but, hate will only show you darkness. It is because their vision is distorted by the followers of the lie that they value that which is nothing.

John Spiteri Jones

Jul 23rd 2012, 19:58

Wara li qrajt dawn il kummenti bqajt mistageb kemm hawn maltin b mentalita zihira biex ma nighidx injoranti. Ghax flok ma toqodu tmaqdru dak li sar u qed issir fil belt tfahru il dawk kolla li qed jaghamlu xi haga biex isebhu il belt. sa ftit snin ilu jien niftakar il barrakki ta fuq u ta isfel kolla hoffor u hmieg , kont titqases tithol il barrakka a fuq bdik ir riha a awrina u hmieg li kienet hirga mill latrina il qadima. alla hares ma kienx Dr GONZI u AUSTAIN GATT biex issir il bidla li qatt ma rajna bhalla fi belt, insejtuh il hmieg li kien hemm putirjal insejtuhom dawn il hmieg ta xara banks li kelna kolla ipaqpu il horn u issuqu kif gi gi. insejuhom it toroq kolla hofor li kien hemm fil belt, insejuwa l arma ta fuq il main guard motija bil boards mizbuejn hodor u bil kliem arbi. insejtuh il hmig li kien hemm fuq il gebel tal pallazz, tal knisja tal vitorja tal monument fil barrakka tisfel. u hafna affarijiet ohra li saru fil belt u adhom qed issiu, ax ma tghidux li mohhkom bis fil flus u tigu taqaw u tqumu mill postijiet storici tal belt. ghaliex flok ma toqodu tatu it tort il dak u il ihor tiringazjaw l alla li bis sahha to Dr Gonzi PN( u qed namel PN ax naf li GONZI u proud hafna li hu il kap tal PN ) u tiringrazjaw ukoll il AUSTIN GATT al gid imenss li qed jaghmel fil belt. A BIG WELL DONE GOES TO THE PN ,AUSTIN GATT AND LAST BUT NOT LEAST FWA. KEEP GOING WITH WHAT YOU ARE DOING AND IGNORE THESE MONEY GRABING MONY MINIES!

Valerie Calleja

Jul 23rd 2012, 19:51

Mr james Tyrrell, do not pontificate on things and organizations you no nothing about, and has no one ever taught you not to pass personal comments on people you do not know personally.Manners make the man. You obviously have not been taught any either.Well done Mr Farrugia. We admire what you have achieved against all odds and wish you well. You can bank on our continuing support.

Tarcisio Bonnici

Jul 23rd 2012, 19:23

Mr Baron, alas you are in the the way of FWA main objective - the surgical control of all strategic visible points/places directional to Fort St. Angelo/Vittoriosa. Mr. Farrugia's arguments sound hollow when read by the people of Cospicua and to a certain extent,Kalkara who have experienced FWA's direct or indirect influence to an expansion programme under the guise of conservation. Please refer to a map of the Grand Harbour with regards to FWA strategic achievements! FWA headquarters lies in Notre Dame Gate - Vittoriosa, when the locality should read Cospicua, an undeniable historical fact, but due to contortionist arguments, now falls within the boundaries of Birgu. Mr. Farrugia leave Mr. Baron alone, how about concentrating your efforts on San Salvatore Gate. It begs for conservation or has the objective been reached and its conservation is not on your agenda any more?

S Scerri

Jul 23rd 2012, 17:37

To conclude, it seems that a lot of questions have been asked, but few have been answered convincingly by FWA.

1. It is being said that “Your Guardianship lease is for the Stores and the buildings of the Lascaris War rooms NOT FOR THE GARDEN WHERE THE GUNS ARE SITUATED.” Can you disprove this?

2. If FWA are so genuine, why do they insist on blocking the view through the gate of the saluting battery? Shouldn't they be proud of the restoration work they did?

3. What about the fact that FWA started works on its Saluting Battery upgrade before it had a permit in hand? Is this correct action for a publicly-funded NGO.

4. Was the idea to pass a drainpipe through the arched structure discovered in the bastions during the works, covered by this permit?

5. Mr. Farrugia has written “FWA gets no statutory funds from the state whatsoever and all our funds are generated through the operation of our sites as visitor attractions, corporate sponsorships, donations by individuals and the sale of merchandise such as guide books etc” Is restoration carried out by the Restoration Unit or funded by the Malta Resources Authority, MEPA and the Good Causes Fund not state funding, paid for by the taxpayer?

6. Are there any other state fundings that Mr. Farrugia happens to have forgotten?

7. Come to think of it, the 2.7m Euro EU funding, is also taxpayers’ funds, European taxes to which we contribute significantly, which is often topped up by local government funding so is it not the case that FWA projects are almost wholly paid for by taxpayers?

8. FWA Trustee Jonathan Borg stated that “any money received from these activities are pooled back into the financing of the site, the restoration and maintenance” since we have seen that much of the funding for restoration is paid for by the taxpayer, where is the 3,500 euros per event per weekend going to? The breakdown Mario Farrugia gave below raises more questions than it answers: if FWA has to pay 300 Euros gate fees to ELC and 700 euros for rental of Saluting Battery, does that prove that it is not the leaseholder of the Saluting Battery?

9. As a Government official (it has not been denied) Mr. Mario Farrugia’s salary is paid out of Government funds. Could we be informed how much his salary is? Who else on the FWA staff is on a Government payroll like through the secondment to NGOs scheme?

10. Can FWA deny that on days when the Barrakka and Saluting Battery are booked for events, the belevedere is closed for hours before in order to set up tables etc and the public’s only free access to the view is at the café, access which will be denied if FWA takes over that site?

11. Mr. Farrugia has stated “Did you know that it was FWA that has restored the Saluting Battery back to its former glory in place of the shabby and derelict garden? “ This is untrue. The garden was maintained by ELC and we all remember the well-tended ‘MERHBA’ topiary and colourful flower beds.

12. Since the approved Saluting Battery permit provides toilet facilities, how can FWA claim they need more toilets a few steps away on the terrace occupied by the café?

13. What place of work provides employee showers?

14. Since FWA runs 42 establishments, why can’t the space of one room be found in one of them instead of having the gunners’ house rebuilt - not restored because there is nothing left of the original, this is REBUILDING.

Most of FWA’s replies below have been characterised by misinformation, fudging and arrogance. Is it the case that only an official enquiry would reveal the truth behind this set-up?

Sabrina Borda

Jul 23rd 2012, 15:13

If it is really so that: "When one restores a monument they must do so in its entirety", then all we can say is that they evidently failed all over again when it came to building City Gate and the Opera House.

Mario Farrugia

Jul 23rd 2012, 14:34

Ray Azzopardi - din ta' b'xejn u dejjem ma' tifthiemx. Kif jista' jkun li l-FWA tiftah il-postijiet taghha b'xejn u dejjem meta hi obbligata' li tiggenera' d-dhul minnhom ghall-manteniment taghhom stess?! Dawk huma l-kundizzjonijiet kuntratwali li ahna nidhlu ghalihom kull darba li naccettaw xi propjeta' minn ghand il-gvern. Haga ohra, ghax kont inti li waqt il-laqgha tal-Kunsill tal-Belt li ghidtli kemm gejt mitlub ghal tieg fis-Saluting Battery. Ghamilt l-istharrig tieghi kif weghdtek w gejt infurmat li s-somma li kulhadd ghamel tant plejtu fuqa ta' €3,500 tinkludi l-ispejjez li gejjin:

Gate Permits ( ELC ) : €296.60 Excluding VAT
Toilet Permits : €100.00 Excluding VAT
FWA Cleaning : €150.00 Excluding VAT
Marquee for Kitchen: €350.00 Excluding VAT
Rental of Saluting Battery : €700.00 Excluding VAT
Hiring of Generator : €450 .00 Excluding VAT

Total Cost : €2415 Including VAT


Nahseb issa il-prezz mitlub mhux daqsekk astronomiku hux? Messek ghidtli li s-somma mitluba kienet tinkudi dan kollu. Illum x'taghmel b'xejn? U jekk ahna naghmlu kif qed tghid inti noffru kollox b'xejn min ser ihallas il-kontijiet u l-pagi tan-nies li nimpjegaw?

Chris Vella

Jul 23rd 2012, 14:03

All thumbs up for the restoration work done by Conservationist NGO Fondazzjoni Wirt Artna.
But you should not turn to rebuilding destroyed structures.
Conservation & restoration are a thing rebuilding is a totally different matter.
I agree with Flimkien Għal Ambjent Ahjar, which has said the bastion’s Grade 1 scheduling means no such construction, can take place.
In my opinion you should not be allowed to rebuild whatever it was.
If you wanted to rebuild something the opera house was the only thing to be rebuilt to its former glory.

Chris Vella

Jul 23rd 2012, 13:43

Nice way to help and promote self employed you invest your hard earnings to make a living but if someone have money or power he can freely bulldozer you.

We still have a good example at cospicua looks like this one is next on the list.

Victor Vella

Jul 23rd 2012, 11:38

But Martin Baron, whose small cafe is set to be demolished, insists the project is both unjust and unjustified.-Hemm xi panpalun lest biex minn hanut tal-kafe jaghmlu palazz. Qabel l-elezzjoni rridu issiru il-pjaciri sur Baron. Issa qamu dawn wara 25 sena mejtin b`riha ta` mizza ta` korruzzhoni u ngann.

Ray Azzopardi

Jul 23rd 2012, 11:35

KUll argument ghandu ikun imwarrab qabel l-argumet li ser inressaq ......... Jista is- sur Mario jiggarantielna li il-post jibqa accessibli bxejn u ghal kullhadd? u mhux jigri bhal ma gara meta mort nistaqsi biex nuza art pubblika bhal Saluting battery u gejt mitlub 3.500 euros tall nuza l-art u Biex nuza din l-istess gejt mitlub BILFORS NUZA CATERING LI RIEDU HUMA !!!!.....

Frank Psaila

Jul 23rd 2012, 11:30

The decision makers for the future of this project should make judgement on the facts.

In the case of revenue generation I don't see why there should be a problem with anyone, if that same revenue generated from publicly owned sites is pumped back to the public, by means of reduced entrance fees or waiving of them altogether. Re-construction or renovation is a capital expense, so the owners should be paying for it anyway, meaning that they acquire benefiting from the said expenditure. Can't we invest for ourselves like we do on a personal basis?

I am quite surprised by most of the replies of Mr.Farrugia. His cause is just, but his attitude is unacceptable. He is representing a group not himself, so any wrongdoing reflects the spirit of the group not just himself. Bad attitude is the weakest management principle, work on it.

Mario Farrugia

Jul 23rd 2012, 09:57

Martin Baron - I hope that you are aware of all the serious accusations that you and all your minions have made with regard to FWA and possibly myself. But since neither me nor FWA has anything to hide in this case or in anything we do and can prove you wrong on each and every account be informed that we are taking legal action against you.

This issue is very simple for all to see, on one side there is you who represent direct and personal gain and us who represent the common good. All the things that you have said about your belief in the right of access etc. is just cheap claptrap and chaf intended to earn you points in public sympathy while tarnishing our impeccable public persona. Do not bother to answer this as you will have the chance to do that in a court of law shortly. You cannot understand that what we do what we do just for the love of our country and not for personal gain but as everyone could see here that is completely alien to you. I can understand that anyone with a business like you would do his best to protect his interests but not through outright lying and denegration of others. What you have done is unforgiveable and you must pay for it. And for all those who keep sniping at us with all sorts of oultlandish and injerous accusations from what they think is the realtive safety of their homes I have this to say - this blog is a public domain and all you say you have to answer for. Some of you have called me arrogant for daring to answer you back and correct you where you were wrong. In my world arrogance means a completely different thing such as opining about something which you don't have the slightest idea about it....and I am amazed by some of you who seem to comemnt about anything so long it is negative and destructive.

Mario Farrugia

Jul 23rd 2012, 09:53

S Scerri - you want to give the impression that you know a lot but actually you either know nothing or else you are trying to mislead. First of all why don't you give us your full name so taht we will know with whom we are dealing? In your contributions you make several false accusations:

a) Couvre Porte was restored by the Restoration Unit but we have nothing to do with that as that is the Birgu Local Council's responsibility. FWA is only responsible for the lower floor of the same which we have tackled using EU money.

b) The fire you allude to is none of our doing. However, I am not going to comment on that as it is still a legal issue.


c) What's your rambling about restorations by governement workers? Please name examples. FWA does its own restoration work and it pays for from funds its self-generates.

d) About the rest of your comments what can I say - it is clear that you have no idea about how things go in this field so why waste time with you.

e) At present the soldiers stay at the Saluting Battery for just one hour because the battery is closed for refurbishing - works( carried out not by government workers) which are close at being completed. After that you will see how long the SB will stay open.

Lawrence Fenech

Jul 23rd 2012, 09:36

Dan il GonziPN siehbi, ara kif harbat puturjal u qiesu mhu xejn. B'sahhithom mas-zghir u dghajfin ma min hu b'sahtu.

Jon Fenech

Jul 23rd 2012, 09:11

I have read all the comments below and would like to suggest something. Why don't Mr Farrugia and Mr Baron join forces and work on an agreement to help both sides? It seems to me that they both have the Barrakka gardens and it's surroundings at heart.

Valerie Calleja

Jul 23rd 2012, 08:31

Mr mario Farrugia is an extraordinary man. We have watched with admiration how Wirt Artna has grown and done what subsequent governments should have done, preserved our history.Wirt Artna is manned by dedicated volunteers, under the discipline and guidance of Mr Farrugia.We shall back you all the way sir.
There are so many money grabbing people, just waiting to make a quick profit, that they cannot understand how there are others who have ,the presevation of our History at heart.

James Wightman

Jul 23rd 2012, 06:59

Wooo so oust one cafe owner and allow a bigger cafe owner to run weddings etc... ???? did I understand rightly and is it right?

Stefan Limongello

Jul 22nd 2012, 22:36

The comments posted by Mr Farrugia smack of arrogance. As a marketing strategy it didn't do his NGO much good. And today I came to know why Il Boccaccio Restaurant closed down. I never could understand the reason because staff were helpful, great cuisine and nice ambience.

What a pity these thrilling islands are becoming. I will ensure that my relatives who'll visit Malta next month will avoid to support such an arrogant NGO. Hopefully, the Cafe will still be open. See you there Mr Baron.

R. Cassar

Jul 22nd 2012, 21:36

Some comments on this application:

1. The Times report states: "FWA has now been given the green light to rebuild the room, as the final piece in a multi-million restoration puzzle that has seen Lascaris War Rooms and Upper Barrakka’s saluting battery receive extensive facelifts."
However, the MEPA site shows this application (PA1237/12) as still open, with a target decision date of 14 November 2012. Does this mean that FWA have been given the "green light" by some other entity?

2. The Times further states: "He (Mr Farrugia) also made short shrift of the complaints about impact on public access, arguing that access to the site was already restricted by Mr Baron’s cafe and that the proposed building would have a smaller footprint than the cafe and its tables and chairs."
As far as I know, access is not currently restricted. Would this Master Gunner's Quarters, once built, retain the same access? Also, the cafe is a wooden structure, easily dismantled once the lease is over. And tables and chairs can be easily moved. Can the same be said of the stone Master Gunner's Quarters?

3. Can Mr. Farrugia confirm that, once this accretion is built, access to the Saluting Battery entrance area will remain unrestricted?

4. The Heritage Advisory Committee report states that: "Il-Kumitat qed joġġezzjona għal-binja proposta tal-Master’s Gunner’s Quarters għaliex ma għandu isir l-ebda bini mas-swar. Il-Kumitat mhux qed isib oġġezzjoni għar-restawr tas-sur."
Presumably the HAC must have had sound reasons to file this objection.

5. As far as I know, the practice of the Lands Department is to grant short-term leases. How long is the lease of the current cafeteria, and how long is the proposed lease to be granted to FWA? Or is this open-ended?

6. Can Mr Farrugia confirm his plans for this Master Gunner's Quarters? I.e., is this to be used only as a museum? Or is it envisaged to be used also in connection with the receptions currently being held (apparently quite frequently) in the Saluting Battery?

Peter Montebello

Jul 22nd 2012, 20:47

Some 3 weeks ago, I wrote about the hole dug in front of Upper Barrakka Gardens, a whole which is still there and this Mario Farrugia said that it will stay there for as long as necessary..... without an hour's work being done since the the first day.

Now, today, at this prime place, this hole is being turned into a dump. Welcome to one of Malta prime visiting place but first take a look at this dump.

Moreover, I am again enquring about the qualifications of this Mr Mario Farrugia to head the Fondazzjoni Wirt Artna. As a public ngo, we, the general public, have a right to know about these qualifications. And furthermore, since once again, the NGO is funded by the public, what is the salary of this Mr Farrugia?

Stephen Zammit

Jul 22nd 2012, 20:20

Can I ask a simple question? If FWA are so genuine, why do they insist on blocking the view through the gate of the saluting battery? Shouldn't they be proud of the restoration work they did? Up to a point I understand that the gate is closed, but to block the view through the gate as well??? And this has been like that for a number of years now.

John Spiteri Jones

Jul 22nd 2012, 19:20

We should all be gratefull to this wonderful organization, FWA. although many are only interested in making money there are also a lot of maltese who are proud of our history, and if not for FWA everything historic would go up in smoke, WELL DONE to all at FWA. An idea that has always been with me is the enhancment of grand harbour with a built replica of HMS Hibernia which was a "man o war" that took part in the battle of trafalgar and spent many years in Malta before it was broken up at tal-pieta in 1904. the beautyfully decorated doors from this ship ended up in some church in Birkirkara and the figerhead is exhebited in the maritime museum.

Mario Farrugia

Jul 22nd 2012, 18:45

Stanley Illes - FWA is a fully registered NGO and presents its annual accounts to the Voluntary Organisations Commissioner. No we don't get funded through tax payer's money as you say but we are self-funded meaning we have to raise our own funds when we are allowed to do that.

Mario Farrugia

Jul 22nd 2012, 18:42

Jonathan Scerri - I will appreciate more details on your incident so that I can investigate. You may wish to contact me on [email protected]. I will see what happened and will refer back. It is not in our fashion to move people away. As for your comment about the proposed building not being suitable for a museum I beg to differ. The Saluting Battery is one whole museum site and the recosntruction of its original Master Gunners Quarter will add yet another element to it that will also be possible to visit. This will house the uniform, small arms, time-keeping collection and three original guns that once equipped the Saluting Battery - an early 20th century 18-pdr field gun, a WW2 40-mm Light Anti-aircraft gun and an 18th century brass field gun. Besides this the same facility will accomodate a toilet and shower for the gun crews who fire the guns, a small worksop for the maintenance of the same and a small office for the site keeper. In the open we will have the rest of the artilelry collection that can with stand the elements along with a reconstructed 19th century gun powdre store and side-arm store. May I ask on what grounds you don't think that this building is not suitable for a museum? Keep in midn thatw ea re talking about a very large park made up from various individual attractions some small while others are very large - the Lascaris Military Heritage Park of which the Saluting is just one part. I wonder what makes you write what you write? What is this nonesense about being free to visist teh cafe at will - of course you do but to eat or drink. We have been managing the Saluting Battery since 2004 and I can assure that no one does that. Actually, when we had opened the battery we used to man the inner gate of the battery which leads to the kiosk and almost no one used to come from there to the extent that we had decided to stop operating that gate. And it was not a directional sign issue as the gate is very well marked and sign posted. Such an argument is but a poor excuse to torpedo our project.

Jonathan Borg

Jul 22nd 2012, 18:28

I am writing this as a member of the Board of Trustees of FWA. I would like to dispel a few myths that have been reported in some of the comments here below. FWA is an a non-profit-making NGO, with paid members and a Board of Trustees - no gestures by Mr. Baron implying otherwise will change that. Any notion that someone is making money of this project is ridiculous. I have seen members including Mr. Farrugia dip into their own pockets to finance the organisation without expecting anything in return except headaches. We do this work out of love for our heritage and country. Regarding comments about organizing activities (such as weddings, corporate events, etc...), please do appreciate that any money received from these activities are pooled back into the financing of the site, the restoration and maintenance of which does come cheap. Notions of usurping public land are equally misplaced. FWA is carrying out this project together with the Government and with its support. Would the state help the organisation carrying out this project if it usurped its land?

Policies regarding scheduled buildings have to be taken into context and not applied blindly. What is being proposed at the this site is restoration and reconstruction of a historic building. Grade 1 policies are intended to stop any works that do not form part of the historic fabric and not to prevent the reconstruction of a historic structure. The bastions cannot be seen in isolation, but must be appreciated in the entirety of what constituted the war machine. The reconstructed room will not impair the setting of the bastion, it will restore it.

Mario Farrugia

Jul 22nd 2012, 18:16

Mario Spiteri - our accounts for 2009 look so rich because they include part of a €2.7m EU grant which is being shared between the remaking of the new Malta at War Museum in Vittoriosa; and the Saluting Battery, Garrison Church Crypt, Lascaris War Rooms (Early-part) and the Saint Peter and Paul Counter-guard in Valletta. The ones for the following years are even richer as they are the years when larger parts of the funds were expended. This will go till end of 2013. However, don't take these accounts as a sign that we are rich as we are not. FWA runs four cultural attractions on a daily basis with the resultant costs, takes care of some 42 heritage sites large and small all over Malta and employs 28 workers. All of the properties under our care belong to the state and were handed to us as an absolute mess. It suffice to say that we require no less than €17million at present day costs to fully restore them and save them for years to come. You should all know that FWA gets no statutory funds from the state whatsoever and all our funds are generated through the operation of our sites as visitor attractions, corporate sponsorships, donations by individuals and the sale of merchandise such as guide books etc. Besides this, FWA has an exclusivity agreement with Island Caterers Ltd by which they provide all catering services for weddings and corporate and social events held at seven of our larger sites. The Saluting Battery being one of them. For this arrangement FWA gets an annual contribution that runs into thousands, gets a fixed sum for each and every event held and is paid additional for any extras needed for the events such as gun firing, fjakkoli, temporary tents etc. All of these funds are channelled into our conservation fund through which we pay for our on-going heritage restoration and management and also for the purchase of historic artefacts which we place on display at our various sites and museums. I can assure that all of this is just a drop in ocean. Heritage conservation and management can be very expensive.

It is true that looking at our accounts you may get the idea that we are a rich organisation but when you divide the annual amount by the 42 sites we have you will end up with hardly enough to pay the bills. As we speak, I can state that our four major heritage sites are running on a daily loss and this has been going for months as a direct result of them being cut off from the visitor route due to major public works or restoration within their vicinity. Had it not been for the current arrangement with ICL and the generosity of other corporate sponsors and numerous volunteers we would have had to close shop, sack our employees and disperse our artefact collection.

The public should know that ALL of the work that FWA does in restoring its heritage sites come at NO cost to the taxpayer and that has always been our maxim since we believe that given the right chances our national heritage can pay for itself. We have been practicing this for the last 26 years and we hope to carry on doing that for many more years. But calling us greedy or attributing our work to the Restoration Unit is wrong. To be correct, there were two instances where the Restoration Directorate have undertaken work at the Saluting Battery. One was for the extension of the gun floor and the other was on account of a water leak that had partially destroyed the underlying Lascaris War Rooms which FWA has since restored. The obligation came from the insistence by government to have the present nice lawn at the Saluting Battery. FWA had no funds to dedicate to the new lawn and water-proofing and there were two choices have the lawn and no Lascaris War Rooms or have them both. Luckily we went for the last option.

FWA obtained the Saluting Battery along all of the Lascaris property through a Guardianship Deed in 2009 according to the Heritage Act. contrary to what Mr Baron is saying. Without this none of the EU funds could have been obtained for the aid projects.

I hope that I have answered all those who seem to have gotten an idea that FWA is some greedy money making machine. If there is anyone still with doubts but with time on his hands may I invite him to visit us at our offices at Notre Dame Gate, Vittoriosa and we will provide him with all possible information he or she would like on our operation for we have absolutely nothing to hide.

laurent caruana

Jul 22nd 2012, 18:13

@ Mario Farrugia
Business is business. Someone wants to earn from re-innovation

James Tyrrell

Jul 22nd 2012, 18:13

First of all can I just point out that as a tourist I have never heard of Conservationist NGO Fondazzjoni Wirt Artna. I have however heard of environmental NGO Flimkien Għal Ambjent Ahjar and have the greatest respect for them and the work they do. As for this FWA crowd whoever they are they obviously think they are better than everyone else and they certainly seem to think that they know better than MEPA's Cultural Heritage Committee. I thought the idea of NGO's was to protect the heritage of the country for the benefit of the little people not to kick the little people out so that they could personally benefit financially.

Can I also point out that if this Mario Farrugia chap is what passes for a spokesperson in your organisation you would be doing yourself a service in replacing him with someone less arrogant. His personal attack on Astrid Vella below does your organisation no favours whatsoever.

M. Baron

Jul 22nd 2012, 18:07

MARIO, who are you kidding, the Saluting Battery occupies an enormous expanse of public PRIME LOCATION garden and it is open for about an hour before noon when one gun is fired and thereafter, the half a dozen paying visitors promptly take-off. The rest of the time it is kept closed! Even the times footage shows your chipboard-backing of the Wrought Iron gate, lest some hard-up tourist sneak a peak at Noon for free.
You call the place tacky? It is a miracle we continued to operate with the passage of heavy construction equipment for over a year know. These trucks destroyed the flagstones in the public access passage.
Wirt Artna appeared on 2004, and there was no objection with MEPA on your, or anyone's part for the project. Regarding the garden at the saluting battery, this was kept by ELC at the time and I would hardly call it derelict. What it certainly was, is free and open to the public, sporting the Topiary MERHBA, a proudly Maltese greeting to all. Not everyone swoons at the site of a Uniform, and military re-enactments, you know?

Mario Farrugia

Jul 22nd 2012, 18:00

Astrid - what I had said is that before putting in your objection you did not contact us for the details but you have relied on secondary if not tertiary sources. Had you done that you would have agreed that what we are proposing is thoroughly acceptable and within the confines of accepted international heritage practice. There are many other instances were buildings on the fortified walls has been justified - a good example is the rebuilding of the House of Four Winds in Valletta. What we are proposing is in fact narrower, lower but longer than what there is now. The nature of the building is also far more harmonious than the existing. Besides it is ensconced between the current buildings and is only partly visible from across the harbour – as after all the original structure was. In your critique you seem to suggest that before the British there were no structures insitu. That is wrong for eth Saluting Battery being one of the principal defensive batteries of the City and being so easily entered from the back always had a built guard house. What the British did in the 1860s was to enlarge that guardhouse which they later completely rebuilt to house the Master Gunner who had to be for most of the time at the Battery given that he was the official time-keeper at a time when the fleet relied on accurate gun signals to be able to calibrate their time-pieces on board.

Since its restoration in 2004 the Saluting Battery has become a huge cultural success and one to follow. Yet there remain just one part of it that needs to be restored and that is its original entrance. Unfortunately this part of the battery has suffered hugely at the hands of the enemy and also our utter sense of neglect and requires to be partly reconstructed (Not just the MG Builiding) but also the gates, the part of the parapet wall in which the current timber kiosk is wedged in and the gate pilasters some of which no longer exists. FWA is also proposing restoring the bastion wall between the Lascaris War Rooms entrance up to the Saluting Battery inner gate and the outer face of the wall supporting the SB entrance.

None of this is being propsoed as an extravagance but simply because it makes historic sense and will help complete the Saluting Battery project.

M. Baron

Jul 22nd 2012, 17:47

Everyone should know that the Upper Barakka Gardens are very often closed off to the Public for visiting dignitaries, of for private or Government events.
The lower half of the Upper Barakka gardens has been taken over entirely since 2004 by WIrt Artna and is completely closed off to the general public (unless one is invited to some wedding)
If Wirt Artna have their way the remaining level, where Cafe Deux Baronnes is situated, and which has a perimeter open and fre to the public and tourists 24/7 will be closed off.
One can only be GUARANTEED access to the magnificent view of the Grand Harbour and the events therein if Wirt Artna's usurping of the place is stopped.

M. Baron

Jul 22nd 2012, 17:26

Mario

Jien qatt ma nhbejt f' li ghamilt. Qied mnizzel bhala Martin fil-login tat Times ghax dak ilu li inholoq, u ma sarx minhabba il-maniggi ricenti ta Wirt Artna. Ma nhbejtx meta oggezzjonajt b'ismi ghall-izvilupp teighek mal Mepa, u meta ghamilt ix-xoghol qabelma kellek il-permess, Ma nhbejt meta rrapurtajtek li Kummissarju Ghall Ghadqdiet Voluntarju minhabbi l-agir KUMMERCJALI u "unfairlly competitive"tieghek u ma nhbejtx meta rrapurtajtek lis-Superintendency Tal Heritage minhabba li waqt li int kont qed thaffer mas-sur ezatt tal Barkka ta fuq, inti sibt "buried structure" bil-hnejjiet b'kollox u komplejt ghaddej b'katusa tad-dranagg minn go fiha. Wirt Artna Tassew!!!! Who shall police the policeman? Ma nhbejtx meta rrapurtajtek li Unesco dwar dan.

Mario Farrugia

Jul 22nd 2012, 16:17

Victor Laviera - cucati biss....

Mario Farrugia

Jul 22nd 2012, 16:15

Astrid Vella - You have shot from the hip on this case without having the decency of checking out facts. You have not contacted us once throughout the process. You have simply rested blindly on what you have been told. I am sure you don’t even know about what you are talking. However, rest assured that we will demolish each of your points included in your objection when time comes. BTW your objections appear to have been cut and pasted from the objector’s objection as is the case of the Ramblers. As always you have understood nothing. And this is not the only case. We will speak more on that when the right time comes. What do you know about forts and fortifications? What do you know about what we are doing in restoring the former War HQ back to its former glory – complete with the Saluting Battery which in itself is a historic monument with a very rich history? What have you done over the last 25 years while we were so active in saving so much of Malta’s precious heritage? When you get to speak about a Grade I setting or buildings just make sure that you are referring to the right thing. Because you are so quick at citing parts of the Structure Plan or Mepa regulations it doesn’t mean you are correct. Well actually you are never right.
Are you aware that there is a court decree that has declared prima facie in favour of our proposed restoration of the original entrance of the Saluting Battery as being one in the best of public interest and that the removal of the Baron kiosk is to make way for that? You also included in your objection that “it is a pity that the Saluting Battery has been assigned for the holding of military re-enactments”. Hello, where were you in 2004? Did you know that it was FWA that has restored the Saluting Battery back to its former glory in place of the shabby and derelict garden? Do you understand that what you call ‘bastions’ were built for a military purpose? Are you aware that what you call military re-enactments attracting hundreds of thousands of viewers annually? Or shall we just settle for ‘harbour cruises’ and ‘Escapades in Sicily’ as the ideal means of interpreting our heritage?

Today you have crossed the line as like-minded organisations do not criticise each other in public. You have a right to your opinion but it has to be based on good knowledge and judgement. And above all you have to be fair. You could have consulted us before you were rushed to enter your objection by the stipulated time because it got dangerously too close to the closing date. But no – you always know better! It’s neither ethical nor healthy for the sector.

A Falzon – The verb to restore has many meanings including that of returning a lost feature or element to a site or building. By restoring the original entrance of the Saluting Battery complete with all of its long-lost features we shall just be doing that. Your comments about truck-loads of money are simply unbelievable. You seem to know something that I don’t….

Ryan Cilia – your comments about the Saluting Battery being closed when weddings are on are frivolous. The number of events held at the Saluting Battery annually amounts to about 30 and these vary from weddings, corporate events and social drinks. Yet, not for one day of the year save for the usual holidays is the battery closed to the public. Till January last the battery was opened daily from 10.00 – 13.00hrs and with current works nearing completion, this will remain open till 19.00hrs daily and we will have two gun firings too! So check you facts first.

J Dough/ Franco A Trevisan – the Saluting Battery entrance restoration project is not just about the historic reconstruction of the old Master Gunners’ Quarter which in itself is justifiable in returning to the battery an important element from its historic development. This article has completely misled the public in that since the project aims at completing the restoration of the Saluting Battery as part of the larger Lascaris Military Heritage Park. But the author preferred to focus on the Quarter Master building. The justification for the rebuilding of this structure is based on historic and scientific documentation not some whimsical fantasy of someone. Besides, for the long-term efficient functioning of the battery the whole of the old entrance is to be restored.

Joe Sammut – we are not a commercial entity but a not-for-profit non-governmental organisation. Martin Baron is.

Barney Camilleri – tghidx hmerijiet. Fiz-zmien li qed tghid il-wirt stroiku taghna spicca razzett tal-qzieqez u kollox abbandunat u vvandalizzat.

Jonathan Scerri – you can rest assured that if FWA will have its way the whole area of Lascaris measuring some 12,000 square meters will be daily accessible to the public and not on sunny days only.
G Schembri – it is clear from your comment that you have a very limited view of what history and heritage is all about. It suffices to say that ALL eras in a nation’s history and heritage are equally importnat. You cannot be selective as that would be cultural RACISM. So yes the British era is as important as any of its precedents too.

Francis Farrugia – Ma’ nafx minfejn gibbtha din li ahna niffangaw fil flus?! Nassigurak li ahna dejjem neqsin mill-flus imma xorta wahda nibqghu insistu w nahdmu favur il-wirt nazzjonali. Dwar il-kumment tieghek l l--anzjani ghandu jkollhom rata ridotta ta’ dhul, jidher car li qatt ma indenjat li zzur xi wiehed mill-attrazzjonijiet kulturali taghna ghax l-entraturi taghna hekk huma. Mhux biss anzi jekk trid tista’ tidhol membru b’cucata u tkun tista’ zzur dawn il-postijiet kuljum b’xejn ghall-sena shiha. Iccekja qabel ma’ titkellem.
Stephen Zammit – we were there from the first and we had objected in writing to the siting of this kiosk right at the entrance of the Saluting Battery but mysteriously our correspondence and that of others has vanished from the official records for this lease. And by the way the place is still smelly and tacky.

Mario Spiteri – this issue is about the Saluting Battery and not the Upper Barracca. They are not one and the same. As for the CHAC’s judgement – no comment. But please note that other heritage bodies have judged in favour of our project – but these are not being mentioned.

John Spiteri Jones – rest assured that we intend to fight this case to the very last drop. And we shall do in the best of public interest. No amount of lying, fantasising or coercing is going to stop us and so far we have won each and every battle and I am confident that we will this one too as we are in the right..

Victor Laiviera

Jul 22nd 2012, 16:14

When people protested about the fact the the Opera House was not rebuilt as original, Professor Piaon and the Government said that the result would have been a "worthless fake"..
So what does that make the proposed room?

I'm afraid that "Wirt Artna" seems to have become a greedy, money making entity, rather than an NGO working for the benefit of the people.

Stanley Iles

Jul 22nd 2012, 15:41

correct me if I'm wrong; So we Maltese pay taxes for restoration and upkeeping of all historical places and this FWA institution collects proceedings by renting out national property treasures to private 3rd parties. I hope there is a public accounts audit so that everybody knows where the money is going.

S. Magro

Jul 22nd 2012, 15:14

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ETxmCCsMoD0

M. Baron

Jul 22nd 2012, 15:14

Recently all accretions to the historic St Angelo Fort were torn down to restore the site to its beautiful original: ....are we reversing our policy now, and rebuilding accretions to the Valletta Bastion perimeter,? A Front for an all-weather, year-round Wedding Reception area offered for a non-profit NGO to the tune of €3500 per night?

Astrid Vella

Jul 22nd 2012, 14:33

Mr. Mario Farrugia, with respect, there is nothing we can discuss when the proposal breaks the law regarding a Grade 1 Scheduled structure like the Upper Barrakka and Saluting Battery. The Heritage Act stipulates: Grade 1: Buildings of outstanding architectural or historical interest that shall be preserved in their entirety. DEMOLITION OR ALTERATIONS WHICH IMPAIR THE SETTING OR CHANGE THE EXTERNAL OR INTERNAL APPEARANCE, including anything contained within the curtilage of the building, WILL NOT BE BE ALLOWED.

There is no two ways around this, and therefore nothing much that can be discussed. I remind you that when the cafe had applied for the erection of a temporary, dismountable tented structure to provide shade, you had understandably objected. Are we to take it that while a temporary structure is not acceptable, a permanent, stone structure is? Hardly!

John Spiteri Jones

Jul 22nd 2012, 13:14

I sincerly hope that FWA and the minister involved will not bow to this cafe owner, there are plenty of other places in valletta he can move into and start again. certain parts of the capital should be preserved at all costs and stay as they are or as in this case FWA should recreat thing as they where. also once the vallettas project is finished enhance the area with memorials of prominent maltese who made a name abroad in the past and we hardly hear anything about them, also a few old red telephone boxes should be brought from britain and placed in valletta in the same place where the old once, once stood. there is lots of history that has been destroyed in old valletta and FWA should see to bring all this back. Welldone to all involved in FWA for everything you are doing to protect vallettas past. The government should also see that there is enough money provided for all FWA prjects.

Mario Spiteri

Jul 22nd 2012, 13:09

Mr. Mario Farrugia, I suppose not even the MEPA's Cultural Heritage Committee doesn't know enough about your application? : "PA1237/12 - Il-Kumitat qed joġġezzjona għal-binja proposta tal-Master’s Gunner’s Quarters għaliex ma għandu isir l-ebda bini mas-swar." - English translation: The Committee is objecting to the building proposed as the Master's Gunner's Quarters because no building can be built against the bastions".

The knights made the Upper Barrakka for people to enjoy the views and have a garden, now the FWA comes and takes it away from us with all their events that they do almost every weekend. The public needs to know that the gardens are not just closed at the time of the parties, but even before while they are preparing the place. So now they even want to take the terrace on the side to make sure that no one can sneak a peep at the harbour when the Barrakka is closed to the public?

Joe Degiorgio

Jul 22nd 2012, 12:52

Money, money, money ... both sides of the story.

Louis Gialanze

Jul 22nd 2012, 12:22

Why not construct a decent public convenience instead.
The present one next to the entrance at Upper Barrakka garden is an insult to the people of Malta and tourists alike with the ladies having to file past the Gents entrance in full view of the latter relieving themselves. And to add insult to injury one is expected to tip the attendant as well.

Stephen Zammit

Jul 22nd 2012, 12:19

Where was this NGO when this entrepreneur transformed a smelly, waste-filled car park into what it is today to be enjoyed by all? Now that he was successful in this project, somebody wants to butt in. Whilst usually I agree with NGO's, I smell something fishy on this one!
Mr Baron I agree with you, may you win this one...a typical case of small david versus GOLIATH the great masked as an NGO. He who has ears will hear, he who has a mind will understand...

Francis Farrugia

Jul 22nd 2012, 12:14

Kemm qeghdin sew.Dawn tal-FWA mohhom biss biex jiffangaw fil-flus u ahna l-anzjani biex nidhlu naraw xi haga li hi taghna l-maltin irridu nhalsu l-prezz kollu ta` l-entratura ghax ghalina ma hemmx prezz specjali.
Issa dan l-individwu qieghed jaqla hobzu minn dal-post u iridu jtajjruh. Jiena marridtx niftiehem hazin. M a iniex nghid li ahna l-anzjani ma nhalsux biex nidhlu, pero ghandu jkun hemm prezz ridott ta` l-entratura. U kif post publiku jigi mikri ghall ricevimenti privati??? Mela veru dawn iridu jiffangaw fil/flus biss.

R Bartolo

Jul 22nd 2012, 12:13

Good, bad or ugly - I don't know, but would certainly have predicted that FAA are as usual, against, as they are against absolutely anything and everything. Predictable really fits the bill. Yawn.

G Schembri

Jul 22nd 2012, 12:11

Wasn't the Upper Barraka build with the city of Valletta during the knights era? So why is FWA trying to add on something which was not originally there. The British destroyed quite a lot of our heritage even an Auberge to build their Anglican Cathedral, why not leave Valletta as close to what the knights built as possible, if we want to leave reminders of the British Era we should find something else.

G Schembri

Jul 22nd 2012, 12:10

Wasn't the Upper Barraka build with the city of Valletta during the knights era? So why is FWA trying to add on something which was not originally there. The British destroyed quite a lot of our heritage even an Auberge to build their Anglican Cathedral, why not leave Valletta as close to what the knights built as possible, if we want to leave reminders of the British Era we should find something else.

Jonathan Scerri

Jul 22nd 2012, 12:08

I have visited this cafe' on several occasions and never felt coerced to buy anything. I have sat at the tables, comfortably in the shade and enjoyed the harbour view from this great perspective.
Please leave it free for all. We cannot keep closing our heritage behind gates, chipboard and so called "museum" tills.

Barney Camilleri

Jul 22nd 2012, 11:58

How better things have been when we believe they where not.
Yes Sir, Mintoff was who challenged the authorities of the day to open all public places with the call: 'If it belong to the people it should serve the people'.
I still remember as a young boy crossing the inside of Castile from Merchant Street to St. Paul because it was out of bounds under the British. Well time passed and instead of the British controlling what is ours by right it is the creme de la creme. What a shame.
Give us back our land.

Joseph Sammut

Jul 22nd 2012, 11:50

It is more than evident that basically these are both two commercial interests pitted head to head against each other: one party under the banner of reconstructing correct historical authenticity to the area in contention, and the other under the flag of encroached business-trading. That the third party to throw its glove into the fray, the FAA, is only serving to hype up the rhetoric exchange in the public fora between the contesting parties. A compromising way in the middle is surely there between both camps, it's just a matter of willingly putting heads together and sharing ideas tabled. Ultimately, the Government is obliged to intervene without bowing to the unnecessary pressures of external third parties like UNESCO or FAA. This squabbling only tarnishes the good image the nation has by having maintained as best possible the area in contention.

Franco Attard Trevisan

Jul 22nd 2012, 11:48

the room was demolished in 1940s during the bombing days... Since this is also part of our history which cannot be reversed I don't think re-building this room makes any sense.

j dough

Jul 22nd 2012, 11:35

since the original building is no longer there...WHY must we put more stone in its place??

we're happy to keep the old theatre in ruins..so lets NOT build right up to the edge of the bastions...

Ryan Cilia

Jul 22nd 2012, 10:47

I regularly see tourists and maltese alike , walking into the Cafeteria to take photos , maybe a drink if they desire to, people are not forced to pay for them to stay . On other accounts , whenever the saluting battery gates were open for wedding or other event preparations , people were always redirected outside and denied entry.

In my opinion the excuse for restoration and benefits proposed by Fondazzjoni Wirt Artna , is a mere shadow of the true intentions of this NGO and that is monetary profit and commodity to bring in trucks and other vans into the premise to host such events as weddings etc.

Pavlaki Pano Aroditis

Jul 22nd 2012, 10:42

Presumably the view is also currently appreciated particularly by paying customers at the Cafeteria? What's the actual difference between the current use and anticipated use? As far as I can see, the current use results in a private individual getting an income, and with the anticipated use an NGO makes the money.

Many interventions in Culture Heritage cities involve the recreation of past (significant) structures. A city is a palimpsest. There is nothing intrinsically odd with recreating a significant structure that was bombed. It may actually be of great historical interest. Is Mr Baron objecting because he is a cultural purist or because he wants his bread buttered on both sides forever?

Another question is: Was Mr Baron informed of the anticipated use when he took over the cafe?

Pavlaki Pano Aroditis

Jul 22nd 2012, 10:42

Presumably the view is also currently appreciated particularly by paying customers at the Cafeteria? What's the actual difference between the current use and anticipated use? As far as I can see, the current use results in a private individual getting an income, and with the anticipated use an NGO makes the money.

Many interventions in Culture Heritage cities involve the recreation of past (significant) structures. A city is a palimpsest. There is nothing intrinsically odd with recreating a significant structure that was bombed. It may actually be of great historical interest. Is Mr Baron objecting because he is a cultural purist or because he wants his bread buttered on both sides forever?

Another question is: Was Mr Baron informed of the anticipated use when he took over the cafe?

M. Baron

Jul 22nd 2012, 10:06

Notice, in the picture, the huge, smelly, noisy Island Outside Catering truck blocking the free public access path to service the Weddings and Receptions held non-stop by the "NGO" Wirt Artna.