In her contribution to The Times’ Talking Point on December 18, Astrid Vella draws attention, inter alia, to the possible threat of destroying ‘wells’ in St Julian’s.

I believe she might be including the so-called Napoleon’s Wells up the road from Spinola Bay which I highlight in my recent book on Maltese collective memory of the French period.

It is heartening to see a PA application notice on site intending to preserve the façade of the building on top of the wells though the wells themselves are not acknowledged at all.

I do hope and appeal to Mepa to ascertain the safekeeping of the ground space in front of this old house as I find it hard to imagine how the demolition of the interior of the building could be done without damaging the front public floor space encasing the wells.

Citizens should be informed of what is going to happen in this regard.

Hoping Heritage Malta is already involved in this permit/operation could we, after 216 years, see an indication of the historic connection to a crucial period in our history that has very few remnants?

It would be wise to support oral tradition not only by saving the wells but also by commemorating the site in the name of a new street or square in this historic area.