Publio Agius, writing about Floriana, (‘Give St Anne Street back to the people’, The Sunday Times of Malta, May 31) complains how governments had ‘robbed’ Floriana of its territory.

This festering wound has not shown any signs of healing. It arose from a destructive policy adopted and carried out during 150 years of colonial rule.

Successive Maltese governments and the Church made inroads into Floriana territory. They resorted to encroachment, changes, alterations and blatant occupation of open spaces.

Only the vandalism of Nazi Germany exceeded their aspiration. The Nazis committed sacrilegious acts when they destroyed the church of St Publius and the Capuchins friary.

The colonial administration quite arbitrarily annihilated the five massive security gates – St Anne Gate, Polverista Gate, Notre Dame Gate, Marina Gate and Quarantine Sally Port Gate. They could have bypassed them with side roads.

They did so with Portes des Bombes after continual modifications.

Lintorn Barracks, running from east to west, snuffed out the scenic view to the north from Mount Sciberras. They also breached the middle part of the high walls that sheltered the Mall Garden from the north blistering winds of winter. This middle passage made communication easier to the marina. The mounting gun emplacement and other regimental exigencies necessitated the removal of the villa of Lady Julia Lockwood at Sa Maison Garden.

Self-government in 1947 started the epidemic of political manoeuvring in the granting of building permits. Thus the St Anne Street buildings were extended on both sides towards Valletta. Nato headquarters and the then American Embassy marred the spectacular scene to the south.

These structures, together with the Church’s Catholic Institute, obliterated the panoramic scenery of Grand Harbour. Thus people of Floriana relaxing in the evenings on the granaries were hemmed in by inconsiderate actions of both Church and State.

Need I mention the monstrous Infant School at the eastern end of the Mall opposite the Argotti Gardens? The building is an offence against the previous magnificent gates of the Mall. Need I mention the building of the Excelsior Hotel that annihilated the glacis along Marsamxett Road?

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