Archbishop Charles Scicluna has a way with words. He is succinct, colourful and to the point. When he spoke of “Las Vegas-style” lights as the controversy over a new lighting system at the Auberge de Castille in Valletta raged, he hit a raw nerve. This country has a serious problem with protecting even its most-prized heritage sites.

It is incredible to believe that the façade of one of the finest examples of baroque architecture has had holes as large as table tennis balls drilled right through its stonework to pass wiring for an illumination system. Costing some €300,000, the new lights immediately came under fire aesthetically and technically.

More incredible is the fact that, weeks after the damage was done, it has not been possible to identify who was responsible and, more importantly, how to ensure this will not happen again.

The project started off on the wrong foot when the planning authority, whose duties include heritage protection and not just churning out permits, authorised the works through a development notification order and approved it in 24 hours. Planning experts have seriously questioned Mepa’s decision not to request a full development application for works that ended up making irreversible damage to a historical landmark.

Matters moved so swiftly that the Restoration Directorate within the Culture Ministry, which had coordinated the Castille restoration, was not even consulted.

Feeling the heat, both the Mepa chairman and the CEO came out with their guns blazing and pointed fingers at the Superintendent of Cultural Heritage saying he has to carry responsibility. The Superintendence, which had set the conditions for the work, kept dodging questions but when this newspaper finally caught up with the Superintendent, he distanced himself from the project’s implementation, insisting his office had no power to order the dismantling of the system.

“There are other authorities that can do that,” he said. But which authorities?

There is, of course, the Grand Harbour Regeneration Corporation, which is responsible for the €1.6 million revamp project for the whole of Castille Square. The illumination system is part of this project and also includes similar lighting for St James Cavalier and the Malta Stock Exchange.

The original designs for the square included two huge lamp posts but Transport and Infrastructure Minister Joe Mizzi said that, following criticism of the plans, the government decided to illuminate the square “in a professional manner to reflect the historical buildings’ history”. Nothing of that sort has happened.

The Archbishop was addressing university graduates that included architects when he made his scathing ‘Las Vegas’ remark. He appealed to them to be diligent and to safeguard the country’s rich architectural heritage. That would involve architects being not only responsible but also ready to speak up and say no when necessary.

Unfortunately, when architects were approached by this newspaper to speak on the Castille lighting, they preferred anonymity fearing a political backlash that could affect their business. That does not augur well for this country’s heritage.

Someone has to assume responsibility for the damage done to Castille, and the Prime Minister, who has his seat there, should take the initiative to find out who it was if none of the many government entities and ministries involved are willing to do so.

One American tag line goes: “What happens in Vegas stays in Vegas.” Castille is a case where that motto should not apply.

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