At times, disasters occur against all imaginable odds.

A case in point is what happened, seven years ago, to the historical archive of the city of Cologne when it collapsed due to the construction of a new subway line of the Cologne Stadtbahn system.

It is ludicrous to suppose that the Germans, well-known for their rigour and equipped with the latest technology, were not absolutely convinced that there was not the slightest risk to the building that held historical documents of the utmost importance.

Some rightly argue that in certain situations no progress would be possible without any risk. This is true, and, at times, this renders decision-making a complicated matter. However, it is common sense that no unnecessary risk should be taken.

Recently, a petition signed by over 5.000 people was presented to the Speaker of the House of Representatives by a group of Mosta residents objecting to the construction of an underground car park very close to the Mosta Rotunda.

Plans aiming to address traffic and parking problems are more than welcome.

Indeed, the petition does not object to the plan for a centrally-located car park.

Whether or not such a car park would, in fact, ease the problems caused by the heavy traffic going through Mosta is another issue. What every signatory to the petition wants, however, is that Mosta church is not exposed to any unnecessary risk.

No matter what the geological survey and the analysis that will be conducted by the expert engineer will conclude, there is no doubt that excavation works so close to the church would expose the Rotunda to some risk, which risk is absolutely unnecessary since there are other centrally-located sites that can be used.

Thus, the petition was far from being premature.

It has a clear message: merely considering ‘quarrying’ so close to this national monument is sheer madness!