The environment NGO Flimkien għal-Ambjent Aħjar has called for a free vote in Parliament on an Opposition motion for the government to withdraw support for the proposed underground extension of St John’s Co-Cathedral Museum.

The foundation in a statement reacted to a statement issued by Mgr Philip Calleja, president of St John’s Co-Cathedral Foundation, who had reacted to the Opposition motion.

It said the public input for the Environment Impact Assessment was already flawed, with Valletta local council having no copies of the Project Description Statement for the public and the whole statement being very sketchy.

The statement, the FAA said, gave no indications of emergency exits, sanitary facilities or plant and equipment.

“The public cannot make informed submission without knowing where air-conditioners, large underground generators or air ducts are to be positioned in historic St. John's Square,” the foundation said.

“More importantly, the Project Description Statement lacks the geological studies of rock bedding-planes which would indicate the stability of rock near the Cathedral. If these are unfavourable, they would immediately indicate that the project has to be reduced drastically or is not feasible. That is why the studies should have been done at this stage, to save a possible waste of up to €120,000 of Foundation (i.e. taxpayer) money and more in MEPA costs.”

The FAA said that all politicians have a duty to speak if they feel that the processing of this project is irregular or if, as MEPA has already stated, it risks the stability of St. John’s Co-Cathedral.

“Flimkien għal Ambjent Aħjar asks for a Free Vote on this project in Parliament so that all can vote according to their conscience. Surely Malta’s most precious church deserves no less.”

Picture: A photo montage of the churchyard of St John’s Co-Cathedral shown in the public exhibition. (Picture:FAA).