I felt I had to write about the very poor state of the niche of St Aloysius Gonzaga (1568-1591) in Victoria, corner between Charity Street and Mgr Guzeppe Farrugia Street.

Whenever I pass by it, I am ashamed, as a resident of Victoria, that this niche which probably goes back about 250 years, just a few years after St Aloysius was canonised in 1726, is perhaps the most neglected in Gozo. Is it possible that the Victoria mayor or any of the councillors have never really observed this old stone statue of the saint?

I have twice reported this niche to one of the councillors and have recently called personally at the local council office. There, I found a young lady, who just wrote a small note and told me that she would mention the niche at the next council meeting. No promises were made and no concern was shown.

As a Gozitan, who loves the architectural heritage of our islands, I hope that the local council will take urgent steps about such niches and realise that it is their duty to restore the historic monuments of Victoria. Moreover it is worrying that the Gozo Cultural Council recently organised the Feast of Street Niches and tours without thinking that Gozitans, tourists and foreigners residing in Gozo, would surely observe the state of certain niches.