Valletta's St James' ditch was back to its old self yesterday evening after the second of two political party billboards was removed. 

The Nationalist Party removed its billboard shortly after a court issued its ruling about a prohibitory injuction the party had filed. It had previously said that its hands were tied until after the court's decision.

Although the court found that the PN was justified in keeping its billboards while it fought regulatory changes in court, the party nevertheless bowed to public pressure and removed its billboard in St James' ditch. 

...and there was one. Photo: Chris Sant Fournier

The Labour Party had removed its offending billboard the previous day, with a spokesman saying that “we felt that the situation merited immediate action."

Both parties had received a tongue-lashing from Valletta 2018 chairman Jason Micallef, who said the two billboards - which blocked the view to the capital city's 450-year-old bastions as well as that to architect Chris Briffa's monument Prospettiva - were an act of "heritage pollution." 

Back to its rightful state. Photo: Chris Sant Fournier