I refer to the letter titled Victualling Yard Gate by Lorenzo Zahra (March 6), regarding damage to the cow's head sculpture on the gate leading to Vittoriosa Marina.

Mr Zahra asserted that, despite various pleas by the Vittoriosa Historical and Cultural Society, no action has yet been taken to restore the damaged sculpture. He solicited "prompt remedial action" as he fears that "the offender will run away scot-free". This calls for some clarification.

The "offending contractor" immediately reported the damage to Timothy Gambin, the Malta Environment and Planning Authority's appointee to monitor the works then in progress. Mr Gambin instructed the contractor to collect and store the broken sculpture and commission a restoration report. The contractor complied forthwith, took the broken sculpture to a safe store (known in Vittoriosa as the Cement Stores) and engaged Herman Bonnici to draw up a restoration report.

Dr Bonnici finished his report in June 2004. It was submitted for Mepa's approval in the same month. Concurrently, the contractor lodged a claim with his insurers, who endorsed it and placed the funds at the contractor's disposal to be drawn upon completion of the works.

All was set for the restoration works to be taken in hand immediately upon receipt of Mepa's permission to proceed. However, notwithstanding repeated requests, Mepa's permission was not forthcoming. The last such request was made in July 2005, after more than a year of fruitless efforts.

Throughout this saga the Vittoriosa Historical and Cultural Society may have shown interest in the matter, but one was never aware of it. One was certainly aware of Mepa's disinterest. Their reticence to give the go-ahead for work to proceed was too conspicuous to escape notice. Soon after the contractor's last exhortation to Mepa, the keys to the store where the broken sculpture was kept were handed back to the landlord and the offenders have run away scot-free, as Mr Zahra feared.

I hope the above leaves no doubt as regards to who the offenders are.