Wirt Għawdex deserves the praise of one and all for its unrelenting efforts to save the heritage of Gozo. Its hard-working secretary is indeed an asset to this island.

It was thus with amazement that in a recent press release, reported with prominence in this paper (February 11), Wirt Għawdex replaced a centuries-old toponym with a sheer misnomer, and included, besides, a historical inaccuracy, a linguistic error.

Il-Barracca, which Wirt Għawdex will be restoring with funds provided by the Ministry for Gozo, was never known as Il-Loġġa tal-Palju – not Loġġja in Maltese – but as Il-Barracca. The present structure was not built but rebuilt in 1733. It replaced what was probably a late mediaeval barracca. The worst is the fact that il-Loġġa tal-Paljijiet was not on Racecourse Street but in the Matrice Square. It was precisely above the low arch inside the square and was removed in the late 1880s when the arch was heightened by about three metres and the square enlarged.

The accompanying photo, published in The Times of Malta 90 years ago, shows the Hon. Mabel Strickland and Lord Strickland, Prime Minister of Malta, front row fourth and sixth from left, watching the horse races from Il-Barracca on August 15, 1928.