Letters to the editor – February 10, 2026

A true homecoming

Mgr Dr Joe Vella Gauci, Ambassador of Malta to UNESCO, writes:

There are moments when a nation quietly does the right thing and, in doing so, strengthens its bond with its own history. The decision by the Maltese government to acquire Fort San Salvatore to the public is one such moment, worthy of praise and recognition.

Standing at the entrance of the Grand Harbour, Fort San Salvatore is more than stone and bastion. It is a silent witness to centuries of Maltese resilience, ingenuity and strategic importance. Built by the Order of St John and reshaped by time and necessity, the fort has watched generations come and go, guarding not only our shores but also our collective memory.

The entrance to Fort San Salvatore in Kalkara. Photo: Facebook/Kappa Vision

For far too long, this remarkable site remained inaccessible to the very people whose history it embodies. The fact it ended up, and has since remained, a private property did little honour to the country. So, its return to public stewardship restores a vital principle: that Malta’s heritage belongs to its people. Opening Fort San Salvatore once again is not merely an administrative act but an affirmation that our past should be lived with, learned from and shared.

Cottonera and the surroundings stand to benefit deeply from this decision. 

The area has long been defined by its maritime and military heritage and the fort’s reintegration into public life offers new opportunities for cultural activity, education and sustainable tourism.

The symbolic value of this move is also, or even more, important. In an era when development pressures often threaten historic spaces, choosing preservation and public access sends a powerful message. 

It shows that progress and heritage are not enemies but partners, each enriching the other when guided by thoughtful policy and long-term vision.

Fort San Salvatore’s return invites us to reimagine how we engage with our historic environment. It challenges us to care for it responsibly, to animate it with meaningful use and to pass it on to future generations. Inheriting heritage might be natural but protecting it is a choice. And, by that logic, inheriting heritage becomes the choice of our forefathers, as whatever our successors shall inherit is entirely a bold and generous choice of ours.

The government’s decision on Fort Salvatore, as expressed by the prime minister himself, deserves commendation. It follows a rather consistent logic since the news about Manoel Island and Fort Tigné. Perhaps we are no longer considering turning the page but right at the start of a new leaf. 

Long may it continue. Long may this be not just the reopening of a fort but a true homecoming.

Cement price increase

Carmel Sciberras of Naxxar writes:

Cement price is set to increase by 6%. Other building materials are bound to follow suite.   

One guess as to who is going to bear the brunt of these price increases.