Wartime heritage site

Reference is made yet again to the wartime heritage site at Hamrun where fresh excavations have occurred sporadically these last few weeks under the aegis of a green, official Malta Environment and Planning Authority full-development permit sported prominently in the doorway of 268/269 High Street, Hamrun. This , in spite of the fact that an appeal against the DCC decision on this issue has yet to be heard at the end of this month.

It seems that unfortunately, our numerous public and not so public pleas over the years to Mepa, the Hamrun local council, Superintendence of Cultural Heritage, Din L-Art Helwa, Heritage Malta and other heritage groups have gone unnoticed, unheeded, unacknowledged and at times even studiously ignored. This in spite of our copious documentation proving the presence of war shelters, cisterns and what a Mepa case officer report said on this development: "Proposal would likely affect archaeological features present on site. These consist of a bell-shaped cistern, linked to an extensive labyrinth of wartime shelter galleries. Structure Plan policy ARC 3 seeks to protect sites/areas of archaeological importance and sites which have potential archaeological remains".

To date, in spite of the DCC-imposed conditions attached to the full development permit, conditions that carry penalties in case of infringement, no hand tools have been used or were in evidence.

Excavation has been carried out with heavy machinery well within the one metre and a half from the protected war relic in question, and the heavy equipment has been left parked right on top of the shelter in question for several days to date. All this was done in full view of an attending Mepa official. Heavy machinery was also allowed to be parked with official Hamrun local council blessing, right on top of the pavement underneath which more war time heritage is known to lie and where the pavement is already severely damaged as a result of similar rough treatment meted out to it two years ago.

Several divisions within Mepa, as well as the Hamrun local council and various heritage groups including the Superintendence have been informed by phone or e-mail several times a day on the days such excavation went on with negligible effect and, in practically most cases, not even an acknowledgement. There are none so blind and deaf as those who do not want to see or listen.

Here, we feel that it is worth reminding the elusive Superintendent of Cultural Heritage of his one and only public contribution to the issue of the wartime heritage of Hamrun in The Times of September 3, where he justifies our concern for the plight of the wartime heritage stating that "the policy of the Superintendence of Cultural Heritage is that such wartime heritage assets must be protected across the Maltese islands" so much so that "the Superintendence has intervened a number of times to protect and ensure the preservation of wartime shelters in various localities. The most recent events include interventions in Gzira, Mtarfa and also Victoria".

He also stated that he became aware of the DCC approval in question only "following a communication from Mr and Dr Galea Vincenti" and ended his letter by saying that "at the time of writing (September 3) the Superintendence is awaiting details of this development from Mepa so it may correctly assess if this development poses a threat to the shelter".

Interesting how just 12 days later, Mepa in a statement on the subject in The Independent is reported to have said that "since these plans were in conformity with the direction given by the Cultural Heritage Superintendent, on May 17, the DCC approved the development as amended."

The Heritage Act is quite specific about the duties of all citizens, including "every citizen of Malta", the Superintendence, Heritage Malta and local councils in the preservation of the cultural heritage. Heavy penalties are contemplated in the law for anyone causing wilful damage or destruction of such property. The exigencies of the Heritage Act were confirmed by two government ministers in Parliament, way back in June in answers made to parliamentary questions numbers 13,137, 13,138, 13,139, 13,140 dealing with wartime heritage, cisterns and other remains.

One wonders what the international cultural heritage organisations, to which the local Maltese heritage groups in European Malta are so proudly affiliated, will be saying on the matter, once they are officially informed by yours truly of the nonchalant way with which the local World War II (and other) heritage of our home town Hamrun has been regarded by the official custodians of our national heritage in European Malta.