Twenty-nine academics have published an open letter to the heritage minister detailing their concerns over the replacement of Joseph Magro Conti with former head of planning consultations Kurt Farrugia.

The group hit out at the ministry for neglecting to appoint a new superintendent for cultural heritage in a transparent manner. 

Featuring prominent names, the group emphasised that, without a transparent process, the decision means that “the incumbent cannot gain the respect of the heritage community”.

“Without a clear explanation for Magro Conti’s removal, the superintendence, as an institution, risks being weakened, and its ability to act with independence is curtailed,” the letter reads.

Upon announcing the appointment, minister Josè Herrera had said that Magro Conti will be tasked with drawing up a national strategy to consolidate and carry out reforms in the sector.

Meanwhile, Herrera selected Kurt Farrugia to fill the newly vacated post. Farrugia has 14 years of experience in the sector, serving as head of consultations within the superintendence for the past two years.

The experts, who asked Herrera to take note of their concerns, argued that the superintendent must be someone of “scholarly repute and integrity, who possesses the erudite clout and intellectual weight pertinent to the post”.

They saw the removal of Magro Conti as premature and uncalled for, as well as a loss of the decades of experience he brought to the post.

“The superintendence is emerging from this inexplicable decision as a weakened institution, at a time when Malta’s national heritage is ever more threatened. 

“We believe that the time has come to give the superintendence authority and independence from direct ministerial control,” the group concluded.

The letter, which can be read in the PDF link below, was signed by Joan Abela, Maria Attard, Anthony Bonanno, Francesca Balzan, Keith Buhagiar, Mario Buhagiar, Patricia Camilleri, Petra Caruana Dingli, Maria Grazia Cassar, Daniel Cilia, Vicki Ann Cremona, Nicholas Doublet, Richard England, Reuben Grima, Adrian Mamo, Immanuel Mifsud, Simone Mizzi, Mark Sagona, Edward Said, Giuseppe Schembri Bonaci, Joseph Schiro, Keith Sciberras, Joanna Spiteri Staines, Conrad Thake, Alex Torpiano, Olvin Vella, Nicholas Vella, Giovanni Zammit and Theresa Zammit Lupi.