The quarantine building in Valletta, known as Barriera. Photo: Edward Said

I take a cue from the recent piece on Valletta’s Barriera being at risk of collapse (July 17). According to the report, the Culture Ministry had not replied when asked whether there were any plans to restore or conserve the building.

There are other entities supposedly looking after the preservation of our cultural heritage. Yet, in the case of the serious damage on May 12 to the surviving half of an old gate at the bottom of Carmel Street, corner with Main Street, St Julian’s, nothing has been done to date to remedy this sorry situation, except for the unsupervised removal of the debris. What still stands poses a danger to pedestrians and cars.

Apart from this, the incident caused damage to the house to which the gate is attached. The old earth and rubble mortar is getting drier and drier and, once the rains begin, the eroding force of the water will certainly cause the collapse of what remains. This would be an unnecessary loss.

Or will action be taken once the horses will have bolted?