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Your letters
The neglected Cottonera Lines
From
Stephen Ciantar
Editor, ‘Flimkien mal-Kunsill Lokali Bormla’
Your
article 'Cottonera Lines: hidden and forgotten', made very interesting
reading last Sunday.
I
fully agree with your comments, in as much as this area, throughout
the ages, has been given little importance by the authorities,
for evidently, politicians by their nature are only interested
in areas where political gain can be attained.
These
ancient fortifications are bereft of any inhabitants and therefore
have no vote-catching characteristics.
I
find it rather pathetic that an institution such as the Planning
Authority seems oblivious to the many illegal and controversial
developments blighting these magnificent structures. This is an
area that is so rich in cultural heritage that it is often referred
to, in foreign publications, as the Jewel of the Mediterranean.
However, in Malta, not many are conscious of this fact and it
is only those that are professionally involved in our National
Heritage that at times bring these realities to light.
On
the other hand, Cospicua Local Council is very much aware of this
sad situation and on several occasions has endeavoured, within
its limited means, to take the initiative, together with other
government and non-government institutions, to embark on maintenance
projects.
The
Council issues a bi-monthly magazine promoting the Cultural Heritage
of Bormla and its surroundings. Its aim is to educate and, at
the same time, offer interesting reading for the residents. Many
are those who contribute, as Bormla, being a noble City with many
centuries of history, boasts generations of individuals who have
watched the locality undergo various changes.
In
the January/February issue of the magazine, we published an article
by Sunny Aquilina about the Gates of the Cottonera Fortifications.
He concluded his article as follows:
"The other three gates in these lines of fortifications are
those known as 'Ta' San Gakbu', 'Ta' San Aiwigi' and 'Tas-Salvatur'.
The last two are in a miserable state and in urgent need of professional
restoration.
We
cannot disregard this heritage, as we will be losing it forever.
In my opinion, the local councils have to speak out, insisting
on the gates’ restoration, because they form part of our
heritage which cannot be left to crumble. Public access to these
gates is impossible due to rubble walls that surround them, that
have been erected by individuals without the necessary permits.
Most of them are hidden behind large trees, and one of them houses
a big farm."
In
a civilised nation these things should no longer be tolerated.
With the necessary clean-up, restoration and proper access, these
gates can be included as major tourist attractions. Moreover,
they will be preserved and, thus, appreciated by the Maltese and
particularly by the inhabitants of Cottonera'.
On
chameleons and colours
From
Sammy Vella, Mellieha
I refer to the column: Where are they now? - The
Chameleon No. 0080, which appeared in MaltaToday (Sunday 27
May 2001).
Your
columnist seems to have needed the comfort of drawing in third
persons to buttress the insinuations and innuendoes he floated
in his article.
Apparently,
he felt authorised to bandy my name around without consulting
me. Your chameleon was reluctant to attack his target frontally.
Yet, while he avoided stating the name of the Labour politician
referred to in this article, he felt no particular diffidence
in dragging my name into the mud he chose to wallow in. Your columnist
declared that I have some kind of proof that the targeted labour
politician is a chameleon himself. Although the politician is
not mentioned by name, it is clear that the person being targeted
is Evarist Bartolo.
Your
columnist might feel comfortable casting aspersions whilst hiding
behind a convenient pseudonym. However, his decision to draw me
into his argument is completely unethical and obnoxious. I have
never felt the need to revert to any kind of godparent to speak
or act in my name. I am quite capable of expressing myself on
any topic that I feel needs addressing. I have never shied away
from tackling sticky topics. On the contrary, however, many newspapers
often feel that they should censure my contributions to take some
of the sting out of my darts. Yet I always sign my letters and
express my opinions without beating about the bush.
Had
I some opinion to express regarding Evarist Bartolo’s political
credentials, I would not have required or allowed anybody else
to act as my proxy. Since your anonymous chameleon seems to have
been referring to my experience as councillor and mayor on the
Mellieha local council, I should like to take this opportunity
to reiterate that I always contested the local elections as an
Independent. Those who used to denigrate the Independent councillors,
claiming that they were not independent at all, but only Labourite
wolves in sheep’s clothing, (incidentally still far better
than Nationalist sheep in wolves’ clothing!) often ended
up believing their own fabrications. It seems that there are those
who still feel or find it expedient to imply that I expected some
kind of helping hand from the Labour party when I contested as
an Independent. Only Nationalist party supporters assume this
attitude. This is because there were, indeed, some Nationalist
party henchmen planted amongst the Independent councillors, and
these, naturally, expected and received assistance from the Nationalist
party. I, however, always believed that as a local councillor
and even more as mayor of Mellieha, I should eschew all forms
of partisan leanings. As such, I never asked for, or ever received,
any form of partisan support from the Labour party.
My
failure to get re-elected on the Mellieha local council, in March
1999, seems to have been attributed, by some chameleons, to some
campaign against me instigated by the Labour party. Actually,
the number of votes I obtained reveals, at first glance, that
it was not only the Labour voters that withheld their votes from
me, but also the Nationalist ones. Yet they can all vouch for
the fact that I performed my duties in a scrupulously non-partisan
manner.
Should,
however, the MaltaToday chameleon insist on coaxing pearls of
proof out of my reluctant oyster, I would be very glad to accommodate
his dubious whim. I will refrain from telling my stories about
some government ministers who have crossed my path, since he obviously
doesn’t want to hear a word about those, and confine my tale
to titbits about Evarist Bartolo. For example, I would certainly
award a much higher evaluation of his record as minister for education.
Indeed, he would have easily bagged a maximum point award had
he not insisted and persisted in treating his political opponents
with kid gloves, even when they were obviously using their positions
within his own ministry to sabotage his earnest endeavours.
Your
chameleon should also be reminded that I worked with Evarist Bartolo
for over five months at the ministry of education between April
and September 1998. I was offered no lucrative position as persuasion,
but I accepted the position so that I could contribute to his
programme. I still believe that Maltese education will suffer
from a dearth of imagination, creativity, and commitment because
of Mr Bartolo’s untimely departure from the education ministry.
I have tended to be most parsimonious with my praise of politicians
so far. I usually prefer to criticise them since they are so adept
at advertising their own merits on their own, with no assistance
from anybody. However, I will concede a point to your chameleon
this time. He is right. It was high time I came out with these
titbits of proof. I do augur that your chameleon finds them appetising.
I
have my doubts, however. I find it difficult to shake off the
distinct impression that, notwithstanding the chameleon’s
propensity for changing colour, he reserves his copious tongue
for licking backsides of all the same colour.
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