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Karl Schembri
It was built by the British to guard the north of the islands in the late 19th century but today, a vigilant mechanic guards his clients’ cars awaiting repairs in the Victorian garrison of Fort Bingemma, as heritage authorities await an eviction order to reclaim this historical jewel.
The squatter has been left there for several years by successive governments despite the damage he is inflicting on the site, marring a huge and essential heritage spot that forms part of the Victoria lines.
More than eight months ago, Heritage Malta Chairman Mario Tabone had told MaltaToday in an interview that his agency was about to take over Fort Bingemma together with Fort Delimara, which was used as a pig sty for decades on lease from the government.
But while Fort Delimara has been finally rid of the pigs and their manure, Fort Bingemma is still home to the illegal squatter and Tabone can do nothing until the Lands Department decides to issue an eviction order against the mechanic.
“We’re awaiting the Lands Department’s eviction order so that the government would then be able to pass on the property to Heritage Malta,” Tabone told MaltaToday last week. “We can do nothing until it is declared within our remit.”
It is a frustrating situation for Tabone, who wants to establish a fortifications heritage trail which would have great cultural and tourism potential. But as the law stands, despite the inherent heritage value of the site, this still does not fall automatically under the responsibility of the state heritage agency.
“Our fortifications are the only epic buildings we really have,” Tabone said. “They are spectacular buildings with enormous potential for cultural tourism but they’re in a dismal state. Why? Because responsibility was spread over a multitude of departments and ministries. So our suggestion was to declare forts and fortifications national heritage under the remit of Heritage Malta.”
When Brigadier General John Adye came to Malta from the UK in 1872, he had noticed that the coastal fortifications were well constructed but he realised that northern suburbs were not protected enough, leading him to propose the building of fortifications “far in advance”, which was later called the North West Front. Fort Bingemma was the first fort to be built on the North West Front as proposed by Brigadier General Adye in the long line of military architecture spanning from Fomm ir-Rih passing through Mosta, Madliena and Pembroke.
kschembri@mediatoday.com.mt
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