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Karl Schembri
Heritage Malta’s plans for Fort Bingemma may end up disrupted by a mechanic and his family who have been occupying the site for the last 25 years if government decides to leave them on the Victorian garrison.
While the government’s heritage agency has long been planning to restore the fort and develop it as part of a national fortifications heritage trail, the occupants are claiming a title of lease on the land.
Sources say the occupant, Gaetano Buttigieg, is likely to find ministerial backing so that he remains in the fort even if eventually it is passed on to Heritage Malta.
This may mean that the agency would have a mechanic working and living inside the historical building meant to attract tourists, much to the dismay of Heritage Malta’s chief.
In a letter sent to MaltaToday (page 20), Buttigieg’s lawyer says the occupant “resides there under a title of lease with the Lands Department” and has been living there with his family for the last 25 years.
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 mechanic and Tabone can do nothing until the Lands Department decides to terminate the lease.
Last month, Tabone actually said he was waiting an eviction order so that his agency would then take responsibility for the fort.
“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,” he said. “We can do nothing until it is declared within our remit.”
Read more:
http://www.maltatoday.com.mt/2006/01/22/t3.html
http://www.educ.um.edu.mt/militarymalta/html/north-west.html
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