‘I expected better’: Government turns down proposal to rename Santa Venera street after Miriam Pace

What could have been Triq Miriam Pace will now be named Triq l-Isportivi

A proposal to rename a street in Santa Venera after Miriam Pace has been turned down by government’s street naming committee.

The proposal was made by Darren Carabott, the locality’s minority leader, in February this year follow the road’s opening.

“I expected better. I thought we would come together on this,” Carabott wrote on Facebook, revealing that the proposal was turned down.

Pretendejt aħjar. Stennejt li fuq din se ningħaqdu. Ftit tax-xhur ilu pproponejt biex triq f’Santa Venera tissemma’...

Posted by Darren Carabott on Wednesday, July 28, 2021

“A few months ago I proposed that this street in Santa Venera should be named after Miriam Pace. Yet it seems that the government’s road-naming committee didn’t want to celebrate her memory - and instead, voted in favour of the Mayor’s proposal to name it ‘Triq l-Isportivi’.”

The road is situated 200 metres away from where Pace lost her life. She died last year in the rubble of her home, which collapsed following works on a construction site next door.

“I wanted Miriam’s memory to be remembered forever. I wanted a plaque with her name 200 metres away from the place where she died,” Carabott wrote.

He added that he wanted this street to serve as a monument to how the planning and development system failed Pace and her family.

“I know Miriam Pace deserves more than a street name. But this would have been a small gesture that will allow us to remember the reasons for her death.”

Two architects have since been found guilty of involuntary homicide in causing the death of Miriam Pace. They were convicted with 800 hours of community work.