‘Why has the Superintendent of Cultural Heritage remained silent?’ PD asks

Partit Demokratiku yesterday questioned why Superintendent of Cultural Heritage Dr Anthony Pace had remained silent in the wake of the “assault on Malta’s identity in the past years,” adding that under his watch, the Planning Authority had been allowed to approve a frightening number of applications which desecrate Malta’s heritage and identity. “The general public has started catching on to this fact. The superintendent did not take action against the Kerċem development application, which threatens the Roman Catacombs of Gozo, and questions must now be asked,” the PD said in a statement.

This case was not just a oneoff, the party said, adding that it had become abundantly clear that the Superintendence of Cultural Heritage had in some way been compromised to rubber stamp development applications. With case after case abandoned by the superintendent – such as the vernacular houses of Żebbuġ, the Sliema Cloisters, Blackley’s Bakery in Pietà, and countless other cases – Partit Demokratiku was voicing the concerns of the general public and civil society.

Partit Demokratiku said that Superintendent Pace had failed to take a stand against the possible development of the archaeological site at il-Wesgħa tal-Ġganti in Mosta, merely recommending that monitoring take place during the works themselves. The result of this application will be known by 10 July, and Partit Demokratiku considers this as the final test of the superintendent’s reputation, particularly in light of the Roman Catacombs fiasco.

In view of the assault on Malta’s cultural heritage in the past months, and indeed years, and given the clear absence of the assumption of any responsibility by Dr Anthony Pace, Partit Demokratiku said it questioned his credibility as Superintendent of Cultural Heritage, and the motivations behind his decisions – or lack thereof – were best investigated and held to public scrutiny. Similarly, Partit Demokratiku invited civil society to always seek common ground in protecting Malta’s heritage in the absence of properly functioning institutions.