Скачать или смотреть "Gozo Minister Must Safeguard National Heritage Assets" - AD

Speaking at a press conference in Xlendi Alternattiva Demokratika Chairperson Dr Harry Vassallo said that the state of neglect of national treasures to be found in Gozo is a matter for grave concern. "The ancient watch tower at Xlendi is about to collapse due to long standing neglect. If the Ministry for Gozo has not be able to secure the emergency repairs necessary for this national treasure one is easily entitled to predict that it will not be able to address the disaster of its collapse which will cause much more damage than already exists. This tower which is the hallmark of this small seaside village will disappear for ever" Dr Vassallo said.

"Instead of investing public funds in the upgrade of Rundle Gardens in Victoria which can be easily postponed the Ministry for Gozo should be able to recognise the emergency staring it in the face and act now to avoid the much larger expense which will be necessary following the collapse of Xlendi Tower" Dr Vassallo said.
"In recent years there have been excellent examples given by NGOs such as Wirt Ghawdex which restored the tower at Mgarr ix-Xini and Din l-Art Helwa which restored the Isopu Tower" Dr Vassallo said. "The restoration of Xlendi Tower is now a national emergency and the Ministry for Gozo should have no difficulty securing the funds necessary from the government if it decides to take action" Dr Vassallo added.

"Present state of the tower warrants immediate action regardless of any lease granted by government. It is clear that the present state of neglect fully justifies the cancellation of any lease granted and the return to government of the tower in full and free possession. Such a national treasure should be maintained in such a way that it can be safely used and enjoyed by the public." Dr Vassallo said "Nor should any development application in the immediate vicinity of the tower be countenanced. We fully expect the Ministry for Gozo to insist on the scheduling not only of the ancient tower itself but also of the surrounding landscape which is an essential part of the aesthetic and historical value to be safeguarded" Dr Vassallo said.
"The context of major architectural heritage assets such as Xlendi Tower is of the greatest importance and should support the requests of site neighbours for sensitive treatment in any public works in the area" Dr Vassallo said. "Any changes to public areas in the vicinity should not have any negative impact on the area and residents should be treated with respect and consulted. The Munxar Local Council should guarantee that the residents are fully informed of any development taking place in the area and not kept in the dark" Dr Vassallo said

"It would be indeed ironic if public money were to be spent in unnecessary embellishments of viewing platforms from which one would be able to view only the ruins of Xlendi Tower due to its imminent collapse" Dr Vassallo said. "Alternattiva Demokratika calls on the Ministry for Gozo to get its priorities right and to ensure that public money is immediately invested to secure the national treasures to be found in Gozo such as the Xlendi Tower for all Maltese, Gozitans and the many foreign residents investing to reside in Gozo" Dr Vassallo said.
THE MINISTER replied defensively to this statement and AD issued immediately a reply stating:
In response to a press release issued by the Ministry for Gozo yesterday, Alternattiva Demokratika Spokesperson for Gozo and General Secretary Mr Victor Galea said that the Ministry had confirmed the statements made by Alternattiva Demokratika that "After decades of neglect, the Ministry for Gozo had decided to upgrade Rundle Gardens in Victoria by strange coincidence accommodating the development which saw the demolition of the landmark Duke of Edinburgh Hotel and the loss of Roman remains to be found on site" Mr Galea said.

The Ministry also confirms that the historic Watch Tower in Xlendi remains in the hands of third parties regardless of the ruinous state in which it has been allowed to degrade" Mr Galea said. He added that the unquestionable threat of imminent collapse of Xlendi tower fully justifies the rescission of any grant by government of any title over the property to third parties. "It is the most feeble of excuses for doing nothing in the face of disaster" Mr Galea said the government has every right to recover the property and see to its immediate repair before much greater expenses become necessary and before Gozo risked losing forever a heritage asset of national importance" Mr Galea said.

The upgrading of Rundle Gardens will be a very welcome development when it finally takes place but this does not mean that the Gozo Ministry can shift its responsibilities and ignore other endangered hertitage assets of the island such as the Xlendi Tower. "Gozitans are proud of what we have and do not want to lose it due to lack of political vision and absurd concessions to speculators" concluded Mr Galea.