Flimkien ghal Ambjent Ahjar (FAA) has expressed its disgust at the way, it said, “heritage-sensitive applications are being handled by the Superintendence of Cultural Heritage and the Planning Authority.”

In a statement, FAA said that just three weeks ago the Planning Authority issued a permit to build a block of 22 apartments in the Ggantija buffer zone, which permit FAA, Ramblers Association and Ghawdix are appealing.

“Today another controversial application in the Sta Verna Temple site has just been discussed at the Planning Authority,” it said.

FAA stated that “this application made the news when reports of archaeological remains were found on the site. In spite of repeated reports to the Superintendence of Cultural Heritage and the police, nothing was done to secure the site from tampering and save the caves that indicated prehistoric uses.”

Furthermore, FAA argued, “on a nearby construction site, works proceeded without the stipulated heritage monitor. The previous archaeological monitor employed in the area was speedily replaced when he issued a report highlighting the presence of archaeological remains.”

FAA went on to say that, “during the latest hearing, journalist Victor Borg revealed that he had been passed a very recent report drawn up by the Superintendence of Cultural Heritage which revealed that not only was archaeology found, but that human remains were laid in caves in a manner indicating that the site was used for ritual purposes. Rather than submitting this report to the PA, this report was concealed by the Superintendence of Cultural Heritage.”

FAA stressed that “again, instead of thanking the journalist for revealing this report, Silvana Baldacchino, the Chairman of the PA Environment Planning Commission spent the hearing berating him for not submitting the report to the Superintendence which had suppressed it all along, just as the police had ignored all reports.”

“Astrid Vella (FAA) and Carmen Bajada, “Xaghra resident) witnessed the lack of monitoring on the site and the disturbance of the archaeological remains,” FAA said.

FAA stated that “members of the EPC board pushing for a summary decision on the permit, based on 2012 Superintendence claiming no finds on the site, which are now nullified by the Superintendent’s own (concealed) report to the contrary.”

At FAA’s insistence, the EPC accepted to defer the decision in order to receive, upload and discuss the SCH report obtained by Victor Borg.

Flimkien ghal Ambjent Ahjar asked yet again, “why NGOs and the public have to do the work of the Superintendence of Cultural Heritage and Planning Authority, which are responsible for safeguarding Malta’s Heritage.”

Moreover, FAA pointed out that today a replacement secretary attended for Xaghra Local Council.

“Why did the lawyer, agreed upon unanimously in a meeting of the Xaghra Local Council, to study this application, submit representations and represent the Council, not submit representations nor attend today’s hearing in order to defend Xaghra’s unique history from developers’ greed?” FAA asked.

Photo: FAA

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