“The work currently underway on the Museum & Cultural Centre which is being created by Fondazzjoni Belt Victoria, as part of the project named ‘Il-Hagar: The Making of a People’ and co-financed by European and Government funds, can, the NGO said, be classified in three categories,
The first, being the building itself. A site meeting takes place every Friday to co-ordinate the efforts of the various sub-contractors who have a long list of items to finish. These include electricity supply and fittings, floors and soffits, pointing and painting, alarms, airconditioning and PVs.
Further Calls are due over the next few weeks (for example, apertures and equipment) and this is where the secong type of work comes in, which is office-centred. As well as the drafting and processing of tenders, there are also numerous reports which are an unavoidable part of the ERDF system.
The NGO said that the third type of work is that is being undertaken, but away from site, is being carried out bey two Maltese firms, PrevArti and Recoop. They have been awarded the two lots which formed the restoration tender, consisting of three paintings and three statues. The latter are papier-mâché statues of significance in the local history of art while the others are pre-eighteenth century paintings with important artistic merit. Besides the full “a regola d’arte” restoration, the contractors are also obligated to provide a detailed ongoing account of the process, this includes photographs.
Fondazzjoni Belt Victoria said that there is obviously much else which merits restoration or “freshening” at least and they are earnestly looking for individuals and institutions who could act as sponsors. A major one has been the Ministry for Gozo through the eco-Gozo NGOs scheme, on the restoration [1] of the former main altar [2].
Fondazzjoni Belt Victoria are inviting people to be able to take the opportunity to become a permanent FBV member, benefiting from lifelong free entrance. Details can be seen here [3].