Every Gozitan is fully aware of the rivalry between the Gozo Ministry and anybody who may be influential in the feudal island of Gozo. This is no secret!One may remember that few years ago the Circolo Gozitano was publishing a monthly Gozitan newspaper called 'The Edge'. This was also destroyed just after few months of its publications.
I have to say that the Victoria Mayor had been trying his best to initiate a number of initiatives in his locality, but the lack of support or rather dismissal from the Ministry for Gozo is so evident.
What is now happening at the Cittadella is a case in point:
Alternattiva Demokratika (AD) - The Green Party welcomes the fact that EU funding is being used for the drawing up of a Master Plan for Cittadella, Gozo. However, AD has serious doubts about the process that was used during the selection process for the adjudication of the tender when groups with much more experience were discarded in favour of a University department that has no experience in the drawing up of master plans.
Arnold Cassola, Alternattiva Demokratika Chairperson and Candidate for European elections, stated: “AD is informed that among the groups that had shown interest one found the top international and local experts in the various fields. The ‘company’ chosen, or rather the University group, is in fact -as the Ministry statement itself states-, engaging a number of foreign and local experts to draw up its reports as it itself has no experience in this field. Furthermore, master plans are drawn up over twelve months so that a full weather cycle is taken into consideration.”
I added that AD hopes that there will be a genuine consultation with all stakeholders and all those that have a particular interest in the site. AD cannot understand why the Rabat Local Council was not involved at all up to now and hopes that it will be seriously involved at this stage. No serious plan for Cittadella can be done without a proper study of the problems relating to the historic core of Victoria”.
Yvonne Ebejer Arqueros, AD candidate for European elections, said that: “AD insists that the Church and Heritage Malta, the two prime stake holders, will be involved in a serious manner at all stages and not quite excluded, as has happened up to now. Furthermore it is hoped that the Master Plan also includes a Management Plan for the Cittadella”.
Prof. Arnold Cassola concluded: “The Green Party hopes that the Government will go ahead with nominating the Cittadella and the historic core of Victoria for listing under the UNESCO World Heritage List”.
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2 comments:
In the Cittadella Master plan please involve as many people as possible. It it our pride and joy not just for now but for ever. So we need to plan very well. The Victoria counsel being involved is a MUST. Not just that but a lot more people who are interested. Thanks AD for bringing this issue forward since nobody has the audacity to say it out loud for fear of repercussions.
Oh! how I loved the 'Edge' Something similar is very much needed. It was a sharp edge. Unfortunately it is dead. There are several rumors about its demise. I hope they are not true.
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