Flimkien għal Ambjent Aħjar commends the recent restoration and official opening of Villa Francia, the latest in a series of successful restoration projects which includes the restoration of the chapel of Our Saviour at Kalkara, as well as the rehabilitation works being carried out on the façades of the Palace, the Biblioteca, the Auberge de Castille, Maison Demandols, Liesse Church not to mention kilometers of bastions.
Since it is becoming increasingly clear that the rate of development we have been seeing until recently has become unsustainable, the NGO encourages Government to help re-direct the construction industry by assisting it to acquire the skills and training needed to concentrate more on restoration. This sector is labour-intensive and therefore absorbs personnel long-term. It also calls for specialised traditional Maltese skills which are fast dying out; in fact one of the major problems the sector is facing at present is the lack of qualified personnel. With much of Valletta and the Three Cities in a sad state, Mdina and the Cittadella requiring urgent shoring up, besides privately-owned houses and palazzos requiring constant upkeep and restoration, re-training of the labour-force in restoration skills could keep a good part of the ailing construction industry in profit as well as working to the benefit of our heritage.
These efforts to preserve our rural and urban heritage are greatly appreciated as such work not only restores individual buildings, but raises the image of the surroundings and pride in our architectural assets and furthermore benefits the nation by attracting more tourists to Malta.
