The Times of Malta takes inspiration from recent plans announced for the area around Villa Barbaro in Tarxien recalling that the character of old Maltese streets and buildings is disappearing. The partial or complete demolition of old buildings, or of their gardens or interiors while retaining only the façade, is a familiar concern. But the spatial contexts and settings of old buildings are also fundamental to the appreciation of heritage and to the way in which people experience it. The Editor argues that future generations will look back upon the last decade as a travesty, dominated by the rapaciousness of the few whom the so-called guardians of heritage were unable to stop.
The Independent also discusses our heritage, albeit focusing on the natural one, taking reference from the recent spraying of red paint on a historical trail. The Editor argues that better monitoring of the country’s countryside might help further prevent such environmental abuses in the future. For far too long has the fight to protect Malta’s environment been dependant on eNGOs and prominent environmentalists. It should be the government, paid for by public funds, who should be leading the charge in such protection.
L-Orizzont welcomes the fact that Covid-19 numbers seem to be in decline again in Malta, which puts on track the process to re-open schools in September without panic and fear. The Editor quotes figures published by the European authorities showing that Malta was one of the nations which managed to effectively control the pandemic in the srongest measure.
In-Nazzjon takes a deeper look at recent data related to poverty in Malta, saying the elderly are a cohort of the population which is most likely to be affected by such situation and appeals for the necessary support measures to be identified and taken to alleviate this challenge.
