• InNews
  • October 13, 2011

Times of Malta, 27th August 2008 –

The St John’s Co-Cathedral Foundation said this afternoon that it agreed with the positions taken separately by the Church Commission on the Environment and by Din l-Art Helwa on the proposed extension of St John’s Co-Cathedral Museum.

The Church Commission on the Environment in a statement issued this morning said that the next logical step was to await the publication of a truly objective Environment Impact Assessment and the ensuing open debate. It also appealed against any rushed uninformed decisions (see separate story in the news section).

In a separate article published today in The Times, Din L-Art Helwa Executive President, Martin Galea, said that it was important for the terms of reference of the Environment Impact Assessment to be carefully drawn up, for the findings of the impact assessment to be discussed publicly and for the Superintendence of Cultural Heritage, the Church’s heritage commission and the NGOs to act as watchdogs at every stage. Mr Galea said that the proposed project is imaginative and goes some way to resolving the current issues that the St John’s Co-Cathedral Foundation is facing.

The Foundation said that such positions were logical, cautious and in the interest of Malta’s national heritage. Such constructive positions were in contrast to rushed and destructive statements that were expressed by a few organisations, it said.

The Foundation urged MEPA to prepare the terms of reference for the environment impact assessment without unnecessary delays