As photos taken last week of the back of the building show, the old wall is being replaced with modern slabs.

This, members of the public said, is the oldest part of the fort, ante-dating the arrival of the Knights in 1530. The stones making up this wall, as are all buildings from pre-1500 are small and uneven stones. They are now being replaced by dressed and bigger stones

Having said that, it must also be said that this part of St Angelo is a shambles: the rest of the hotel, opened in Mintoff’s time, is like a ghost town, with no doors or windows anywhere, while the swimming pool, another ill-judged 1970s development, lies negelcted with dirt and rubbish gathering at the bottom.

Replying on behalf of MEPA, Peter Gingell wrote: “Any form of development in Fort St Angelo requires a MEPA permit. There is no site in or around the Maltese Islands that is protected by extra-territoriality.

“Secondly there has been no dismantling of any part of St Angelo. The Cottonera Waterfront project does not include Fort St Angelo.”

He added: “”Restoration work being carried out at the Nynphaeum in Fort St Angelo is covered by permit 02814/03. Our enforcement officers are aware of this and will be monitoring the situation.

“The Heritage Advisory Committee (HAC) had found no objections to this work being carried out. The function of the HAC within MEPA is an advisory role. It is not there to monitor work carried out with a development permit. The monitoring of work on sites is handled by our enforcement division.”