The public spat between Ray Bondin, former executive coordinator of rehabilitation projects, and the Resources and Infrastructure Ministry, re-emerged this week when the ministry did not allow Dr Bondin to use a room for meeting students.

Dr Bondin said he was supposed to meet fifth year architecture students to discuss a project they have to prepare about Fort St Elmo. The meeting was supposed to be held at Dr Bondin’s old office at the Valletta Rehabilitation Project but use of this room was not allowed.

Dr Bondin resigned from his position as Executive Coordinator of the three rehabilitation projects after involvement from the very start in 1987 and his full time job since 1992. He had had months of disagreement with Minister Ninu Zammit who, Dr Bondin said, was ignoring his advice. Dr Bondin moved on to Heritage Malta where he is in charge of projects.

Dr Bondin said the refusal from the ministry was a shock to him. He had suggested to the students to meet him there both because it was close to the Fort itself and also because the VRP archives, which they may need to consult, are there.

Dr Bondin has visited Narni, in Umbria, on which he has been requested to make a report on the city’s heritage and in particular to evaluate whether the city merits to be one of the possible candidates for the headquarters of the International Committee of Historic Towns and Villages.

Umbria is a particularly historic area of Italy with a large number of small towns and villages which are in a very authentic state. Narni is not very well known to the tourist but gets many day visitors. It is establishing a number of university institutes and is restoring all of its important buildings.