If you ever thought you knew anything about the fate of Birgu because you either read the papers, watched the news or visited just the customary mainstream area, you are gravely mistaken. Get off the beaten track and walk round to the not-so-shiny domains.
But, before you embark on any fact-finding mission of the city of Birgu, you would do well to look at the view of the famous (or infamous?) Tigné Point development from the opposite Valletta waterfront or from over the waters, so you’ll know what this is all about and its true meaning! If you could imagine anything more calamitous, imagine the rape of Birgu!
To know the real hidden truth, you must mingle with and talk and listen to the residents, especially the older generation who knew much better times when Birgu was still a place called a ‘home and town’. You do realise that they can tell you a thing or two as they have lived there long enough. However, you must act promptly as foreign settlers are buying out most local citizens. You would be extremely lucky to find a young couple, offspring of the previous generation, who were fortunate enough to acquire a residence in their father’s hometown! What’s the use to local residents of Birgu of embellishing a part of their city and then hawking it all to commercial manipulation and to foreign ownership?
Is this what the people of Birgu really want?
The waterfront
Starting off with the ‘renowned’ but totally inappropriate yacht marina! Whoever thought of and whoever authorised the project must suffer from a severe lack of any appreciation for heritage towns. How could anyone combine a modern marina with a renowned historical city? Have you ever viewed and noted the historical waterfront of Birgu from either the Valletta side or better still from the neighbouring Senglea waterfront? What a pity! All you see now is a forest of poles, shrouding out its entire aesthetic heritage and the beautiful facades (that are now being continually eroded), leading off from the renowned Bakery right up to the fortifications of Fort St Angelo. Once the pride and recreation ground of locals (at least it gave them some breathing space), it has become a zone for constant private commercial scrambles with total disregard for any inconveniences it causes to residents or any respect for all historical heritage.
It was thought that following the departure of the British forces the Birgu waterfront would once again revert to the benefit of the locals. However, this hope was short-lived as speculators pounced on the opportunity of developing the area for their own ends. Don’t we remember all the squabbling that went on between the two main political parties as an excuse of giving this expanse of land to private development? Is the further encroachment in the public areas of Birgu in the pipeline? Hasn’t there been enough?
One must also take into consideration the resulting setbacks and health hazards. The constant smell of stagnant water is no help either, as evidently the need for dredging is earnestly needed, besides regular monitoring to make sure that no waste matter is furtively and illegally disposed off in the water by resident crew members on berthed and moored vessels. Although this may not sound so alarming to visitors, it is definitely annoying and detrimental to the few locals who frequent the area regularly to enjoy a breath of fresh air especially during the hot summer months.
You will witness that the majority of the few strollers in and around the city, are not the Birgu people but outside visitors. The Birgu people are drifting away as their hometown is being taken from underneath their feet!
Stifling a city
It is well known that the city of Birgu lacks wide-open spaces and most of the typically narrow streets fortunately end up facing the waters of Grand Harbour. The residences on the western peripheral area of Birgu had the benefit of enjoying open views of the port and the blessing of marine air to mitigate summer’s high temperatures. That is to be no more! The building of the Casino and now the looming construction of the Hotel are ensuring that the residences would be hemmed in and thus depraved of any light and air they have since, preciously enjoyed. The previously open and airy part of inner St Lawrence Street (you would which one, as it has been dug up for almost six years – yes, years, no mistake there – and never resurfaced) will now be turned into a dark and airless alley, closed in by the towering height of the atrocious enclosing walls of the proposed hotel. Pity that, because this is also a regular walkway for all visitors going to lower from higher Fort St. Angelo or onwards to Victory Square. Anything to please speculation but no consideration for the needs of locals! Can one understand why when applying for a simple permit to open any small commercial outlet one must first obtain the assent of the neighbouring residents, and for such a horrendous, distasteful and detrimental building no consultation with the residents was necessary? Was, at least, the blessing of the local council sought and granted?
The British colonisers, during their 200-year stay, treated the residents much better and were, at least, more considerate, besides respecting the environment better than we do today. They never dreamt of constructing (though they could have, as the residences overlooked their grounds) such damaging and insensitive buildings that would block off all residences to the detriment of the environment and the benefit of the residents.
Evidently, the city of Birgu no longer belongs to its residents but to open and unchecked speculation. Hopeless and helpless, the city is turning into a truly a free-for-all commercial scuffle. The government, political parties, local council and all relevant authorities seem oblivious of all these goings-on or perhaps they are quite unconscious of the irreparable harm being done to this great historical city.
The Maltese citizens definitely deserve to be treated better and the people of Birgu no less!
Joseph M. Cachia
VITTORIOSA