On Sunday, this newsroom highlighted the sorry state that one of Malta’s historic military installations – Fort Campbell, in Selmun – currently finds itself in.

The fort, built by the British in the years leading to World War II, should serve as a reminder of Malta’s proud military history and the sacrifices of our forefathers in the war against tyranny.

Instead, the fort is crumbling piece by piece, and is now only home to rats, construction waste and the garbage that some picnic goers leave behind.

During a visit to the site, we found that many of the fort’s buildings have caved in, while dangerous underground areas are accessible to the public. These dangers have been present for decades, and it is a mystery how no one has ever been lost into one of the deep, uncovered shafts.

The first priority should be to address and remove these dangers. But this is not enough.

Over the past few years we have seen many restoration projects take place, mainly in the Valletta/Cottonera area. But it seems that other sites that are not directly in the touristic routes are being forgotten, left to crumble, as if they are not also an important part of our heritage.

Last year, The Malta Independent reported on how Fort Ricasoli in Kalkara is not so slowly being eaten away by the sea. Large chunks of the fort, which was constructed to protect the entrance to the Grand Harbour, have already been devoured by the waves. The rock on the outward side of the fortification has been greatly eroded.

The sorry thing is that experts and NGOs have been coming up with proposals to slow this decay for many years, yet their recommendations have fallen on deaf ears.

The more time we waste, the smaller the chances of saving this piece of national patrimony will become. It may already be too late.

Another example is Fort Delimara, another historic British fort that risks collapsing into the sea. For years we have heard that something will be done to preserve the structure, which has lain abandoned for decades, yet it seems that the fort’s fate has already been sealed.

When it comes to the preservation of our national heritage, our NGOs can teach a lesson or two to the government. With their limited funds, resources and manpower, such NGOs have managed not only to save decaying historic sites but also to turn them into profit-making tourism sites, with the money generated going towards the restoration of other sites.

One example that comes to mind is Fort Rinella, which was turned from a dilapidated wreck into a well-preserved living piece of history by Fondazzjoni Wirt Artna.

We believe that, at the end of the day, our national heritage should be looked after by our national authorities. While the work of NGOs is indispensable, the main effort should come from the authorities.

There is a great opportunity here not only to preserve our past but also to strengthen the niche tourism sector that is military history.

Surely, with the surplus (or is it a deficit now?) and the millions generated by the passport sale scheme, we can find some funds to give these historic sites some much needed TLC and save them from being lost forever, to exist only in history books.