NEWS | Wednesday, 25 February 2009

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The application for the underground extension of the St John’s Co-Cathedral Museum has not yet been withdrawn from MEPA by the Cathedral foundation, Labour’s spokesperson on planning and housing, Roderick Galdes, said.
“Despite a national decision and a declaration in parliament that the project would be withdrawn, it seems the MEPA application is still pending and that the decision has not been heeded,” Galdes said.
The MP demanded an explanation for the situation and that it is clarified whether there is any intention of discontinuing the project, or amending it.
“The Maltese people must be informed and consulted of every development concerning this national monument. Consultation must take place before and not after new proposals get presented,” Galdes said.
The highly controversial plans to excavate an underground extension for the St John’s Co-Cathedral did not see the light of day following an agreement between the Prime Minister and the Archbishop to recommend the St John’s Co-Cathedral Foundation scraps the project.
The Foundation had proposed extending the Co-Cathedral’s museum by creating additional exhibition space by excavating under the cathedral. The new exhibition space, which was intended to have housed the Foundation’s collection of Flemish tapestries, had been awarded €14 million in EU funds while the Foundation was to inject a further €2 million into the project.
It was feared the plans to excavate beneath the cathedral would have placed it in peril. The plans announced last year were also to have involved excavating St John’s Square and a section of St John’s Street to a depth of five storeys so as to accommodate the underground extension.
A statement issued by the Foundation expressed its agreement with the recommendation.
The announcement came less than three hours before Parliament was to debate a parliamentary motion by Opposition leader Joseph Muscat calling on the government to cease supporting and to disassociate itself from the project.
The opposition withdrew its motion soon after Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi announced in parliament that the project would not be carried out.
At least three PN backbenchers – Jeffrey Pullicino Orlando, Ninu Zammit and Jesmond Mugliett – spoke publicly against the proposed project.

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