Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/1522936
AN electoral manifesto pledge to site a new National Archives in- stitute at Ta' Qali – uncommon- ly supported by both sides of the political divide – was brusquely swept into the trashcan, despite a land deed transferring the land to the National Archives. The National Archives was ac- corded the land in a 2019 deed signed by three ministers, but since then the planned project was overtaken by the Ta' Qali concert venue built in place of an old con- crete factory. Now the government has been forced to seek new storage space that can guarantee 5,000 linear metres of shelving for the National Archives' holdings, which are cur- rently held at the Santu Spirtu in Rabat, a premises that is not suita- ble for the storage of such precious archives, and six other buildings. A preliminary market consulta- tion is requesting proposals from the private sector for the loading and transportation of the archives, as well as barcoding and storage of 3,000 linear metres of shelving, which could increase to a maxi- mum 5,000 metres. It is a tall order for the service provider, who will have to also provide the National Archives with an online portal that provides real-time information on the sta- tus of the archived records, apart from the facility of requesting re- cords through the same. Nobody is more disappointed about the foiled plans for the new National Archives, than Chief Ar- chivist Charles J. Farrugia, who rued the time and energy spent at arriving at a concept and design for the Ta' Qali archives hub, in collaboration with the French na- tional archives. The prospective new Nation- al Archives building would have centralised all services in a state- of-the-art and purposely built re- pository, housing also the National Audio-Visual Institute (NAVI) for Malta's audio-visual heritage. "All these dreams faded away when the Ta' Qali site was uncer- emoniously 'taken over'," Farrugia noted in an annual report for the National Archives, which came with a severe warning. "The future of the new national archive building depends on the identification by government of a new site for the project. Until then, we will continue investing in our network of current buildings that with the notarial registers' archive will comprise seven repositories. We may keep adding to the repos- itories but in the long run the sys- tem risks collapsing." Farrugia said that the physical and intellectual control, or the development of IT services for pa- trons could never be fully achieved through the current fragmenta- tion of the archives into buildings that do not even offer the basic minimum climatic conditions. "The need of a new national ar- chives is not in any way inspired by a desire for an architectural state- ment. Obviously, it would be a pity if our country does not invest in a design that makes a clear state- ment towards culture, openness, and accountability in building its national archives. "But independently of this, the new national archives premises, building on the new records man- agement culture instilled in this country, is crucial for our coun- try's soul, memory, and identity," Farrugia said. As things stand, the Maltese na- tional archives are now supported by public departments and entities who are applying retention poli- cies on their documents. But such is the scale of the public adminis- tration system, that Farrugia says every new year brings with it the need for 1 kilometre of additional storage space. "Fragmented space is not only costly but risky and will hamper the process of adequate catalogu- ing and opening to the public," Farrugia said. Original plans for the new Na- tional Archives were started with the transfer of public land in Ta' Qali in 2019, by then-education minister Evarist Bartolo and infra- structure minister Ian Borg. The Santu Spirtu building, where the National Archives are current- ly situated, was to be turned into the first museum on the history of medicine in Malta. Despite lip service towards the "historic" step in conserving the country's national memory, much of these plans fell instantly by the wayside when the same Ta' Qali site started being developed into a 500-car multi-level parking site near the basketball pavilion. Malta now lacks a proper cen- tralised national archives system that can guarantee longevity to the many public records stored in var- ious buildings, a problem that it- self has a long history: in 1944, the British archivist Sir Hilary Jenkin- son arrived in Malta after having assessed the state of archives in It- aly during the Second World War. His recommendations for Malta's public records system included the building of appropriate premises for the documents. Charles J. Farrugia notes just one silver lining in this episode of an 80-year saga for a new building. "The silver lining in this story is that the current government is still committed to deliver on its electoral promise of building a national archive that will cater for the traditional and new media and that it will cater for current and future needs. We will keep insist- ing for this to happen and prepare all the reporting needed to have a state-of-the art facility," he noted in his last annual report. 7 NEWS maltatoday | SUNDAY • 23 JUNE 2024 By means of a decree of the 19th January, 2024, in the records of the judicial letter number 4106/2023 in the names APS Bank plc previously APS Bank Limited vs Raymond Camilleri et, the First Hall of the Civil Court ordered the following publication for the purpose of service of the respondents Raymond Camilleri and Odette Camilleri in terms of Article 187(3) et sequitur of Cap. 12. In the First Hall of the Civil Court Today 26th September, 2023 To Raymond Camilleri (ID 317851M) of 46 (previously 62), Triq il-Forn, Ħal Lija Odette Camilleri (ID 395756M) of 46 (previously 62), Triq il-Forn, Ħal Lija By means of this present APS Bank plc previously APS Bank Limited (C2192) of APS Centre, Triq it-Torri Birkirkara BKR 4012, solicits you so that within one week from the notification of this judicial letter you pay the amount of €16,248.96 due by you, in solidum between you, as a debt constituted by means of a Constitution of debt deed in the records of Notary Dr Gerard Spiteri Maempel dated 9th May 2023 as well as further interest at the rate of 8% every year with effect from the 9th May, 2023, till the date of effective payment due also according to the aforementioned notarial deed. This judicial letter is serving to render executable the aforementioned constitution of debt deed in the records of Notary Dr Gerard Spiteri Maempel of the 9th May, 2023, and this in terms of Articles 253 and 256 of Cap. 12 of the Laws of Malta. A legal copy of this notarial deed is being attached with this judicial letter and marked as Document A. In default of payment further steps according to law will be taken. With costs against you in solidum between you. This judicial letter is being filed in terms of Cap. 12 and Cap. 16 of the Laws of Malta. Registry of the Superior Courts today 14th June, 2024 ALEXANDRA DEBATTISTA For the Registrar, Civil Courts and Tribunals By means of a decree of the 17th January, 2024, in the records of the judicial letter number 4107/2023 in the names APS Bank plc previously APS Bank Limited vs Troy Services Limited et, the First Hall of the Civil Court ordered the following publication for the purpose of service of the respondents Troy Services Limited, Raymond Camilleri, Odette Camilleri in terms of Article 187(3) et sequitur of Cap. 12. In the First Hall of the Civil Court Today 26th September, 2023 To: Troy Services Limited (C17220) of 46 (previously 62), Triq il-Forn, Ħal Lija, as the principal debtor; Raymond Camilleri (ID 317851M) of 46 (previously 62), Triq il-Forn, Ħal Lija, as joint and several guarantor; Odette Camilleri (ID 395756M) of 46 (previously 62), Triq il-Forn, Ħal Lija, as joint and several guarantor. By means of this present APS Bank plc previously APS Bank Limited (C2192) of APS Centre, Triq it-Torri, Birkirkara BKR 4012, solicits you so that within one week from the notification of this judicial letter you pay the amount of €337,774.35 due by you, in solidum between you, as a debt constituted by means of a Constitution of debt deed in the records of Notary Dr Gerard Spiteri Maempel dated 9th May, 2023, as well as further interest at the rate of 8% every year with effect from the 9th May, 2023, till the date of effective payment due also according to the aforementioned notarial deed. This judicial letter is serving to render executable the aforementioned constitution of debt deed in the records of Notary Dr Gerard Spiteri Maempel of the 9th May 2023 and this in terms of Articles 253 and 256 of Cap. 12 of the Laws of Malta. A legal copy of this notarial deed is being attached with this judicial letter and marked as document A. In default of payment further steps according to law will be taken. With costs against you in solidum between you. This judicial letter is being filed in terms of Cap. 12 and Cap. 16 of the Laws of Malta. Registry of the Superior Courts today 6th June, 2024 ALEXANDRA DEBATTISTA For the Registrar, Civil Courts and Tribunals New National Archives building at Ta' Qali scuppered for car park despite deed MATTHEW VELLA mvella@mediatoday.com.mt The signing of the deed in 2019 that transferred land at Ta' Qali for the construction of a new national archives but since the planned project has been shelved to make way for a car park