Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/1525069
6 gozotoday | FRIDAY • 9 AUGUST 2024 OPINION RECENT roadwork expansion on Triq Ta'Viani / Triq Ġorġ Pisani in Rabat, Gozo (tied to the controversial Triq Marsalforn road widening project), has cut into a Miocene era geological layer, dated around 16 to 13 mil- lion years ago. I first observed this destruction from my balcony late last week. Worried about the possibility that some archaeological re- mains were being destroyed (the site is very near Roman quar- ries), I decided to investigate. As I walked among the scat- tered rocks, I found not one, but two Carcharocles megala- don teeth (verified by the Nat- ural History Museum of Gozo). One was literally right below the wheel of the bulldozer! I also found scores of other fossil-con- taining rocks amidst the rubble. In terms of archaeology, there were two small man-made caves cut into the limestone that could very well be cen- turies-old. Shockingly, there were no signs of site monitor- ing, despite this area's archae- ological and paleontological significance. After discovering these re- mains, I spent five hours on the phone and comput- er in a soul-destroying and mind-numbing bureaucratic labyrinth. In an effort to halt the works, I filed a complaint with the Su- perintendence of Cultural Her- itage. I called the police who told me to call the Local Council. I contacted the Local Council who said they would read my complaint at the next meeting. I called the Ministry who told me to contact the Planning Au- thority. I emailed the Planning Au- thority's Enforcement Unit who told me that "roadworks do not fall under the remit of the Planning Authority" and told me to contact Infrastruc- ture Malta. I called Infrastructure Mal- ta who told me to contact the Ministry (which I had done hours before). Beyond frustrated, I called the Planning Authority again. This time, they took down the information and told me they would launch an investigation. When I emailed them again, they told me to provide them the "permit number", "marked site plan or co-ordinates", but offered no guidance as to how to obtain this information. During these wasted five hours, the bulldozing contin- ued and millions of years of Urgent appeal paleontological It is no secret that Malta and Gozo, islands rich with paleontological heritage, are facing distressing trends of rampant, often unchecked, development. Such poorly planned construction not only destroys vital wildlife habitats, beautiful Maltese vernacular architecture, and invaluable archaeological remains, but also threatens millions-of-years old fossils, says DAWN A. SALIBA, Ph.D