Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/1541680
OVER the last few weeks, Mal- ta and Gozo received excellent news—White Rocks and Fort Campbell are set to be trans- formed into national parks. This is a brilliant and long-overdue initiative. The restoration of these sites and the creation of new public green spaces is something we should all welcome. It is a rare moment where environmental stewardship, cultural heritage, and public access are aligned in a way that benefits everyone. But amid the applause and the press conferences, it is worth examining how these decisions sit alongside other promises, especially those made in black and white in the electoral man- ifesto. Because while White Rocks and Fort Campbell were never actually mentioned in that document, another site very much was. And today, that site remains abandoned, and at risk of quietly slipping in- to private hands—the Qbajjar Battery, together with the sur- rounding government-owned land. To refresh our collective memory, here is what the La- bour Party pledged, unambigu- ously, in Point 707 of the 2022 manifesto: "…we will extend the regeneration along Triq Santa Marija on the Qbajjar promenade with new spaces and facilities for children in the existing garden and the resto- ration of the Qolla l-Bajda Bat- tery." This was not an 'idea'. It was not a vague aspiration. It was a commitment. And yet, the parliamentary question tabled recently sug- gests that the government's own culture minister is either unaware of this pledge, or un- willing to fulfil it. Here is the answer given to PQ 31663 on 23 October 2025: "I am aware that there are pres- sures for it to be transferred to third parties… At the same time, there is agreement that the site should indeed be re- stored. However, such restora- tion would be only half-com- plete if there were no clear plan for the site's eventual use. On this point, the Lands Authori- ty is currently carrying out its analysis and will be announc- ing its course of action in due time." With all due respect, how can there be "pressures for it to be transferred to third parties" when the governing party itself explicitly promised its restora- tion as a public project? How can we be debating its possible handover to private interests when this site is already ful- ly owned by the state and was earmarked, not tentatively, not conditionally, for regeneration for the public? This is where the contrast with White Rocks and Fort Campbell becomes uncomfort- able. If White Rocks and Fort Campbell deserve national park status, and they absolutely do, why is the Qbajjar Battery, a state-owned Grade 1 coast- al fortification with enormous historical value, being treated like an afterthought? Why is it being discussed in terms of "potential" for third-party in- terest rather than as a heritage site to be restored and returned to the public, as promised? More importantly: What ex- actly is the minister waiting for? The options are already on the table. The government can fulfil its own manifesto and re- store the battery itself. Alter- natively, Din l-Art Ħelwa, with the support of the Żebbuġ local council, has formally offered to restore and manage the site. A site restored by Din l-Art Ħelwa and the local council can continue to attract quality tourists in line with the govern- ment's stated aim of attracting high-end tourists. This is pre- cisely the type of project that embodies that vision. because it involves protecting heritage, involving the community, gen- erates sustainable tourism, and the public interest is safeguard- ed. And should the government ignore all this and opt to hand the battery to private commer- cial operators, then let us be honest about what that entails. Any company taking over the site would first need to remove all the illegal infringements carried out by the previous oc- cupant, illegalities that were or- dered to be removed as far back as 1999 and never addressed. Only after cleaning up that leg- acy could restoration even be- gin. And even then, because the battery is a Grade 1 building, no structural alterations are al- lowed. So, one must ask: How exactly would any commercial enterprise "work around" these restrictions while supposedly creating a viable business mod- el? The maths simply doesn't add up, and the public should not be asked to pretend that it does. To add insult to injury, in October 2013 the government issued a call for expressions of interest for the former artillery battery at Marfa. Although six submissions were received, on- ly one formal bid was ultimate- ly lodged, by Exclusivity Malta Ltd, which plans to convert the site into an upmarket boutique hotel. Yet, after 13 years the battery is still in a state of ne- glect. The site is also a sched- uled building like the Qbajjar Battery. The best public interest is not another closed-door deal. It is not another heritage site quiet- ly absorbed into private hands, only to be lost for generations. The best public interest is sim- ple: Restore the battery, open it, and give it back to us. Gozo deserves equal respect. Gozo deserves consistency. 6 maltatoday | SUNDAY • 30 NOVEMBER 2025 OPINION The best public interest is simple: Restore the battery, open it, and give it back to us A tale of two islands: Why Qbajjar Battery cannot be forgotten Luke Said PN candidate on the 13th District An ariel shot of the Qbajjar Battery