Bonnici has no idea where stone markers are, except for one at a minister’s pool

Owen Bonnici, the minister responsible for culture and national heritage, has admitted in parliament that he has no idea where the country’s Victorian-era protected stone markers are and that the government has no inventory or idea of their whereabouts.

Asked by Opposition MP Darren Carabott this week to provide the House of Representatives with a detailed list of the pieces of national heritage, including the sites where the markers put in place during the British era are, Minister Bonnici was unable to come up with a reply.

He said the government does not have the information requested and indicated that a proper inventory of the protected stone markers, which are usually found in rural areas, has never been carried out.

The issue of stone markers made it to the political fray last year following revelations by The Shift that one had somehow found itself decorating the poolside area at the private residence of Agriculture and Fisheries Minister Anton Refalo.

Refalo, who received a visit from the Superintendence of Cultural Heritage following the report, admitted that he was in possession of the protected heritage but has never disclosed how the Victorian-era stone ended up inside his residence, despite being asked repeatedly.

Although both the police and the superintendence have said they were investigating the minister over the illegal possession of the artefact – a crime that could result in a stiff fine and even a prison sentence – charges were never brought against the minister.

Police Commissioner Angelo Gafa has said he was still investigating the matter.

The discovery that Minister Refalo was in illegal possession of national heritage was made by chance after pictures posted on social media by the minister’s son showed children posing with the stone marker during a birthday party.

VR stone markers used to be a common sight around Malta and Gozo until a few decades back. They were placed during the British period to indicate that a particular parcel of land belonged to the government (Victoria Regina).

Most of them, however, have either been destroyed over recent years by development projects or they have simply disappeared.

Gozitan heritage NGO Wirt Ghawdex began a project just a few years ago to restore the several VR stones still dotting Gozo’s rural areas.

When asked recently in parliament about the stone marker at his home in Qala, Gozo, Refalo acknowledged it was still there and resorted to insults against Opposition culture shadow minister Julie Zahra. He invited her to come sing at his home and to take a look at the stone marker while she was there.