Moviment Graffitti is announcing a public protest on Comino for Saturday 13th August 2022: Kemmuna ta’ Kulħadd – Reclaim Blue Lagoon. As the Blue Lagoon continues to be hijacked by commercial interests that have transformed this beach into their private lido, we will free it up with the public’s participation and enjoy a day at the beach.
Those interested in joining the protest should book their place on the boat via this registration form: www.comino.movimentgraffitti.org. Boats will depart to the Blue Lagoon from Ċirkewwa (Malta) or Mġarr (Gozo) at 8am. There will be a number of return trips starting from noon.
Moviment Graffitti has been stressing that the reason for the dire situation in Blue Lagoon is the intensive commercial interests that have taken over the beach. This not only means the large amount of deckchairs and umbrellas, but also large boats (such as catamarans) that pour in hundreds of tourists and the exaggerated number of large kiosks that create unsustainable waste and noise. Moreover, in a more recent visit to Comino, we found that only the few deckchairs on the small sandy part of the beach had been removed, while the rest of the area – on the quay, the walkway, and the other small beach – was still covered in empty deckchairs and umbrellas from early morning.
We will not accept a situation where a few people with money and political influence snatch what rightfully belongs to the people. Neither will we accept that these companies continue with their destruction of a nature reserve for their private profits.
The protest will reiterate our demands for immediate action to stop the damage being done to the Blue Lagoon and return the beach to the people:
1. Deckchairs and umbrellas are only set up at the request of a person physically present on the spot, and AT NO TIME should they occupy more than 30% of the entire area of the Blue Lagoon
2. Big boats which disembark hundreds of tourists at a time should be prohibited from Comino.
3. There should be a limit of two small kiosks, without music, in the Blue Lagoon.
4. There should be restrictions on the type and amount of waste generated, and this should be collected every day in the evening to avoid sustaining rats, which cause great damage to the natural environment.
Everyone is welcome to join the protest.
Il-Moviment Graffitti qed iħabbar protesta pubblika f’Kemmuna nhar is-Sibt 13 t’Awwissu 2022: Kemmuna ta’ Kulħadd – Nieħdu Lura l-Blue Lagoon. Il-Blue Lagoon għadu maħtuf minn interessi kummerċjali li biddlu din il-bajja f’lido privat. Ghahekk waqt il-protesta ser inkunu qegħdin nieħdu lura din il-bajja bil-parteċipazzjoni tal-pubbliku u ngawdu ġurnata l-baħar.
Min huwa interessat jingħaqad fil-protesta jista’ jibbukkja post fuq id-dgħajsa minn din il-formola ta’ reġistrazzjoni: www.comino.movimentgraffitti.org. Id-dgħajjes ser jitilqu għall-Blue Lagoon miċ-Ċirkewwa (Malta) jew mill-Imġarr (Għawdex) fit-8am. Il-vjaġġi lura jibdew minn nofsinhar.
Il-Moviment Graffitti dejjem saħaq li r-raġuni tas-sitwazzjoni gravi fil-Blue Lagoon hija x-xibka ta’ kummerċ intensiv li ħakmet din il-bajja, mhux id-deckchairs u l-umbrelel biss, iżda wkoll id-dgħajjes kbar (bħal katamarani) li jferrgħu mijiet ta’ turisti u n-numru esaġerat ta’ gabbani kbar li joħolqu skart u storbju insostenibbli. Barra minn dan, meta erġajna żorna Kemmuna ftit tal-ġranet ilu, sibna li kienu tneħħew biss il-ftit deckhairs mill-parti żgħira ramlija, filwaqt li l-bqija taż-żona – is-simenta, il-passaġġ u l-bajja ż-żgħira l-oħra – kienu għadhom miksijin deckhairs vojta u umbrelel minn kmieni filgħodu.
Aħna ma nistgħux naċċettaw li ftit persuni bil-flus u influwenza politika jieħdu dak li hu tal-pubbliku bi dritt. Lanqas nistgħu naċċettaw li dawn il-kumpaniji jkomplu jeqirdu riserva naturali sensittiva sabiex jistgħanew huma.
Il-protesta ser issejjaħ għal miżuri immedjati sabiex tieqaf il-ħsara li qed issir u sabiex din il-bajja terġa’ tingħata lill-poplu:
1. Deckchairs u umbrelel jintramaw biss fuq talba ta’ persuna fiżikament preżenti fuq il-post u FL-EBDA ĦIN m’għandhom jokkupaw iktar minn 30% taż-żona kollha tal-Blue Lagoon.
2. Id-dgħajjes il-kbar, li jieħdu mijiet ta’ turisti f’salt wieħed, ikunu projbiti minn Kemmuna.
3. Ikun hemm limitu ta’ żewġ gabbani żgħar, mingħajr daqq ta’ mużika, fil-Blue Lagoon.
4. Ikun hemm limitu fuq it-tip u l-ammont ta’ skart iġġenerat, u dan jinġabar kuljum, qabel il-lejl, sabiex ma jkomplux jitkattru l-firien li qed jagħmlu ħsara kbira lill-ambjent naturali.
Kulħadd huwa mistieden jingħaqad magħna.
