Earlier this year, Minister Ian Borg promised significant action to reduce commercial activity and overcrowding in the Comino nature reserve, specifically at the Blue Lagoon. So far, there are no signs that any of these promises will be fulfilled by this summer.

The recently introduced so-called “cap” of 12,000 visitors per day has been – just as we had immediately warned – ineffective, as it fails to address the real problem in the Blue Lagoon: the unbridled commercial activity. This includes a high density of businesses operating in the bay, such as over a dozen kiosks and shops offering water-based activities for tourists.

Most significantly, the system does not curb the practice of large boats recruiting mass tourism from coastal localities such as Buġibba and Sliema, and funnelling it into the tiny and delicate environment of the Blue Lagoon.

The result of this inaction is that already, in May and June, the Blue Lagoon and its surroundings are packed with thousands of tourists and unsustainable commercial operations – causing serious harm to the area’s ecology and undermining the public’s enjoyment of this place.

The Government’s reluctance to regulate private business activity in order to safeguard the common good is also evident in its decision to keep under wraps the carrying-capacity study on Comino, which was finalised years ago but has never been published.

Moviment Graffitti reiterates that any long-term, sustainable, and fair solution for Comino must include the prohibition of large mass tourism boats from this nature reserve. This is necessary to preserve its natural environment and reclaim this space from the grip of greedy business interests.

Will Minister Ian Borg be willing to stop greed and do the right thing – for the people, and for the environment?

Photo: Miguela Xuereb

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Il-wegħdiet ta’ Ian Borg dwar l-iffullar fuq Kemmuna għadhom mhux imwettqa

Aktar kmieni din is-sena, il-Ministru Ian Borg wiegħed azzjoni konkreta biex titnaqqas l-attività kummerċjali u l-għadd eċċessiv ta’ nies fir-riżerva naturali tal-Kemmuna, b’mod partikolari fil-Blue Lagoon. S’issa, m’hemm l-ebda sinjal li xi waħda minn dawn il-wegħdiet se titwettaq sa dan is-sajf.

Il-“limitu” ta’ 12,000 viżitatur kuljum li ġie introdott dan l-aħħar – kif wissejna minnufih – ma kienx effettiv, għax ma jindirizzax il-problema vera fil-Blue Lagoon: l-attività kummerċjali bla kontroll. Din tinkludi densità għolja ta’ negozji li joperaw fil-bajja, bħal aktar minn tużżana gabbani u ħwienet li joffru attivitajiet fuq l-ilma għat-turisti.

Iktar importanti, is-sistema ma trażżanx il-prattika tal-vapuri li jiġbru gruppi kbar ta’ turisti minn lokalitajiet mal-kosta bħall-Buġibba u Tas-Sliema, li jispiċċaw ikkonċentrati fl-ambjent żgħir u delikat tal-Blue Lagoon.

Ir-riżultat ta’ din in-nuqqas ta’ azzjoni huwa li diġà, f’Mejju u Ġunju, il-Blue Lagoon u ż-żona tal-madwar huma mimlija b’eluf ta’ turisti u operazzjonijiet kummerċjali li mhumiex sostenibbli – li qed jikkawżaw ħsara serja lill-ekoloġija taż-żona u jnaqqsu t-tgawdija pubblika ta’ dan il-post.

In-nuqqas ta’ rieda tal-Gvern li jirregola l-attività tan-negozji privati sabiex jipproteġi l-ġid komuni tidher ukoll fid-deċiżjoni tiegħu li jżomm mistur l-istudju tal-“carrying capacity” ta’ Kemmuna, li tlesta snin ilu iżda li qatt ma ġie ppubblikat.

Il-Moviment Graffitti jerġa’ jtenni li kull soluzzjoni fit-tul, sostenibbli u ġusta għall-Kemmuna trid tinkludi projbizzjoni fuq il-vapuri turistiċi kbar li jġorru gruppi kbar ta’ nies lejn din ir-riżerva naturali. Dan hu meħtieġ biex tinżamm l-integrità naturali tagħha u biex jerġa’ jinkiseb dan l-ispazju minn idejn l-interessi kummerċjali rgħiba.

Huwa lest il-Ministru Ian Borg li jwaqqaf ir-regħba u jagħmel dak li hu ġust – għan-nies, u għall-ambjent?

Ritratt: Miguela Xuereb