ENGO slams ‘half-baked’ plans for Comino and calls out Minister for ‘empty promises’

The eNGO Għawdix questioned the “half-baked” plans Tourism Minister Clayton Bartolo announced for Comino, which did not mention enforcement, waste reduction and noise restrictions.

Għawdix took to Facebook on Saturday to call Bartolo out for making “empty promises” about plans to improve Comino.

The eNGO pointed out how in 2016, the Environment and Resources Authority published the Natura 2000 management plan for Comino, which said that the top priority was “to prepare and implement a tourism carrying capacity assessment of the Blue Lagoon and provide recommendations for management.” The report also said that this was “to be accomplished following the 1st year from the start of the MP implementation period.”

Għawdix said that Tourism Minister Clayton Bartolo has used the “catchphrase” “holistic plan,” but this has never amounted to anything more.

“In 2021 and 2022 he made empty promises that a plan would be in effect for the following summer. And yet, every summer, the situation on Comino only got much worse.”

The eNGO noted that Bartolo mentioned that some changes will be implemented for Summer 2023, but it called these “half-baked ideas.”

In its post, it listed a number of concerns and questions about these “holistic plans”: It questioned how removing existing deckchairs will be enforced and what incentives there will be to ensure waste reduction and noise restrictions, especially with regards to kiosks and passenger boats.

“Ultimately, and most importantly, when is the tourism carrying capacity assessment to be undertaken? Seven years have passed … and counting.”

“There are too many unanswered questions and a lack of professionalism. Repeating the statement, year in year out, that a ‘holistic plan’ is underway does not constitute action. It’s just empty words, Minister!”

“Once again, the establishment is failing us for lack of willingness to protect the common good and instead keeps abetting nepotism, favouritism and unsustainable economic activities.”