8 comments so far.Government waiting on expert reports on Dwejra damage
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The Government said today that by next Friday it expects to receive the report about the processing of applications for shooting of films in sensitive areas, similar to that of Dwejra
The Government commissioned Professor Kevin Aquilina and Dr Simone Borg as independent legal experts in the field of Environmental and Planning law, to make the report following the incident at Dewjra when the contractor who had been engaged by the original applicant did not comply with the conditions of the permit issued by MEPA.
The Government will also wait for the the report of the MEPA Auditor’s report before deciding if anything is to be amended in the way any future permits are issued for shooting films
MEPA said it also has independent experts who are led by Dr. Louis Cassar, to ascertain any damage that may have occurred at Dwejra. The conclusions of these independent experts will then guide the Government and MEPA in what action, if any, can be taken against the applicant or contractor.
The Government concluded by saying it will therefore have three views from independent experts on this particular case, one on the process in general, one from MEPA’s Auditor and finally the independent expert..
Dear Minister of Gozo after all what happened in Dwejra, I hope you put your foot down and get these people to clean what they left behind and I hope that the Minister for Gozo start taking care of looking after Gozo.
She should start thinking that Gozo is a beautiful Island and should stay that way. I think what happened at Dwejra is a big Disgrace and the people of Gozo should have their say about such things.
I also want to put this note about things that happened in Gozo last summer when I was there on holidays and these things should never happen because of the danger that may cause ( when other villages than Qala bring their fireworks to Hondoq Ir-Rumien and go through Qala and through Rabat in all that heat, a big disaster could happen and lot of people could die. That is what in early September when 6 people died and that is a very big DISASTER. I only say these things because I love Gozo and I was born there. LOVE GOZO FOR EVER
Well now isn’t that nice. The Government have engaged all these experts at God knows what cost to the taxpayer in order to and I quote, “guide the Government and MEPA in what action, if any, can be taken against the applicant or contractor.”
Now I can’t speak as an expert but I can speak as the person who received the tip-off, raced down to Dwejra, took the original photos and wrote up the original letter in this paper. Speaking in that capacity I would want to know what action if any is going to be taken against MEPA? Can someone from the Government just take a look at the photograph above and justify what they see? This didn’t happen because the applicant took a decision on their own to do it. It didn’t happen because the contractor took a decision on their own. It happened because someone at MEPA who are supposed to protect the environment gave the go-ahead for it to happen.
Why was that permission given? Did any money change hands to make it happen? Who was responsible and at what level? Why did the Gozo Ministry know nothing about this until they read about it in a Sunday paper? These are the questions that need to be asked.
If I can quote from the Natura 2000 website; “The designation of an area as a site in the Natura 2000 Network does not mean the limitation of activities within the site and surrounding area if these are environmentally sustainable and do not affect the integrity of the area or its habitats, or the objectives of species conservation.” In what way can the dumping of 45 lorry loads of quarry waste be described as environmentally sustainable, or not affecting the integrity of the area or its habitats or the objectives of species conservation. Time to stop passing the buck.
What happening in Dwejra is the fault of the heads of the Village and the Minister of Gozo with MEPA included and what happened there is happening all over Gozo, for instance at Hondoq Ir-Rummien 85% of the people of Qala don’t want the Marina and the issue still going after all the voting and what I heard recently about Ta Muxxi with contractors dumping all the garbage there.
Who on earth is giving the permits to these contractors? The permits has to come from three places The Council, The Minister of Gozo or MEPA, can somebody find out and let me know. One thing I must say ( when you have something we don’t appreciate it but when you lose it you will never get back again).
@ Mr Tyrrell Like you said It was the Auditor, not Mepa, that requested Dwejra investigation This was stated by Leo Brincat
This brings to light how Mepa would have thrown this under the carpet if it wasn’t for people like you. This shows why I personally back you when you write about our beloved Gozo
It would be fantastic to read one day that someone in authority has taken action and resolved a problem. All I ever read is no one takes any notice of what the people think or vote for! if this attitude continues Gozo will slowly erode.
James T always makes good and constructive comments however I think government officials don’t bother to read what the people think and carry on with there own agenda.
I am no expert, but I was down there again this morning and there is still a huge amount of grit which needs to be removed from the surface of the fossil rocks and of course from the pools. One can clearly see the different colour of the rocks from the path coming down from San Lawrenz. The area that was covered is still very red, whereas the ‘original’ rock is grey.
Is the government just going to leave it like this and hope the winter storms will sweep some of the dust “under the sea”, (read carpet) like so many other things? Shame on them!!
Where is the officer in charge of Eco Gozo? Why is he living all this destruction going on?
All this shameful projects at,,, Dwejra Nadur and Hondoq Bay. This is the year of Biodiversity Mr Eco Gozo.
It was interesting to read that one of the perpetrators of this crime – i.e. someone who was instrumental in condoning alien grit to be dumped on, what he, as an environmentalist, described as “bare rock” – has just been awarded a very lucrative position in the EU. I suppose that we should be happy that he is no longer in a position to harm our island any more!