11 comments so far.Disappointment at lack of local support for Gozo Clean up Hikes
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Louis Debattista, organiser of the’Gozo-Rocks-Green & Clean Hike,’ said that he is “very disappointed” about yesterday’s hike. “Despite the beautiful weather I felt discouraged for two reasons: the shocking amount of rubbish and the lack of local participation in the clean-up hike.”
He added, “the pile of bags you see is all from the lovely Olive Garden in Xewkija. We found a huge number of shotgun shells despite the “no hunting” sign posted at the entrance to the garden. On our walk from the garden to Mgarr ix-Xini, Ta’ Cenc and back to Xewkija we found three television sets and, as usual, lots of recyclable waste.”
“Besides the rubbsh, the total lack of interest shown by Gozitans in taking care of our environment is a disgrace.” Louis said “I was embarrassed that the new faces on Sunday’s hike did not include any Gozitan kids or families.”
“We had three people from Spain, a Scottish gentleman, a French father and his son, a German couple with their daughter, and an American teen plus the kids from Qala. (9 adults and 12 kids total) Where are the Gozitans?” Louis asked, “The kids from Qala are cleaning rubbish in other villages- why can’t people come out, at least to clean their own villages?”
Louis stated, “two weeks ago I had a meeting with all the heads of schools to talk about the clean-up hikes. I provided information and flyers but the message was not sent out to the kids. There is so much hypocrisy in this “eco-talk.”
“It is words only,” Louis said, “talking about the problem of obesity (according to Dr Dingli, the school doctor of Gozo, half of Gozitan school-age boys are obese!), talking about “raising awareness” about the environment in schools with the EkoSkola programme. All the issues: health and fitness, environmental responsibility, community-building are what we are trying to work on here.”
“Why did I spent my time and dedication to come and speak in the meeting? Why did I visit 5 different schools this past week to see if the posters were up and if they had made an announcement to the kids about the hike?” Louis asked
Lois pointed out that the “kids and parents from different schools said they have not heard anything regarding the Clean & Green Hikes at school. The only participants in the hike are the kids from Qala and foreign nationals living in Gozo who read about the Clean & Green Hikes in Gozo News.”
“Thanks again to Qala, Ghajnsielem, Xewkija & Sannat for their support and I hope other Local Councils will do the same when we come to their villages,” Louis said.
Louis reiterated his message to all the Local Councils that “if you are cutting the grass, then please have someone pick up glass, plastic, paper and other stuff as they go. I did notice today on the road between the Xaghra roundabout and Victoria, that the recyclables/litter was being picked up as they cut the grass. Nice job!”
He added that it was also nice to see the Mgarr Ix-Xini Road this morning. “I had to go get all the bags that we filled yesterday and put them in one place so the Local Council can pick up. It was nice to drive and see it free of trubbish.”
Louis concluded by saying, “eco-Gozo and Minster of Gozo, as well as Local Councils: please invest in no dumping and no littering signs. Please enforce no littering/dumping policy and issue tickets and fine. Have people clean up their land. It’s not nice for us and it’s not nice for the tourists who will arrive in Gozo and see this”
Next Sunday, the 23rd of February, the Gozo-Rocks-Green & Clean Hike will go from Qala at 1.00pm, or meet by the Sannat church at 1:30pm, anyone who would like to join them on a Hike to Xlendi, which will be approximately a 3 to 4 hour Hike, please bring 2 bottles of water as well as some food. Other items such as protective gloves, bags and hand wipes will be provided.
Everyone is welcome, so go along and help clean up our countryside whilst getting some healthy exercise and having a lot of fun together along the way.
For further information on the ‘Gozo-Rocks-Green & Clean Hikes,’ please contact Louis through the Gozo-Greyhounds facebook page, or email him on louismalti@aol.com.
Just a suggestion; start the hikes in the morning. I think this may attract more people to come and help. By the time the afternoon arrives, people are already doing something else.
Well done for your clean up!
I am so sorry to hear that the head teachers of village schools are not announcing and or encouraging their students to participate to clean our ‘eco’ Gozo.
At least the head teacher of Qala is helping in the effort to get the word out to the school kids. It is amazing that the expats are more interested to have a truly Eco Gozo than the locals. Why is this apathy from the locals? Is it lack of news about this good deeds?
At least the local councils are doing their bit. I wonder why the elected members of the local councils don’t care so much that they come and participate to do the hike/clean up?
Keep up the good work to all of you who care and are doing the clean up.
Please don’t get downhearted, Louis. What you are doing is remarkable, but the
re-education of local people takes ages no matter where you live and no matter what the cause.
Wish I was there. Love to go for long walks in the country side of Gozo and would not mind helping out to keep Gozo clean. But as Mick suggested you might want to started in the morning because as the day goes on people will get involved in things. If they plan for first thing you might get a better turn out. Best of luck.
i had the good fortune to work in the malta dry docks for 2 years,2002 to 2004, in a training support services role, scaffolding,painting.sand blasting,repairs on oil rigs,oil tankers, large liners,international war ships,air craft carriers,battleships,destroyers,etc,working along side maltese support personnel, in particular, Mr David Karborne, Mr Vince Pulis, and Mr Joseph Zammit, who’s support and advise during my 2 years work there was invaluable, i have lost contact with David, Vince, and Joseph, i wonder how they are all keeping, would love to hear from them, during my limited free time in Malta, me and my wife angela loved to visit the many historic sites, the beautiful churches,war museums with faith hope and charity world war planes,which tried to defend malta and the beautiful valetta Cathedral, and the under ground granite tunnels were the maltese hide during the german bombing raids, Malta is the jewel in the middle of the mediterranean, and not to missed especially by Senior citizens, the Maltese people are wonderful warm and friendly people, but be warned malta has some nasty slippery pick pockets, so hide your hand bags and wallets during your visit and you will have a truly wonderful holiday.
What on earth has this got to do with the subject in question? Why the comment about pickpockets? This is about the wonderful group who do their best, as others do, to keep Gozo clean. (PS. Also, there is only one a/c; ‘Faith’, wingless, rotting away and badly in need of restoration but arguments are preventing that from happening.)
Hey, i would of loved to of helped, i had no idea this was going on, and only during my walks recently i had been thinking of trying to organise something simular. Its a shame to see so much litter around…
Let me know the next time and you can have my name at the top of the list.
We hope to be soon for good in Gozo, was thinking that I will try to do something about the litter and see now that somebody took the initiative. We will supporting you wholeheartedly. Keep up the good work. We must honour God’s creation!
This is not an advert, just something I noticed in a paper yesterday. I am wondering if anyone involved in these wonderful clean ups is going to become involved in the ‘Let’s Do it!’ clean up days this year? Specifically on 10-11th of May 2014! The Malta organiser of this international clean up movement is contactable here: Contact: Faisal Sadegh on faisalsadegh@gmail.com and there is a FaceBook page here: https://www.facebook.com/LetsDoItMalta?fref=ts
Well done to our kids and parents from our village of Qala good example for others.
@Jesmond Good governance comes from good example … Can you pleas give us an example of what you are referring too ,if this is the council that you are referring to??