“Illegal” Comino roadworks to be investigated by the Ombudsman – PN

by Gozo News · April 5, 2021

"Illegal" Comino roadworks to be investigated by the Ombudsman - PN The Office of the Ombudsman is to investigate the roadworks being carried out in Comino by the Ministry for Gozo, following a request by Opposition Spokesperson for the Environment Robert Cutajar.

The controversial roadworks on Comino have also previously been condemned by Friends of the Earth Malta, who called them “illegal.”

However, in response, the Ministry for Gozo had said that the works “only consist of improving the existing infrastructure to remove any danger to those who frequent the popular Blue Lagoon beach and are in accordance with an ERA permit.”

In a statement on Monday evening, Cutajar explained that “in the last hours, Architect Alan Saliba who is the Commissioner responsible for the Environment and Planning within the Ombudsman’s Office sent notifications to the Planning Authority and to the Environment and Resources Authority and informed them that it had begun investigating this case.”

He added that in these notifications, while Commissioner Saliba confirms that this area is “exceptionally sensitive in terms of scenery, landscape, geology, geomorphology and ecology (Nature 2000)” it was also stated that there was concern about environmental damage in such a unique and sensitive area.

The Architect is aware of the urgency and sensitivity of the case, Cutajar said, with these two authorities given a week to respond to a number of pertinent questions on the case.

He insisted that, “all this gives vindication to the Nationalist Party and other environmentalists and NGOs, who have condemned this damage committed by the Government through the Ministry for Gozo, and while at the same time a Government statement tried to justify this illegal and insensitive work done on Comino.”

Cutajar concluded by saying this case has shown that the Opposition was sending a clear message that further damage to the environment is not acceptable. “This is when the Government, instead of being the one who protects the environment of our country, is being is at the forefront as the protagonist in this damage, which today has become the order of the day in our country.”