On Monday the 6th of June, Moviment Graffitti sent a letter to Minister for Tourism Clayton Bartolo, Minister for the Environment, Energy and Enterprise Miriam Dalli, Minister for Gozo Clint Camilleri, Minister for Public Works and Planning Stefan Zrinzo Azzopardi and Minister for the Economy, EU Funds and Lands Silvio Schembri. The letter draws attention to the alarming state of Comino, a Natura 2000 site.

In the letter, Moviment Graffitti draw attention to the ecological disaster currently unfolding on Comino, a repetition of disasters of previous years, particularly in the summer season. This ruinous state of affairs has destroyed the unique, precious and fragile natural state of the Natura 2000 site of Comino. In this regard, Moviment Graffitti set forward six urgent demands:

1. Sunbeds and umbrellas should only be rented out on request by persons physically present at the beach and should never occupy more than a stipulated percentage of the beach so as to ensure that public access and enjoyment of the bay and the foreshore is left unencumbered, in conformity with the Public Domain Act. This number should form part of a policy document for Comino in keeping with the recommendations of ERA’s Comino Management Plan (2019).

2. The number of kiosks around the beach should be far more limited to prevent congestion and over-commercialisation of the area and must form part of a policy document for Comino, also in keeping with the recommendations of the Comino Management Plan. It must be urgently ensured that kiosks sell drinks in biodegradable material and that straws are also biodegradable. 

3. Any commercial activity around Blue Lagoon must operate on the basis of permits issued by the government which cover a financial contribution for the upkeep of the bay. Commercial operators that do not abide by established rules should see their permits revoked. 

4. Government must take urgent action to ensure the upkeep and proper patrolling of the island of Comino including but not only distributing rubbish bins in the appropriate areas and making sure rangers have the authority to enforce the rules in place. 

5. Urgently abolish music from kiosks and boats and loud generators. 

6. Urgently launch work on a policy document for Comino which includes carrying capacity in keeping with the recommendations of the Comino Management Plan. This policy must prohibit large ferries (such as catamarns) from entering Blue Lagoon and place a limit on the amount of ferries that can daily enter the bay.

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Il-Moviment Graffitti b’ittra lil ħames Ministri sabiex tiġi indirizzata s-serqa tal-Blue Lagoon

llum it-Tnejn 6 ta’ Ġunju, il-Moviment Graffitti bagħat ittra dwar l-istat allarmanti li fih tinsab Kemmuna, sit prezzjuż tan-Natura 2000, lill-Ministru tat-Turiżmu, Clayton Bartolo, lill-Ministru għall-Ambjent, l-Enerġija u l-Intrapriża, Miriam Dalli, lill-Ministru ta’ Għawdex, Clint Camilleri, lill-Ministru għax-Xogħlijiet Pubbliċi u l-Ippjanar, Stefan Zrinzo Azzopardi u l-Ministru għall-Ekonomija, Fondi Ewropej u Artijiet, Silvio Schembri. 

F’din l-ittra, il-Moviment Graffitti ġibed l-attenzjoni tal-Ministri għall-isfreġju ambjentali li jaħkem lil Kemmuna sajf wara sajf u li farrak l-istat naturali ta’ din il-gżira unika, prezzjuża, fraġli u sit kruċjali tan-Natura 2000 u ressaq sitt talbiet konkreti f’dan ir-rigward. 

It-talbiet huma:

1. Umbrelel u deckchairs għandhom jinkrew biss lil nies li jinsabu fiżikament fuq il-post. L-umbrelel u d-deckchairs tal-kumpaniji privati m’għandhom qatt jokkupaw iktar minn perċentwal stipulat sabiex l-aċċess u t-tgawdija tal-kosta ma jixxekklux, f’konformità mal-Att dwar id-Dominju Pubbliku. Dan il-perċentwal għandu jiġu stipulat f’dokument ta’ politika għal Kemmuna wara li jkunu saru l-istudji kollha u skont ir-rakkomandazzjoni tal-Pjan ta’ Ġestjoni għal Kemmuna tal-ERA (2019).

2. In-numru u d-daqs ta’ kjoskijiet madwar il-bajja għandu jkun ferm inqas minn dak preżenti u għandu jiġi stipulat f’dokument ta’ politika għal Kemmuna sabiex neliminaw il-konġestjoni u l-kummerċjalizzazzjoni żejda taż-żona, skont ir-rakkomandazzjoni tal-Pjan ta’ Ġestjoni għal Kemmuna. Fir-rigward tal-bejgħ mill-kjoskijiet, huwa urġenti li t-tazzi kollha jkunu magħmula minn plastik li jista’ jerġa jintuża u straws bijodegradabbli. 

3. Kwalunkwe attività kummerċjali fil-bajja tal-Blue Lagoon għandha topera skont permess li jinħareġ mill-gvern u li jinkludi kontribut finanzjarju li jmur lejn iż-żamma tal-bajja. Kwalunkwe attività kummerċjali li ma timxix mar-regoli għandu jitteħdilha l-permess li topera.

4. Il-gvern għandu jieħu azzjoni urġenti favur iż-żamma tal-bajja bħal pereżempju billi jiżgura li hemm biżżejjed bins għall-iskart. Iż-żamma tal-bajja għandha tqis ukoll li jkun hemm biżżejjed gwardjani li jħarsu lill-gżira u jkollhom l-awtorità jinfurzaw ir-regoli.

5. Il-mużika mill-kjoskijiet u d-dgħajjes, u l-generators storbjużi għandhom jiġu projbiti immedjatament.

6. Għandha tibda ħidma immedjata fuq dokument ta’ politika għal Kemmuna li jiġbor fih ukoll l-ammont ta’ nies li tista’ tilqa’ din il-bajja skont ir-rakkomandazzjoni tal-Pjan ta’ Ġestjoni għal Kemmuna. Din il-politika għandha tipprojbixxi laneċ kbar (bħal katamarni) milli jidħlu fil-Blue Lagoon u tpoġġi limitu fuq in-numru ta’ laneċ li jistgħu jidħlu kull jum.