I refer to Lesley Kreupl’s letter entitled It’s getting worse (TMID, 23 January) and I would like to assure your correspondent that the reason for this sorry state of affairs in Gozo is certainly not because Gozitans are not proud of their island.

Indeed we are aware that the need to protect our environment benefits the island’s economy and is essential to our livelihood.

Could it be that Gozitans fail to report abuse because they know they will not be taken seriously?

It is a shame that the Gozo Minister continues to ignore the ongoing illegal dumping and the irresponsible, indiscriminate littering in the countryside.

I had been hoping that as a consequence of the focus Illegal dumping – Gozo’s silent killer penned by journalist Francesca Vella (TMID 18 January), one of the ministers, either the Gozo Minister, or the Rural Affairs and the Environment Minister, would at last acknowledge the state of abandon the Gozitan countryside is in, and at least issue a pre-election statement promising that action would be taken to improve matters.

However it seems that the ministers still insist on looking the other way and simply smile at us.

Victor Galea

AD spokesman for Gozo