The picturesque site in Dwejra, Gozo was once again the target of vandals who sprayed black paint across different areas of the Heritage Park. Over the past year, the Malta Environment & Planning Authority (Mepa) in conjunction with the Rural Affairs and the Environment Ministry, Gozo Ministry, San Lawrenz local council and Nature Trust (Malta) have been implementing some of the 23 proposed management measures that aim to achieve the desired levels of protection of natural and culture heritage.

MEPA chairman Andrew Calleja roundly condemned this action. “I think that such insensitive attacks against our very own heritage undermine the synergy and hard work that is taking place to protect and upgrade our tourism product,” said Mr Calleja.

His sentiments were echoed by the Mepa director general Godwin Cassar: “After all the effort, not only in creating and maintaining, together with NGOs this park, but also in informing the public of this natural heritage, one still finds individuals who are ignorant of our heritage”

The Qawra/Dwejra Heritage Park, is the result of an Action Plan that had been specifically prepared for this area financed by the European Community through the Life Third Countries scheme. Efforts to obtain funding through this scheme were coordinated by Nature Trust (Malta) together with Mepa and the Italian branch of the international non-governmental organisation (NGO) World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF Italia).