We refer to the letter entitled “Wied iz-Zurrieq in shambles” (TMIS, 29 June).

Eugenio Cutajar was right when he said that Wied iz-Zurrieq is the responsibility of Qrendi local council. However, he was not right when he said that the place is in a mess.

Tourists and locals who frequent Wied iz-Zurrieq already get a good service from Qrendi local council, which invests a lot of funds each and every year (not only in summer) for the upkeep of the area.

Among the services provided by Qrendi local council at Wied iz-Zurrieq are the opening and manning of an excellent public convenience, road cleaning and sweeping seven days a week, including Sundays and public holidays, as well as beach cleaning. Qrendi local council, with the help of its contractor, the Environment Landscape Consortium, also keeps the soft area at the belvedere in good shape, which includes watering and tree pruning. We also carry out frequent and regular painting of walls and pavements, benches, road markings and so on, as well as the replacing and upkeep of bins throughout the area up to the main part of Panoramic Road. These bins, together with their cages, have been vandalised many times. Our council also looks after the street lighting in the area.

Qrendi local council maintains the area on a regular basis throughout the whole year. The council did install a number of ladders for bathers and divers, but it is most unfortunate that some of the ladders “vanish” during the night and are sometimes dumped at the bottom of the sea! This is a “mystery” that happens frequently, particularly to the two ladders on the inner side of the creek, better known as “Id-Dikkiena”.

Of particular interest are the two ladders that were installed on 2 June and had vanished within a matter of days. When we investigated we found that the one on the inner side of the creek had been cut to pieces and dumped on the seabed. The other was dumped outside the creek.

These acts of vandalism, which occur frequently, are probably carried out by the same person/s who cannot accept the fact that bathers have every right to make use of the only place in our area where they can go for a quiet and decent swim. We appeal to the police for their help in this matter and to anyone who has any information to pass it on to the relevant authorities.

We would also like to point out that Qrendi local council has been working on an infrastructural project at Wied iz-Zurrieq that is to be funded jointly by Qrendi local council and the Malta Tourism Authority. Mepa has delayed issuing the permit for a number of years, and it was only a few months ago that permission for this project was granted. However, one must keep in mind that projects in this locality are very difficult to implement due to the pressures and interests of the different stakeholders. On the one hand there are the owners of shops and catering establishments, divers, and tourist boat operators, who will surely not be pleased if work were to be carried out in the summer months, and on the other, the inclement weather and rough seas that prevail in the winter months.

It is also a well-known fact that most contractors face difficulty embarking on long-term projects without interfering with the normal day-to-day operations of the various stakeholders of Wied iz-Zurrieq.

We think that although Qrendi council has limited financial resources, it is tackling the upkeep and maintenance of Wied iz-Zurrieq in an efficient and timely manner, contrary to what was stated in Mr Cutajar’s letter. We have added a number of amenities, particularly those connected with safety, such as handrails, life-saving rings and safety ropes, some of which have been vandalised on more than one occasion.

Carmel Falzon

Mayor

Qrendi Local Council