From Ms L.G. Kreupl

It is excellent news that the Azure Window is to be included in the New Seven Wonders of Nature competition and I am very pleased that the mayor of St Lawrence has endorsed the project. I am a little confused though – is this the same mayor who was behind the construction of the Dwejra Disaster?

For the uninformed, this is a massive, two-storey concrete and steel construction that was built illegally and is still standing after almost a year, embellishing this wonderful site like a sore thumb, unchanged except for a lot of rust and a carpet of garbage.

However, can anyone tell me what on earth is going to happen if this site is chosen?

Do not get me wrong – I sincerely hope that it will be. However, the surrounding area is like a slum-cum-dump! It is so embarrassing that I never take visitors down there any more.

Now that the Office of the PM, the Gozo Ministry and the MTA have jumped on the bandwagon for the wonderful free advertising this competition could provide, I hope that someone in one of these elevated organisations is going to be prepared to finally do something about the appalling state that the whole of the Dwejra Heritage Park is in!

I realise that Nature Trust Malta should not be expected to do everything with respect to the rehabilitation of this area, but they were awarded a LIFE project in 2004, which included financial aid from the EU. For many months (years, in fact), the only sign that anything was being done was the notice board below the cemetery at the top of the main road and the one in front of the public conveniences. Of course there were many illegal structures built on and around the boathouses and other shanties, but I don’t think these had anything to do with improving the area. Many were sanctioned by Mepa, backed by NTM, at the beginning of 2008, which in itself was strange.

In 2007, a lot of uncoordinated work was done – bits and pieces of “stuck-on” pseudo rubble walls were built, the parking lot was redesigned and tarmacked, making it even more impractical than it was before, most of the old tamarisk trees were hacked down (!), and several nice information stands were built. Today, the rubble walls are disintegrating, the information stands have been vandalised, the parking lot has been taken over by hawkers, taxis and buses (the parking lot for buses never materialised) and the divers have nowhere to park except in front of the kiosk, effectively spoiling the view of the Spectacular 7-Wonders-worth Azure Window for anyone who may be relaxing there enjoying a drink or a snack! There are, of course, no public benches provided for the enjoyment of the view.

So, in view of this, imagine an official from the 7 Wonders project visiting the site, maybe to take a video for their website, someone we should be trying to impress, someone who can offer us free access to millions of viewers:

• The road from Gharb to the St Lawrence cemetery is in a very poor condition, which is much more noticeable after the golden highway from Victoria.

• Just below the cemetery is the first Welcome information board. This was vandalised several years ago and has not be cleaned or replaced. It certainly does not look welcoming – more threatening, if anything.

• Now for the exciting part: welcome to Abortion Boulevard (as it is known locally). This road serpentines down the hill and some of the potholes have to be seen to be believed. I realise that this road is not unique to the Maltese Islands, but we are trying to promote a Heritage Park here.

• Arrive at the bottom of the hill and it is hoped that the visitors will be too busy dodging the potholes and looking at the spectacular view to notice the abandoned trappers’ paraphernalia and other junk strewn all over the countryside on each side of the road. It is also hoped that they do not need to visit the public conveniences.

• If they can see between the hawkers’ trucks and buses, visitors’ cars and diving school vehicles, they will eventually get a glimpse of the famed Azure Window. However, they are more likely to get an eyeful of the Dwejra Disaster instead, a lung-full of diesel fumes and a shoe-full of doggy-doo!

The official could not be blamed for getting back in the car and complaining that his/her time had been totally wasted!

What a pity that the Tourist Authority and the other ministries appear to have had the attitude that “what is free is not worth it”, as was apparent the last time this competition took place and initially when it came to light now. I hope that this is not because there are no special bonuses involved.

I would humbly suggest that the Gozo Ministry and the relevant tourist organisations get moving on this project, with or without NTM. The government must have a slush-fund for “extraordinary” expenses and this project deserves to be one of the beneficiaries!

As it is, we have waited too long. The Inland sea is on the brink of becoming a cesspit, more and more fossils are hacked out or carelessly damaged every day, more and more natural flora is being trampled on or driven over as time goes by. The whole infrastructure of this very special place is endangered.

Please do something now, do not wait until the Azure Window collapses and disintegrates as well....

Lesley G. Kreupl

GHARB