The news that the Hondoq quay repair saga seems to have come to an end is welcome news for everyone, especially the people who enjoy using the area so much. The Gatt brothers did a good job and, as I have said before, they are to be congratulated. But now it appears that Hondoq has another problem.

Last night I was with friends who have just returned from a holiday in Gozo and I had particularly asked them to pay a visit to Hondoq and take some photographs for me. I have included one of these photographs with this

letter. It shows plastic deck chairs, umbrellas, signs for boat trips, etc., all over the area that has just been repaired.

What doesn’t show in this photo, but which my friends have told me about, is a speedboat moored at the quay that was repaired, and big signs on the railings for boat trips to Comino, which obstruct the view. So where has all this clutter come from? Well, it belongs to the people who run the kiosk at Hondoq. I’m told that at night the area around the kiosk has several boats, a caravan, canoes, banana boats, vans, cars etc. Now I know this person is trying to make a living, but when it gets to the stage that the whole area is taken over, then it becomes a problem.

My friends asked some people in the area if he was allowed to do this and were told that he didn’t have a licence and had been told by the Qala mayor to remove the items from the quay. Apparently, he had tried to set up his deckchairs and umbrellas on the beach but the guy who already does this threw him out. Actually the guy who threw him off the beach doesn’t have a licence either!

They were also told that a lot of people were bringing caravans down to the bay that were taking up a lot of space. It seems that every person with a caravan stakes out their own little territory, which they seem to think is their personal property. Actually, one of the guys who plonks his caravan in the area is from Qala, a big supporter of the developers who want to destroy the area and is campaigning day and night for the Qala creek project! Someone should point out to him that where he parks his caravan would be underwater if the marina goes ahead.

I think it’s time that the Ministry first of all comes clean regarding its intentions for the Hondoq area. The Minister for Gozo has in the past shown her support for this environmental rape project. Is this still the case or is she going to throw her weight behind the people she is supposed to be representing? It is also time that the Ministry took the area back for the people, as it is obvious that what is happening there now is becoming abusive. The Maltese have a saying that you offer someone a finger and they take the whole hand, which seems very appropriate in this case.

James A. Tyrrell

COUNTY ANTRIM

N. IRELAND