Minister for Gozo Clint Camilleri together with Parliamentary Secretary for European Funds Stefan Zrinzo Azzopardi launched a €2.2 million project whereby three kilometres of rubble walls will be restored and rebuilt around the fields that overlook Ramla Valley, Gozo.

The project will be carried out by the Ministry for Gozo through the Eco-Agricultural Directorate and is co-financed by the European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development. They announced that this project is being financed by European funds totalling just over €2,200,000.

Minister for Gozo Clint Camilleri said that Ramla l-Hamra is a well-known place among locals, the Maltese and tourists, and one needs to take care of the agricultural landscape. Camilleri explained that the rubble walls lining the valley and adjacent fields have degraded over time and will be rebuilt.

"In total, we will have constructed and arranged 8,900 cubic metres of rubble walls, and the works to be carried out in the Ramla Valley area will extend from Triq ir-Ramla, Triq ta' Xurdin, Triq ta' Għajn Ħosna, Triq l-Inżul tal-Franciżi, Triq ir-Ramla il-Ħamra up till Daħla ta' Għajn Damma."

Parliamentary Secretary Stefan Zrinzo Azzopardi said that this project funded with European funds will be preserving the national heritage in Gozo through the restoration of rubble walls as well as a Roman staircase. He went on to say that the rubble walls, apart from decorating the Gozitan environment, have a function of preserving the soil and thus benefiting surrounding farmers. He concluded that through this project the government is respecting the ecology of the Gozitan island, while further protecting the historical environmental heritage that this island is rooted in.

Part of this project also consists of 250 metres of roman staircase at the Ramla Valley, within the limits of Xagħra where restoration and cleaning works will be carried out.