Tourism Minister Clayton Bartolo said that “only around 35% of the deck chairs that were present last year would be present this year atthe Blue Lagoon.”
Giving comments to the media outside Parliament, Bartolo said that “he clearly stated last year that the deck chair situation on the island of Comino would be changing, as it in fact is.”
Last year on 13 August, Moviment Graffitti held a public protest in Comino where they said that “Kemmuna ta’ Kulħadd” or “Comino belongs to everyone” and to “Reclaim Blue Lagoon.”
There were protests held in favour of changing the “unsustainable waste and noise” created by the “hundreds of tourists and exaggerated number of kiosks” poured in by “intensive commercial interests.”
"As the Blue Lagoon continues to be hijacked by commercial interests that have transformed this beach into their private lido, we will free it up with the public’s participation and enjoy a day at the beach," the NGO had said.
Speaking Monday, Bartolo said that “the wharf and the bay will be given back to the public, and that they will be ‘free’ from deck chairs such that anyone will be able to enjoy them.”
“The cleanliness in the area will increase, thanks to another cleaner’s shift that will be added specifically to maintain the cleanliness of the Blue Lagoon,” Bartolo added.
“The boat that delivers the waste from the location to be dealt with will also operate in another shift.”
When asked why a call for tenders for the setting uop of deckchairs at Balue Lagoon had not been issued and, further, who would be taking charge of the deck chair operation, Bartolo said “whosoever was previously in charge of these operations will have to reduce the amount of deck chairs they’re able to provide.”
“Those who were supplying deck chairs previously are going to have fewer deck chairs in the future, less space available for their operations, than that which they previously were granted by concession,” Bartolo said.
Bartolo also said that “there were discussions, along with the concerned parties in this area, to have a long-term plan which has not yet been finalized.”
“Nonetheless, we wanted to see immediate results by giving more land back to the public."