Ramblers association gets down to work

One of the first things the newly set up Ramblers Association of Malta will be doing is to trace the problems that trekkers come across on two countryside roads in Malta and one in Gozo, association president Lino Bugeja said yesterday.

In this way, the problems that people on country walks come up against, such as no entry signs and other barriers, will be looked into to see how public access can be attained without impinging on the rights of private owners.

The opening up of the three routes will serve as a model on how to tackle other passageways, Mr Bugeja added shortly after the association's working committee held a meeting with Parliamentary Secretary Carmelo Mifsud Bonnici at the Auberge d'Aragon, in Valletta yesterday.

A number of points were raised, including how to open up the foreshore - and pathways along cliffs - bearing in mind that the foreshore is public property.

One lead that can assist in re-establishing public passageways would be the maps prepared by the British military authorities when they were based here and that are kept at the Lands Department.

Another issue that needs to be addressed was how to clear passageways leading to historic sites, a number of which are currently impossible to reach because of a number of physical barriers, Mr Bugeja said.

The meeting with Dr Mifsud Bonnici was also attended by Joe Bugeja, Annalise Falzon and Bernard Bonnici, members of the working committee who will be meeting on Saturday to work out the details of the statute of the association.

The other members are Patricia Pace, Alan Deidun, Eric Vella and Marianne Mangion.

The association is making arrangements to present to the Prime Minister a copy of the resolutions approved at the launch of the association last Saturday.

Lino Bugeja expressed his surprise that during the debate on tourism in Parliament on Monday no mention was made either by the government or the opposition of the benefits that can accrue from the promotion of country walks, which are popular with most Europeans.