Ramblers call for free access White Paper

The Ramblers' Association yesterday presented a petition to President Eddie Fenech Adami calling for a White Paper on the free use of public places by the Maltese people and visitors.

Addressing a news conference just before calling on Dr Fenech Adami, association president Lino Bugeja said ramblers were frequently threatened and kicked off sites everyone should have access to.

Malta, he said, was the only country in Europe that did not have a definitive map that highlighted public and private passages. The countryside in other civilised countries was regulated by legislation giving people the right of way even in privately-owned zones.

The organisation was also worried about the lack of definition of the foreshore. This, he said, should include the whole coast especially since Malta was an island state. Many sites of historic, archaeological, cultural, geological and environmental interest had been taken over by the private sector and were closed even to researchers, he said.

Mr Bugeja said such issues were burdened with very old legislation which needed to be revised and modernised so the association was calling for a White Paper promoting access. This, he said, would help safeguard the country's natural heritage as abuse would be reported immediately. But until such legislation was in place, steps should be taken to halt evident breach of the laws and abuse.

Mr Bugeja said the association would be meeting Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi and Archbishop Joseph Mercieca this morning and calling for positive and concrete action.