Fiona Galea Debono
MTA moves to protect sand at Buġibba beach
The sand on Buġibba's perched beach has been pushed back to avoid the possibility of a storm dragging 25 per cent of it away in the upcoming winter season, the Malta Tourism Authority said.
The beach is still accessible to the public, who can use the rocks. But the sand was pushed back and the pontoons removed in mid-September, which has been established, even in accordance with insurance companies, as the end of the swimming season.
Not the ideal location for a perched beach, Buġibba was chosen on grounds of its tourism zone status and the sand and pontoons were placed there to enhance the rocky site, the MTA's CEO Josef Formosa Gauci said.
The beach was developed two years ago and last year lessons were learned when a storm washed away a substantial amount of sand, he said. The MTA was reacting to comments by the opposition spokesman for tourism, Marie-Louise Coleiro-Preca, who said the "closure" of the beach raised many questions and called for the reasons behind the decision.
"Rarely do you hear of the closing of a beach in other countries, particularly in tourist destinations, without a valid reason," she said.
Ms Coleiro-Preca also asked whether the works on the beach were carried out as they should have, how the money to develop it was spent and how much the government was spending every year to replenish the beach with sand.
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In Discussion
6 Comments
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vincent magro
Sep 27th 2008, 21:32
nahseb li jkun ghaqli ukoll li matul ix-xitwa jitnehha mil-bahar il-blat li hemm ezatt malli taqbez min fuq il-pontoons ghax dak il-blat qieghed ta periklu kbir ghall min jaqbez fil-bahar.
G.Hoare
Sep 27th 2008, 19:14
I totally agree with what M.T.A for protecting the sand in bugibba they are doing this for a good reason .every year the prominade allways suffer with bad sea storms and we cannot afford to lose the sand again like it allready happend unless Marie- Louise wishes to make good for it , Marie-Louise Coleiro-Preca, who said the "closure" of the beach raised many questions and called for the reasons behind the decision. maybe Marie Lousie should get a job trying to stop the sand be washed away.
m.mangion
Sep 27th 2008, 12:26
and last year lessons were learned when a storm washed away a substantial amount of sand, he said.
For heaven's sakes, wasn't it obvious that a storm would wash away the sand? Nature didn't intend for a beach to develop in that place otherwise it wouldn't have waited for the minister to 'perch' one!! the mind boggles at some of the things that happen here.
Paul Barrett
Sep 27th 2008, 12:04
Basically it sounds like a sensible idea to protect the investment.
Would it not be possible to build a protective reef for the area and thus extend the period that the beach could be used - or at least safeguard the area from totally losing the precious sand.
G.Hoare (St Pauls Bay)
Sep 27th 2008, 11:56
@ G.Attard
I live in the area not very far from bugibba and i believe what they do is right when was the last time you walked down the bugibba seafront ,we are lucky enough that the MTA at least is doing something right when the rough seas starts beating against the rocks and the seas bring the big bolders over you can imagine what it can do to the sand so let the people with the experts do their work and as for your information it is our beach they are looking after.And you enjoy your South of France beach
G Attard
Sep 27th 2008, 11:15
I think Marie-Louise Coleiro-Preca should do more research before she talks. I live in the South of France which like Malta is blessed with nice weather and is a beach destination. May I let her know, that the beaches around the area have now been closed since the 15th September ie there are no lifeguards to partol the area, the beaches are not cleaned and the sand has been pulled back from most of the beaches, even the one with natural sand to avoid the loss of sand over the winter months. I will more than welcome here for a stop over to come a have a look and realise that she is living in a world of her own!