New agency to manage beaches

The government is planning to set up an agency that would be responsible for the country's beaches.

Bays need to be "up to scratch", Tourism Parliamentary Secretary Mario de Marco said yesterday.

The agency would manage all the beaches, determining conditions for concessions as well as which should remain rural and which should have a commercial element.

About €4 million in EU funding are going to be used to upgrade projects and improve beach facilities in Qawra and Fond Għadir, Sliema, he said.

The funds will be used to create a sandy beach near Fra Ben in Qawra and give Fond Għadir more facilities such as showers, toilets and easier accessibility.

Landscaping and upgrading works would start after the summer, Dr de Marco said.

Meanwhile, the first step to improve the beaches has been the replacement of the ladders leading down to the sea: their steep and uncomfortable angle has been changed and the often slippery round bars have become wooden steps.

Over 140 ladders have been installed in a short period, said Resources Minister George Pullicino as yet another was being drilled in place behind him at Exiles beach in Sliema.

The next step is to remove the "unacceptable" tank-like bins from every sandy beach and replace them with plastic sets. Two back-to-back wheelie bins - grey for recyclable waste and green for the rest - are being installed. They will be washed out from time to time and not just have their bags changed regularly.

Mr Pullicino said the beach cleansing division moved to the Resources Ministry in March to create more synergy and join forces with its public cleansing unit.

However, it would still be cooperating with the Malta Tourism Authority, which would be supervising and coordinating works, he said.

Since March, 6,000 tonnes of algae have been collected from beaches by the 60 beach cleaners, Mr Pullicino said.