Updated: Trees stolen from Qala picnic area
Ministry condemns act
(Adds ministry's condemnation)
Around 60 olive and pomegranate trees were stolen from a picnic area next to Gnien il-Familja in Qala between Thursday and yesterday.
Condemning the theft, the Qala council said the trees had been planted by the council together with the Rural Affairs Ministry and the Qala primary school children.
Mayor Paul Buttigieg condemned the vandalism and said the trees had the names of the children who had planted them stuck to them so the trees belonged to them.
The children had been proud of “their” trees and visited them regularly, watered them and showed them off to their families.
He promised that the trees would be replanted shortly by the same children whose trees were stolen. Another 200 trees would also be planted during Qala Day on June 7.
MINISTRY CONDEMNS VANDALISM
In a statement, the Rural Affairs Ministry condemned the vandalism and said the incident would not discourage the children who had planted the trees, which they would be replacing by others.
The ministry said it believed this was the best way of overcoming such vandalism, which was an attack against the environment and future generations.