Blue Lagoon
Comino’s Blue Lagoon is one of the most popular beaches with tourists, visited by thousands every year.
The small beach is usually taken up by sunbeds, deckchairs and umbrellas, set up by operators, who leave no space for those who do not wish to hire any beach equipment. A tender was issued in February by the Malta Tourism Authority earlier this year to regulate the activity. It was for a concession to hire out umbrellas and deckchairs at Blue Lagoon in summer. It also specified that the concession to operate “will be granted by way of an encroachment permit issued by the Commissioner of Land”. The entitlement is for not more than 35 deckchairs and umbrellas.
They are supposed to work from June until October. This is not the case: they have already begun operating. When the MTA and planning authority enforcement officers come to the lagoon, the operator hides all the deck chairs and umbrellas. They know when they are coming and when the inspectors are done, the concession operators take them back to Malta on their boat.
Why is this happening to our islands? Why is no one taking responsibilty? I hope the authorities take action.
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Carmel Vella
May 8th 2012, 02:13
Just go ahead and use their facilities without paying. No license no payment.
Victor Pulis
May 7th 2012, 18:40
How about using the AFM helicopter to buzz the operators? Or perhaps a drone similar to the one used by CABS?
Joseph Calleja
May 7th 2012, 15:36
" Why is this happening to our islands? Why is no one taking responsibility " Could it be because we are a corrupt country? Could it be because these hawkers have a direct line to the proper authorities that warns them when the Man is coming and tell them when the Man leaves? Wow, if only we could use that spy drone? This sort of things have been going on for years and the authorities keep ignoring it all. It is called corruption. It happens on every other beach on Malta and Gozo every summer. Again it is a fury we go through every summer and then we carry on business as usual. These vendors are very prepared and very cunning. And how do they know when the MAN is coming if it was not from inside information? Give us a break.
James McIntosh
May 7th 2012, 13:53
These deck chairs and umbrellas should be forbidden from the beach area unless actually hired and paid for . These thieves of the open beach are under the opinion that they own the good parts of the beach and rob other users of the use of beach every day from dawn until the sun goes down. It really is deriliction of duty on the part of the relevant authorities that these concession operators are allowed to operate like modern day "mafia". with modern photographic equipment, evidence can be collected and presented, to courts if need be, for the rogue operators to be held to the terms of their franchise and revocation of permit for a second offence. Hit them where it REALLY hurts, in their wallets.
Peter Murray
May 7th 2012, 14:34
the words expropriation,commandeering and no enforcement spring to mind and remain indelibly etched on it.
Peter Murray
May 7th 2012, 10:30
What authorities exactly are you referring too?As ever we have rules and regulations but these are only relevant and valid if stringently maintained,ensured and, more crucially, enforced.Yes ,like the Supertramp song , I'm a Dreamer-nothing but a Dreamer!
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