There is no question that there has been an improvement in the island’s upkeep in recent years, but there is as yet a very long way to go before Malta reaches the standard that would classify it as a clean country. So many clean-up campaigns have ended in failure that when two Cabinet ministers recently launched yet another drive, a great sense of déjà vu clouded their venture.

Yet, if the country is finally to reach the required standard, every effort counts, and this newspaper is among the first to lend its support, as indeed it has consistently done ever since the country branched out into tourism as one of the pillars of the island’s economic diversification programme half a century ago.

Launching the campaign, Transport and Infrastructure Minister Joe Mizzi recalled that at the start of this administration, the Prime Minister had said he was not happy with the level of cleanliness in the country. Who is? The efforts made over the past 16 months may have produced results, but the outcome is nowhere near good enough.

The setting up of a national tourism zones action committee was a step in the right direction, as localities receiving large numbers of tourists generally do require extra attention. However, the focus ought to be on Malta generally. It is not just a matter of keeping streets clean and tidy and of removing rubbish from the countryside, but, equally important, of keeping good, regular maintenance of public places.

Many areas give the island a scruffy image. On the very day the two ministers launched the campaign, this newspaper carried a story showing lack of proper maintenance at the entrance to Valletta. Forget the utter, totally unacceptable shabbiness outside the new gate, oil stains, dried chewing gum and other evidence of neglect indicate that whoever is in charge of the upkeep of the place is not doing a good job.

Additional workers have been recruited to help in the drive to clean up the island, and the government has also bought new equipment to be used for the job. This presupposes that the set-up now in place is well equipped to deal with the problem. If this is the case, greater improvement is expected in the coming weeks and months. If not, the government ought to step in and provide the organisation with the necessary tools.

Not only that, but if the country is to make leap a forward in terms of quality, as pointed out by Tourism Minister Edward Zammit Lewis, it would also need to show greater attention to detail, not just in public places but, also, at national attractions. The area around the national aquarium in Qawra is a fine example of excellence.

Gardens, too, ought to be kept in tip-top condition. The landscape consortium is doing a fine job at San Anton Gardens, where tourists are taken by the busload. But there are parts of the garden that need attention, such as at the back of the aviaries. Perhaps the aviaries in the private gardens ought to be transferred there for the public’s enjoyment. New trees would need to be planted in vacant places and the ground ought to be seen to as it is uneven in some places.

There is much yet to be done, but educating the public about the need to take good care of the country ought to be given priority.

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