The government will be issuing a public call for expressions of interest in the commercialisation of facilities within the Sant’Antnin Family Park in Marsascala while ensuring entrance would remain free of charge.
In making the announcement in Parliament, Environment Minister Leo Brincat had words of praise for the first ever family park management unit, which had worked hard on management and maintenance plans, ensuring health and safety certification and access for persons with special needs.
Speaking on various environmental issues, he said the government would carry out two cost-benefit analysis studies on waste-to-energy and export of waste, particularly in view of the slump in incinerator prices abroad.
A stakeholders group would be consulted by the government within the next few days on implementing the recently approved waste management plan.
On the green economy, he said the government was in contact with international institutions like UNEP while tracking OECD initiatives, as well as widening its outreach to countries in the Gulf such as the UAE, which had proved to be genuinely committed proponents of sustainability.
Plans to develop a national green jobs strategy and action plan for this year were well in hand, mainly thanks to stakeholder support and encouragement.
Mr Brincat said that contrary to the previous administration, which had not voted a single euro towards sustainable development, the government was in the capacity-building stage.
He had held meetings with all ministries’ permanent secretaries and focal points to make sure the issue became mainstream.
He revealed that on the change of government it was found only a small percentage of the national environment policy measures had been implemented. His ministry had ensured that all ministries were brought on board to identify the do-able measures and implement the most urgent ones.
On Wasteserv, Mr Brincat thanked the board of directors for a smooth transition, as a result of which not only was a new management team put into place, but posts such as corporate services, internal audit, health and safety and human resources were being created.