Our palm trees are being systematically destroyed by the red palm weevil (RPW).

Without going into how this insect was introduced to Malta, the competent authorities need to wake up and apply more drastic and effective measures.

Whoever believes that by wrapping the infected and already doomed palm tree in a plastic sheet the RPW will be contained is grossly mistaken. It will be a matter of time before the weevil will have no more palms to thrive on as it would have killed them all.

If every affected palm tree returns about 230 weevils, then one needs no rocket science mathematics to realise that the situation is of epidemic proportions. In the Salina and Qawra area at least 15 palm trees have been destroyed by weevils. The weevil managed to destroy a palm tree at the Sliema promenade (near Taormina kiosk) and what remains is detrimental to all the palm trees in the area.

The same fate awaits the palm trees in the San Anton Gardens-Corinthia Hotel area and indeed everywhere in Malta. Weevils can fly about one kilometre at a time and unless the authorities wake up to the gravity of the situation, weevils will be reaching Gozo via unofficial free rides on the ferries after having reached Ċirkewwa from nearby affected palm trees.

I find it quite disconcerting that our horticultural experts have been silent on the RPW epidemic.