ADPD condemns government decision on concrete pier at Blue Lagoon

ADPD has condemned the government's decision to build a concrete pier at the Blue Lagoon, challenging the environment authority and the Environment Minister to speak up.

In a statement on Tuesday, ADPD said the Blue Lagoon project has returned on the agenda despite being shelved two years ago.

The proposed works, which are fronted by Transport Malta, were vaguely endorsed in the last Budget which refers to “infrastructural works in the Blue Lagoon area.”

ADPD said it was adamant that Comino, a Natura 2000 site, was well-managed. “There can be no such thing as a 'balance' between development and nature in Comino when so-called 'balance' merely means building up Comino and commercialising it until it has been squeezed dry for private profit.”

The party said achieving sustainability in Comino should mean limiting tourist numbers and rehabilitating the land according to good conservation practices.

“ADPD calls for the general public and NGOs to continue rallying together against the encroachment and destruction of Malta's third island. Once something is gone... it is gone for good,” it said.

The party said it would continue to speak out whenever the common good was threatened by speculation and backroom deals and will continue to oppose sinister backroom deals which undermine all the good work done by those who truly work for a better tomorrow, whether they are in the public or the private sector.

“Comino must not be sacrificed for the benefit of a few. Comino is yet another victim of Maltese governments' hypocrisy - while paying lip service to wellbeing they consistently destroyed open spaces under one pretext or another - from the infamous 2006 extension of the development zones to the giving away of public land to private interests and strong lobbies today,” they said.

READ MORE: Heritage warn pier will turn Blue Lagoon into poolside lido