Proposed airstrip dotted with archaeological remains!

Proposed site for Gozo airstrip, dotted with archaeological remains, is drowning in waste
by FRANCESCA VELLA

Ta’ Lambert, the main site earmarked for the proposed airstrip in Gozo, is dotted with important archaeological remains, but it is truly going to the dogs, as waste is dumped there illegally on a daily basis, this newspaper has learnt.

Despite enforcement notices issued by the Malta Environment and Planning Authority regarding the illegal dumping of waste at the site, it has turned into a horrible, foul-smelling dump.

Alternattiva Demokratika recently held a press conference at Ta’ Lambert on the matter, saying that “either the authorities are turning a blind eye to certain individuals, or, that the government, contrary to its much-vaunted eco-Gozo campaign, is hell-bent on irreparably harming the long term sustainability of Gozo as a quality tourist destination”.

AD spokesman for Gozo Victor Galea told The Malta Independent on Sunday yesterday that he went to have a look at Ta’ Lambert on Friday, and said the situation had worsened since the party held the press conference at the beginning of last month. Animal carcasses are also being dumped there now, he added.

The site is mostly mentioned because of its close proximity to the non-operational heliport, and the fact that it is the main site earmarked for the proposed airstrip.

Little importance is given to the site’s archaeological remains, including cart ruts, which the Gozo Ministry itself mentions on its website and gives directions on how to get there. How could the ministry promote a site that has been turned into a dump? READ HERE

Even the Environmental Impact Assessment report on the Tal-Kus Waste Transfer Facility, close to Ta’ Lambert, makes reference to the “site in vicinity of area is of archaeological value”.

The archaeological and cultural heritage features identified within 500 metres of the site include a number of vernacular structures such as rubble walls and agricultural stores.

The site is also home to St Cecilia’s Tower and St Cecilia’s Chapel – the only chapel in Gozo that dates back to medieval times – as well as Ghar ix-Xih, which is important for the rock-cut features carved on the cave’s walls and the surrounding garigue.

One of the fields at Ta’ Lambert also has a stone alignment, consisting of a row of six large stones that may have formed part of a much larger megalithic structure, possibly buried underground.

Joe Muscat, from the Gozo Tourism Association told this newspaper that whenever presentations on the heliport are made to the authorities, reference is always made to the fact that the area has been turned into a dumping site.

Indeed, illegal dumping has been going on for years; the first enforcement notice was issued in 1996, a year before Roy Perry proposed the idea of building an extension to the non-operational helipad.

Asked what the GTA was doing to stop the illegal dumping at Ta’ Lambert, Mr Muscat said the association always puts pressure on the authorities by insisting that the island’s “product has to be taken care of”.

But he spent more time talking about the proposed airstrip, which he said is necessary as a means of providing alternative access to Gozo. He added that it does not necessarily have to be built at Ta’ Lambert.

“Access means success. We have a very good link to Malta by sea, but that does not mean we should not have an alternative in the form of a financially viable air link using a fixed wing aircraft. We’re not talking about an airport; that would not make sense considering the island’s infrastructure.

“Gozo is not a crib; it is not a place where people simply move to when they reach retirement age. We need to strike a balance between the rural character of the place and development as a means of sustaining the tourism industry.”

He acknowledged the need for a study on the impact that the airstrip would have on the environment, agriculture, and archaeological remains.

Time is pressing however, he said, insisting on the need for a solution to have an airstrip in Gozo.

But AD’s Victor Galea is not convinced, particularly because so many people have been so secretive about the airstrip issue.

“The GTA and the GBC (Gozo Business Chamber) are all for an airstrip in Gozo (specifically on this archaeological site). At the same time, they have been extremely silent about the dumping of waste at Ta’ Lambert. What do we really want for Gozo?”


Xewkija Temple in Malta : In collaboration with British Archaeological Jobs Resource Contents: Natural stones or ancient megalithic remains in Coate? Reprint of Xewkija temple report A brief history of Stonehenge theories Underwater excavations of a Turkish prehistoric settlement 4,000-year-old 'Abraham's Gate' reopened to public Rare Iron Age bowls unearthed in Wales Walkers are dismantling ancient Yorkshire cairnsa New technology for dating ancient rock paintings 6,000-year old cave paintings found in Peru Bronze Age burial site damaged by Scottish Police Speaker: David Connolly (BAJR) Â Listen to the weekly Archaeo News. Listen to Podcast HERE