SOS Hondoq - Media Releases

Saturday, November 05, 2011

GUG: Against the Hondoq Reform –Preserving our identity



Hondoq ir-Rummien is one of the most beautiful places in Gozo that has, until now, remained untouched. The sea in Hondoq is one of the cleanest and clearest in Malta and Gozo and it has been attracting many locals, tourists and divers from all over the world. The Hondoq project which entails the construction of a yacht marina, hotels, villas, flats and bungalows is threatening this serene place. Should MEPA let this proceed? 

GUG (Grupp Universitarji Ghawdxin), a youth organisation of Gozitan students have been long wishing to express their concern regarding the Hondoq reconstruction project. The implications that such a project could result in are numerous and will cause serious environmental damage. Damage is not only done to the seabed, disturbing the surrounding eco system, but also affects the pure air that prevails in Hondoq. Apart from this, the construction of a yacht marina, hotels, villas, flats and bungalows will lead to drastic environmental damage as well as an increase in pollution and exhaust.  Needless to say, Hondoq is also known as a popular place for divers coming from all parts of the world. Apart from the lack of divers that will be frequenting Hondoq, we will find a worrying reduction in the amount and variety of flora and fauna that may even become extinct. According to www.greatestdivesites.com “Hondoq reef is an easy and shallow reef which houses many morays and octopus in its cracks … currents, surge and access methods have made it a perfect dive site for starting divers”.  It doesn’t need a lot of thought to come up with the result of such a drastic change. Gozo will lose one of its most sought after, charming beaches. Once it is lost there is no turning back.

We believe that we should consider all the possible drawbacks that will arise from such an extremely daring development.  There is a lot that can be done without going to such extremes. NGO’s enhanced this point by mentioning: through improving the site by clearing the accumulated quarry debris, distillation plant and coastal debris, and regenerating the former habitats through afforestation, recreation of the valley and improvement of the beach recreation facilities. (August 3rd, 2011)

Many of the Qala residents and even Gozitans from other villages are very fond of this beautiful beach that has for many years remained untouched.    Gozitan students strongly believe that we must preserve our environment and our local heritage, which makes part of our identity.  Sustainability is an important concept that has been brought up many times in the media and at school but in reality it’s lacking in practice. Before we take such a big step, we must first implement this idea of sustainability and clearly examine all implications it entails. We must consistently keep at heart the environment around us and what makes us who we are and different from the rest. 


GUG: Kontra r-Riforma ta’ Ħondoq – Nippreservaw l-identita’ tagħna

Il-GUG (Grupp Universitarji Għawdxin) oriġina fis-snin tmenin u fl-1987 ġie stabilit bħala organizzazzjoni għall-istudenti. Mill-bidu tiegħu, l-GUG ikkommetta ruħu li jirrappreżenta u jippromwovi l-interessi ta’ l-istudenti Għawdxi waqt il-ħajja universitarja tagħhom u jgħinhom f’dak kollu li ikollhom bżonn. Dan il-grupp jippromwovi t-titjib tal-istandard akkademiku u l-kwalita’ ta’ ħajja tal-istudenti Għawdxin kif ukoll jorganizza attivitajiet li jkunu jinteressaw lil dawn l-istudenti.

Ħondoq ir-Rummien huwa wieħed mill-isbaħ postijiet li toffri l-gżira Għawdxija, li sa issa, kien għadu mhux mittiefes. Il-baħar ta’ Ħondoq hu wieħed mill-aktar nodfa u mill-aktar ċari li hawn fil-gżejjer Maltin u jiġbed lejh ħafna Għawdxin, turisti kif ukoll għaddasa mill-erba’ kantunieri tad-dinja. Il-proġett ta’ Ħondoq li jinvolvi l-bini ta’ yacht marina, lukandi, vilel, appartamenti u bungalows, qed jhedded dan il-post trankwil. Għandha l-MEPA tagħlaq għajnejha u tħalli dan il-proġett ikompli?

Il-GUG ilhom jixtiequ li jesprimu t-tħassib tagħhom dwar dan il-proġett ta’ rikonstruzzjoni ta’ Ħondoq. Dan il-proġett jista’ iwassal għal diversi implikazzjonijiet li jikkawżaw ħsarat ambjentali serji. Il-ħsarat mhux biss isiru lil qiegħ il-baħar, li jwassal għal tfixkil fl-eco system tal-madwar, pero jaffettwa ukoll l-arja pura li teżisti f’Ħondoq. Apparti min din, il-konstruzzjoni ta’ yacht marina, lukandi, vilel, appartamenti u bungalows iwassal ukoll għall-ħsarat ambjentali drastiċi kif ukoll żieda fit-tniġġis u fl-exhaust. M’hemmx għalfejn ngħidu li Ħondoq huwa popolari ħafna mal-għaddasa li jiġu mid-dinja kollha. Apparti min-nuqqas ta’ għaddasa li jibdew jiffrekwentaw lil Ħondoq, se ikun hemm ukoll tnaqqis inkwetanti fl-ammont u fil-varjeta’ ta’ flora u fawna li jistgħu iwasslu biex jiġu estinti. Skond www.greatestdivesites.com “Is-sikek f’Ħondoq huma baxxi u faċli u jospitaw ġewwa fihom diversi murini u qarnit fix-xquq tagħhom … il-kurrenti u l-metodi ta’ aċċess jagħmluha sit perfett għall-għaddasa li għadhom qegħdin jibdew.” Ma tantx hemm bżonn ħsieb biex tasal għar-riżultat ta’ din il-bidla drastika. Għawdex se jitlef waħda mill-aktar bajja li hija imfittxija. La darba din tintilef, ma nistgħux nerġgħu induru lura. Kull ma jkun baqa’ huwa poplu li jixtieq li dan il-proġett qatt ma sar, poplu li jixxennaq għal dak li kellna qabel u li jaf li Ħondoq ma jista' qatt ikun l-istess kif kien qabel.

Aħna nemmnu li għandhom jiġu ikkunsidrati l-iżvantaġġi kollha possibli li jistgħu jinqalgħu minn dan l-iżvilupp. Jistgħu isiru diversi affarijiet mingħajr ma mmorru f’dawn l-estremitajiet. L-NGOs isaħħu dan il-punt billi jsemmu: permezz ta’ titjib fis-sit billi inaddfu l-fdalijiet akkumulati ġewwa l-barrieri, impjant ta’ distillazzjoni u fdalijiet mal-kosta, u jiġġeneraw l-abitat ta’ qabel billi iħawwlu siġar, bini mill-ġdid tal-wied u titjib tal-faċilitajiet tal-rikreazzjoni tal-bajja. (Awwissu 3, 2011).

Ħafna mir-residenti tal-Qala u anke Għawdxin minn irħula oħra għandhom għal qalbhom din il-bajja li għal ħafna snin baqgħet mhux mittiefsa. L-istudenti Għawdxin jemmnu li għandna nippreservaw l-ambjent u l-wirt lokali tagħna, li jagħmlu parti mill-identita’ tagħna. Is-sostenibbilta’ huwa kunċett important li ġie imsemmi ħafna drabi kemm fil-media kif ukoll fl-iskejjel imma fir-realta’ huwa nieqes fil-prattika. Qabel ma nieħdu dan il-pass kbir, irridu l-ewwel nimplimentaw din l-idea ta’ sostenibilita’ u b’mod ċar neżaminaw l-implikazzjonijiet kollha li tinvolvi. Irridu nżommu f’moħħna l-ambjent ta’ madwarna u dak li jagħmilna dak li aħna u differenti mill-bqija tad-dinja.