[WATCH] 'Committee of experts' appointed to oversee Nwadar park project

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A committee of individuals knowledgeable about the environment and history has been appointed to oversee the regeneration of the Nwadar Nature Park.

Addressing the media on the site, environment minister Jose Herrera said that he selected people with these qualities to be on the committee because his aim was to maintain the site in its natural state. “We will first of all clean up all the rubbish,” he said, making reference to the tonnes of garbage discarded in the area. “We then plan on restoring the passage ways dating back to the Knights of St John. We will also restore the historical sites and remove any invading flora or fauna, replacing them with indigenous species.”

The minister added that no developments will be erected in the area.

Herrera pointed out that measures were being undertaken to ensure that the public ceases to illegally discard of waste at the location.

“CCTV cameras have already been installed, and I have consulted a team of lawyers in order to guide us in enforcing deterrents and to give power to those who enforce the law.”

Jose Herrera pointed out that measures were being undertaken to ensure that the public ceases to illegally discard of waste at the location

On his part, infrastructure minister Joe Mizzi said that the cameras had been an effective deterrent, resulting in an immense drop in waste dumping since they were installed. “Plain clothes police officers have also caught 150 people dumping garbage,” he added.

Mizzi also said that the Environment and Resource Authority was consulted in order to handle the fauna in the best possible way, adding that most of the work involved in the clean-up was being done by hand in order not to cause harm.

Herrera called on the public to take care of national park, saying it had become more of a national dump. He insisted that such disrespect for surroundings will not be tolerated any longer.

“This is just one project from a chain of project that will be implemented,” Herrera added.