Gozo Minister Anton Refalo refused to give a straight answer today when asked in parliament whether plans for a family park at Il-Qortin in Gozo have been scrapped and substituted by a photovoltaics farm.

The question was asked by Nationalist MP Chris Said. 

The minister said the site at Il-Qortin overlooking Marsalforn was important and the setting up of PV panels would not obstruct the people from taking walks in the countryside. 

He said it was good that the former government closed down the former dump at Il-Qortin and set up a waste transfer station at Il-Kus. The present government was setting up a new facility to pack the waste as compost before it was transferred to Malta, removing the need for trucks emitting foul smells.

The present government also set up a new garden at Nadur and solar panels at Tac-Cawla within the context of eco-Gozo.

Energy Minister Konrad Mizzi said it was the former government which sought a Mepa permit for a solar farm at Il-Qortin. It did not seek a permit for a family park.

Enemalta only had a right to use the air space over Il-Qortin, not the site itself. A decision on the use of the site would be taken by the government as Enemalta shareholder, but one needed to be mindful that gases from the former dump continued to be detected for some 10 years and use was therefore limited. The government, however, wanted to regenerate the site.

Dr Said asked what was to become of some 23,000 trees planted at Il-Qortin. 

Dr Mizzi insisted that the former government had applied to use Il-Qortin as a solar park, but no decision had been taken by the present government.   

Environment Minister Leo Brincat said the options for Il-Qortin were still being considered by the government.

Dr Said said no minister had declared whether the Family Park at il-Qortin would be set up.