There is no tangible progress in the upkeep of Comino, despite government assurances of heightened enforcement and environmental stewardship, an environmental NGO said on Monday.

Nadur Nadif, which has been keeping a close eye on Comino for the past years, said it had revisited the island to assess its readiness for the upcoming influx of visitors.

"Unfortunately, our observations revealed a recurring pattern. Despite assurances of heightened enforcement and environmental stewardship, tangible progress remains elusive," it said. 

"As of 10 am (1/05/2024), sections of the island surrounding the Blue Lagoon were still littered, a situation deemed intolerable for a designated Natura 2000 site. Although bins were emptied and replenished with new bags, mirroring our previous visit on April 4, 2024 at 8am, this behaviour prompts further questions. The spectrum of litter ranges from common items like cups and bottles to more egregious examples such as discarded pineapples. Additionally, bins lack proper labelling, exacerbating waste management challenges.

"Furthermore, the constant hum of generators disrupts the island's tranquillity, drowning out the natural sounds of waves and avian life. During our visit, it was noticed that a significant amount of waste had accumulated at the campsite. Although the bins outside were cleaned and put back in place by Friday (3/05/2024) the campsite remained by Sunday (5/05/2024) raising questions about whether the Ministry of Gozo is solely employing garbage collectors or cleaners," the group said. 

Nadur Nadif last year led extensive cleanup efforts on Comino resulting in the removal of over 200 garbage bags. It also engaged in talks with the ministries for Gozo and Tourism, and the Environment Resources Authority (ERA)  to explore actionable solutions for bolstering environmental protection measures. 

The group called for better cleaning and environmental protection and stiffer littering fines.