The rape of the countryside

We went for a lovely country walk in Mellieha one Sunday and decided to take a different route and so walked behind those hideous green containers people live in. The countryside was absolutely gorgeous and as we viewed the bird sanctuary beneath we decided to keep walking until we got to the end of the road, which has a tarmac surface and which should have led us to the cliffs. Suddenly the beautiful countryside became ugly.

The rest of the road was a never-ending Maghtab. Rubbish was everywhere. Rusty washing machines, cookers, refrigerators, television sets, beds, mattresses, all kinds of furniture, a horizon of rotting garbage bags and worn-out appliances all the way right to the end of the road. The garbage bags had long burst and were releasing poisonous toxins from used nappies and all sorts of filth into the environment.

The sight brought tears to our eyes. The culprits are blatant criminals who have destroyed my countryside and that of my child. I was unable to explain to my three-year-old that, yes, there are bad grown-ups who throw all this rubbish outside. And he asked why was there no policeman to stop them. Indeed, why?

The filth was unbelievable and it went on and on until we decided we could not take any longer and turned back dumbfounded, shaking our heads. We were hosting some guests from Australia who, incidentally, took the photographs appearing with this letter to show to their local newspapers.

Did any members of CHOGM visit this sight? I don't think so.

The rubbish looks like it has been there for many years.

Will whoever is responsible for our clean environment clean up this disgusting dump and place a green warden on watch? While we were walking there were pick-up trucks loaded with rubbish driving in and then out again, empty, of course. We paid little attention to them until we reached this raped part of the countryside. Then it all made sickening sense. It is only 200 metres above the sanctuary.