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The Chairman of
the Malta Tourism Authority , Mr. Romwald Lungaro-Mifsud, called for a meeting
with the Ramblers' Association for which the President and Secretary attended on
Monday 25th. April 2005. The Chairman was accompanied by his personal assistant,
Mr. Leonard Zammit Munro and Mr. Mario Attard.
Our delegation explained the objectives of the Association intended to give
access to the Maltese countryside back to its rightful owner, the general
public; how meetings were held with the Prime Minister and the Parliamentary
Secretary of Justice and Home Affairs for the purpose of perpetrating adequate
legislation towards achieving this end; and how the initiative had the initial
backing of hundreds of Maltese and foreigners alike, with the numbers
snowballing with time. E-mails were pouring in even from as far as Canada and
Australia.
The excellent MTA publications about Countryside Walks in Malta were brought to
the fore in that tourists and Maltese following those walks find obstacles in
various forms such as gates, chains, 'no entry' signs, menacing dogs, threats
from hunters and trappers, and other contraptions devised to discourage
ramblers, besides unsightly objects like rusty tanks and pallets that blemish
the landscape. MTA were aware of these and asked for our assistance to do the
rounds with their representatives , taking each of the eight walks in turn, and
making note of and photographing all that is inappropriate in keeping with the
traditional Maltese rural character.
The intention expressed by the Chairman of the MTA is that of drawing up
constructive reports which can be presented formally at the Inter-Ministerial
Meetings chaired by the Prime Minister himself where decisions and action are
taken forthwith. Our delegation expressed its commitment to help MTA in its
priority to stop Malta being ridiculed with foreigners with respect to its
Countryside Walks, regarding the initiative as a first positive step on a
difficult path to restore order in the countryside and to get Malta in line with
the rest of Europe.
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