Whilst we were recently checking up on some parliamentary questions that we’re expecting a local MP to raise with regard to issues related to diving around our islands… we could not help but see the following parliamentary question answered in June 2023… and its definitely incorrect answer!
The actual wording of the PQ is in Maltese and you may find both the question and the answer here, but to reach more, we’re translating it to English:
The Honorable CHRIS SAID asked the Honorable CLINT CAMILLERI (Minister for Gozo):
Can the Minister say which are the dive sites in Gozo? Can he say what investment has been made in each dive site from those mentioned in Gozo by his Ministry year by year from 1 January 2017 until today? What is being done in each site to make access to the various things easier?Answer:
House of Representatives – Parliamentary Questions Website – PQ Number 9274 of the 14th Legislature
I inform the Hon. Questioner that the dive sites in Gozo are these: Blue Hole, Coral Cave; Inland Sea; Cathedral cave; Reqqa Point; Shrimps’ Cave; Billinghurst Cave; Double Arch Reef; Mgarr ix-Xini, Xlendi Cave; Comino Caves; Alexander’s Cave; P31; The Three Wrecks (Red Shore); MV Karwela; MV Comino Land; MV Xlendi. The investment from the Ministry for Gozo is mainly linked to the maintenance of the ladders from which the divers go up and down.
Now here maybe we have to appreciate that the Minister for Gozo might not be an avid diver (we hear he’s more of a passionate bird hunter). But one would expect that he is helped by capable individuals within his staff!
Had he asked us, we’d have redirected him to the maltadives.com website, which on its own, lists more than 64 sites around Gozo (excluding Comino)!
So… which sites did the Minister miss (and we’re only focusing on Gozo here even though in his answer he added some in Comino but then forgot to state the expenditure)?
Azure Reef (Azure Window, Azure Alps) Coral Gardens Rogers Cave (Skuljetti, Big Bear, Little Bear) Crocodile Rock Tal-Barba Cave (Ghar tal-Barba, Tal-Barba, The Beard, 200m Tunnel) Whale Cave (Ghar in-Niexef, Audrey’s Crack) Xatt l-Ahmar Bay Xatt l-Ahmar Reef Kantra Caves (Il-Kantra, Mgarr ix-Xini Caves) Blat Ta’ Bologna (Mgarr ix-Xini Reef) Xlendi Reef Xlendi Underwater Archaeological park (Xlendi park, Archaeological park) Reef Washing Machine Calypso Cave (Calypso Tunnel, Triple Arch) Submarine Cave Middle Finger East (East Reef) West (Tal-Fessej) Fessej Rock (Black Rock, Skoll tal-Fessej) Anchor Reef (Landslide Reef) Bottleneck Cave (Bottleneck, Bottle Cave) Dahlet Qorrot (Dahlet Qorrot Bay, Dahlet il-Qorrot) Ghar id-Dar Wied il-Mielah Marsalforn (Marsalforn Bay) Mistra Rocks (Mistra Rock) Hondoq Reef Tac-Cawla Rocks (Il-Gebla Tac-Cawla, Tac-Cawl Rock, Mgarr Rock) Gebel tal-Halfa (Il-Gebla tal-Halfa, Halfa Rock, Oath Isle) Newwiela Point (Ras In-Newwiela) Ta’Cenc Reef (Ta’Cenc) Sanap Cliffs Dawra Tas-Sanap Ulysses Cave Zurziep Reef Wardija Point (Il-Ponta tal-Wardija) Fungus Rock (Mushroom Rock, General’s Rock, Ġebla tal-Ġeneral, Blata tal-General, Ħaġret il-Ġeneral) San Dimitri Point (San Dimitri) Wied ir-Raheb Ta’Camma Caves (Ta’Cama Caves) Halq Hamiem Hekka Point (Hekka Cave) Tac-Cawla Caves (Gudja Cave) Il-Margun (Pinu Point, Ghar Tal-Margun) Forna Point (Ras il-Forna) Ras Il-Kanun (Ta Lenk, Ghar il-Qamh, Cave of Wheat) Qala Quarry (Qala Anchors, Ghar Dorf Anchors) Phoenician Shipwreck (Tower Wreck) Ras Il-Qala (Qala Point) Hephaestus (MT Hephaestus, M/S Hephaestus) Spitfire Mk V (Spitfire, Supermarine Spitfire)
Dear Minister… does this list make you realise that Diving may need a bit more importance than a few ladders, and maybe some dedicated entity/budget for improvements?