The age of misinformation

Abstract

Despite the recent increase in the number of University science graduates and intermittent public educational campaigns, crass misinformation seems to be the order of the day when it comes to environmental management. Two cases illustrate this point. Advocacy for heavy-handed human intervention at Ramla l-Ħamra in Gozo is slowly but inexorably increasing. First it was Xagħra local council, which clamoured for a general clean-up of the bay, lamenting that the beach environs was in shambles. The council took special exception to the beach being peppered with stones and pebbles. However, the cherry on the cake must surely be the letter to the editor by Alfred Cini from Nadur (The Sunday Times, May 9), who called for the use of a rock crusher at Ramla l-Ħamra to do away with the nuisance posed by the rocks in one fell swoop, since, in his words, "the pebbles and stones have occupied the space of the sand, which is being lost due to the wind". Why not ask for a batching plant while we are at it? Truly unbelievable!