Privatising an entire valley?

Abstract

Wied Babu in Żurrieq is arguably one of the most scenic valleys on the island, meandering from the lower reaches of the village down to the sea, with its steep mouth flanking the iconic Blue Grotto. The valley bed has long been coveted by visitors hailing from far and wide, largely for a Sunday afternoon ramble or chin-wag with friends. Admittedly, these visitors do not exactly keep the site spotlessly clean, with the usual hallmarks of human presence, including discarded food packaging and the ubiquitous scraps of tissue, peppering the site. But a Draconian measure, such as blocking off the entire valley, presumably for private use, is swinging the pendulum to the other extreme. Rumour has it that the extensive rebuilding of rubble walls along one side of the valley which provided public access to the site, is motivated by more than just restoration.