MESSINA – With summer just around the corner, the water emergency is taking center stage. A serious problem that affects not only Messina, but all of Sicily and much of Italy, and which risks affecting the daily lives of citizens even on the beach. The example is linked to the beaches plan, which the councilor spoke about Francesco Caminiti during the sixth council commission, chaired by Giuseppe Busà. Among the new features, in fact, there will be a reduction in showers on the beach. We will go from 80 last year to just 13, to avoid waste in disbursement. And they could be further reduced after the meetings in the next few hours.
Chimneys on showers, platforms and lifeguards
Caminiti explained: “We have confirmed the 2023 plan with the only changes being the positioning of the showers. Given the water emergency in Sicily and Messina we have decided to reduce the showers and there will only be 13, net of the meetings on the emergency in recent days. Messina Servizi has been working on cleaning for weeks and is also positioning the bins. At Ringo we expanded the space granted by the port authority and the boats were removed, but we found a real landfill and Messina Servizi had to clean up the area. Lifeguards have been confirmed in Santa Margherita and Faro and we are working to include them in Ringo too, but there are no personnel in the area. We will try until the end. Compared to 2023, there are 3 new platforms for access to the sea for people with disabilities, one will be in Paradiso and one in Sant’Agata. Some families who live in those areas have submitted a regular request.”
The case of the removed abandoned boats
Then we talked about the Lighthouse Tower and the removal of the “dead bodies”, i.e. abandoned boats and other structures that prevented access. After the specific question from PD councilor Alessandro Russo, Caminiti explained: “The harbor master’s office removed all these bodies, but not the boats. After the intervention we held meetings with fishermen and residents to understand what the problems were and how to resolve them. The problem arises from a census carried out in previous years, in 2019, which spoke of 47 vessels from Torre Faro. An area greater than 47 but less than these pseudo 500 who today say they own a vessel has been sized. So we reopened the census. An important piece of news is this: a census must be taken in order to modify the designated areas and make them useful for all the vessels registered. We have started the process to obtain storage areas. As soon as we have obtained the number from the census we will make a request to the state property to have the increase and resolve it. It’s a problem we’re trying to resolve. The fishermen in compliance do not exceed 10 units, the problem is the boaters. This resolution will have real consequences. Citizens who are used to having boats under their homes will have to move, but it is the only solution we can offer according to the law and I understand that there will be protests. But let’s talk about everyone’s safety. The path will be sustainable.”
And Ringo also spoke on the topic: “The problem must be resolved and improved thanks to the census. The vessel will have an identification code and we will know whose. If no one registers, the boat will be there and we will intervene.”
