Commuters association to be set up

A meeting was held at the Circolo Gozitano in Victoria last Sunday to form an action committee to urge Government and other authorities to tackle complaints by commuters between Malta and Gozo.

The action committee is made up of Dr Carmelo Galea, who recently organised a petition to revise the new Gozo Channel timetable, Dr Joseph Ellis, Dr Michael Caruana, Victor Borg, Lawrence Galea, Emanuel Caruana, Carmel Scerri, Salvu Grech and Emanuel Bajada.

Those attending the meeting agreed that the action committee should work to form an association to safeguard Gozo's social and economic status, to be temporarily named the Gozo Commuters Association, which would embrace all sectors of the Gozitan community.

The committee doubts the figures published recently by Gozo Channel. The new ferries have been variously estimated at Lm15 million to Lm40 million. It was argued that in reality the higher estimates do not take into account the real value of the ferries, considering the subsidies given by Government to shipyards when it was originally decided to build the ferries in Malta.

In practice newly built ferries should have free maintenance for the first few years.

Gozo Channel claimed it would save between Lm15,000 and Lm50,000 a year if it reduced the number of ferry trips. The committee said these savings were insignificant compared to the subsidies given to the shipyards. The Gozo Channel provides an essential service and so has the duty to continue operating even if occasionally at a loss.

The committee also mentioned the fact that the Sa Maison to Mgarr service may also be abolished. This however would only increase road congestion, increase gas emissions, damage to the road network and additional queuing at Cirkewwa.

The reduction of ferry trips will also affect Gozo's gross domestic product per capita, which is already well below that of Malta. The new schedule has already had a direct effect on tourism, such as hotel occupancy and restaurants. It was suggested that if Gozo Channel is unable to provide frequent crossings between Malta and Gozo, the service should be open to competition.

The committee also discussed the state of the roads in Gozo. Part of the pre-accession funds from the European Union would be used to upgrade the road network. Although government spokesmen had indicated that this would include the establishing of an arterial road known as A1 from Birzebbuga to Victoria, it appears the road would end at Cirkewwa, thus excluding Gozo entirely.

Funds for maintenance and upkeep of historic monuments of Gozo was another issue brought up at the meeting. Those present agreed that these funds, currently used exclusively in Malta, should also be used for places like Ggantija in Gozo.