More criticism of higher ferry rates

Criticism of the new ferry fares introduced by Gozo Channel continues.

However, Minister Giovanna Debono pointed out that the government has invested millions of liri to improve inter-island transportation, with the procurement of the much needed new ferries. Besides, the completion of the modern terminal quays at Mgarr and Cirkewwa will further improve the level of service offered. She added that any measures taken should be seen in light of substantial improvements to the service.

Victoria councillor Joe Debrincat said that the rise in tariffs will not help Gozo Channel get back on its feet. He said that the company should control expenditure and should have calculated how many employees it needed before taking them on.

"These fare increases are a financial burden on the majority of Maltese and Gozitans during economically difficult times. We Gozitans will feel the burden even more because visitors to Gozo are mostly Maltese." He also warned that distributors will take advantage of the increase in ferry rates and will charge more to transport merchandise to Gozo.

Reference was also made to operators in the tourism industry who would have already issued brochures with the old ferry prices.

Sannat mayor Carmel Camilleri said that higher ferry rates, which will continue to rise over the next three years, will have a negative impact on Gozitan students and workers who use the ferry daily. Companies which make regular deliveries to Gozo will also be affected especially since the price of fuel has gone up.

The Gozo Business Chamber disagrees with the new ferry fares. Its chief executive, Joseph G. Grech, told The Sunday Times that the chamber was not consulted before the higher fares were announced. He said that the ferry from Sa Maison should also carry passengers and not only heavy vehicles.

Dr Arnold Cassola, Alternattiva Demokratika's candidate for the European Parliament said that although tariffs have to be occasionally adjusted to ensure that the ferry service is viable and that commuters are offered better travelling conditions, it is intolerable that Gozo Channel should become an opportunity for patronage and clientelism as well a parking place for people who are close to particular politicians.

Gozitans should be helped to reduce the extra expenses which Gozo's double insulation introduces. "In this respect AD recommends to the Maltese government to lobby hard to get some extra support from the EU for the port infrastructure in Mgarr and Cirkewwa, in the framework of the Trans European Networks Short Sea Shipping Approach, " he added.

A diving physician, Dr Mario Saliba, said that according to a study commissioned by the GBC and GTA, any increase in tariffs by Gozo Channel will harm Gozo's economy. He said that the sea link is Gozo's lifeline, especially due to its double insularity, and that economists have claimed that what is needed is good planning and cost-cutting measures to run the company rather than higher fares.

Foreign tourists will also find that the package offered to them will be more expensive. "Our product is becoming less competitive and in the long run this will mean more hardship to the islanders."

Paul Scicluna of Gozo Farmhouses Ltd said that operators of the tourism industry will have to absorb the new rates since the price of a holiday purchased from a brochure will be fixed till the end of March 2005.

Tourists visiting Gozo will have to pay more for transport than Maltese visitors, a disadvantage which will continue to grow, he said. There will also be a negative impact on the one-day Gozo tour, as there will be fewer day trippers. To keep the price stable, operators would have to reduce visits to museums, attractions and restaurants from the tour programmes.

He also said that restaurants, supermarkets and bars will suffer if there are less Maltese visitors.

On the other hand Jean Paul Grech, a final year law student, claimed that the Gozitan passenger subsidised fee is quite reasonable. Although passengers will now have to fork out an extra 20c, one cannot deny that there has been a general improvement in the travelling conditions with the introduction of new ferries. However, he said, the increase in car/driver for Gozitan residents was too high.

"The competent authorities seem to have forgotten one fundamental consideration: Gozo Channel is there to serve the Gozitan community and not the other way round," he said. The increase in car/driver fares for Maltese visitors, although not exorbitant, will still have its repercussions, especially on the tourist industry, he added.