An airstrip for Gozo

I take the cue from Franco Scicluna's letter (January 19) specifically the extract dealing with the Gozo air link sad saga.

To refresh the memories of old timers and enlighten later generations may I share with all the rather broken chain of events leading to today's rather unsatisfactory solution (sic).

In the late 1960s, Jake Arbuthnot, an expatriate of exceptional good professional abilities (among his lifetime achievements he founded the Malta International Air Rally which still survives 36 years on), proposed to provide a fixed-wing air service to Gozo so long as the government made an airstrip in Gozo. Being proactive and a gentleman of action rather than of promises only, he brought over a brand new Islander aircraft readily dressed in the Malta Gozo Air Services colours (see accompanying photo I took at Luqa on June 20, 1969).

There was no environmental issue on the proposed airstrip site at Ta' Lambert at that time but the government dragged its feet for no known reason except perhaps lethargy, so after months of waiting Mr Arbuthnot reluctantly abandoned his plan and sold his plane.

A full 25 years later the same party government made another attempt to provide an airstrip on the sister island but this time around the opposition protested fiercely claiming that the airstrip would spoil the environment.

In 1996 that same opposition was returned to power and within the first 100 hours - yes hours - not days in government, withdrew the development application which had been filed by the AFM commander on behalf of the government. The next day a pro-government Maltese language daily ecstatically splashed the news front page in very bold print Ta' Lambert salvat! (Ta' Lambert saved).

Twenty months later the tables were turned once more and the new government decided in favour of the more expensive option - a helicopter service to evade, in my opinion, another confrontation on the environment. The government has once more been ill-advised and just signed another helicopter service deal which is doomed to fail if anything because of the prohibitive fares. Imagine a British couple paying £162 for a return 10-minute ride.

The solution is to use STOL (short take-off and landing) fixed-wing aircraft like the Islander, Twin Otter and Beech 1900. The operating cost is about a third of that of a helicopter. I am an obsessed environmentalist but strongly believe that an airstrip would have much less of an impact on the environment than the buildings on the once beautiful Gozo ridges which have been perpetually ruined to appease land speculators.

An airstrip in Gozo would have other spin-offs. Local and foreign light aircraft will be able to land in Gozo and not just fly over it. Like yacht people they may choose to spend some days on the island thus stimulating the economy.

There is still the opportunity to do what needs to be done.