Some good news

The Budget announced last Wednesday contained some very good news for Gozo. It expanded on the blueprint set down in the pre-Budget document in which the government had outlined a socio-economic strategy for Gozo.

This strategy emphasised the need to sustain a distinct economy for the island by expanding its labour market, by investing in education and research, and by improving the quality of life for Gozitans. These aims are all addressed in the government's programme for 2007.

The distinct economy of Gozo is being sustained with an increase of Lm2.4 million in expenditure when compared to last year. This takes the total allocation to approximately Lm29 million. This investment is a well-needed injection into the island's economy and will enable Gozo to continue to develop in several sectors.

The expanding of the labour market is addressed in several ways. Hundreds of Gozitan workers who commute daily to Malta for work were relieved with the announcement that the government has identified further public services that can be transferred to Gozo.

These include the Freephone 153 service, the payroll work related to public sector employees and Treasury pensions, and work related to the verification of civil status certificates issued by the Public Registry.

The government is expecting a number of these services to be transferred to Gozo by the end of the year. This would mean that about 30 Gozitan workers based in Malta will now be able to work in Gozo. It has been promised that this initiative will continue throughout the next year so that Gozitan workers in the general service grades within the public service will be employed in Gozo.

The government's vision that all back-office services required by the public administration will be carried out in Gozo is praiseworthy. It is the government's and the Gozitans' hope that this decision will encourage the private sector to follow suit.

An innovative idea will inject direly needed help into the Gozo tourist sector. As from January 1, accommodation and catering establishments will only have to pay 75 per cent of the licence fees currently paid.

This is well-deserved compensation for the seasonality of the sector. During the lean winter months, several establishments are finding it increasingly difficult to make ends meet. This decrease in their licence fees will alleviate their burden and help them to cope better with the running costs.

At the same time, it is everyone's hope that the measure will reflect in more moderate charges for services - otherwise this government's prop would hardly reflect in the Gozitan economy.

Government is also promising considerable investment in education and research. As announced a few days ago, the Foundation for Tomorrow's Schools is investing Lm3 million in the building of new education complexes in Gozo. Looking at the recurrent vote, one notes that the Ministry is also helping University activities in Gozo to the tune of Lm25,000.

The government also announced a number of measures aimed at improving Gozitans' quality of life. A record sum of Lm9 million is earmarked for capital projects in Gozo and this increases to Lm15 million if the budget for the education complexes and another Lm3.3 million for the sewage treatment plant are included.

This vote will be used among other things, for the rehabilitation of Victoria's Villa Rundle, the construction of a promenade at Mgarr harbour, the urgently needed visitors' centre at Ggantija, a waste-transfer station, the better management of the Dwejra area; and other infrastructural improvements.

Another project being considered is the building of anchoring facilities for cruise liners off Mgarr harbour. This news, in the wake of the record number of cruise liners seen at the Grand Harbour last week, will be indeed a boost to the economy of the island.

Gozo's GDP per capita is 69 per cent that for Malta. At 31,053, the population of Gozo accounts for 7.7 per cent of the total. These measures are certainly good news for Gozo and, if implemented, would certainly lead to an improvement in the islanders' quality of life.