Gozo recompression chamber

I refer to the recent statement released by the Ministry for Gozo (April 24) in reply to the letter by Pete Allday of Victoria (April 23).

While appreciating the fact that a new recompression chamber was installed in Gozo last year with the help of EU funding, we regret the fact that this chamber is still not operational, due to "staff difficulties", according to the Ministry statement.

Why is this? Our member dive centres are very concerned about this situation as, when this facility was officially opened last year, they were given the impression that all was well and that it was up and running.

Also, they were officially informed that the chamber would be fully operational by the time the diving season started. Well, the diving season has started and it turned out that this facility was needed for Mr Allday, and a lot of precious time was wasted while he was at Gozo General Hospital waiting for treatment before being airlifted to Malta a couple of hours later for recompression treatment.

We are deeply concerned that these "staff difficulties", whatever they might be, are going to take a few months before being resolved and the hyperbaric unit is operational. In a few months' time, the diving season will be over. God forbid that someone else will need to use this facility. A lot of precious time will be lost travelling to Malta for the treatment needed, as every minute counts in such situations, which could mean either life, paralysis or, in the worst case scenario, death to the patient.

We appeal to the relevant authorities not to play any political games with this issue, as we are dealing with people's lives here. Everyone was under the impression that we do have a hyperbaric unit in Gozo which was fully operational, only to find that this is not the case. This could have a serious negative effect on our already struggling diving industry.