Labour MP Alfred Sant yesterday strongly criticised the lack of availability of serious statistics on Gozo, simply because they were not required by the European Union or other international bodies. He told Parliament that quite apart from such requirements, statistics were indispensable for the serious regional development of Gozo.

Dr Sant's criticism came after Finance Minister Tonio Fenech, replying to his parliamentary question, said the copy of the pilot survey on what Maltese visitors had spent on holiday in Gozo, as well as touristic statistics regarding Gozo, could not be laid on the table of the House because it still needed to be discussed with Eurostat and thus was still considered as an internal report.

Following Dr Sant's comments, Minister Fenech said talks were currently in progress between the National Statistics Office and a sub-committee of the Malta Council for Economic and Social Development (MCESD).

Dr Sant said these talks were opaque in nature. Even the government needed statistics on Gozo in its dealings for regional development with the EU. Mr Fenech said the government only had available statistics on hotel occupancy, as against occupancy in farmhouses.