Every day, at some time or other, one sees over Gozo skies some tiny plane, going about its business. It may belong to the flying school in Malta, or may be privately owned, or belong to the Armed Forces of Malta. One minute they are overhead, the next they are gone with hardly any whisper and with very few people on the ground having noticed.

I am saying this because of the fact that each time the hot subject of having an airstrip (not an airport) on the island comes up, this stirs up a hornets' nest. It is simply unfounded, to say the least, that an airstrip on Gozo would be detrimental to the environment. It is absolutely false to say that the island's peace and tranquillity would be jeopardised.

In this day and age it is inconceivable that a small island like Gozo is deprived of such a fixed-wing service. Let's face it, not all commuters, especially those of a certain age, are ready to face the hassle of a ferry crossing, especially in winter, plus the long road to Malta International Airport to catch a flight. Then there are those who come over for just a few days, a weekend maybe, and would want an assurance that by Monday they would be home or at their place of work. Most are company directors, people with means. Another point which will be addressed is the military aspect. Its use would be imperative to the Malta Armed Forces, more so now that additional aircraft are on its books.

The sceptics should see the logic behind this need. It pains me to see the various negative comments from individuals who have no idea what this entails, who have no idea what they are talking about. Other comments come from some foreign quarters, some who do not even reside here, who think more for themselves than the general aspect. This borders on sheer selfishness. They should stop sticking their snouts into what is not their business.

Not so long ago, Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi met the Gozo constituted bodies and other interested individuals about various points of interest concerning the island. The subject of the airstrip was also brought up. This meeting, unlike the one held last May, which had a most turbulent ending, seemed to yield some fruit. The end result concerning the proposed airstrip was that the authorities are to hand over this idea to experts, and to the department of civil aviation for a report. May I point out, however, that for some time now, there have been expert presentations from competent people in this field, notably those by Roy Perry, who did considerable work without any personal interest on his part.

We now await the verdict about the matter from the department of civil aviation and others. Let's hope that the final outcome whether in favour, which would be beneficial, or against, will not appear on the eve of a general election. Meanwhile, Gozo sits and waits, holding its breath.