Every proposal for a transport link between Gozo and Malta has to be considered but the solution must respect the environment and would have to be accessible to everyone and not just the few, Gozo Bishop Mario Grech said.

Speaking at a seminar that discussed Gozo's social and economic development last Friday, Mgr Grech said it was interesting that there was a national debate on the communication problem not only between Gozo and Malta but also between Gozo and the rest of the world.

"There are circumstances today where it takes more time to get to Gozo from Malta than it would take to reach Malta from Rome," he said.

An application for the construction of an airstrip had been filed by the Armed Forces before 1996. After that, a helicopter service was discontinued because it was not deemed economically viable.

An airstrip is favoured by the Gozo Business Chamber but doubts over its economic viability have also been expressed by Tourism Parliamentary Secretary Mario de Marco.

Alternattiva Demokratika opposes the airstrip on environmental and economic grounds and instead has proposed that other alternatives, such as a high speed hydrofoil, are studied.

If the challenge of communication was addressed seriously, Mgr Grech said, a "major artery to Gozo's heart would be opened".

The bishop said Gozo's double insularity presented challenges that could be turned into opportunities.

He said private initiatives in the more traditional sectors such as agriculture should be helped since they could also preserve Gozitan identity while opening up new opportunities in areas such as agrotourism.

Mgr Grech also sounded a cautionary note over illegal buildings, insisting the rule of law was necessary to generate development and contribute to the just distribution of wealth.

"This particularly applies to a small community like Gozo where the law can be easily broken and sometimes with the help of those who are duty-bound to uphold it," he said.