Call for offers for operation of Gozo ferry service due shortly

jason spiteri

Sep 30th 2010, 23:37

Someone is concerned about the cost for a bridge. Try to work out this sum: add up the millions for the 3 new ferry boats (which need to be paid again in the near future) plus the new terminal in mgarr plus the new terminal in cirkewwa plus any EU financing for the bridge, and I bet you will exceed the cost for a decent bridge. The cost of workers employed by the Gozo Channel will roughly be equal to the cost for the maintenance of the bridge.

So ultimately it's not about the cost. It's about the village mentality of some gozitans who will feel at ease only when the walls of cittadella extend and surround all the coast of gozo, the mentality of some maltese who have not yet discovered that there is a world out there and still manage to get highly "excited" when hopping over to gozo, and the lack of vision of those who are supposed to lead us into the future. Malta was big enough to join EU and daydream of leading all one day, but not big enough to properly adjust for the shock of joining yet a tinier island to itself.

Joseph Ellis

Sep 30th 2010, 22:16

Let's hope that this call for tenders won't mean the substitution of a public monopoly by a private one. Besides the ferry service on the Cirkewwa -Mgarr route, it is a high time for a catamaran service between Valletta and Gozo. The government's argument is nonsense : there certainly may be no scope for competition on the Cirkewwa-Mgarr route but there are other markets which are not being catered for such as the Valletta-Mgarr high speed route which should be opened up as soon as possible.

I'm for a bridge anytime.

Gozo Channel is presently giving a really terrible service which is costing the Gozitan economy dear and which is holding back the development of Gozo. All the people who are left behind at Mgarr or Cirkewwa have a cost to the Gozitan economy. The government decision not to put in ramps on all ships has been a terrible mistake which ministers and M.P.'s would not bother about because they get priority and free boarding.

Gozo Channel is convenient to employ people with super salaries at election time. Otherwise, it is an albatross around the neck of the Gozitan economy.

Adrian Wirth

Sep 30th 2010, 19:34

@ Walter Camilleri.
Not only are the capital costs exhorbitant but the financing costs of the money borrowed would hold the nation to hock to the lending banks for decades if not permanently.
A very similar EU part funded 'Bridge to the Isles' in Scotland was promoted by a Public Private Partnership. In spite of the very sizable EU ERDF/Objective One/'Islands' grant funding, the operating company still went into receivership within a few years even though the operating company had the tax status available in the UK of being a 'Company Limited by Guarantee'. That meant that in exchange for a guarantee by the company to the Treasury that all revenue and profit would be ploughed back into the company and not distributed to shareholders the Treasury would forego all tax liabilities of the company, except VAT which is a EU not Revenue Tax. Still the company failed and is now funded in perpetuity by the state.
I'm not qualified to comment on the engineering challenges building any type of bridge would present but the spans are substantial, the approaches complex, the water deep and currents significant. All cost increasing factors.

Franco J Scicluna

Sep 30th 2010, 18:24

THE BEST SOLUTION FOR GOZO TO GET OUT OFTHE DARK AGES IS TO HAVE A BRIDGE BETWEEN THE ISLANDS. THE SOONER ITS DONE ,THE BETTER. AM POSITIVE THAT SUCH A PROJECT COULD BE FINANCED BY THE EU, THE GOVERNMENT, AND PRIVATE ENTERPRICE.

l fenech

Sep 30th 2010, 16:32

Alla taghna isma t-talb taghna, tender ohra.

L Amato

Sep 30th 2010, 14:36

It is about time that this takes place, hoping that when the service is liberalised at least we commuters will be treated in a civil manner - presently having to face arrogant personnel before boarding the vessels.
Also, hoping that the ticket system will be reversed to Malta and this for obvious reasons

Mark Galea

Sep 30th 2010, 13:56

The bridge is a very easy, straight forward issue - the party that proposes it will win the 13th District with a landslide - which means the 2013 election. Straight and clear, no issue between blue and red. The hundreds that travel to work and study in malta will change party allegiance on such an issue.

walter camilleri

Sep 30th 2010, 13:44

Have anyof those calling for a bridge to Gozo considered the costs involved? To build a bridge high enough for even a small tourist ship to pass under would cost more than the whole of Malta's GDP! The foundations for a pedestal for the arches meeting on Comino would cover the whole island - addio Blue Lagoon and Comino Hotel.

Bridges of this size over open water elsewhere - New York, Sydney Harbour, Firth of Forth, you name it, have permanently employed maintenance teams to control the rust generated by the salt sea. They have to start repainting from the other end once they arrive at one side.

Italy, having incurred the monumental cost of the A1 Autostrada all the way down to Reggio, still has not - despite promises by Premier Berlusconi - started started on the bridge across the straits of Messina. The projected costs are prohibitive.

The cost of a similar sized bridge from Malta to Gozo wpould be equally prohibitive, and Malta is far, far, smaller than Italy.

E. Azzopardi

Sep 30th 2010, 13:11

This is exactly why we joined the EU Club, to end all those monopolies. This should have been done years ago but we procrastinate all the time. Yes, the EU is not an "a la carte" club, meaning you choose the rules you want and discard those which you do not agree with.
But it seems to me that since we joined we still have the habit of acting this way.
We would not have all these proceedings against us if this were not the case.

Jason Spiteri

Sep 30th 2010, 13:00

@savior sam agius

some clarifications re your comment:
crossing a bridge will take a mere 5 minutes instead of 30 for the ferry.
usually bridges and roads dont have a timetable so you wont have to wait to cross, unlike the ferry.
bridge: victoria to valletta will take approx 1 hr
ferry: victoria to valletta is taking just under 2 hrs at best, over 3 or even more depending on time table at worst.

so just say you're not for a bridge and you dont care, you have every right, but please spare and respect those daily commuters who have to face this hardship from silly uninformed comments.

Chris Coleiro

Sep 30th 2010, 12:51

Forget the bridge.. I am Maltese and I am saying this with all respect towards Gozitans. A bridge will further ruin Gozo.. Your island's beauty is already being ruined by certain egoistic Maltese that cross over for a good time and turn gozo into a rubbish dump over long weekends, carnival, St.Mary etc..
Let's just hope for a more efficient ferry service with sensible prices but definately not a bridge pls...

Joseph Mifsud

Sep 30th 2010, 12:37

As a gozitan who worked for four years in Malta, I would like to put forward the suggestion of either a bridge or seabed duct (tunnel like as was constructed around Japan islands) will be constructed for the benefit of the coming generations. The Gozo Channel ferries have a lifetime & it is a good idea to plan for a more reliable and long term alternative.

m vella

Sep 30th 2010, 12:07

BRIDGE PLEASE :)

r galea

Sep 30th 2010, 12:07

Ejjjjja!!! Time to end monopoly!

A. Farrugia

Sep 30th 2010, 11:55

It seems the EU's stand is "competition for competition's sake"

While the impact of this mindset might not have much of an effect on larger countries, the effect on Malta is more pronounced in situations where the introduction of competition would not necessarily reap better results for the consumer, rather be detrimental to both the original monopoly holder and the new entrants. In this case, I have my reservations whether a competing ferry would enjoy enough traffic volume to sustain its operations during its early years where cost-recovery is critical. At the same time, during such a period, Gozo Ferry would lose valuable market share and it too would feel the crunch. The end result would be a disservice to the customer as the (then) competing firms would try to cut corners around costs (read low-cost service) to the detriment of the customer, of course. Alternatively, higher prices would come into force by both, and what good would that do to ferry users? A final alternative would be to seek assistance, but this would still be wrong in the eyes of the EU.

Such situations show how small island states do not necessarily have to BELONG in the EU.

joe vella

Sep 30th 2010, 11:44

gozo channel does not have to worry about competition if they get their operation politically cleansed! that is no interference by the ministry, run on strict commercial lines, remove the amounts of excess staff, who are there solely on the basis of patronage (ask captain mario grech) and make sure that the system works properly especially when the work load is heavy
we use gozo channel frequently and it is obvious that they have a top heavy structure (in management)
everything goes wrong when the work load increases, especially on particular days when everybody knows that there are lots of people crossing over
put in a decent management structure and it should be as competitive as any other line

G A Bonello

Sep 30th 2010, 11:33

Let Gozo Channel keep the cirkewwa route . Time for a Gozo - Valletta catamaran link.

M. Calleja

Sep 30th 2010, 11:33

now that school has begun, every morning the 6am ferry is full of people but the ferry leaves Gozo at 6.10am daily because there is only 1 Gozo Channel employee selling tickets to a huge queue of customers. Then at 5.58am, while there are still about 50 people awaiting to buy their ticket after a minimum 10 minutes awaiting, a Gozo Channel employee (a bully) comes shouting "...mal hin aghlaq il gate... toghqod tistenna lil hadd.." as if the problem is not because of the lack of staff.

I do not know when this situation will be resolved, we can't wake up at 5.15am, be at the Gozo Channel terminal by 5.40am and be afraid that the 6am ferry will leave us behind because only 1 employee is selling tickets!!!!

we want a bridge!!!!!!!!!

Raymond Cini

Sep 30th 2010, 11:32

Ohhhh YES YES YES.

Finally there will be the possibility to choose on which ferry line you can travel. And probably get rid to a couple of arrogant crewmen that when you ask them for information or help they will answer it's not my job i can't do anything. I wonder what is their job is if not sitting in the lounge/cafeteria or on the stairs in the middle 'looking' at on board passengers. They know what their job is but don't know that there is crew quarters where they must stay if won't to be asked questions by passengers. Else they SHALL be available for any queries by passengers.

And what about those of shore services.... it's better not to mention them cause a whole article would be needed.

S.Debattista

Sep 30th 2010, 11:28

At last.. let's hope we will have another ferry line with better prices.

A Mercieca

Sep 30th 2010, 11:26

We certainly need the bridge as another alternative of transport link between Malta and Gozo.

miriam fiorentino

Sep 30th 2010, 11:25

why not built a bridge between malta and gozo its long time coming and it makes sence and easery

M. Bugeja

Sep 30th 2010, 11:24

are there any private companies interested? maybe finally Gozo Channel will be offered some competition to improve its service!

lgalea

Sep 30th 2010, 11:17

"The minister said the government had first opted to discuss its draft call with the European Commission, to ensure that it conformed with EU rules."

Another imposition by the crap eu petty dictators. Still independent? Keep on joking.

g lee

Sep 30th 2010, 11:07

Come on Virtu, a Gozo - Valletta catamaran link would be excellent

j.ellul

Sep 30th 2010, 11:05

bye bye gozo channel line........