Gozo parish priests have welcomed the current debate on a permanent link between Malta and Gozo and backed the government plan to conduct a study on the feasibility of having a tunnel.

The parish priests said that mindful of the duty of the church to shed the light of the gospel on human development, they had discussed the issue with the Bishop of Gozo, Mgr Mario Grech.

They pointed out that despite progress in accessibility to Gozo in recent years, the island still suffered from double insularity which slowed the pace of development.

There were also extraordinary difficulties which students, workers, the sick, their families, employers and other operators in the services sector had to face when they needed to regularly go to Malta.

The parish priests said they believed that with better accessibility, Gozo could develop faster and contribute to the development of the nation.

The parish priests and the bishop therefore welcomed the current discussion on the possibility of Malta and Gozo being joined by a permanent link and they agreed that a detailed study should be carried out for informed decisions to be taken.

Meanwhile, the Gozo Channel ferries are operating a shuttle service as hundreds of people cross to Gozo to enjoy the long weekend.