Foreign consultants from Mott MacDonald will be submitting their preliminary report about the feasibility of a permanent link between Malta and Gozo by the end of this month, Parliamentary Secretary Chris Said said.
The report will look into all options, including a bridge and an underwater tunnel between the two islands, Dr Said said during a political meeting held in Xagħra, Gozo, this morning.
He said that the generation of employment and investment in Gozo remained a government priority. This linked with education and it was satisfying to see that about 1,000 Gozitan students were currently attending university. He also spoke about the need to revise employment legislation to ensure there were no loop holes that would allow the exploitation of workers. Some amendments had already been suggested to the Employment Relations Board.
Gozo Minister Giovanna Debono spoke about the various ongoing projects in Gozo. These included the building of new several roads and the recently approved regeneration of the Citadella. The 1950s gate into the Citadella will be closed once more and the focus will again be on the Citdael's original gate.
Mrs Debono said that soon the roundabouts around Gozo will become a display area for works of art as monuments will be placed there following a competition among artists.
She added that Gozo had recently applied for EU funds so that all its schools, as well as the hospital, would be equipped to operate solely on alternative energy through the installation of photovoltaic and solar panels.
Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi spoke about the importance of investing in Gozo and ensuring that it maintained its unique characteristics.
While at a restaurant he met a group of 30 German divers who praised the small island for all its diving facilities. Two divers were involved in an accident and had to be rushed to the decompression chamber that was installed at the Gozo hospital three years ago. One of the divers told him she would be writing an article in a prominent newspaper back home praising the island.