Eight years after Malta joined the European Union in 2004, the government has, at last, woken up and is asking Brussels to consider resolution 36 attached to the Malta Accession Treaty for Gozo to be considered as a regional island due to its special needs.
By my reckoning, the central government didn’t propose Gozo as a regional island initially due to the fact that Malta, by itself, would have superseded the 75 per cent mark of the EU average needed to qualify for the maximum amount of EU funds. Malta put its GDP at 74.5 per cent, thus succeeded in acquiring full assistance.
These EU funds are similar to the Marshall Aid Funds allocated to colonial countries. These had been given to Britain for distribution as it deemed fit. Malta knows that these funds were distributed unfairly according to the colonial government’s whims.
The same can almost exactly be said in the case of Gozo. Funds were distributed as and when the central Administration thought fit. Life in Gozo is by far behind that in the sister island of Malta in all ways.
One must not be misguided by premature financial figures declared in the Budget but must review these a year later to see what percentage was in reality spent. Words are cheap to come by but facts are something else.
Gozo GDP is 71 per cent of Malta’s. Job creation is nil. Prospects of a better future have and are at present non-existent. Youths are leaving Gozo in their thousands.
Gozo in general is becoming an old people’s home. If one were to survey Gozo in a working day, it would show that more than 50/60 per cent that remain there are senior citizens.
In 2004, the government promised the Gozitans that it was attaching resolution 36 to the treaty and that an effort would be made to furnish the EU with all the required statistics about the island. These will then be passed on to the EU with the aim of Gozo being considered as a region. Yet, no real data that made sense were compiled.
This was amply evident at the recent seminar organised by Franco Mercieca when the panel was not able to give real detailed statistics.
In fact, the government had not insisted on Gozo acquiring regional status. Nor did it try.
In past years, the former Minister for Gozo used to say that he had a Gozo plan. I believed him. It was the central Administration that didn’t allow him to publish it. Now, for the past five years, we have been hearing that the present minister has another plan for Gozo, “the eco plan”. It is supposed to be a plan that will generate jobs and bring about financial prosperity for Gozitans without damaging its environment.
This plan was not made public and will never be. It’s all hogwash.
There is no master plan for Gozo. The present Administration is more focused in winning personal votes than planning for the island’s future. In contrast, under the previous Administration, Gozo looked and was so much better.
In Gozo there is no real infrastructure to cater for fast and reliable communications to enable computer gaming companies to set up shop there. Neither are there fast and adequate travel arrangements in place if industry is to be enhanced and promoted. There is a need for more ferries and, above all, there needs to be more and better subsidies (as is the case in similar islands) for both the Maltese and foreigners. This would encourage more people to visit Gozo.
According to Labour MEP Edward Scicluna, €5 million in subsidies will be translated in €15 million being left in Gozo.
Furthermore, Gozo is not being properly advertised on the same level as the sister island.
No plans of major projects are mentioned, let alone being implemented.
In 1955, a certain Lord Balogh and Dudley Seers came to Malta and submitted a major plan for both Malta and Gozo. Up to this very day, their report is still being followed.
How about a big extension to Mġarr harbour to cater for fishermen, yachts and cruise liners? (Not the buoy farce at Xlendi.) How about a small yacht yard and storage facilities? How about another yacht harbour at Qbajjar?
How about re-excavating the Roman Villa in Ramla. The remains at Borg Għarib? The Verna Caves in Xagħra, Għar Ilma First Human Remains? The Ċittadella passages and restoration/excavation of the old town?
How about a coastal road? Bye passes in Victoria? The removal of the parking limit in Victoria? This is keeping customers away because it is serving as a costly parking ticket trap. It is also making Victoria a ghost city.
There are so many other projects that can promote jobs in Gozo, which can still remain a rural island.
There is need for government departments that can decide themselves without having to refer one to offices in Malta.
There is also need for a long-term project to have University lecturers so that Gozitan students can, in future, obtain University diplomas in Gozo. The University must hold full-time courses in Gozo and not, as happens now, part-time courses.
How about medical specialists in government employ providing regular weekly visits to the General Hospital instead of these opting to only provide their service in private clinics against hefty payments? How about providing better and larger facilities for the female and male wards and old people’s home, etc.?
How about shifting the law courts to a new area with the required facilities and do away with the present mediaeval one? Labour MP Justyne Caruana’s proposal for all court cases involving Gozitans to be held in Gozo should have already been implemented.
Gozo’s voice is not being heard. A voice in the wilderness can be heard louder than the voice of Gozitans. It is a miracle if the views or the voice of Gozitans feature or are heard in TV/radio programmes. Are the Gozitans so backward that they cannot express their opinion/views?
So many other proposals can be put forward within the framework of a Gozo vision. What is needed is goodwill and pressure by all five Gozitan MPs and by the public. Perhaps I would still be in this world when things start moving.