Gonzi visits €2 million investment in Gozo
Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi visited a €2 million hotel investment in Gozo today before meeting the Gozo Business Chamber to discuss some of the Nationalist Party's electoral pledges.
Dr Gonzi toured the Kempinski Hotel in San Lawrenz which has undergone a number of embellishment projects since 2008, including a specialised Oriental spa aimed at attracting tourists in the quiet shoulder months. The investment was partly financed by the EU.
The Prime Minister said 500 jobs had been created in Gozo over the past five years thanks to a €10 million fund dedicated to Malta's sister island. This was accompanied by more than €20 million invested by the private sector.
He said the Government must continue to invest in Gozo's tourism sector by incentivising investments in five-star hotels and farmhouses while boosting accessibility through an underground tunnel.
At the hotel, Dr Gonzi held a meeting with the Gozo Business Chamber to discuss the PN's electoral proposals for Gozo.
He stressed the importance of cheaper night tariffs which would reduce the burden on businesses across the board, especially those in the tourism sector.
The PN pledged to create 25,000 jobs over the next five years and would work towards creating jobs for Gozitans in Gozo. But this depended on having sound finances, he said while committing himself to try and achieve a surplus by 2016 after attaining a balanced budget by 2015.
He said it was important to speed up planning processes while ensuring that Gozo does not turn into a concrete jungle but retains its distinct character.
Dr Gonzi spoke about a number of initiatives which would boost job creation such as tax credits for new businesses and family-friendly measures to encourage more women to join the workforce, including by extending sick leave to parents whose children fell sick.
Chamber spokesman Michael Grech underlined the problem of bureaucracy which could stifle job creation and encourage corruption. He also warned of the brain drain Gozo was experiencing in part due to the success in the education sector. He called for Gozo's particular problems to be addressed with specific solutions, rather than a one size fits all approach.
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Ivan Attard
Jan 30th, 10:21
'while ensuring that Gozo does not turn into a concrete jungle'
Countless examples prove that under GonziPN/Giovanna, Gozo HAS been turning into a concrete jungle.
One of which is the pristine agricultural strip between Gharb and San Lawrenz near the Gharb playing field. You can smell a scandal there! So much for rhetoric!
john muscat
Jan 30th, 10:13
How is it that Dr. Gonzi did not visit the Industrial estate of Gozo to see the closed and derelict factories over there? Only 100 jobs yearly? How miserable!
M Grima
Jan 30th, 09:09
Perhaps Dr. Gonzi should tell us where are the 500 jobs he said he created in Gozo over the past 5 years. I can assure Dr. Gonzi that this figure is a figment of his imagination. It would have been more correct if he said that more than 500 jobs have been lost and that Gozitans were trying to seek jobs in Malta as there is none in Gozo.
Gozo deserves much better, which under the PN never got!!
Joseph Portelli
Jan 30th, 09:19
ma nafx kif ghandek il-wicc titkellem hekk Sur jew Sinjura Grima!!!! Kulma sar Ghawdex sar mill-PN. Qabel il-1987 konna qisna tat-3 dinja u fil-1996 l-ewwel haga li ghamel il-Gvern Laburista kien li nehha l-Ministeru ghal Ghawdex!! Hallina tridx!
Angelo Xerri
Jan 29th, 19:36
Angelo Xerri
Ensuring that Gozo does not turn into a concrete jungle, hoping the Prime Minister had Hondoq Ir-Rummien in mind. Qala residents would like to sea Hondoq given back to Qala council to be developed as a National park for Qala, Gozo, Malta and many tourists as it was proposed in the local plan.
Carmel Camilleri
Jan 29th, 22:03
When politicians talk about job creation for Gozo, we need to know how jobs will be created not just say jobs will be created. Jobs can only be created if there are funds available or if projects are approved instead of being rejected all the time because someone who has no interest in Gozo raises the environmental flag every time a project is announced.
Gozo cannot remain in a cocoon.
Tony Borg
Jan 30th, 09:03
Carmel Camilleri, some of us care about the environment in all of Malta and Gozo. I do not belong to the "not in my backyard" brigade. There is such a thing as progress without ruining the environment. All it takes is a bit of thinking.
Christine Vella
Jan 29th, 18:47
Many hotels have been renovated but the prime minister visits this 2 million investment in GOZO to show us he has not forgotten Gozo.
Maria Xuereb
Jan 29th, 18:41
Tghid it-toroq il-godda rahom Dr. Gonzi ghax it-tarmak li taw quddiem l-MMU diga qed jinqala. U c-cimiterju ta' fabriki li hemm fil-Qasam Industrijali (sic) tax-Xewkija mar izuru ghax kull ma hemm zewg fabrik jahdmu u l-ohrajn jew tawhom lil mastrudaxx, alluminju, tal-gelat, tal-gwies u anke l-HSBC messitu bicca wkoll u issa anke l-Maltapost se tiehu fabrika wkoll. Hemm ma marx Dr. Gonzi.
Eddy Privitera
Jan 29th, 18:37
Dr. Gonzi, don't you think it's too late in the day to be saying what you intend to do ? Haven't you had enough time - 25 years ??????
R. Saliba
Jan 29th, 18:52
ashamed of the 2 disastrous years aren't you?
HENRY FENECH AZZOPARDI
Jan 29th, 18:55
Eddy it seems that you do everything to tarnish and redicule all that is NATIONALIST. Gonzi has not been PM for 25 years, far from it. Gonzi is there to stay another two terms and with God's help he may call it a day. That will be the time when Simon will take over and the PN will continue in the same direction giving always a better future.
The PL has to get rid of the old timers to succeed
C. Bartoli
Jan 29th, 19:01
MLP had 25 years to come up with some proposals for Gozo! il-lejber dejjem 2nd class citizens ghalih l-Gawdxin!
David Magro
Jan 30th, 06:21
Att Bartoli....saqsi lil Ghawdxin kif qed ihosshom bhal issa...specjalment fuq l-impjiegi, u fuq l-isptar Craig....qed jghaddu minn martirju meta jkollhom bzonn jinqdew fuq sahha. Nahseb li-Gonzipn vera li jitratthom cittadini tat-tieni klassi.
David Borg
Jan 29th, 18:28
Meet with the Gozo Business Chamber ? ??? ONLY THREE MEMBERS ARE SEEN PRESENT. Probably a show of protest since the GonziPN has neglected Gozo. The PN has now lost the majority and popularity in Gozo because it was let down.
Mr Andrew Camilleri
Jan 29th, 18:21
And Eco-Gozo? Looks like it has finally been ditched as people were realising what a big con it really was. Especially now with Gonzi proposing building more hotels in Gozo (in Hondoq maybe?).
Angelo Xerri
Jan 29th, 19:23
Angelo Xerri
Andrew dont think for one moment that the PL is going to spare Hondoq Ir-Rummien, they are the Party that started it all. JM is dew to speak in Qala this weekend and propubly will be asked the question about Hondoq and he better have a straight answer. Yes or No.
A.Felix Busuttil
Jan 29th, 17:58
So the Prim Minister today in the year 2013 inaugurated an embellishment in Kampinski which was done since 2008. We soon going to inaugurate the Addolorata
Ray Buhagiar
Jan 29th, 18:25
Such a sad comment. Why do you find it so difficult to write a solid argument without resorting to such comments.
M Borg
Jan 29th, 18:34
@ A Felix Busuttil
Read it again, they have been improving their Hotel since 2008, always adding something new.
Now can you tell us what you find bad about this ?
Byron Abela
Jan 29th, 17:56
Sadly, there will no longer be any ruler over the Kingdom of Gozo after the next election. Those subjects who were taken good care of by the Queen of Gozo, will have to remain under the rule of the party which even removed the Ministry.
Please choose the reason of your report below: