Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi visited a €2 million hotel investment in Gozo yesterday before meeting the Gozo Business Chamber which urged him to tackle bureaucracy.

Dr Gonzi toured the Kempinski Hotel in San Lawrenz which has undergone a number of partly EU-financed embellishment projects since 2008, including a specialised Oriental spa aimed at attracting tourists in the quiet shoulder months.

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 complemented by more than €20 million invested by the private sector.

He said the Government must continue to invest in Gozo’s tourism sector by providing incentives for investments to be made in five-star hotels and farmhouses and boosting accessibility.

At a meeting with the chamber within the Kempinski Hotel, Dr Gonzi stressed the importance of cheaper night tariffs that would reduce the burden on businesses across the board.

The PN pledged to create 25,000 jobs in both islands over the next five years and would work towards creating jobs for Gozitans in Gozo. But this depended on the soundness of Malta’s finances, he said, while repeating the PN’s commitment to achieve a surplus by 2016 after attaining a balanced budget by 2015.

He said it was important to speed up planning processes while ensuring Gozo did not turn into a concrete jungle but retained 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, such as 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.

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