How is it possible to hear but not listen? Simply by giving lip service and then erase from one’s mind all that was said. Let’s take the Gozi-tans’ present situation and mention facts.
I am very sceptic in believing electoral pledges of projects regarding Gozo. Not that I would not like to believe them because if one loses hope then all is lost. Yet, promises of projects and financing for Gozo are simply repeated over and over again.
Financial projections for Gozo are listed in the Budget but not all the money is spent.
Reading an article on The Times recently, entitled Unthinking The Sister Island, I was really worried because I cannot believe the sort of poor mentality and vision that some supposedly intelligent people have of problems Gozo faces and their solution.
It seems that some people’s idea of solving Gozo’s acute problems is by sweeping the dirt under the carpet and all issues will then magically disappear.
Here are some facts about Gozo today.
According to the latest survey there are about 31,000 people in Gozo, 28,000 of them eligible to vote. The others are under 18.
Statistics clearly show that Gozo has become a home for the elderly, clearly indicating the youth drain from Gozo. This is a replica of the youth exodus from Gozo in the 1960s.
This is definitely worrying and while there is talk of a better future the situation has in fact worsened.
In 2000, the GDP of Gozo was about 71-75 per cent of the mainland. Government exponents promised a better future before Malta joined the European Union. It is, however, a fact that the opposite has happened. Gozo’s GDP remains more or less what it was in 2000. Indeed, Gozo and the Gozitans are worse off.
It is being continuously stated that Gozo benefited from €100 million. Yet, we are never told how, where and when was this money spent. If Malta has so far benefited from €285 million, it is beyond believe that Gozo should only get a third of this.
Only a fraction of the projected fund allocation is actually spent by year’s end, the balance then being returned to the central Administration and reappearing magically in the next Budget.
Administration is definitely lacking as projections are way off the mark. Another issue is the tendering procedure.
When tenders are issued, certain details in the tendering procedure are omitted severely limiting the contractors able to bid. No wonder many contractors who want to have a level playing field are leaning towards the Labour Party.
What I really like is the electoral pledge that those employing a new worker will get a refund of €5,000. This will definitely help to create jobs.
The cruise terminal plans are also appreciated. In my opinion, such a terminal should be for bigger cruise liners because the small ones are few and far between in the Mediterranean and only carry a small number of tourists.
There should also be a large yacht marina in Mġarr too as will lead to more immediate jobs in Gozo. It will also boost the purchase of property on the island.
I don’t think that the proposal of transporting cruise liner passengers from Valletta to Gozo is serious or doable. I would rather classify this as a joke.
This same can be said of the €200,000 tax benefit refund proposal for new enterprises over a three-year period. Investment in any enterprise will take at least three years before one can evaluate whether an investor will at least break even, let alone make a profit.
I believe it would be more sensible to speak of a €50,000 expansion project over four years.
One really appreciates chemotherapy being done in Gozo and ensure that studies can take place at in Gozo Hospital. But most essential for Gozitans is that all kinds of specialists working at Mater Dei Hospital will occasionally also visit Gozo Hospital to examine patients.
It is appalling that while specialists in certain fields are able to visit private clinics in Gozo, they cannot be present at Gozo Hospital, even if once in a while.
In this regard the Government is failing in its duties towards Gozitans who are, after all, their citizens too.
A crucial and excellent proposal for Gozo is having a back up office in Brussels. Tertiary education is lacking in Gozo.
Since hundreds of Gozitans are attending University courses in Malta steps must be taken to have Gozitan professors with the idea of possibly having a proper University in Gozo.
Recently, over 100 applied to follow an administrative and management course but only 40 were selected.
Why not hold two classes to accommodate all eligible applicants?
Why hold the interview in Malta for all 100 applicants when three or four people could have conducted the interviews in Gozo itself?
Another worrying aspect is the the EU halting financial assistance for transportation to and from Gozo. This means that those investing in Gozo are faced with double expenses, something that further scares potential investors away from Gozo.
Finally, allow me to ask why no Gozitan intellectuals are invited to air their views on the media about the parties’ electoral programmes.
I am not referring to recognised business entities because these tend to be heard, even if they only speak about their business perceptions.
It was therefore refreshing to note that a friend of mine was actually interviewed by the Sunday newspaper It-Torċa. The interview certainly served to raise some very salient points about the real situation in Gozo. Surprisingly, there was no follow up. Why?
Is it a case of hearing but not listening?
Lino DeBono is a former Labour MP.