That Gozo’s economy has been ailing for the past decade is no secret to anybody. The raw data speaks loud and clear. While the employment rate in Malta is around 60 per cent, in Gozo it fails to reach 50 per cent.

The average yearly income per family in Gozo is €2,000 less than that in Malta.

While the Gross Domestic Product in Malta is around 85 per cent of that of our European peers, in Gozo it is far lower.

If one analyses the type of employment in Gozo in comparison to Malta, a few stark differences stand out. In Malta, only 26 per cent of the workforce is in government employment, implying that for every three individuals employed in the private sector, only one is employed with a government entity.

The situation in Gozo is very different. From the latest data supplied by the National Statistics Office, from the 9,824 workforce in Gozo, well over 3,763 (38 per cent) are in government employment, implying a significant paradigm shift towards government jobs.

Therefore, for every three individuals in employment with the private sector in Gozo, two are in a government entity. This shift in Gozo is even more significant if one keeps in mind that the majority of government entities, such as the Central Bank and Malta Stock Exchange, are not duplicated in Gozo. The list is endless.

Only with a permanent link can Gozo and Gozitans have the same opportunities as those in Malta

This data exposes the sad state the Nationalist government has left Gozo in. We have seen an exodus of private investors and the island remains devoid of any significant new investment.

In order to balance the employment rate in Gozo, previous administrations only had one option  to increase the numbers within the government ranks.

Most private enterprise in Gozo is local and family-run, with 97 per cent employing a handful of employees. On the other hand, due to the adverse conditions being faced by businesses in Gozo, most employees within the private sector lack job security and have lower wages.

No wonder Gozitans look up to the government as being the sole, albeit a few, stable employer.

While private enterprise in Malta is revved up, in Gozo it has been left to die a natural death.

These first 18 months of Labour administration have seen the foundation of significant plans to reverse this downhill trend.

Firstly, there has been a successful attempt to strengthen the tourism industry in Gozo with record number of visitors throughout the year. We have seen an emphasis on certain niche tourism to cater for the usually bleak shoulder months.

However, significant plans to establish new private investment have been brewing over the first period of this legislature. The announcement of the investment of millions by RS2 in Gozo came to the disbelief of many a Gozitan who had lost hope of such a possibility. This prospect is for real.

Gozo is currently hosting a prominent film at Mġarr ix-Xini, which has led to an injection of millions of euros into the Gozitan economy.

Hopefully, this will be the first from a series of films which will gradually lead to the creation of a local workforce required to support such foreign private investment in Gozo.

The laying of a new cable to improve internet connectivity is of major importance as it will open the possibility for the gaming and financial industry to extend their services from Gozo.

This is in contrast with what we have always been led to believe by Nationalist acolytes that these industries are not interested in the quiet, laidback life on Gozo.

The prospect of having a medical school in Gozo is taking shape. It is not an easy project but I am quite positive that with a good dose of goodwill and common sense from all stakeholders involved, the project is doable.

This investment would have significant ripple effects on the Gozitan economy, with a major impetus during the shoulder months.

Creating the right milieu for private investment is no easy task.

However, the creation of new premises for an industrial park is the least we can do and has long been coming.

It is now essential to be able to attract and accommodate further business ventures. Gozo needs jobs but above all it needs careers.

The injection of private investment is definitely the medicine that Gozo has been longing for. It is our duty to make it happen.

Finally, the prospect of significantly improving the accessibility of the island is of prime importance. Only with a permanent link can Gozo and Gozitans have the same opportunities as those in mainland Malta.

A permanent link would stop the progressive brain and skill drain with its negative network effect.

Franco Mercieca is a Labour MP

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