The current Constitution of Malta was adopted on 21 September, 1964, and is the self-declared supreme law of the land. Therefore, any law or action in violation of the Constitution is null and void. Being a rigid Constitution, it has a two-thirds entrenchment basis in order for any major amendments to take place. The current Constitution has been amended twenty-four times, most recently in 2007 with the entrenchment of the Office of the Ombudsman.

I recently chaired a seminar on the theme ‘Towards a Second Republic’ organised by the Circolo Gozitano at its Victoria premises.

The seminar was the first of its type and dealt with amendments to our Constitution to reflect more the modern times we are living in.

The seminar examined almost every aspect of the subject and all sixspeakers left their mark on the discussion. However, I was keen to hear for the first time two of the speakers, Opposition spokesperson for Gozo Chris Said and Labour Party deputy leader Toni Abela, propose and agree on the introduction of a clear definition of Gozo in the Constitution.

Actually, Article 1 of the Constitution states that: “The territories of Malta consist of those territories comprised in Malta immediately before the appointed day, including the territorial waters thereof, or of such territories and waters as Parliament may from time to time by law determine.”

The entrenchment in the Constitution of a regional administration for Gozo will prevent its removal by a future government in Valletta as happened in 1973

The definition in Article 1 reminds us of our colonial past when Malta was referred to as the crown colony of the island of Malta and its dependencies. Is Gozo still a dependency of Malta? The constitutional reform taking place, whether in the form of a new constitution or through amendments to the present Constitution, should clearly define and recognise Gozo as a special region of Malta.

The supreme law of the land should recognise and entrench Gozo and give the Gozitans the right to have a regional administration.

The entrenchment in the Constitution of a regional administration for Gozo will prevent its removal by a future government in Valletta as happened in 1973 by the abolition of the Gozo Civic Council by the then Labour government. Furthermore, it will give us Gozitans for the second time in history the right to administer our own affairs.

As the late Anton Tabone, who served as the first president of the Gozo Civil Council said on the opening of the first legislature of the council in 1961, the devolution of power to the council and the effective and comprehensive control over the administration and economy of the island will make us masters of our own destiny.

Tabone was indeed a visionaryfor Gozo at the time and was alsoone of the main protagonists forgranting the island the first form of regional autonomy.

Unfortunately the course of events has transformed the island to an extension and to some extent a colonyof Malta. Politicians in Vallettainterest themselves in Gozitan affairs most of the time when a generalelection is approaching. With thesetting up of the Gozo Ministry in 1987, some form of improvement was achieved, complemented by the setting up of local councils in 1993, both by Nationalist administrations.

With the election of the new Labour government in March 2013, the Ministry for Gozo was downsized by the removal of the most vital sectors, health and education, from its portfolio showing once again that we are at the mercy of the government in Valletta.

One can safely argue that the present Ministry for Gozo has the same status as a local council since it does not exercise any form of administration and control over the most fundamental issues that matter to the island.

A case in point is the privatisation of the Gozo General Hospital. Is the Ministry for Gozo involved in the process? What role Gozo Minister Anton Refalo plays in all of this is unknown as no mention has ever been made by the media. This is a clear example of how weak we the Gozitans are in the administration of our own internal affairs.

It is therefore high time for the Constitution of Malta to recognise the fundamental right of Gozo to exist as a region administered by Gozitans. The supreme law of the land should reflect European values.

The European Union itself has as one of its fundamental tenants the safeguarding and nourishing of regions which unite us in our diversity.

Gozitan politicians themselves should stand up and speak for Gozo, as if we don’t do this now future generations will curse us. On a final note, making liberal use of a famous speech in history, I am convinced that if we brace ourselves to our duties, and so bear ourselves that, if Gozo and Gozitans last for a thousand years, men will still say, “This was their finest hour”.

Joseph Attard is Nationalist party candidate.

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