We, the undersigned, would like to point out that through the arbitrary decision of one person, the present Sixth Form head, a lot of people, many of them elderly, are facing a great inconvenience and experiencing unnecessary hardship. We are referring to the closing of a footpath leading from Ewropa Street to lower Republic Street, the commercial centre of Gozo. This footpath, which bypasses the steep and busy main thoroughfare, has been in use for several years before the building of the secondary and post-secondary schools complex.

The excuse of security mentioned by the headmaster is indeed lame and fictional. The logic should be that the school be provided with an alternative outlet. Moreover, it is much safer for students to use this pathway to leave the school premises from Ewropa Street than find themselves in the often chaotic traffic situation on lower Republic Street. Strangely enough, the educational principal for Gozo schools was not even consulted about this closure.

We hope we won’t have to wait for a different administration for this matter to be righted. Definitely, the whim of one person should not be allowed to cause unnecessary hardship to so many categories of people. We hope Gozo Minister Anton Refalo will take note of our plea.