A proposal to grant a higher degree of autonomy to the sister island has received the backing of the Gozo Tourism Association, which is calling for a regional assembly.
Incorporating MPs, mayors and various representatives from civil society as well as constituted bodies, the proposed entity would not, however, substitute the Gozo Ministry. Instead, the ministry would be responsible for implementing the assembly’s vision and policies while, at the same time, distance itself from its present role of addressing “personal grievances”.
The association’s CEO, Joe Muscat, floats the idea in a Talking Point, which follows a debate stoked last month by Gozo Minister Anton Refalo who called for a “special status” to the sister island. Dr Refalo even suggested giving fiscal powers to Gozo be it through a council or a regional committee, even if these would ultimately have to be rubber-stamped by Parliament in Malta.
Former Nationalist Gozo minister Anton Tabone had expressed himself in favour of the idea of granting a greater degree of autonomy to Gozo.
READ: Autonomy calls for Gozo get a mixed reception
Mr Muscat argues that time is ripe for Gozo to take another step forward in terms of its governance, following the setting up of the Gozo Ministry, in 1987, and the Gozo Regional Committee within the Malta Council for Economic and Social Development.
“This regional governance can be vested to a regional assembly that will be made up of the Gozitan members of the National Parliament, the mayors of all the Gozitan localities and any future Gozitan MEP. Furthermore, this regional assembly should include the representation of non-governmental stakeholders, the constituted bodies, NGOs and civil society,” he says.
He points out that such entity would also lead to the restructuring of the Gozo Ministry by “eliminating the personal grievance role and designate it as the vehicle that will implement the regional assembly’s policies and vision”.
Mr Muscat argues that greater autonomy would also result in the decentralising decisions while, at the same time, contributing towards sustainable regional development.