A €250,000 feasibility study probing a link between Malta and Gozo with a fibre-optic cable will be commissioned by the government to help create jobs, Prime Minister Joseph Muscat said yesterday.

The infrastructure would enable IT companies such as RS2 Software to operate from the sister island, Dr Muscat said during a Cabinet meeting at the Gozo College Boys Secondary School in Victoria.

Representatives from the Gozo Regional Committee (GRC), whose remit is to advise the government on matters concerning the island, and local mayors also joined the Cabinet members.

The Prime Minister said the meeting would serve as a consultation exercise in preparation for next year’s Budget.

Holding Cabinet meetings in different localities had been well received, Dr Muscat noted.

“Gozo is very high on the government’s agenda and the creation of jobs is crucial,” he said.

He referred to a number of local initiatives, such as the expression of interest for a cruise liner terminal and a yacht marina, and reiterated the government’s vision for the Gozo General Hospital, which he called “an under-utilised prime site”.

As a result, the government was considering means of attracting medical tourism through a public-private partnership, which could include setting up a medical school.

GRC representatives spoke about the need for incentives for Gozo to attract foreign direct investment, establish a brand for the island and draft separate policies in areas such as religious tourism and agro-tourism. They also highlighted the importance of finding niche tourism markets for the winter and the setting up of different services available only in Gozo.

The meeting then proceeded behind closed doors with mayors taking the floor.