Home Affairs Minister Manuel Mallia is among the thousands of Malta-based residents who in recent years have switched their identity card to a Gozo address to be eligible for cheaper ferry fares, this newspaper has learnt.
He is the only MP registered on the sister island aside from those elected from the 13th electoral district, which incorporates Gozo and Comino.
Hailing from Sliema, Dr Mallia lived in Gżira for many years and established a reputation as a high-earning, top criminal lawyer.
In the last general election his popularity earned him a seat in Parliament after successfully contesting both the Gżira and Sliema districts on the Labour ticket.
However, the Home Affairs Minister is registered as living at a villa in Ta’ Ċenċ, in the limits of the Gozo village of Sannat.
Last week Dr Mallia revealed in Parliament that between October 2003 and March this year, 5,196 people had switched their identity card to a Gozo address.
An analysis of the figures tabled in Parliament reveals that between 70 and 245 people switched address every six months.