Franco Mercieca’s article about diving facilities in Gozo (October 2) will do more harm than good.

Why is the “boasting by the Gozo Ministry” in his line of fire? The numbers of divers who visit Gozo every year is solid proof of the hard work in infrastructure put in by the ministry.

It seems that under a Nationalist government, everything is wrong, even the seabed

Words like “unregulated”, “severe disruption”, “extinct groupers”, “dire state” and so on are detrimental to travel planners and a boon to our neighbours in the Mediterranean.

We all know that Gozo has crystal-clear water, diving sites are safe and comfortable and the roads we have are very good and we are proud to have them.

Gozo air (not only the air we put in our tanks) but the air we breathe is so good, traffic pollution is near zero, the Gozo ferry efficient, so what more do we want? Showers as we step out of the sea? Sometimes divers like an untouched stretch of pristine coastline.

Fish? I think Mr Mercieca should really take up the lovely sport of scuba diving and see for himself “the extinct groupers”; he will be surprised.

Of course, I agree with mooring buoys for boats carrying divers but I very much prefer land-based divers. Ask the flat owners and restaurants around Gozo!

As regards a marine conservation area and the fish traps and the use of trammel nets close to shore, this is difficult to achieve. Let us talk favourably about our Gozo dive sites, point out the good and encourage diving in winter as well.

I have heard many divers praise the water in Gozo and that they plan repeat visits.