The article titled Gozitans Poorer But Safer (August 2) reported on a study focused on drawing the difference between the two islands separated by a short, 20-minute boat ride.
The Gozitans... are being treated as the ‘hillbillies’ of the population- Lino DeBono
This study showed that a Gozitan household’s average income is €2,000 below that of the mainland. On the other hand, Gozitans enjoy a safer aspect.
The report also shows that there are 31,296 people in Gozo; 7.7 per cent of the Maltese population. The GDP stood at 5.5 per cent of the national economy.
This survey was commissioned by the government and done by the National Statistic Office to make the case with the European Union for Gozo to benefit from the highest amount of funding possible.
The figures have for ages been written about in articles and discussed both by myself and others: Gozo lags far behind the standard of living of that in the mainland. But, like a voice in the desert, all those who spoke in this sense were never listened to.
The number of the Gozitan population given is wrong because from the number given one must subtract about 5,000, people who have a Gozitan ID card but are not Gozitans. These contribute to the Gozitan economy as they dine, spend time in Gozo and invite guests to visit them there.
What surprised me were the comments made about Gozo and the Gozitans.
My mother, wife and eldest daughter are Maltese though my father, myself and my youngest daughter were born in Gozo. Thus, I can evaluate both sides of the coin. But for those who opted to comment to overwhelmingly say that the Gozitans are rich, that the statistics published are wrong, that Gozitans are thrifty, that they do not issue VAT receipts, and so many other negative comments, was to me not only surprising but even bordered on the offensive.
I asked myself: Is it possible that the Maltese have such a negative perception of Gozo and the Gozitans?
How can one conclude that all Gozitans are rich and have money hidden away? That they have fields, vegetable produce, fruit and so on?
Did these commentators inspect the Gozitans’ bank records? As far as I know, the government once did say how much money did Gozitans have in the bank. These figures showed that the Gozitans have much, much less money in the bank than the Maltese!
Can anyone negate the fact that unemployment in Gozo is and has been higher than that on the mainland? That there is no prospect of work in Gozo for its young generation? That there is no future at present for our students and for workers in all sectors?
Who can negate the “exodus” of the Gozitan younger generation who had to leave to work on the mainland? That Gozo is experiencing a brain drain?
This results in over half of the population of Gozo consisting of elderly people – now called senior citizens – during the week.
All this belies the political talk that all citizens are equal and treated the same. It appears that the view from the mainland of Gozo and Gozitans are that we are inferior, thieves and thrifty.
When I served as an MP, I always spoke my mind, complaining that Gozo was not getting what it deserved. This used to be the case in the past and continues to be so.
Can anyone really say what percentage of the national budget is in fact dedicated to Gozo and projects there? I am not referring to the figures that are announced in the Budget speech but those available at the beginning of the new year, which would be the actual figures not projections.
I have already compared the situation Gozo is in with the Marshall Aid programme, when the British colonial government took all the money allocated to the Maltese islands. It was then the colonial government that decided how much should be allocated and when such funds should be given to the Maltese islands.
Nowadays, EU funds allocated to the Maltese islands are given to the central government, which then, as had happened with the Marshall Aid, decides what amount is to be directed to Gozo and when.
Are we Gozitans and the island of Gozo regarded as a colony? Should any authority tell us Gozitans, as was told to me in the past, when speaking our minds and making legitimate claims that independence will be given to Gozo?
I believe that both islands and the citizens should have the same standard of living, something which is far from the situation at present.
The Gozitans, it appears from the comments written, are being treated as the “hillbillies” of the population.
I have to point out that many leaders, philosophers, poets, writers, legal personalities and historians came from Gozo. So why these negative comments to belittle Gozo and the Gozitans?
I believe that before one writes a comment one should know the facts and figures.
Life in Gozo is tranquil but the standard of living and work opportunities are by far lower than those of the mainland. It’s time to change so all can be equal.