The Eco Gozo project is moving into its second phase which includes recharging the water table with treated sewage - a historic first for the Maltese islands, Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi said this afternoon.

Addressing the media at the end of a cabinet meeting held at the Gozo ministry Dr Gonzi said some 61 measures were taken in the first phase with over 100 projects. These included subsidies for photovoltaic panels and the public transport reform.

Journalists were invited to watch part of the meeting and to a news conference immediately afterwards but the Prime Minister would not take any questions.

Dr Gonzi said that a child development services centre was being built in Gozo, the permits for which had already issued. This would supplement some of the work being done at the Gozo Hospital for Children.

He said that while all cabinet meetings focused on Gozo, this meeting focused on the sister island even more.

The Prime Minister noted that some 10 per cent of all EU funds at Malta's disposal were dedicated to Gozo and all government policy was slanted to give more of an advantage to Gozo because of the difficulties it faced due to double insularity.