Gozo Minister Anton Refalo this evening again denied having ordered a Gozo Channel ferry to return to port to pick him up in Cirkewwa yesterday.

Speaking in Parliament, the minister said that what he had done was to complain with the ferry company and demand an explanation as to how and why a ship had left harbour empty, leaving 26 cars behind.

"As the minister responsible for Gozo Channel, I had a right and a duty to find out how a ferry left harbour empty when there were people waiting," the minister said.

He said he had heard various reports of how people were inconvenienced, such as when the ferry left and did not wait for a minute for students and workers arriving on a bus, or when a bus load of Brazilian tourists was left waiting needlessly on the quay for hours.

He recounted what happened yesterday, saying his was the third at the queue.

The ferry arrived and passengers and cars were disembarked. 26 cars had by this time accumulated but the gate remained closed, the ferry lifted its ramp and sailed out.  This had happened even though the ferry was operating a shuttle service which, one would expect, also meant picking up the passengers from Cirkewwa.

As was his right and duty, he complained to the company that even if there was one passenger waiting, that passenger should be picked up. But by this time the ferry had left and he told the person he spoke to that it should therefore go on.

Still the ferry came back and all those waiting were taken on board. He learnt that the ship had initially not picked up anybody so that it could berth alongside berth three, the night berth in Mgarr. Whoever was responsible could not be bothered to take an extra 15 minutes to berth alongside the terminal to disembark the passengers. This was a disgrace. He had done his duty, the minister insisted. He had not asked anyone to order the ferry to return, although he was in no doubt that had it not been realised that he was in the queue, the passengers would have been kept waiting much longer. Dr Refalo read sworn declarations by other people in the queue to prove his version of events.He regretted the way the episode was reported as well, as comments by the leader of the opposition, saying this was malicious throwing of mud.He also spoke about Gozo Channel, saying the government had inherited a situation of corruption and confusion, with the company making heavy losses, as much as €700,000 in January alone.The government, he said, was committed to restoring Gozo Channel to being the pride of Gozo.