The Gozo Ministry is the most difficult ministry of all to run and manage. It has to supervise all the different departments that fall under the responsibility other ministries and parliamentary secretariats. Difficult yes, but not impossible.
The first and foremost task that any new minister in Gozo has is to see that all the departments and staff are run efficiently and professionally. Citizens expect this and it is their right to be given satisfaction in their queries without the need to approach anyone in the political sphere to get answers.
This aspect is much lacking in the Gozo civil and governmental departments. Promotions are fought for vigorously but once this is achieved very few live up to expectations in their new positions. Therefore, this brings into effect the ministerial directives that all departments and officials/workers live up to expectations.
Citizens do expect quick and reliable answers. This is their right. Efficiency and transparency plus immediate action has and must be implemented and seen/supervised by the ministerial staff.
If this is achieved, then yes citizens will answer back with their votes in elections.
The Gozo Ministry is also subjected to follow the policies of all other ministries, and I see great difficulty for the Gozo Ministry to answer parliamentary questions about other ministries’ portfolios. Who has the responsibility to answer? The Gozo Ministry or the ministry concerned? If it is the other ministry, then the Gozo Ministry will answer for nothing other than the Gozo Channel.
Further to this, the Gozo Ministry has to answer for the daily running on everything. So how is it that the education and health departments, which are so important and have so many workers, are not also included in the day- to-day running of the various departments under the supervision of the Gozo Ministry?
Action, or shall I say any kind of action, has to be quick and immediate. How can this be achieved if it has to be done from overseas (Malta)? The expression “when the cat’s away the mice will play” comes to mind.
Gozo is an enigma as it has to cater for all the different ministerial departments. Much more authority has to be given to the Gozo Ministry
The running of the Gozo General Hospital badly needs a strong hand for its day-to-day running. This in my view is sadly lacking. One cannot have effective supervision from one’s desk or office. One has to get out with the officers concerned – inspect and direct (even on issues like toilet seats and cleanliness) and for all employees to listen to patients’ complaints and not to pass on a complaint from one to the other.
Daily and immediate attention must also be given to rumours. No one is willing to stand for his/her rights, which is the norm in Gozo, but wants others to do things for them. Rumours could be, for example, of an individual hoping to be passed cash in order to favour a patient to bring his/her case forward. Rumours do a lot of harm even if untrue. These have to be handled from their initiation.
I remember when in the late 1970s, myself and Paul Xerri (Ta’ Gawdenz) enlisted about 900 workers in the General Workers’ Union only to lose them after a while. When the workers needed the union, officials in Malta took their time to travel to Gozo according to their convenience, which was days or maybe weeks later.
The Gozo Ministry has to issue its projections for Gozo, apart from those announced in the Budget. I already published the Budget projections recently. But apart from these, what about archaeological research and projects with foreign and local universities?
What about seeing that the public shoreline is not taken over by a few shops but left for the public to enjoy as is their right?
Can a time limit be given to the second fibre optic cable’s installation in Gozo? What about the possibility of Gozo Channel adding additional ferries which Gozo so much requires? How about the channel line acquiring barges in order to separate cargo from passengers?
What prospects and plans are there to promote Gozo for Nuts 1 status by officials in Brussels? How are we going about in seeing the implementation of the budget projects such as attracting foreign companies to open up offices in Gozo? What infrastructure is needed to better the general aspects of Gozo?
How about Gozo having the final say on planning decisions on developments? Shouldn’t we supervise the permits and not let others decide permits which can be the cause of the destruction of our villages? When is the promised judge going to be appointed for Gozo?
There are so many other points for me and others to write about but at least one can get an idea of what I am writing about.
The supervision of Gozo’s day-to-day running is of utmost importance. If the government does not have faith in the Gozo Ministry to supervise its day-to-day running and most of all to control any sort of abuse, then the ministry is there for nothing. That is the reason why a government appoints ministries, to supervise, implement and cater for the present and future needs of the constituencies.
As said, Gozo is an enigma as it has to cater for all the different ministerial departments. Much more authority has to be given to this ministry.
If the person placed in this ministry is not up to the aspects required then by all means the Prime Minister has to find an alternative person. But, and I say this with a big but, the new minister nominated for Gozo has to be given all the opportunity and means to show her capabilities in these five administrative years.
Lino DeBono is a former Labour MP.