Government ministers, including the Prime Minister, are hiding things and confusing them when referring to the inter-island helicopter service, Anton Refalo, Labour Party spokesman for Gozo, said.

Under the Nationalist government, the service had stopped twice because of an obdurate stand against subsidising the service, he said. Since it last stopped, in October 2006, the government has been making a mess of its position.

Dr Refalo said that for one the Minister for Gozo had said the government was taking all steps to resume the service. A committee had been set up to advise choices of services, Ms Giovanna Debono had said.

Ms Debono had referred to a proposal made in the pre-budget document for 2008. Dr Refalo said that during the debate on the Gozo vote he had quoted what that document said, which was that an inter-island air service was crucial and that such a service could only be operated if subsidised.

But Gozo has remained without a service and the government has continued confusing matters, as proved by replies to parliamentary questions given by the Prime Minister and different ministers.

It was no wonder, Dr Refalo said, that over the last five years the Nationalist government had made 30 promises about Gozo and not kept one of them.