There was, so participants said later, a completely new and pro-active approach when the prime minister, flanked by three ministers, yesterday met the representatives of the Gozo constituted bodies who presented him with a 17-point demand for the development of Gozo.
The positive attitude mirrors the equally positive approach shown at the MCESD meeting at Castille on Wednesday which started the ball rolling for the coming Budget. At that meeting, the trade unions made it clear to Dr Gonzi there will not be a repeat of last year’s arguments and bickering and Dr Gonzi, it is said, promised a very different government approach.
Yesterday’s meeting took place in the ‘Chapel’ of the Kempinski in Gozo. Present were the representatives of all sectors of Gozo society, nowadays in the Gozo Regional Committee of the Malta Council for Economic and Social Development, together with the ‘big boys’ of the Malta trade unions and other organisations.
The press was allowed in only for the concluding remarks by Dr Gonzi.
The meeting heard a report prepared by Gordon Cordina and Stephanie Vella on behalf of the regional committee. The report, a copy of which has been seen by this paper, suggests a number of measures to address the short-term pressures and the medium-to-long-term development goals of the economy of Gozo.
The 17 demands come in two separate lists, one which includes measures which can be implemented immediately and which give immediate benefits; and the other includes measures which can be initiated immediately and whose benefits extend over the medium term.
The first list includes:
• Extend the scheme of charging all passenger ferries Gozitan resident prices at all times between October 2009 and May 2010 if summer 2009 tourism business falls short of summer 2007 levels.
• Defer payment of government tax, utility and permit bills to summer period when cash flow would be relatively healthy.
• Tailor temporary and targeted assistance to industry to the specific situations of relatively big industrial employers in Gozo.
• Enhance upkeep and maintenance of amenities.
• Re-surfacing of roads.
• Deploy cruise liner berths at Xlendi and Marsalforn to attract smaller cruise ships.
• Provide administrative support for application for EU funding.
• The entire region of Gozo to be recognised as a tourist locality for the purposes of shop opening hours.
• Setting up an SME park.
The second list includes:
• Develop an airstrip for planes carrying up to 20 passengers.
• Develop an extensive and affordable system of green transport.
• Construct international standard sport facilities including an indoor pool.
• Construction of breakwater in Marsalforn and provision of yacht berths.
• Develop agro-tourism with Gozo serving as a model for Malta.
• Designate special development zones with favourable tax treatment for the re-development and regeneration of real estate for sale to high-net worth individuals, on the same lines as in similar areas in Malta.
• Develop specific niches in the ICT sector, including launching of innovative technologies and accommodation of critical personnel.
• Set up Task Forces to design and implement the above measures subject to resource and time parameters, including the incentivisation of private investment and utilisation of EU funding.
In response to these demands, Dr Gonzi was quite specific on five demands but he acknowledged that all 17 were being demanded by the Gozo bodies all together and said that where necessary further studies will be made so that, if at all possible, the measures will be announced in the Budget.
The five demands that Dr Gonzi accepted were:
• Recognising all Gozo as a tourist locality. This measure, an actually help create jobs, Dr Gonzi said.
• Developing Gozo in the agro-tourism sector fits well with the government policy of Gozo as an eco-island.
• Gozo’s local councils are already in the forefront of attracting EU funds and will be helped more by the government.
• As regards cruise liners, a call for tenders to set up the buoys with which the ships berth attracted just two interested parties, but none qualified. The government will now see about re-issuing the call for tenders.
• Finally, as regards roadworks, Gozo has already seen e12 million of EU funds spent on it. There will now be two more projects: the road to Xlendi and to Ta’ Pinu.
Nobody seriously expected Dr Gonzi to be specific on the other demands. It would seem the demand of Gozo rates for Maltese tourists during the winter period has wide agreement whereas the demand of deferred payment of taxes has most opposition.
As regards the airstrip, this is what the document says: “This measure focuses on the development of an airstrip which can cater for small planes with a capacity of about 20 passengers. Such an airstrip opens international access to Gozitans and to foreigners allowing for a direct access route to countries within the vicinity of Gozo as well as serving as a fast and efficient link to the Malta International Airport.
“There was unanimous consensus among stakeholders that the development of an airstrip is essential to increase accessibility and mobility to the island of Gozo and that such a measure ties in with, and is indeed necessary for the success of, the majority of other measures listed in this exercise.
“In this respect, a number of stakeholders noted that the ability of the island to attract niche tourism such as that related to health, sports and educational tourism depends on the development of such an airstrip. For example, the island has the potential to attract educational tourism through the development of English-teaching schools specifically catering for professionals. However, the attraction of the island in this regard seriously depends on accessibility as well as reliable and fast transport.
“Stakeholders also noted the importance of a common rated fare similar to that charged in Switzerland, whereby the fare price to Malta would also include the fare between Malta and Gozo.
“Stakeholders also noted that the island has the potential to attract other activity including back office operations for tourist operators, conference tourism as well as activity related to ICT and financial services. However, the ability to attract such investment also depends on reliable and efficient transportation which in turn depends on the development of an airstrip.
“The implementation challenges in this regard refer to the costs of developing the airstrip as well as environmental issues which may occur due to the location of the airstrip. A cost-benefit assessment is thus suggested to study the potential costs and benefits associated with the development of an airstrip including the direct, indirect and induced economic value generated by the airstrip as well as externalities which may be associated with the airstrip.”
Sources in Gozo told this paper that they intend to keep plugging these 17 demands as far as they can. Usually, they are told, that no one can understand their demands. This time, they have listed them, fleshed them out and made cogent arguments for each one of them.
While at a conference organised in May the representatives from Gozo were up in arms against what they called government arrogance and insensitivity. This time, the atmosphere, at least as far as atmospherics go, was decidedly different.