"Good leaders have vision and inspire others to help them turn vision into reality. Great leaders have vision, share vision and inspire others to create their own." (Roy T. Bennett). This is exactly what our Prime Minister Dr Joseph Muscat is tirelessly doing all the time. His inner strength and drive are so positively contagious that all of us, his collaborators, are working and striving harder and harder for the good of the country and the people.
A vision for Gozo
In my role as the person entrusted with Gozo's affairs, I am rolling out a new vision for Gozo for the period 2019-2030, as pledged in our election manifesto. I want an innovative, rejuvenated and connected Gozo that delivers social and economic prosperity in the context of its idyllic cultural and rural characteristics.
This vision seeks to balance on the one hand innovation and rejuvenation - to attract and retain smart enterprise and industry and human capital - whilst on the other to safeguard Gozo's rustic characteristics and rural nature. The key to achieving this balance is connectivity and accessibility.
In order for this vision to be implemented, leadership is key. The Government will implement the strategy and put in place the necessary mechanisms to make it happen and, for this, the Gozo Regional Development Authority is crucial. After exhausting the public consultation exercise, the bill for the setting up of this Authority is currently being finalised for publication. I am pleased to say that we have high expectations for this body; it will be the vehicle for ensuring the culture of quality that needs to be instilled so that excellence becomes Gozo's hallmark and, together with new and innovative solutions, transforms Gozo's unique challenges into opportunities.
Full advantage of state-of-the-art technology will be taken to make Gozo smarter and more competitive as a region. We want to further collaborate with ministries, departments and other entities to ensure that Gozo's regional characteristics are taken into account in strategy and policy design. We will also ensure that civil society are key players in the strategy process and steps will be taken to ensure that they achieve a sustained critical mass so that they take an active role in its implementation. We want to instil the need for excellence but for this to take root there must be rigorous but fair surveillance and enforcement as well as education and knowledge. Although this strategy is still in draft form, we have already begun its implementation by rolling out initiatives to achieve the goals set therein.
Investing in human capital
This week it was a great pleasure indeed to announce a service level agreement between the Ministry for Gozo and the Malta Competition and Consumer Affairs Authority (MCCAA) for the Authority to open a branch in Gozo in premises offered by the Gozo Ministry.
During my address, I stressed my personal determination and that of the Ministry under my leadership, to offer more job opportunities and job mobility in Gozo. In fact, by virtue of this agreement, MCCAA Gozitan employees commuting daily to Malta will now work in Gozo. I have to say that I felt very emotional when one of the employees approached me and told me that for the last 17 years of his life he was eagerly expecting this to happen so that he could get his life back and not just exist. And I really have to thank Parliamentary Secretary Deo Debattista and Director Helga Pizzuto for being on board with us as soon as I aired our vision to them.
More service provision in Gozo
At the moment, the Ministry is also assessing various options to attract more Government departments, authorities and agencies to open branches in Gozo and hence offer a better quality of life to their Gozitan employees commuting daily to Malta for work and also to offer more services in Gozo. We have already had a postive feedback from various entities and are ready to invest more to offer premises and all logistic suport required to make this happen. These new offices will also serve to increase service provision in Gozo and therefore avoid inconvenience and enhance efficiency towards a more customer-oriented philosphy.
Equality and equity
On a different note and perspective, this week Gozo has championed several important issues. We began with the Pink October Bike Ride held for the first time in Gozo. I have to say that my first experience on a bike was a positive one, even so when it was to do with raising awareness about breast cancer championed by our beloved Michelle Muscat.
Later on in the week, HE Marie Louise Coleiro Preca and I visited schools in Gozo to deliver a strong message on girl empowerment on the occasion of the International Day of the Girl Child. This was complemented by a conference and talks we gave to students about mental health awareness to combat stigmas and taboos and solicit the need to break the silence. My sincere thanks go to Commissioner for Mental Health Dr John Cachia, Dr Anton Grech and the Mental Health Association Gozo.