Gozo is very much in the news at the moment as details of controversial development in certain spots are attracting much attention from the media, NGOs and politicians.
Nonetheless, it remains a quaint, beautiful and charming place that – so far – has not been left to the mercy of rampant development in the name of ‘progress’.
The ferry terminal developments have made life much easier for locals, Maltese tourists and off shore tourists alike. It looks smart and tidy and Mgarr Harbour looks as picturesque as ever, even as the marina and its hardstanding facilities were improved tastefully. Various restoration projects have also taken place, and a lot of hard work has gone into making the most out of the island’s natural rugged beauty, by combining it with a greenification project.
The main roads that link the major villages to the capital Victoria have also improved the state of affairs no end. But there is an elephant in the room. A substantial amount of Gozo’s roads are in an absolute shambles. There are potholes and craters in some of the ‘better roads’, but the state of the worse ones just beggars belief.
Some of the road surfaces – for example leading from Ghajnsielem to Qala are like the surface of the moon. And it is all too common, other examples can be found all over the island. Gozo is not like Malta. It is unique and people who are exploring in their cars often have to navigate through little villages to get to where they want to go.
Granted, some roads have been earmarked for reconstruction and others are in the process of being rebuilt. But there are many others that need to be given attention at the earliest possible opportunity.
In Malta and Gozo, we still seem to take the state of our absolutely atrocious roads lying down and accept it. But it often seems that when there is a case to make about ‘improving the state of affairs to improve our tourism product’, a lot more effort goes in. All well and good. But it is still short of the mark and more needs to be done in that regard. And also, we should bear in mind that at the end of the day, the people who deserve better things are Gozo residents and people from Malta who visit in their droves all year round.
Gozo certainly is a gem and rampant development should not be allowed to take place wherever one pleases. But at the end of the day, we need to remember that some development – namely infrastructure – is essential for it to survive and thrive. Installing a fibre optic link to Malta would be a good thing, but rebuilding some of the shambolic roads would be better.