Since the beginning of history, geography has plagued Gozo with double insularity, placing it economically beyond redemption. I say the beginning of history, because during pre-history Gozitans had the technological and logistical knowhow to build one of the oldest free-standing, covered building in the world – the Ġgantija Temples. These are certainly not the artefacts of primitive troglodytes of a tiny and remote provincial backwater but the brainwave of a highly sophisticated civilisation, of which Gozo must have been a hub – although it is totally inexplicable how. But all this can now change. Indeed it must. Demographics show us that Gozo’s population is ageing faster than that of Malta since the flower of its youth migrates to the larger island of Malta which offers better work opportunities.
Gozo can change because what geography has made it lose, technology and innovation can help it win. The eminent historian, Ferdinand Braudel has shown in his writings how radical advances by means of travel, medicine and telecommunication have shrunk the world into a single village. The unprecedented development of cyberspace means that one can operate a business even from a remote Robinson Crusoe’s island. Indeed, it may even be advantageous to do so. Business communities are more than ever interconnected through the web and can exploit available knowledge to do business more efficiently, to share ideas and to innovate as market demands change.
This is not to say that challenges do not still abound, but the most durable are often cultural rather than market based, as notions of island limitations have rooted themselves across generations, perhaps limiting Gozo to identify, creating and in taking up opportunities.
The future of Gozo is about helping our young people believe in their island. Notwithstanding the millenary brain-drain, today we look around and witness the dynamics of a society that is a hive of activity – be it commercial, leisurely or artistic. There is an energy going on, on this tiny island that is mostly attributable to our young generation. This is in sync with the rest of the world, where apart from being more global, entrepreneurs are increasingly young.
From my experience, it is only when you do what you fear most that you can achieve. There is a level of trust that needs to be restored, to help the young generation make the leap, to create opportunity within a supportive administrative and legislative framework, to make aspirations and ideas viable in the labour market.
Gozo should be an island of opportunities and there are fine examples of business initiatives that have thrived because our entrepreneurs have the vision, the aspiration and the resilience to succeed. The Young Business Entrepreneurs’ initiative to focus on young people’s outlook on participation in the labour market and their insights into entrepreneurship is commendable and has received the Ministry for Gozo’s full support. The results confirm the developments of the past decade and beyond – that young Gozitans employed in Malta would consider working in Gozo if the opportunity arose and that their decision to live in Malta is opportunity-related. Indeed, 66 per cent of Gozitan active labour market participants who are not self-employed, list Gozo as their preferred base if they were to open up a business.
Prominent examples of the government embracing opportunities in Gozo are its plan to have Barts, a faculty within Queen Mary University of London, opening a medical school; the development of a new acute general hospital and a geriatric hospital, which should accompany the investment by Barts medical school; and the plans by RS2 software company to have a base on the island, give it new impetus and future opportunities for young people.
Our objective is to restore the trust that our island can truly offer a future to our young ones and to help them translate their vision into successful business initiatives.
Just like Ġgantija’s heyday, with its astronomically orientated civilisation, now, once again, only the stars are Gozo’s limit.
Dr Refalo is Minister for Gozo