I was always reluctant to agree with many Gozitans who said that Gozo always takes second place when compared to Malta: fewer projects are done in Gozo by the government, etc. During the previous administration, I was of the idea that Gozo was getting its fair share of projects: the Mgarr Waterfront is a wonderful piece of workmanship, the public garden in Marsalforn, and so on. But during this administration it seems that we turned a new leaf in the wrong direction.

It looks like the Minister for Gozo does not wield much power and his only role is promoting Gozo to Maltese tourists. The Minister should work first and foremost in the interest of the residents of Gozo and not for the hungry hoteliers and restaurateurs.

Let me suggest some work which should be done in Gozo:

1) It seems that road patching is alien to Gozo. In Malta long stretches of road are patched with new tarmac. I suggest that two small stretches of road be patched: part of Triq Ghajn Qasab in Nadur leading to Ramla Bay and part of Triq Frangisk Portelli in San Lawrenz or Gharb leading to Dwejra; all hell breaks loose as the car rattles and bounces along these roads and I say welcome back to good old Gozo;

2) An airstrip for small fixed wing aircraft;

3) A public swimming pool; quite rightly, a new Olympic size swimming pool was opened in the south lately;

4) The liberalisation of transport between Malta and Gozo: several companies working in parallel to various points in Malta including Grand Harbour, Tal-Pieta', and so on. Then when the time comes to decide about the feasibility of the permanent link, we move on from there;

5) Turning the disused quarry at Hondoq into a family park like the one in Marsascala. This quarry supplied much hard stone for the breakwater at Grand Harbour. I think it is time to give something back to Hondoq.

Joe Portelli

Nadur