A recent announcement by the government stated that a future undersea tunnel is being studied and most likely its route will start in Manikata and end somewhere in Nadur, Gozo - a stretch of 13 kilometres with a 70-metre radius. This will be quite a behemoth. Imagine the never-ending tonnage of debris (mostly lower globigerina limestone) which needs to be ecologically disposed of. It cannot be dispersed on the seabed as it will muddy our sea for four long years. Ideally, the excavation of the rock face can be timed to coincide with the start of another project linked to major land reclamation. There have been many suggestions on the best site for land reclamation as this was a popular topic after the 2013 election but since then it seems to have been dropped.
One location which has been studied and considered feasible by MEPA is Qalet Marku as the sea is relatively shallow there. Imagine if we can dispose the debris using sea barges to build an island of approximately 10 square kilometres in size linked by a steel bridge to the mainland. This can be enlarged in the future using inert material from the Maghtab landfill. This parcel of reclaimed land will, after careful landscaping, become an ideal site for WasteServ to house the refuse incinerator and later on see the relocation of the Sant' Antnin refuse and recycling plant - currently an eyesore in Marsascala.
The administration of the tunnel project has officially appointed Norwegian experts SINTEF that have many years' experience, and when ready, drivers will pay a toll equivalent to the boarding fee charged by the ferry. Italian drilling experts Geotech SPA were tasked to collect rock samples, with University of Malta researchers working in tandem with OGS Trieste to carry out seismic investigations of the area in question. If project management works perfectly, it will take around three years to excavate the tunnel and be functional by 2024 with a daily traffic capacity of 6,500 vehicles. University experts are working to build a full geological study of the proposed site to help make the Gozo link a dream come true.
This idea started making the rounds since the early 60s but now it seems to be somewhat closer to fruition since a number of foreign governments and international experts have shown interest to participate in a Private Public Partnership not dissimilar to the one the government signed with Vitals-Steward - the medical group. While over 80 per cent of Gozitans are in favour, there are major concerns about the environmental impact: can it cope with the deluge of cars expected to use the link? Seven years ago, Austin Gatt, the minister responsible for public works had launched a formal task force to study the cost and benefits of a Gozo link. Then, he was quoted by the media as saying that the proposed tunnel was "environmentally viable, structurally doable and made economic sense, the government would commit to building it".
Unsurprisingly, it received the blessing of MEPA which said that as no significant impact on the environment was foreseen, the proposal did not require an environmental impact assessment. Thus emboldened, the PN administration announced that a preliminary report concluded it as "doable" and triumphantly opened the floodgates for the issue of tenders to engage experts commissioned to prepare a full feasibility report. Tunnel adherents find the major project doable saying that over five million commutes on an annual basis using the ageing ferry service. However, no public information has yet been released based on a feasibility study concluded by economist Gordon Cordina.
The media speculated that the cost of excavation and laying the road infrastructure could reach between €156 million and €500 million (obviously, this will generate demand for imported labour). The PN administration commissioned a study by specialists Mott Macdonald which proposed four potential links: three bored beneath the seabed and passing under Comino and another, an immersed tube tunnel, lying on it. The study revealed that barring mishaps it would take seven years to complete. It may potentially qualify for external funding apart from any EU funding under the Ten-T network scheme available in the Cohesion Funds protocol. The good thing is that based on prescribed traffic and charging a toll, the project will leave a modest commercial surplus.
Seeing it from the eyes of about a thousand workers/students who travel daily using the over-worked ferries to Malta, the solution of having a faster link will be godsend. Surely a tunnel is a long-term investment in the social capital which reflects a permanent improvement and if well managed can help to reduce the double insularity of the sister island. The business community lament that the type of tourists that visit Gozo are day-trippers who cannot sustain the critical mass necessary to maintain a thriving hospitality industry. This means that hotels and restaurants in Gozo cannot achieve the level of sustainability and occupancy levels enjoyed in Malta. Even though most community services such as police, security, health and education are present in both islands, during inclement weather the 30,000 inhabitants are cut off.
They say comparisons are odious but one feels challenged to compare Gozo and Gibraltar. In Gibraltar, inhabitants enjoy easy access to the mainland and this leads to a higher income per capita. This is partly due to improved connections which have contributed to a buoyant financial services industry. There is a fully-fledged airport with a runway jutting on reclaimed land. The tourist industry is galloping at full speed, with travellers regularly crossing from neighbouring Spain, others by cruise liners, and by air from Europe. However, many who prefer Gozo to remain unique as an eco-island say the concept of a tunnel can be anathema which spoils its pristine qualities as a get-away paradise.
In conclusion, sociologist Marvin Formosa, who recently carried out a social impact assessment, asserts that better connectivity will partially alleviate Gozo's social problems with its ageing population and an economy highly dependent on tourism. Can we toss a coin to see if we can start boring?
Mr Mangion is a senior partner at PKF, an audit and consultancy firm. He can be contacted at [email protected] or on +356 2149 3041