By the start of this year, 90% of Gozitans who lost their job at the start of the pandemic found employment again, Prime Minister Robert Abela said.

He was speaking during a business breakfast organised by the Gozo Regional Development Authority(GRDA) during which it launched a vision document for Gozo which states the Authority will be the tasked with the design and implementation of the Regional Development strategy for the island.

The PM said that that although the last year was challenging, Gozo has shown great resilience.

"By the end of May, the number of those registering for unemployment in Gozo had doubled from the level at the beginning of the pandemic. We announced the economic regeneration plan in June. And business in Gozo responded. By the beginning of this year, 90% of those who had lost their jobs in Gozo had resumed work, a much higher proportion than in Malta."

Abela said that in recent years, both Malta and Gozo have seen economic growth with Gozo becoming a hub of opportunities, which changed it from a place where young people have to move to Malta for work, to a place where in the last 6 years there has been an increase of around 13 workers every week.

He added that the Regional Development Strategy for Gozo will be central because it will gather the different views of Gozitan society with the aim of proposing a realistic strategic plan.

Gozo Minister Clint Camilleri said that regional impact assessments will play a crucial role in ensuring that regional studies are carried out for any national proposal that is considered to affect Gozo.