The Gozo Business Chamber is putting forward its proposals for the 2022 budget, among which is a call to reintroduce the Malta-Gozo air link.
"These proposals are being formulated based on a long-term sustainable economic vision for Gozo, which primary objective should be that of diversifying the Gozitan economy, taking into consideration however the essential needs of Gozo's society and economy," it said in a statement.
The proposals are based on a number of pillars.
Ensuring that Development is Sustainable
1) Create schemes specific for Gozo targeted towards the renovation of old houses. Incentives should be intrinsically tied to making a building more energy efficient and lessening its carbon footprint. Specific schemes could identify for example particular areas, such as for example in the city centre of Victoria, where a number of old buildings are currently unused and being left in a dilapidated state.
2) Houses which are bought to be renovated and lived in, and not redeveloped into apartment blocks would fall within a reduced property tax regime. Though this should apply both to houses within and outside the urban conservation areas (UCAs), a more favourable tax regime should apply on houses outside UCAs. Due to the present policies, the impact of the replacement of houses with large apartment blocks, is greater in development zones outside the UCAs.
The Green Economy and Digitalisation
1) Start the process for the establishment of a specialised faculty in Gozo targeting the green economy and other associated sectors
2) Formulate a packet of incentives for the deployment of sustainable solutions in Gozo prior to these being deployed on a national level.
3) Issue an international call for expression of interest for a specialised company to manage the Digital Innovation Hub as an incubator for start-ups in the digital sector.
Agriculture
1) Ensure more points for the supply of 'New Water' around Gozo.
2) Incentivise the building of traditional 'sejjieħ' walls around fields in Gozo.
3) Provide financial assistance to young farmers to encourage them to continue working in this sector. This could include assistance in kind such as the leasing of land to young farmers.
4) Provide information courses to farmers on both legal matters, and also on the cultivation of land and produce.
Transport and Connectivity
1) Increased incentives for Gozitan residents to shift to electric vehicles including: (a) better refunds when they purchase an electric vehicle; and (b) better charging rates on the private charging infrastructure in Gozitan homes.
2) Reduced ferry tickets for Maltese residents crossing over to Gozo with electric vehicles, and better rates when they charge their vehicles on Gozo's public charging infrastructure.
3) The complete shift of Gozo's public transport system to smaller, and more frequent electric buses. Larger buses, which can also be electric, or hybrid would only be maintained between the main routes such as that between Mġarr and Victoria.
4) Initiate the process for the development of an air link between Gozo and Malta.
5) Continue with the implementation of the project on the permanent link between Gozo and Malta.
Infrastructure
1) Initiate the process for a sustainable multistory underground car park in Victoria.
2) Start the process for a new hospital for Gozo which should complement the investment made in the Queen Mary University of London Gozo campus.