The 2025 budget proposals for Gozo are already available from the Gozo Business Chamber (GBC) and The Gozo Tourism Association (GTA). The Gozo Regional Development Authority (GRDA) has still not provided their proposals. Judging from the 2023 and 2024 proposals, the GRDA is really failing to live up to its mission: 

"The Authority aims to work amongst policy makers to ensure that policies, actions and projects are adequate for the specific nature of the Gozitan regional characteristics." (they omitted the go-ahead of the Gozo Minister)

All their reports are merely a litany of proposals which need to be considered and discussed, apart from the basic fact that funds have to be secured by the government. The Gozo Minister has to approve all the suggestions and proposals that the GRDA considers being relevant for the development of Gozo. After all, the Ministry is forking out €800,000 from taxpayers' money to support the GRDA.

Consider the GRDA 2023 budget proposals:

P1. Better targeting and alignment of the stamp duty reduction on residential property with Gozo's socio-economic and environmental needs.

P2. Ring-fencing of revenue from the tourism eco-contribution to Gozo (about €2million)

P3. Regional input-output tables for Gozo.

These proposals do not stretch the imagination too much, so it is no wonder Gozo is falling back in investment to promote quality and merge its identity.

Anyone familiar with the Gozitan way of life immediately point out that infrastructure, accessibility, the almost obsolete Gozo Channel fleet, including the 33-year-old wet leased Greek ferry at €14,000 daily, need immediate attention and funds towards their support and replacement.

But the GRDA budget 2023 - Regional Analysis refers to Public Investment regarding the Gozo Museum and Gozo Aquatic and Sports Centre projects which are behind schedule and over budget. The Gozo Ministry announced early this year that the new multi-million euro Olympic-sized swimming pool and sports complex will open later this year, the fifth deadline since the project started seven years ago. The original plan was for the Olympic-sized swimming pool and sports complex to cost €9 million, but it has already exceeded €18 million. Meanwhile, the Gozo Museum still needs more months to be finished, despite being set up to open three years ago and having exceeded its budget threefold to about €4 million.

Now the GRDA is trumpeting two new projects included in public investment and announced in the 2023 budget speech.

"In Gozo, we will open a new space next to the Xewkija industrial estate that will provide small and medium-sized enterprises with an area for workshops and a parking area for large vehicles.'' (this space is already being occupied by a hardline labour supporter).

"The drafting of a tender for the restoration of the aqueducts in the limits of Rabat Gozo at a value of €2.5 million is also underway, and it is expected to be issued soon.'' 

The GTA knows that the GRDA strategy is a nonstarter and is now requesting the government to develop a new regional plan and policies specifically designed for Gozo, "to preserve it as an island of villages within a modern world."

But the GTA fails miserably regarding accessibility. It is calling on the government to build a new fourth ferry, identical to the existing ones, to replace the Greek ferry Nikolaus. This is not enough - a fourth ferry identical to the already worn out ferries is senseless. We urgently need a fifth ferry. When either ferry requires repairs or maintenance, what will happen and how will we control the car lines? Obviously, this is not a problem for government officials and MPs who have priority boarding. 

The Gozo Business Chamber (GBC) went one step further and really focused on the weaknesses regarding accessibility. "This calls for more urgent action regarding the needs of Gozo. Currently Gozo Channel is operating through a leased fourth ferry with various shortcomings, especially regarding accessibility. The other three ferries are nearing their earmarked end of life. This means that a strategic decision needs to be taken on the replacement of these ferries, and potentially also the introduction of a fifth ferry. In fact, when one of the present ferries is not in operation, it significantly disrupts the services between the two islands." 

"At this stage hybrid plug-in ferries could also be a solution. However, it is important that a long-term vision is adopted with a significant investment to be undertaken in the electrification of both the Ċirkewwa and the Mġarr ports" asserted the GBC.

"Policy in Gozo should be focused on keeping tourism levels on the sister island sustainable," the GTA highlighted in its 2025 budget proposals. 

Meanwhile, tourism operators fear overdevelopment in Gozo will diminish it as a destination. This comes after GTA members said they are seeing a drop in revenue despite an increase in tourists visiting Gozo. 

"In collaboration with the Gozo Tourism Association, we will introduce a scheme to attract this kind of tourism to Gozo, partnering with tour operators to boost tourism during the low season," according to budget speech 2023. However, expecting visitors to spend 15 nights in Gozo may be overly optimistic.

But then all this reflects on the purchasing power of the visitors. So how is it the GTA is urging the government to begin the development of the Airfield for the fixed wing air link between Gozo and Malta? Such a transition and introduction of service requires more than just Yes or No. We have to upgrade to the level of expectations of the tourist and this involves a major upheaval from all entities, including adequate investment by the government.

But investment in Gozo is really a hollow promise by this government. Investment in Gozo from 2013 to 2024 amounted to €179 million compared with the total investment in Malta of €8,376 million. This equates to about 2.1% which considering the size of Gozo should be about 8%. No one has drawn any notice of this shameless discrepancy. Let's not forget, the projects undertaken by the Gozo Ministry are always behind schedule and consistently over budget. The Gozo Aquatic Sports complex not yet officially open has already cost about €20 million instead of €10 million. The Gozo Museum, still in shell form, added up to about €4 million instead of the original tender cost of €1.2 million and the situation keeps snowballing with no end in sight.

Regarding the urgency to expand Mgarr harbour, the GRDA referred to the "upgrading of Mgarr Harbour," by simply mentioning and hinting "the possibility of expanding the harbour, which should be studied from a wide socio-economic perspective, including environmental concerns." 

The GRDA strategy and budget recommendations are purely generalised ideas that require further studies and resources, but they do not specify who, when, or how someone should conduct the study to reach the envisaged conclusion. Additionally, they have postponed another project, the Marsalforn breakwater, and everyone expects it to remain in that state for a long period. Winter is fast approaching and Marsalforn residents and catering establishments are preparing to safeguard their premisses from the onslaught of a powerful north wind Grigal effectively rendering the bay of Marsalforn defenceless.

No one seems to know fully that Gozo is heading towards a dead end. Investment in infrastructure is negligible, the Gozo channel fleet will soon start showing signs of failure to the detriment of commuters, parking in Victoria is mind-boggling, the Victoria ring road forgotten, a public sector bursting at its seams with redundant employees abandoning their place of work still being paid for nothing. Mgarr harbour needs to be expanded to accommodate a fifth ferry and possibly a ferry taking vehicles to Valletta. The Cirkewwa south quay remains in an abandoned state. Manikata Road is inviting a deadly accident, especially at night. 

These issues are critical. Government should apportion funds to Gozo at least in the same ratio granted to other districts in Malta. When the going gets tough, it's the commuters and Gozitans at large who usually suffer the consequences. This government only focuses on getting votes, regardless of how they get them and what happens to Gozitans. This is not what Gozitans voted for, what Gozitans expected, and what Gozitans deserve!