As opposed to the government’s management of Gozo by crisis and its treatment as merely the “13th district”, PN Leader Bernard Grech said that Gozo is “special” and cannot be a “photocopy” of Malta.

Speaking in a party activity in Sannat, Grech explained that under the PN, its plan for Gozo will be followed through in order to restore the sister island to its former glory. 

“Gozo must be treated as a special island and not as the 13th district,” Grech said noting that the government uses Gozo only for public relations during elections. He said the PN thinks otherwise and with the people fed up, instead of “firefighting” like the government, the PN will follow through with its plan for Gozo and make it a “heaven again.”

He added that under a PN government, Gozo is going to “change course” and restore its dignity through the involvement of all people with good will. 

Grech began his Sannat address by saying, “I chose my final address of the year to be in Gozo to prove how important it is to the PN. For the PN, the Gozitans are first class citizens.” He said that the PN believes that Gozo should not be a “photocopy” of Malta, as the government believes.

Grech said that for the PN, Gozo is not an “afterthought as it is for the Labour government” and noted that, for the Prime Minister, Gozo only comes first in his sentences when talking about the country and saying “Gozo and Malta”. He said that for the PN, Gozo is not an extension of Malta and they are not alone in saying this, with the general public and social partners being in agreement.

Grech pointed out that the PN’s suggestions for Gozo are being ignored in every sector such as disability, sports and health since the government is “tired” and lacks vision. He went into detail on Gozo’s infrastructural issues that hit people with mobility issues the hardest, such as the Gozitan law courts with their steep stairs which have become an obstacle to people with mobility issues to seek justice. He added that despite the governmental promises to redo all roads, in Gozo only 1 in 9 roads were redone and, mostly, “superficially”.

Grech went on to highlight the government’s lack of vision by explaining that with a growing population there certainly is an increase in consumers but also in crime rates making it “logical” to increase police presence but the government cut back the police by 35%. He also pointed out that the government broke an electoral promise when it came to the Gozo General Hospital and noted that in 11 years of Labour government, with 4 different health ministers, the hospital was never completed.

He pledged that under a PN government, all health services that can be done in Gozo will be done on site whilst improving communications with Malta’s health service.

With regards to Gozitan youth, Grech acknowledged the difficulty of the channel separating the Maltese islands causing “double insularity” but stressed that Gozo can still have its own “vibrant” economy. He elaborated that Gozitan youth have the right to move forward in their careers without coming to Malta but pointed out that the government is not being helpful in doing this giving the example of high Gozitan premises rents for start-ups.

Grech concluded, “Come next election, when the government attempts to tell you all is well I am convinced that you will tell them, you won’t fool me once again.”

All is not well with a Labour government with a “weak” prime minister and a party riddled with “internal conflicts” that doesn’t have time for the people, Grech said.

“We have the will to get things done, with prudence, socially, economically, environmentally.” He stressed that the PN will keep looking into the shady dealings of people close to the Gozo Minister when it came to the Mgarr harbour.