The Labour Party tries to shift blame onto others, forgetting that under Alfred Sant's leadership, Gozo was relegated to second-class status, with decisions affecting Gozitans taken from Castille while the Gozo Ministry introduced by a Nationalist government in 1987 had been disbanded the Nationalist Party said on Friday.

It was referring to a statement issued by the Labour Party on Thursday saying that PN MP Chris Said's proposal pitching for an elected executive council of Gozitans is evidence that the Nationalist Party (PN) wishes to dismantle the Ministry for Gozo.

Labour has no shame, the PN rebutted. They try to shift blame onto others. They have forgotten that it was a Labour Government that, in the history of the Ministry for Gozo, removed the Ministry and instead appointed a Parliamentary Secretary without executive powers, with decisions impacting Gozitans being made from Castille.

In contrast, it was a Nationalist Government that, upon being elected in 1987, immediately fulfilled its main electoral promise to Gozo by appointing the first-ever Minister for Gozo. Under Nationalist Governments, Gozo always had a Minister with a voice in the Cabinet. It was only a Labour Government under Alfred Sant that abolished the Ministry for Gozo. As a result, in 1996, Gozo and the Gozitans were relegated to second-class status with a Parliamentary Secretariat instead of a Ministry, the PN said.

A similar scenario had occurred in the early 1960s when Gozo had its own Civic Council, directly elected by the people and established by a Nationalist Government. Even in this case, the Council was abolished in 1973 by the Labour Government led by Mintoff.

But Labour has no shame. Now, they are trying to claim that a new Nationalist Government would dismantle the Ministry for Gozo, the PN said.

Labour seems to have also forgotten that the proposal for Gozo to have a Regional Council, complementing the Ministry for Gozo in formulating regional policies, enjoys the support of Gozitan civil society organisations, which agree that decisions affecting Gozo should be made by Gozitans themselves. Labour is going against the wishes of Gozitan social partners.

What Labour claims to have "uncovered" about the PN's plans for Gozo has been known for years. The Partit Nazzjonalista has long proposed that Gozo should have a Regional Council directly elected by Gozitans. Moreover, Gozo should be recognised as an Island Region in the Constitution to safeguard this regional status permanently.

This promise is clearly outlined in the PN's recent electoral programmes, including a specific manifesto for Gozo prepared for the 2017 General Election, which states: "Gozo should be defined as an Island Region in the Constitution. To strengthen this new regional status, a process will be launched to establish a Regional Council for Gozo, with broad representation from Gozitan society, representing Gozo in all fora, including the EU, with direct access to European funding. This Council will be responsible for developing long-term policies and vision for Gozo."

The PN said it has always been consistent on this issue. Even before the 2022 election, the PN promised to give Gozo a Regional Council elected by Gozitans, with executive powers and the necessary funding to implement initiatives and projects.

Last September, PN Leader Bernard Grech reiterated the Partit Nazzjonalista's position that decisions about Gozo should be taken by Gozitans themselves. He emphasised that Gozo should have a Regional Council so that decisions are made by those who truly understand Gozo's needs.

Instead of continuing to spread Fake News - something Labour has become an expert at - they should tell us whether they agree that Gozo should become an Island Region and whether the Constitution should be amended to safeguard Gozo's identity and regional status.

As they did in last June's elections, Gozitans will once again show Labour that they no longer want to be taken for granted. Instead of a clique in power that only looks after its inner circle - even in Gozo - Gozitans will vote for those who are genuinely ready to defend their interests, the PN said.

Gozitans should be spared the PN's internal power struggle in Gozo, PL says

In reply, the Labour Party said that 24 hours after PN Gozitan MP Chris Said told Times of Malta that Gozo should be led by a Regional Council, effectively undoing the Ministry for Gozo, which has served Gozitans well for more than 40 years, the Nationalist Party broke its silence, in defence of Said's proposal.

It is interesting to note, however, that the PN press statement was not signed by the PN spokesperson for Gozo, Alex Borg. When Bernard Grech appointed Borg as spokesperson for Gozo, Said was not amused. Yesterday's declaration by Chris Said puts this into context. It exposes the internal power struggle within the PN: Said, who is not the spokesperson for Gozo, makes an important declaration, 24 hours later, the PN comes out in his defence and the man who should be making these declarations, Alex Borg, keeps mum.

Could it be that Chris Said, who rumours have it will not contest the coming general election, suddenly has had a change of heart and wants a political hold over Gozo, thus his suggestion for a Gozo Regional Council which would have absolute control over Gozitan affairs rendering the Gozo Ministry a mere formality?, the PL said.

Whatever the case, Gozitans should not be made to pay for an internal PN power struggle in Gozo. That is deeply unfair, the party added.

Said's and the PN's Regional Council proposal has already been rejected by the Gozitan electorate in 2022. But the PN does not give a hoot about this, the PL said. We are not surprised it being the same political party that ignored the will of its card-carrying members when they voted, unanimously, to have Adrian Delia as their leader.

The more things change, the more they remain the same, the PL said.