The Nationalist Party has stated that after more than 12 years, the Labour Government has failed to deliver on its own promise to build a new Court in Gozo, “leaving the justice system in Gozo neglected.”

During a press conference addressed by Shadow Minister for Justice Karol Aquilina and Shadow Minister for Gozo Alex Borg, it was explained that the current Court building in Gozo:

1. “Is not accessible for people with disabilities and the elderly;

2. Suffers from a severe lack of space for workers, judges, lawyers, legal prosecutors, and the public;

3. Has serious security shortcomings; and

4, Lacks sufficient courtrooms for hearings.”

The PN pointed out that the promise of a new building to serve as a court in Gozo was one of many pledges in the Labour Party’s electoral manifesto for the 2013 and 2022 general elections.

It went on to say that, from 2013 to the present, the promise of a new court building for Gozo was also mentioned by the Minister for Finance in the Budget speeches for the years 2014, 2017, and 2019. In the Budget speeches for 2016 and 2018, “it was noted that the previous year the Government had spent less on the Gozo Court building project, while nothing was mentioned in the Budget speeches for 2015, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023, and 2024.”

The PN claimed that “this situation is the result of political rivalries between those who were Ministers for Gozo since 2013: Anton Refalo, Justyne Caruana, and Clint Camilleri. It is also a sign of great incompetence from all those who were Ministers for Justice since 2013: Owen Bonnici, Edward Zammit Lewis, and Jonathan Attard.”

The Nationalist Party said that it therefore insisting on the following 10 actions to address the situation:

1. “The results of the ‘preliminary market consultation’ supposedly carried out by the Court Services Agency, which concluded on January 6, 2023, should be published;

2. The Ministers for Justice and Gozo should state whether an existing building will be used or if a new building will be constructed for the Court in Gozo;

3. A date should be announced for when a decision will be made regarding the location of the new Court in Gozo;

4. An estimate of the cost of the new Court building in Gozo should be completed and published;

5. Substantial financial allocation should be made in the Budget to enable construction work to begin;

6. An action committee should be set up with representatives from workers, lawyers, and legal prosecutors who work at the Gozo Court to follow the project and provide their input on the new Court building;

7. Dates for when the tender will be issued and when work is planned to begin should be announced;

8. A date for the completion of the works should be announced;

9. The date and details of the process for moving staff and services to the new Court building in Gozo should be announced;

10. Until the new building is completed, every possible effort should be made to make the existing Gozo Court building more accessible and secure.”

Photo: PN

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