Nationalist Party Leader Bernard Grech said that “with a new Nationalist Government, Gozo will flourish once again.” Grech was addressing party supporters at a political event on Sunday morning at its sub-headquarters in Sannat.
He stressed that the PN “has the determination, the drive, and above all the human resources, through its candidates, to offer Gozo a modern, vibrant economy that respects the environment.”
Gozo is an island region of unique value that can generate prosperity for the Gozitans, said Grech and emphasised the importance of a “tailored policy for Gozo because Gozo differs from Malta.”
He stated that, “a Labour Government has deceived you Gozitans more than once. It hoodwinked you when it promised new roads and never built them, when it promised you a new hospital that remains a distant dream, when it promised you new Law courts that never materialised, when it promised police stations to remain open, when it promised you a museum but only gave you a half-baked version, when it promised a fourth ferry but gave you a rusting vessel, and when it promised you jobs in Gozo – only for your own Minister to hand his partner’s wife a cushy €70,000 job doing nothing.”
Grech insisted that Gozo can grow with a serious strategy for quality tourism, with investment in infrastructure, with a plan for Gozitan youths, and with improved connectivity.
Grech said that there needs to be a strategy for more Gozitans to work in Gozo. “The time of preferential treatment in politics is over. Gozitans are fed up with who you know politics. They have even turned the sea into a source of deceit and bribery, because if you are a Gozitan fisherman and don’t know the right people, you have to figure out who to bribe just to get a mooring.”
He added that “they only cared about the sea in that sense. But the breakwater they promised for Marsalforn remains nothing but a sketch in the water, just like the master plan for Xlendi that is still nowhere to be seen. While they profit off the backs of the people, Gozitans are left to struggle with the Nikolaos.”
Bernard Grech said that “this Government has no intention of improving its policy for Gozo. This is confirmed by many Gozitan entities that frequently say they are not being consulted when policies in their sectors are being drawn up.”
During today’s dialogue session, the Leader of the PN welcomed three new candidates approved by the PN to contest the general election on Gozo: Frank Anthony Tabone, Norma Camilleri, and PN International Secretary Beppe Galea – who was unable to attend due to illness.
PN MPs Chris Said and Alex Borg, Shadow Minister for Gozo, also addressed the meeting.
Frank Anthony Tabone spoke about how, for a Labour Government, the safety of the Gozitans is not a priority; “we are witnessing criminal activity and an increase in drug trafficking, which is concerning many Gozitans. Under a PN Government, there was a dedicated drug squad that no longer exists,” he said.
Tabone added, “a new Nationalist Government will increase the number of stationed police in Gozo and reopen local police stations so Gozo is safer for both Gozitans and visitors to the island.”
Norma Camilleri spoke about the healthcare sector and the issues Gozitans are facing in this field. She said Gozitan patients suffer twice over because of inefficient services, bureaucracy, or lack of services, often having to endure the added inconvenience of travelling to Malta for treatment.
Meanwhile, she said, “a company with no healthcare experience pocketed millions, Gozo was left without a hospital, and the Government is still dragging its feet on retrieving public funds.” She added that the Government must be transparent about what is happening with healthcare in Gozo, and that a government without a holistic health plan cannot give Gozitans the service they deserve.
In his remarks, Chris Said thanked the new candidates for stepping forward and saying ‘yes’ to serve Gozo and the Gozitans, noting that it is no easy task to put oneself to the test. He mentioned that candidates in last June’s local council elections did the same, resulting in very good results for the PN in Gozo. He said those elected are an example of how a new Nationalist Government would operate in Gozo.
Chris Said criticised the Labour Government for bringing the country to its knees and leaving Gozo – where Nationalist Governments have always invested – abandoned and without investment. The Nationalist MP said that whenever our country found itself at a crossroads, it always chose a Nationalist Government to set it back on the right path. He added that this is what will happen again in the next election, because the Labour Party that created today’s problems cannot solve them.
Shadow Minister for Gozo Alex Borg spoke about the strong team the Nationalist Party has for Gozo. He said that in the next general election, the united team in Gozo will see the island move forward once again.
He stressed that the Labour Government has neglected Gozo in every sector. Alex Borg said that while tourism in Gozo should be a priority, “the Labour Government has cut investment in this sector, yet still found €70,000 for the Minister for Tourism’s wife for a job doing nothing in Gozo. This is a Government of who you know.”
Borg insisted that “Gozitans deserve far better than what they have seen over the past eleven years. The Government has left Gozo’s infrastructure lacking and under-invested, so today Gozo’s roads are in a derelict state. It has abandoned Gozitans when it comes to healthcare, leaving them without a hospital to this day.”
“The Labour Government has deceived Gozitans time and again and is treating them like second-class citizens. For the Nationalist Party, Gozo is a gem, and with the PN team, Gozo will once again have a Government that recognises its true potential,” concluded Alex Borg.
Photo: PN