On Sunday morning, during an interview conducted by Newsbook Malta’s journalist Owen Teuma in Sannat, Gozo, the Leader of the Nationalist Party Bernard Grech reiterated the party’s commitment to respecting the identity, cultural heritage, and potential of the island of Gozo, while implementing policies that offer a truly sustainable future for Gozo and the Gozitans.

He said that the Nationalist Party “has long maintained that Gozo should have a Regional Council composed of Gozitans with the authority to make decisions, because it is Gozitans, more than Maltese, who truly understand the realities of Gozo

In the activity, which took the form of a Q&A session, the PN Leader answered a number of questions from Gozitan youths on various topics related to Gozo, which nevertheless also affect the wider population.

Bernard Grech stated that Gozo deserves a clear future; a future for its children, a future where promises are kept, and above all, a government that stands by its word and does not treat Gozitans as second-class citizens, as the current Labour Government is doing.

He insisted that “it is enough to see how this Government has failed the Gozitans in the most basic and essential matter – connectivity with Malta. In 13 years, the Labour Government has only managed to give Gozitans the MV Nikolaos, a rusting vessel unfit for passengers, for which we are paying €13,000 a day for an eight-hour service.”

Grech vowed that “a new Nationalist Government will restore quality connectivity for Gozitans through a new fleet of four passenger ferries and one exclusively for cargo. It will also improve the ports and their surrounding infrastructure to ensure that the journey between the two islands is safe and pleasant.”

“Gozo has great potential when it comes to high-quality tourism, much more than what it is currently experiencing,” said Grech. In Government, the PN will first strengthen connectivity so that a tourist arriving at the airport who wishes to go directly to Gozo can do so with a comfortable and efficient journey.

Moreover, he added a new Nationalist Government will provide incentives for tourists to spend more days in Gozo in hotels and tourist accommodations, and not just visit for a single day, promoting tourism throughout the entire year.

A new PN Government “will improve night travel between the two islands and invest in attracting more tourists seeking niche experiences such as trekking, diving, agrotourism, and more. This can also be achieved through the use of available European funds aimed at these goals,” said Grech.

He went on to say that Gozo’s small size and unique character can be an advantage if used in the best possible way. “A new Nationalist Government aims to give more opportunities to small businesses in Gozo that produce traditional goods, helping them obtain higher European quality certifications.”

The PN wants to see local artisanal enterprises compete with foreign products on digital platforms, said Grech. “Industries in Gozo should be protected through fiscal incentives and financial aid to enhance their products. This, combined with training programmes and campaigns promoting Gozitan local products, will further boost Gozo’s industry and economy and continue creating job opportunities in Gozo for Gozitans.”

The PN Leader stressed that “the island of Gozo cannot move forward when its infrastructure is in a pitiful state. Even here, the Labour Government has long let Gozitans down. Today, Gozo’s roads are in a dire condition. Gozo needs its own agency to plan its infrastructural work.”

Grech stated that “a Nationalist Government will establish this agency to coordinate infrastructural works more efficiently, with clear and detailed planning, while keeping citizens informed of upcoming projects. This agency would manage specific funds allocated for infrastructure improvement and demand high standards of workmanship and quality materials and technology, so Gozo and the Gozitans get the infrastructure they deserve for today’s times.”

Modernisation must also reach the employment sector, said Grech. “To give Gozitan youth and adults more quality job opportunities, a new Nationalist Government will incentivise the creation of co-working spaces and assist companies offering specialised jobs by providing the space they need to start or expand their operations. A new Nationalist Government wants Gozitan youths to succeed in their business ambitions through fiscal incentives and a special fund, the Gozo Youth Entrepreneurs Fund, to provide the support they need to establish their enterprises.”

“Strong communities also need places for rest and recreation. A new Nationalist Government will ensure the creation of modern cultural, sporting, and social spaces that provide an attractive environment for young people and strengthen communities,” he said.

“Where the Labour Government has wasted years of Gozitans’ lives, a new Nationalist Government will offer them the healthcare service they deserve,” said Grech. “First and foremost, it will establish clear and transparent implementation timelines for the construction of the new hospital, with all phases clearly communicated, when they start and when they end, because to date,even the Government itself doesn’t seem to know what’s going on, and the phases have turned into a game of bingo.”

He added that “until the new hospital is completed, the PN in Government will ensure better service for Gozitans within Gozo itself by improving services and equipment at the Gozo General Hospital, and by launching a public-private collaboration programme, while incentivising Gozitan professionals to offer their services locally so that Gozitans are better served.”

Asked about the Partit Nazzjonalista’s position on development in Gozo, Bernard Grech affirmed that Gozo deserves development that reflects modern times but also respects people’s quality of life.

“Development in Gozo must be carried out with full respect for the island’s unique character and natural environment. Like any other island aiming to grow economically, Gozo must keep up with the times, but the development required to achieve this must, first and foremost, place Gozitans at the centre. This is a Gozo for the Gozitans, and its development must serve to improve their quality of life, not diminish it,” he said.

Bernard Grech also responded regarding the PN’s proposal for Gozo to have its own Regional Council. The PN Leader said the party has always believed that Gozitans are best placed to make the right decisions for Gozo, noting that it was in fact the PN that created the Ministry for Gozo upon coming to Government in 1987.

He concluded by saying that “a new Nationalist Government will empower Gozitans to shape their own future and that of the island of Gozo.”

Photo: PN

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