The Nationalist Party said in a statement that it supports the urgent call by the Gozo Business Chamber for “serious investment in Gozo’s accessibility.”

In a statement signed by Alex Borg, Shadow Minister for Gozo, said the words of the Gozo Business Chamber today precisely echo what the PN has long been saying, “the lack of planning and long-term thinking affecting the infrastructure and the quality of the maritime service between Malta and Gozo clearly shows that Gozo is not being given the priority it deserves”

Borg added that “the Gozitan community feels that Gozo has been left to fend for itself, and that the transport infrastructure investments being made in Malta are not being replicated in Gozo.”

In its statement, the Gozo Business Chamber declared that the Mgarr Port has long failed to keep up with the growing needs of the Gozitan community and economy, and that despite the addition of the MV Nikolaos, there are still serious shortcomings in planning and operations. “The urgent need for serious investment in connectivity has been further underscored in recent days, as the Nikolaos will be out of service until 19th May.”

The Shadow Minister highlighted that the Chamber also called for “stricter controls on the issuance of passes that allow vehicles to skip the queue when boarding the ferry.”

The Nationalist Party said that it joins the Gozo Business Chamber in calling for:

· Serious, strategic, and well-planned investment in Gozo’s port infrastructure;

· Full transparency in the issuance of queue-jumping passes;

· More efficient use of queueing zones at Cirkewwa;

· Expansion and improvement of the fast ferry service so that Gozitans are no longer marginalised in their own country.

“The PN believes that the connectivity between Malta and Gozo should no longer remain at the very bottom of the Government’s list of priorities,” said Borg. “Gozo and the Gozitans deserve an urgent and serious plan for investment in infrastructure and an efficient connectivity service.”

He stressed that “this is essential to ensure that those travelling between the islands can do so more comfortably, and so that commercial activity can continue to grow without hindrance.”

The Nationalist Party has long spoken about this issue, said the Shadow Minister, “and maintains that the maritime service between Malta and Gozo needs a new fleet of modern ferries that meet international environmental and safety standards.”

Alex Borg concluded by saying that, “what is most urgent now is for the Government to invest as soon as possible in a new vessel to replace the Nikolaos, which, despite being 36 years old, is being leased at a cost of thousands of euro per day, excluding fuel expenses. The PN is also calling for a serious study into the possibility of a fifth vessel dedicated exclusively to freight transport.”

File photo: Gozo News/Alain Salvary

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