Leader of the Nationalist Party Alex Borg answered a number of questions during a political activity in Nadur, Gozo, put to him by various people of different ages on issues that directly affect people’s daily lives – including youth, the elderly, farmers, professionals in the health sector, and environmental protection.
Alex Borg said that over the past week he met students at the Junior College and the University – and there he witnessed how the politics being practised by the Nationalist Party is once again drawing in young people.
A question put to Alex Borg came from Talitha Buttigieg, a Sixth Form student, who raised the difficulties faced by young Gozitans in continuing their studies or finding quality employment in Gozo.
Alex Borg said that he himself had gone through the same challenges and explained that under a Nationalist Government, Gozo must truly become a centre of innovation and enterprise. To achieve this, greater investment is needed in post-secondary and tertiary education so that Gozitans will not have to cross to Malta in order to study.
He also pointed out that the average wage in Gozo is lower than that in Malta and said this must be rectified so that wages in Gozo match those in Malta for the same work.
Marita Meilak, an elderly Gozitan woman, spoke about the problems of connectivity and healthcare, which increase loneliness among the elderly. Alex Borg reassured the elderly that a PN Government would ensure that they find “state-of-the-art health services in Gozo itself, as they deserve.”
He said that this would mean that the elderly would no longer need to depend on unnecessary trips to Malta. Among the measures mentioned was the setting up of a Reconstitution Pharmacy in Gozo, so that cancer patients in Gozo can receive the treatment they need within Gozo itself.
The question from Hayden Theuma, a university student, concerned the condition of the roads and connectivity.
The Leader of the PN said that the problem of connectivity affects everyone, not only young people. He spoke about elderly people who cannot use the Nikolaos due to lack of accessibility and how this disheartens them from visiting their children or relatives in Malta.
“A new Nationalist Government will improve the fleet of ferries and invest in a vessel dedicated to cargo, making Gozo more competitive,” said Borg. “In addition, the PN in Government had invested in Gozo’s roads, but this Government has completely abandoned the island, and today the roads are in a pitiful state. A new Nationalist Government will invest in Gozo because this island has great potential.”
Horace Vella, a Gozitan farmer, spoke about the high costs and lack of support in the agricultural sector. Alex Borg maintained that a PN led Government “wants to protect farmers and fishermen because it believes in them and in everything that is Maltese.”
Borg stressed that, “it was for this same reason that earlier this week PN presented a bill that makes the environment a fundamental human right. Yet instead of seizing the opportunity to use politics to improve people’s lives, the Government ended up instructing Ministers to call and threaten organisations that did not criticise the PN’s bill.”
He stated that “rather than voting for this bill to move to committee stage – where it could have been amended as needed – the Government halted the discussion by voting against it. Nevertheless, it is now evident that the PN is setting the national agenda, as the Labour Government immediately launched a Green Paper to discuss the environment. Farmers and fishermen will always find full support from a Nationalist Government that will continue to encourage investment in these vital sectors.”
Leanne Micallef, Occupational Therapist, raised a point about the lack of professionals in the health sector and the difficulties faced by Gozitans who must travel to Malta for treatment.
Alex Borg explained that a new Nationalist Government, apart from ensuring that Gozo has a modern hospital, will also ensure that health in general and quality of life become government priorities once again. Borg added that it was for this reason that in his Shadow Cabinet he appointed two new spokespersons – one for Preventive Care and another for Neurodiversity.
Ludvic Saliba, a young Gozitan, asked for Alex Borg’s reaction to the weekend surveys and how the PN plans to attract more young people to politics.
He said that many of the youths he has met in the last week told him that the new energy he brought was giving them new hope. The PN Leader stated that young people have already begun taking an interest in politics once more and that he will ensure they remain an absolute priority within the PN’s political vision.
Alex Borg said that the survey results clearly show that the Nationalist Party is once again becoming the natural home of young people.
However, the PN Leader continued, “this is only the beginning and there is still much work to be done.” He stated that the successes achieved by the PN in recent years in Gozo are now being reflected in Malta as well.
“These surveys have shown where the PN is doing well and where it must work harder. Yet with the renewed energy that now fills the Nationalist Party and by staying close to the people and listening to everyone, the PN will walk this long road together with the people – to give a bright future to our Malta and Gozo,” concluded Alex Borg.
Photo: PN