9 comments so far.Yes to a permanent link between Gozo & Malta – F.O.O.A.G.
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The Friends of Australia Association – Gozo Branch (F.O.A.A.G.) at its Wednesday, 2nd February 2011 executive committee meeting has unanimously decided to support a motion presented by its Founding-President, Dr Raymond C. Xerri, agreeing with the proposal presented to the Government by The Hon. Dr Chris Said, Parliamentary Secretary, to conduct a study about a permanent link between Gozo and Malta.
The motion explained that Gozo needs COMPLETE ACCESS for persons (with a metro line from Victoria to Valletta and beyond), and a tunnel or bridge for goods to be transported, and the interisland cable links which are still missing for services and capital to flow freely between the islands. These four freedoms must be realised if Gozo is to truly be part of the European Continent and eliminate once and for all the debilitating issue of dual or triple insularity.
YES, the F.O.A.A.G. agrees with a permanent link, BUT it must not only be a tunnel or bridge but it must include the following: (1) alongside a tunnel or bridge a one metro line linking Victoria to Valletta, University of Malta, Mater Dei, Freeport, Malta International Airport, etc., as proposed by our founder, Dr Raymond C. Xerri in 1990 when he was a member of the Planning Consultative Committee of then Planning Authority. An academic paper was published on the ‘Gozo Observer’ journal of the University of Malta – Gozo Centre entitled, ‘Gozo as an Ecological Island – Some Proposals,’ No. 18, June 2008 pages 16-18. (2) The ICT links missing between Malta and Gozo to allow ICT clusters, online gaming companies, financial and capital services and other similar businesses to flourish on Gozo to part of this study. These proposals will revolutionise our country for the good, forever.
With the above metro link proposals, Maltese and Gozitans can be the other side of the country in 20-30 minutes not as today in 2-3 hours due to the choking traffic. It is the only way Malta can reach its EU air quality and emission targets and not choke in exhaust. The metro line will compliment well the ECO-Gozo Project.
YES, we completely agree with the proposal of The Honourable Dr Chris Said, Parliamentary Secretary and urge him to include the above proposals in this study. The question of costs should never be an issue, if Gozitans are not to remain second class citizens of Malta in terms of COMPLETE ACCESS.
The Friends of Australia Association
Can we just be realistic here for a moment? Does anyone actually think that the bridge/tunnel idea is going to happen in the near future? With an election coming in the not too distant future the PN find themselves in a situation whereby they feel, probably rightly so, that they are going to lose that election. So they are out to win as many votes as they can, simple as that. By proposing a link between the islands they are going to win favour with the majority of business and tourist personnel on both sides, as well as the majority of Gozitans who travel over on a daily basis for work or school.
I would suggest though that much like the Eco-Gozo concept that reared its head prior to the last election we will still be discussing the matter in years to come. About the only real movement in regard to the Government’s Eco-Gozo policy that has so far appeared is someone dressed as a bee!
As for the backing given by Dr Raymond C. Xerri in his capacity as Founding-President of The Friends of Australia Association – Gozo Branch can I suggest that the Government don’t take this too seriously. From what I remember Dr. Xerri tends to change his mind on a regular basis with regard to what he does or doesn’t support. Wasn’t he once in the forefront supporting the Save Hondoq campaign and then suddenly decided that a marina might be a good idea?
Dear Mr. Tyrrell,
If you want to support the environment why don’t you go to Chagos, the Amazon, help Greenpeace or help the leprechauns find the end of the rainbow? since you seem to have so many answers. To me you sound like an astronaut on a boat because you know what to do but unfortunately you have the wrong vessel. As others have told you before me I can’t believe how you can intrude in things which matter to us Gozitans. Also I think the PN could have found something much easier to win votes from. Regarding the Government’s Eco-Gozo policy maybe you should be the next someone this time dressed as a mosquito! We want the tunnel, and I urge you to swim the channel if you don’t like the idea. Yahoo!!!
@S.Vella. No idea what you are talking about. Obviously it’s lost in the translation somewhere.
By the way where in what I wrote above did I say that I was against the idea of a tunnel? I actually like the idea of a tunnel, I just think it’s being used by the Government as a vote catcher. As I have pointed out before any form of link between Malta and Gozo should be down to the people it will impact most, the Gozitans.
Maybe if you read things better before jumping in with comments you would find that you had more support.
Dr. Said is proposing a tunnel which he estimates will cost 150 million euros, According to last Sundays newspapers this tunnel could cost 500 million euros.
So I would like to Ask how much is Dr. Xerri’s proposal going to cost? Now that he has added a metro line from Valletta to Victoria, includuing uni, freeport hospital etc..etc.. ? His proposal sounds like it is going to cost billions of euros ….One more question where is he going to get the money for this proposal from???????????
While I think we need some kind of permanent link .We surely need to have a decent and a serious Study of how much things cost and feasability study etc etc
Dr Xerri it`s good to have dreams but can we afford them?
@ Mr Tyrrell you certainly hit the nail on the head .We wait and see what Dr Xerri will say next
I quote you ” As I have pointed out before any form of link between Malta and Gozo should be down to the people it will impact most, the Gozitans.”
does the ANY FORM OF LINK also include the airstrip , cause last i heard(read) all your posts were always negative- it seems you must have recently bought Gozo and started to decide for us, how much was it 150m excl Vat, did you get a tax refund at least?
😉
@ S Vella,
I think you are being very unfair towards mr. Tyrell.
From what I’ve read whenever Mr. Tyrell writes about Gozo, it is very obvious (even though i do not know him) that he loves the island and that is why he writes the way he does..
In regards to the airstrip I agree with him that those who want the airplane and airstrip have no idea what they are talking about, because all that is going to happen, if it goes ahead, is another piece of virgin land is going to be destroyed for a white elephant. If . the helicopter service to start again is fine because that way no more land is destroyed!!
@S.Vella. Can I suggest that if you want to make a valid point then speak in plain English instead of trying to be clever with the silly remarks because unfortunately for you you’re not too good at it.
As you appear to be alluding to my thoughts on an airstrip then yes I’m 100% against an airstrip. Now why don’t you give us your views on an airstrip and how it will solve the daily problems for the Gozitan people? Is it going to be used by all the Gozitan workers who are forced to spend hours travelling every day just to get to work? Is it going to be used by all the Gozitan students who are forced to spend hours travelling every day just to get to school? Will you be able to take your car on the plane with you or will you be forced to rely on the fantastic Maltese bus service?
An airstrip will do nothing but use up more valuable Gozo land, cover up more Gozo history and spoil the peace and quiet of the island and if it existed tomorrow you may use it once or twice for the novelty value. It has been proven in numerous studies carried out by people involved in the airline industry that it would not be financially sustainable. Once the novelty wore off it would close its doors in the same way the helicopter service did because as a business it can’t survive on the hope that you or someone else may want to use it sometime.
A bridge or tunnel on the other hand would be of benefit to all the Gozitan people. Those with cars would be able to use the tunnel or bridge upon payment of a toll. Those without cars would be able to use public transport which would probably get a concession to use the tunnel at cheaper rates. Businesses would be able to transfer goods between the islands easier. If you wanted to drive to the airport to get a flight you wouldn’t have to worry about whether it was too rough for the ferry to sail so you could plan your trip easier and spend less time travelling.
The point is will it happen or is it just another ploy by the Government pre election to win votes and then the idea gets shelved after the election because after studies it is discovered that it’s not a viable solution?
It would be a great acheivement.In Cork Ireland where i live they made a trench and they placed square concrete tunnel perhaps you should look into it an idea could come from that…the tunnel is called Jack Lynch Tunnel.Cork Ireland.
I am interested in both proposals (tunnel, bridge) and have tried to find on a website the actual depth of the sea bed, before I make a sensible decision. If the seabed is deeper than fifty meters it may be impossible to construct a bridge safely, and then have it exposed to the forces created by storms. Similarly a tunnel at such depth may not be feasible.
Does anyone out there have information about the depth of the sea bed, and has there been any studies carried out where it is proposed to construct either a tunnel or bridge.