6 comments so far.Priority boarding not aimed at increasing fares, but to help passengers – Minister
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Replying to a Parliamentary question put by Jason Azzopardi, a Nationalist MP, on priority boarding for Gozo Channel the Minister for Gozo Dr Anton Refalo, said that the aim was not increase fares, but to help those who urgently needed to cross between the two islands.
The proposal for prioirty boarding had been discussed with stakeholders, the Minister said, who agreed with its possible implementation.
Dr Refalo also said that alternative means of travel are also being looked at, including an environmentally friendly air strip and a fast ferry service. A study is also taking place on a permanent link between the two islands.
The Minister pointed out that all the studies would consider the viability and impact of the projects.
Would the minister care to tell us what exactly an “environmentally friendly air strip” is? Would the minister also care to tell us why something that has always been seen through numerous studies as being financially unsustainable is going to be financed? Are the Government going to pay for it and if so for how long? Once they discover what is already known that it can’t sustain itself financially will they return the ground to the way it was before they built their “environmentally friendly air strip,” or will they leave it as it is for their business friends with their flying toys to play with as their own private little airstrip, which after all is the only reason they want to build one in the first place?
Please Mr Tyrell can you give us an idea how can you increase jobs in Gozo, because with the beautiful nature that we have in Gozo there is a much higher unemployment rate than Malta.
Peter I’m trying to understand in what way building and airstrip on Gozo is going to increase employment? Perhaps you would care to enlighten us. Practically the biggest earner on Gozo as you well know is tourism. That sector must be protected at all costs. Why do tourists and indeed Maltese flock to Gozo Peter? They do so because it is quiet compared to Malta. In all the years I have been coming I have never spent a holiday in Malta and would never even consider it because the island has been destroyed in order to please developers. Do you want the same thing to happen to Gozo? In order to increase the jobs in Gozo you use what you have at hand. You exploit the beautiful nature that you refer to in a sustainable way. If I was trying to deal with unemployment on Gozo I would concentrate on the tourism side and in particular niche tourism which the island lends itself to. I’m talking about photographic tourism,
religious tourism, cultural and heritage tourism, tradition and culture-based tourism,
adventure tourism, wild-life tourism, and special interest tourism. What I would not do is build an airstrip for my financial backers to land their toys on and in the process cause harm to the tourism market.
I think James makes some valid points.
Mr Tyrell while I agree with some points that you mentioned you said that ‘In all the years I have been coming I have never spent a holiday in Malta and would never even consider it because the island has been destroyed ‘. So how do you explain that things in the touristic sector in the Maltese islands are the opposite that you said.
While in Malta hotels are increasing and others are expanding and enjoying tourists all the year round in Gozo hotels decreased because of lack of tourists that spend their holidays here.
Peter it`simple . Why do all the tour operators bring all their tourists on their last day to Gozo? And also tour operators are all from Malta and they want to keep all the cake for them