Former Prime Minister Alfred Sant has said that “under EU rules, while foreign competitors could not be discriminated against, neither could home concerns be placed at a disadvantage in competitive terms.”

He stated this during a fact finding trip to Gozo to see at first hand developments in the business sector there. the EP candidate visited among other units, a workshop that specialises in the maintenance and repair of fishing boats, he also visited a local supermarket in Victoria.

“Old traditional skills of fishing boats repair have been updated to take into account developments in boat design and the addition of modern instrumentation. Due to the restrictions that in past years have been imposed on fishing operations due to EU regulations, there has been a marked reduction in the volume of boats in use, leading to a corresponding decline in the repair and maintenance sector.”

Alfred Sant was informed that there has however, been an increase in operations since the beginning of the year and it was envisaged that the business could expand if a new yacht marina becomes a reality in Gozo.

Alfred Sant also visited the G&R supermarket in Victoria and discussed recent developments in the retail sector in Gozo. Dr Sant was told that “changes had taken place due to the opening in Gozo of a branch of a foreign supermarket chain which overnight absorbed a significant percentage of the retail market.”

Alfred Sand said that “though Gozitan retailers have been hit hard by this development they are coming back into the picture. Their plan is to compete head on in price and quality.”

“They report that the situation has stabilised, allowing them to make new distribution arrangements and find new sources of goods at competitive prices. However, they will need to invest further in order to be able to compete and are insistent that they should be treated on an equivalent basis as their rival,” Dr Sant concluded.

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