A photo exhibition featuring the projects implimented during the past four years in Malta and Gozo through co-financing under the Malta Structural Funds Programme 2004-2006 and the Cohesion Funds Programme, is being held at the exhibition hall at the Ministry for Gozo.

Gozo, together with Malta, benefited from the five structural funds which include the European Regional Development Fund, the European Social Fund, the European Agricultural Giudance and Guarantee Fund and the Guidance Section, the Financial Instrument for Fisheries Guidance and the Cohesion Fund.

The Minister for Gozo, Giovanna Debono, visited this exhibition which portrays photos of the projects implimented in Gozo. The Minister explained that Gozo has benefited substantially through EU accession, especially in the environmental, agricultural, infrastructural and touristic sectors. Morever, due importance was also given to the development of human resources on the island. Various courses which were offered through ESF cofinancing, not only provided more learning opportunities for the participants, but also helped them to improve their working skills.

Minister Debono insisted that Gozo has benefited directly from several projects funded by the EU Structural Funds across all priority sectors, however it benefited substantially from Priority Axis 4 of the Single Programming document for Malta 2004-2006 which focused specifically on Gozo’s Regional Distinctiveness.

The main achievements in Gozo included training of over 600 persons that were already employed or were looking for jobs, in order to improve their skills and their career. Other persons benefited from another number of courses which treated agricultural and environmental subjects. Gozo benefited as well from infrastructural projects including the extension of the Centre for Arts and Crafts and the setting up of the Crafts Incubation Centre, an infrastructural upgrade at Ta’ Dbiegi Crafts Village, reconstruction of the Training Institute for Tourism Studies (ITS) in Qala, the provision of new cold storage facilities in Xewkija to maintain the quality of fisheries produce until it is marketed, and the upgrading of around 5 km of roads. These roads not only improved accessibility on the island, but also offer a higher safety standard.

The Gozitan tourism sector, which is a fundamental element in the socio-economic development of the island, was also one of the sectors which considerably gained through the investment affected during the past four years. This sector benefited mostly through the niche tourism projects including the Masterplan for the diving sector. This project included also the promotion of Gozo as a diving attraction in specialised publications, the scuttling of two vessels to create artificial dive sites and the setting up of a decompression chamber which was an added value to the potential which the island has as a diving destination. Another investment which is of benefit in this sector are the state of the art showcases at the Museum of Archaeology. Through this project unique prehistoric artefacts found in the Brochtorff Circle in Gozo may now be displayed on a permanent basis.

The Minister for Gozo also praised the initiative taken by Gozitan entities and individuals who partecipated and benefited from a number of projects launched both on a national as well as on a regional basis. A number of farmers suceeded in improving the conditions of their farms and fields, while operators in the tourism sector improved their establishment facilities. ‘This augurs well for the coming years as the government is to allocate again 10% of the European funds to be invested directly in projects for the island of Gozo’, Minister Giovanna Debono concluded.

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