Leader of the Nationalist Party Bernard Grech has said that “the work created by the government in Gozo is low-wage work with companies that provide services to the government.”
Addressing a political rally in Xaghra on Saturday evening, Grech said that “more than 500 Gozitans are employed with these companies, which in turn take millions from the government.”
He said that a new Nationalist government would stop all this and employ these workers directly with the government or its companies and the money the companies are taking will increase in the wages of the workers.
Grech said that the island of Gozo “has always been dear to the Nationalist Party.” He stressed that a new Nationalist government wants Gozo to become a “more autonomous island” so that the decisions of planning, of new economic niches and the many areas that affect Gozitans, are taken by the Gozitans themselves.
“Therefore we will give Gozo a Regional Council elected by the Gozitans, with executive powers and with all the necessary finances to carry out initiatives and projects,” he said.
He also stated that a new Nationalist government would strongly incentivise the private sector to attract workers with excellent wages in Gozo itself.
Grech added that it would “invest in better services and we will consider Gozo as a particular economy that needs a specific recovery plan. We would strive for Gozo to once again host specialised service companies that create quality jobs in Gozo itself.”
He went on to say that in addition, an international education hub would be developed in Gozo to attract high-level foreign students, while continuing to invest in holistic education for our children at all levels.
“A new Nationalist government will ensure that the Gozitan tourism industry comes to life after the pandemic, gets back on its feet and safeguards its future, so that it can once again be a powerful economic engine for Gozitans,” said Grech.
The Leader of the Nationalist Party ended his speech by saying that “Gozo needs an immediate change of direction, before it is too late. To this end, we need to involve all stakeholders concerned so that the plan is drawn up by Gozitans and can then be put into practice by Gozitans themselves.