Once upon a time Gozo was considered as an “Island where time stood still.” When Gozitans knew each other by the first name and nickname. When life was slow and built around farmers and fishermen. When various crafts were practised by many others.

An island where transport between Gozo and the mainland of Malta was very much limited. When Gozo also lacked modern technology and information.

The outside world was slowly revealed to locals by visiting or returning emigrants. When newspapers were read at the Banca Guratale under the supervision of Mr George Pisani.

The market was full of vegetables and fish brought by horses and donkeys. Children running around with no traffic problems or fear as there were very few vehicles.

When the general transport was limited to just a few buses till early afternoon. Otherwise one had to walk to and from the beaches.

A time when laws and regulations were limited and not imposing. People were generally happy with their lives.

Hardship

Hardship was also experienced by Gozitans working over in the mainland when on weekends the ferry service was mostly disrupted by the weather. These workers had to stay over for up to three weeks without being able to cross over on weekdays, thus being deprived of their families and friends.

All of this was accepted, it had to be as no one ever bothered to better the lives of Gozitans until the mid fifties.

Nowadays

Nowadays Gozo has a very good connectivity with the outside world through better sea transport. This was a real blessing for the locals until the “sharks” started taking over.

Greed is a sickness which takes control over many individuals and the more they have, the more they want. These kind of people are never satisfied and their greed for more and more income takes over their lives, and ruins ours.

The problem with this is not that these people get rich overnight, but that their greed is causing irreparable damage to all of the local people. Gozo is being totally and irrevocably ruined by these parasitic types of people.

IllegalitiesJust in recent days we have been hearing of a court case where a previous government official is being taken to court for not observing a “Stop Notice of Works.”

My question is how are such numerous and continuous diggings, constructions and excavations taking place all over the Islands without being “stopped?”

So many public places and pavements are being taken over by shops and bars right under the eyes of all of the authorities without any action being taken against them? Why are the laws and regulations NOT being applied by those responsible?

After all these authorities are there to observe that ALL follow the law, not just the small individual who may have thrown a cigarette butt in the street.

Gozo Is Being Ruined

Our dear and once lovely tranquil island of Gozo is being ruined by some greedy and never satisfied individuals. It is more than ever becoming clear that these individuals have the “support and blessings” of several “high up people in authority.”

There is a “saying” that the “laws are strong with the weak – but weak with the strong.”

It is almost already too late for the tragic harm done to be rectified, so please stop all these illegalities and monstrosities, we must all come together and “Stop Them Now.”

Let us recover the beautiful unspoiled island of Gozo that we all cherish so dearly and stop the rampant greed that is destroying it.

Lino DeBono

File photos: Gozo News – Alain Salvary

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