'Our yardstick is Germany, Muscat’s is Cyprus' - Gonzi

Employment and job creation were once again high on the Prime Minister's agenda.

"We want the new generation of Gozitans to be equipped with the tools to make a success of their lives, preferable in Gozo. Education is power, it opens doors and lets you be your own person without having to rely on others," Gonzi said.

"Do not get me wrong, we cannot all be university professors. We need a diverse mix of every type of profession in our economy. MCAST has given workers the necessary training for this facility to further embed itself in Malta.

"We give a generous allowance to Gozitan students who have to go to University or MCAST. This has helped Gozitans continue their studies. We are gradually migrating some university courses to Gozo. The next target is for exams to take place in here."

Speaking about his recent trip to Germany, Gonzi expressed his satisfaction at gaining Chancellor Angela Merkel's seal of approval. "Our yardstick is Germany, Muscat's is Cyprus," Gonzi said in a jibe aimed at Opposition leader Joseph Muscat's past claim that Malta should emulate the Cypriot economy.

Moving back to home shores, Gonzi drove home the point that Gozo has not been forgotten.

"We have not come to Gozo empty handed. We have come with projects to better Gozitans lives. Others came to Gozo and held a mass meeting, but not a single proposal for Gozitans was mentioned during his [Muscat's] speech.

"In these 5 years we have created 20,000 jobs for Maltese and Gozo. If we do not create another 20,000 jobs, students, women and pensioners would all be on the dole," Gonzi said.

"We lack natural resources. So how do we manage to offer free schooling and stipends? Where are the resources coming from? Education is the key."

Asked about the way the MEPA application process should be sped up, Gonzi said that a balance has to be struck between planning and environment. "MEPA's job is to ensure controlled development. I do not want to ruin the treasure that is the Gozitan Island. But we need a system that will allow for valid proposals to pass through the gauntlet faster. A delicate balance has to be struck between regulation and development

"It is difficult to overcome the challenge of Gozo's insularity, but we are trying. 10% of the EU funds that the country receives are ring-fenced for use in Gozo. Gozo is the ideal setting for business conferences. But for this to be done the relevant facilities are needed. More 4 and 5 star hotels are needed."

The PN's penchant for large underwater projects once again shone through. "Our preference is for an underwater tunnel if the studies show that this is viable.

And there was also a stark warning to voters toying with their vote: "We have seven weeks to persuade people to be careful. Whenever we had a Labour government instead of work chasing workers, workers were chasing work and unemployment rates shot up," Gonzi said.