PN bemoans Gozo budget measures

"Had it not been for the work creation schemes and measures introduced under previous Nationalist administrations, the work force in Gozo would be looking at a dire and much worse situation, characterised by a lack of investment, work schemes and soaring jobless rates," Opposition spokesperson for Gozo Giovanna Debono argued.

In a scathing attack on the government's budget measures, Debono and PN Secretary General Chris Said voiced their budget disapproval, particularly for its lack of creating schemes and employment opportunities in Gozo.

Addressing a press conference at the University of Malta, Chris Said and Giovanna Debono were up in arms with the government over its lack of job creation schemes, insisting that had it not been for the schemes the previous PN government implemented, Gozitan workers and youths would have a hard future up ahead, characterised by unemployment and lack of job creation schemes.

Despite the government allocating an additional €3 million to Gozo, the Opposition spokeswoman argued "that half of these funds are set to line the pockets of the excessive consultants and secretaries that the Gozo Ministry employed".

"The only measures that the government has implemented are the expression of interest in the yacht marina and the feasibility study of a Malta-Gozo bridge by a blacklisted Chinese company. Yet despite being met with increasing jobless rates and lack of job opportunities, the government's obstinate stance in not implementing any schemes will not yield any fruit for the Gozitan community in the near future."

It was previously announced that state-owned China Communications Construction Company Limited, which specialises in designing and constructing bridges will finance a €4 million study to assess the feasibility of a bridge between Malta and Gozo. However, it transpired that such firm was blacklisted by the World Bank.

On the other hand, Chris Said stated that the mere monthly 40c increase in stipends will not do anything to Gozitan students. Branding the measure as a "farce", Chris Said boasted that the PN government had previously allocated €1200 more to each Gozitan students in stipends.

"The present administration has responded to this by allocating a paltry 40c increase in stipends, a laughing matter which is presenting a distorted image of the reality."

While hitting out at the lack of budget measures in Gozo, Said explained that the only scheme it implemented was back office work scheme where civil workers will be allocated to Gozo.

"Following a parliamentary question by Labour MP Justyne Caruana to the Gozo Minister Anton Refalo, it has now transpired that only two workers during eight of a Labour legislature have been transferred to Gozo."
Lamenting the "worrying" position Gozitan workers presently face, Giovanna Debono explained that the PN government had implemented several schemes in Gozo, namely the back office work scheme, the employment data programme scheme, the micro investment scheme and the work and training exposure scheme.

While admitting that the rebuilding of the Gozo Courts and the investment in a new old people's home in Gozo is a step in the right direction, Debono remarked that this is reflective of the PN's work as it had acquired all the necessary MEPA permits and had conducted feasibility studies and consulted all the relevant bodies.

Meanwhile, Debono also hit out at the government following the removal of the Gozitan Health and Education sectors from the remit of the Gozitan ministry, claiming that such a stand would have adverse effects on Gozo.

"Coupled with the inexistent job creation schemes in Gozo, the government has inadvertently allocated the Health and Education sectors to their respective ministries in Gozo, a move which will have devastating repercussions and zero effect."

The Education and Health Ministries in Malta would not be aware of the situation in Gozo, and consequently, the bureaucracy rates for the mere implementation of a project in Gozo is set to be near impossible.

Debono explained that as a result of the decrease in funds, the previous investment programmes for Gozo, namely the Marsalforn Water Park, the Child Development Centre, and the investment in sports, housing and the disabled are not feasible anymore and look far from materialising.

In a fresh attack on the Individual Investment programme, Chris Said argued that following MAlta's bad publicity on international media, Malta's reputation is going down the drain.

"Malta's bad publicity on international media is embarrassing and the government stand to not publish the names of the beneficiaries hints that the names of the beneficiaries have already been agreed upon."

On his side, Fredrick Azzopardi lamented the government's "distorted budget" calling for the government to stop criticising the previous PN government and start acting promptly to increase workers and job schemes.

"Prior to its election win, the Labour Party had stated that it has a concrete roadmap for the country and that it would start to govern on the first day, yet eight months down the legislature, the PL government, most notably Prime Minister Joseph Muscat, is still criticising the PN administration and has not acted."

"While the Nationalist party invested in new terminals and in new vessels for the Gozo Harbour, the only investment the government has presented for increasing accessibility is the blacklisting of a Chinese firm in ordering the feasibility study of a new bridge."
Chris Said also criticised the government for its reduction in blood bank hours stating that the government is now providing a blood donation service, once every two weeks, whereas the PN government had provided the service on a daily basis.

"Consequently, Gozitan donors, who per capita donate more blood than Maltese donors, are met with a situation where they can only donate blood once every two weeks. This will ultimately adversely affect the Maltese and Gozitan patients who would be in dire need of blood."