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IT and Investments Minister Austin Gatt has taken umbrage at Labour’s statements on Government’s policy with regards to Gozo and the Gozitans, accusing the Labour leader Alfred Sant of being “hypocritical” and “opportunistic” when it comes to the island of Gozo.
Reacting to Sant’s statements on the recent increases in the Gozo Channel fares, Gatt said between 1998 and 2004 fares did not increase but had been reduced back to 1981 levels. He said that in 1997 Labour had imposed a 75 per cent increase in passenger fares for non-Gozitans and a 28 per cent increase for Gozitans travelling by car. He said the Nationalist government had been subsidising the Gozo Channel to the tune of Lm6.5 million a year.
Government has also introduced a frequent traveller scheme and a Gozo by night scheme to further incentivise more travelling between the islands, Gatt said. He added that a forum had been established grouping the Gozo Tourism Association, the Gozo Business Chamber, the Malta Tourism Authority, the Gozo Ministry and the IT and Investments Ministry to offer proposals to the Gozo Channel to encourage more travel to Gozo.
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