There are a number of projects that need to be carried out in Gozo, some of which are more urgent than others.

For example, there is an urgent need for a new court building in Gozo. The Gozo Chamber of Advocates had insisted that the relevant authorities should take the appropriate decisions without further delay and identify a suitable site to host the Gozo Court building. It spoke of lack of space in the present Gozo Courts and also spoke of how the current building is inaccessible for certain people, such as the elderly and persons with disabilities. The Nationalist Party had highlighted the same issues in a statement of its own. The PN has said that it is not accessible for people with disabilities and the elderly; has a severe lack of space for workers, judges, lawyers, legal prosecutors, and the public; and lacks sufficient courtrooms for hearings.

A more suitable location must be found, and sooner rather than later.

Then there is the Marsalforn breakwater project. The government undertook a great project on the locality's promenade, with the refurbishment that took place. However, the Marsalforn breakwater project is needed to protect the area from storms and bad weather. It has been badly hit in the past. MaltaToday reported in October that an environment impact assessment found that the construction of two new breakwaters and rubble groynes will come at a cost to the marine ecosystem, as around 10,300 square metres of protected Posidonia Oceanica seagrass are expected to be permanently lost. To mitigate the damage, it highlighted that the EIA recommends considering compensatory measures such as transplanting adult Posidonia plants or planting seeds in degraded areas around the site. One wonders if the government can explore other means of carrying out the project which would not have such an impact. But it should do so quickly, as the area does need protection.

Another issue concerns Victoria in Gozo. The locality has a parking problem. In Summer, a preliminary market consultation to determine the feasibility of the potential development of a car park on several levels complemented by open green space in the Great Siege Square of Rabat, Gozo, was launched by the Gozo Regional Development Authority. Such a car park could be the solution to this problem, while at the same time providing a new open space on top of it.

This site was also originally also planned to house the law courts, however new plans suggest that the site will not house the courts, and instead will house a commercial centre. This begs the question, why is the government putting commercial interests ahead of a project that could solve all the issues that the Gozo courts have?

Another point that must be mentioned is the Gozo ferry. It was good to hear the Prime Minister state that the government plans to issue a new tender for a fourth ferry to operate between Malta and Gozo when he spoke in Parliament in October. Ideally, he said, the fourth vessel would be owned and controlled by the ferry company. The MV Nikolaus was only meant to be a short-term solution, pending the commissioning of a new vessel, but it has been in use for years and it is the one most dislike by commuters. 

When speaking to this newsroom, PN MP Alex Borg, who is the party's spokesperson for Gozo, brought up another issue. The other three ferries are now over 20 years old. "We need a succession plan in terms of these three vessels as well, to eventually replace them." It would be good for the government to work on such a plan as eventually they will need to be replaced.

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