THE government is looking forward to
the Planning Authority's decision on its
application for an extended airstrip in
Xewkija, despite the village's Labour-led
local council coming out against the
project, GozoToday has learned.
"The regeneration of the dilapidated
Gozo Heliport facility is an electoral
pledge, which we are committed in de-
livering.," Clint Camilleri, Minister for
Gozo and Planning, told this newspa-
per.
The Xewkija local council announced
last week it had unanimously voted
against the application for the develop-
ment of an air strip within the limits of
the locality.
"The Council believes that this project
will be a nuisance for Xewkin residents
and harmful to the environment includ-
ing increased pollution and loud nois-
es," a statement issued on Friday read.
PAGE 4
SMALL IS BEAUTIFUL
FRIDAY 4 OCTOBER 2024 • ISSUE 014 • PUBLISHED EVERY FRIDAY
gozotoday
MARIANNA
CALLEJA
mcalleja@mediatoday.com.mt
PAUL
COCKS
pcocks@mediatoday.com.mt
€1.00
More Gozitan
workers than
full-time jobs
available despite
employment
growth - study
Government 'committed to deliver
Gozo airstrip', minister says, even
after local council's objections
DESPITE a notable increase in employ-
ment figures for 2023, Gozo faces once
again, a lack of job opportunities for its
residents.
The 2023 statistics, as published by the
National Statistics Office, reports a rise
in the number of full-time workers.
But while 18,563 Gozitans held full-
time jobs in 2023, marking a nearly 5%
increase, the available jobs still fell short
of meeting the needs of the local work-
force.
PAGE 6
Photomontage of the proposal for the Gozo Airfield (Source: PDS at Doc PA/07333/22/1h)
