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GOZOTODAY 1 November 2024

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4 gozotoday | FRIDAY • 1 NOVEMBER 2024 NEWS CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 "Capital expenditure in Gozo has been slashed by €4.75 million for next year, taking it down to pre-2020 levels," he told GozoTo- day. Camilleri said that this Budget highlights the quality of life of the Gozitan and Maltese popu- lation and therefore the general well-being of the citizens. "A cornerstone of this invest- ment is the inauguration and the operation of Gozo's Aquatic and Sports Centre, the largest sports project in the island's history," he said. "This facility is expected to provide advanced sports facilities and recreational opportunities for residents and visitors alike with an Olympic size swimming pool." SEE GOZO MINISTER CLINT CAMILLERI'S OPINION ARTICLE PAGE 7 'Nothing new' Borg criticised the fact that the Budget made no mention of the new law courts, the new hospital, the Marsalforn breakwater or the fourth ferry for Gozo Channel Co. Ltd. "The fact that no new projects are included in next year's Budget means that private enterprise will hesitate before investing in Gozo," he said. "And despite the Government's insistence that it wants to attract quality business to Gozo, no new incentives what- eoever were included." Borg said that the Government might have a ministry dedicated to Gozo, but the Budget showed the government was not commit- ted to Gozo. "The budget across many sec- tors has been reduced and most of the projects mentioned have been included in previous years' budgets, without anything being done about them," he said. Gozo Business Chamber The Gozo Business Chamber said that the budget acknowledg- es both the economic value and the social and environmental im- pact of the economy. It said it agrees with the estab- lishment of a migration policy based on skills. "In this context, a national mi- gration policy should be struc- tured in such a way as to estab- lish high-value-added niches in Gozo. The Chamber believes this could be another important step in supporting Gozo's economy," the Chamber said. "Throughout the consultation process to be undertaken the Chamber should be consulted to address Gozo's specific needs while taking concrete steps to create high-value-added nich- es in Gozo. Gozo should have an important role in the Vision 2050 strategy to start contributing to the national economy with the establishment of specific high-val- ue-added niches." The Chamber also agreed with the incentives to promote occu- pational pension plans, saying this is an important step for retirees to continue strengthening their income. But it lamented there was no mention of the new hospital in the budget speech. "While the budget mentions projects like the Elderly Home in Gozo, the new school in Rabat, and the new Aquatic Centre, all of which are positive initiatives, there is no mention of the new hospital," it said. "The Chamber hopes that, as announced, work will begin on this project, which is greatly needed on every level." One of the proposals made by the Gozo Business Chamber was to establish a startup incubator at the Gozo Innovation Hub. But while several investments in Malta are mentioned in the budget, including in the dig- ital sector, there is no mention of investments in this sector in Gozo. On connectivity, the Cham- ber welcomed the Government's commitment to Gozo's connec- tivity. "This commitment was clearly shown through the new schedule for the fast ferry service and the announced investment in the ru- ral airfield. However, the Cham- ber believes that for this commit- ment to be fulfilled, there should be a long-term outlook on mari- time connectivity, with alternative plans to ensure that, in case of incidents or dangers, as happened recently, Gozo has alternative solutions for emergency travel." The Chamber also welcomed the incentives for non-commer- cial farmers who have agricultural land leased from the Government to enter into arrangements with commercial farmers willing to work that land. In the construction sector, the Chamber noted positively the extension of the exemption from Capital Gains Tax and stamp duty on the purchase of property in Ur- ban Conservation Areas (UCA), and that the grant given to first- time buyers in Gozo remains at €40,000. "The Chamber also notes the in- vestment in the restoration of his- torical sites, the carnival, and the new museum," it said. "The Chamber believes that the cultural sector has an impor- tant role in Gozo, and that it can become in itself an important tourism niche. In this sense, in- vestment in the cultural sector should continue, resulting in fi- nancial support for voluntary en- tities that organize high-quality cultural events. The Chamber al- so believes that, as proposed, the Government should also seek col- laboration with private entities in this sector." Gozo Tourism Association The Gozo Tourism Associtaion (GTA) said this Budget address- es the country's social aspect through various measures includ- ing tax reductions, subsidies on energy, fuels and cereals prices, increases on the different catego- ries of social benefits, the issues related to excessive traffic as well as immigration. "Moreover, this budget also aims to project an economic vision for the coming years," it said. "It pro- poses that the country's economic objective should not only be that of generating growth but should also focus on providing society with a better quality of life." For the GTA, the country should focus on moving towards better quality rather than an increase in quantity. This also relates to tourism, where the Budget speech aims to attain an increase in the per capi- ta expenditure of the tourists who visit our islands more than a larger volume of visitors we attract. "Quality over quantity is also valid for the sister island. Gozo is endowed with unique characteris- tics which we need to uphold and preserve since that is an effective way to safeguard its value and sus- tainability enabling us to offer a touristic product that attracts quality tourism," the GTA said. On the negative side, the GTA noted that although the budget speech in- cludes references to the continued endeavours to address Gozo's double in- sularity as well as the com- mitment towards ensuring its better connectivity, there is no mention of any plans regard- ing the acquisition of a fourth new ferry, the replacement of the ex- isting Gozo Channel fleet or any infrastructural developments for Mġarr harbour. "In conclusion - whilst welcom- ing measures in favour of invest- ment for the restoration of herit- age sites, together with financial assistance to sustain the contin- ued enhancement of the Gozo carnival, as well as the continu- ation of the new Gozo museum - the GTA feels that this budget could have encompassed more measures addressing Gozo's spe- cific needs." 'With no new projects earmarked for Gozo, private businesses will hesitate to invest' Pn spokesman for Gozo, Alex Borg (inset) says the Budget provides no detail on a new location for the Gozo law courts "While the budget mentions projects like the Elderly Home in Gozo, the new school in Rabat, and the new Aquatic Centre, all of which are positive initiatives, there is no mention of the new hospital."

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