Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/1529124
3 gozotoday | FRIDAY • 8 NOVEMBER 2024 NEWS GozoToday is a weekly newspaper focused primarily on Gozo. It hopes to serve as a source of information on business, culture, entertainment and of course current affairs. Gozo has a special charm about it but it is also a bustling Island with an identity of its own. We will strive to bring you the news over the next three months. GozoToday is published every Friday and is available to numerous outlets in Gozo and on the ferries that carry so many visitors to Gozo from Malta and beyond. GozoToday MediaToday Co. Ltd Vjal ir-Rihan San Gwann SGN 9016 EDITOR: PAUL COCKS Tel: (356) 21 382741-3, 21 382745-6 Website: www.maltatoday.com.mt E-mail: dailynews@mediatoday.com.mt CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 "I have held meetings with international companies to ex- plore this possibility, especially with regards to the Gozo Inno- vation Hub, which is an excel- lent facility but isn't currently being used to its full potential," Schembri said. The Gozo Innovation Hub, a €9 million project which opened in 2019, has had a sluggish start. Despite the initial promise of turning Gozo into a centre for technology and innovation, the hub currently houses only four companies, a far cry from the thriving business complex ini- tially envisioned. Schembri admitted that the GIH has been underutilised, with a significant amount of space sitting idle years after its opening. He stressed that Gozo now offers a unique opportunity for "back-office work in niche in- dustries like gaming develop- ment and financial services," suggesting that high-paid work- ers in these fields would appreci- ate Gozo's quieter environment, rather than the busier settings of St Julians, Sliema or Gżira. In Schembri's words, Gozo's appeal lies in its more relaxed lifestyle combined with new, im- proved infrastructure. "Gozo presents an ideal set- ting," he said, adding that digital industries might be better suited to the island than previously as- sumed. He explained that the recent addition of a second digital ca- ble between Malta and Gozo resolves previous connectivity issues that deterred internation- al business. Previously, the lack of a reliable second connection raised seri- ous concerns in digital indus- tries, where any downtime could spell major financial losses. "The fact that we now have two cables provides us with peace of mind," Schembri said, noting that companies had previously expressed concerns about the potential loss of millions in prof- its if the sole cable linking Malta and Gozo were to fail. Two digital cables between Malta and Gozo will 'give businesses peace of mind' The Gozo Innovation Hub opened in 2019 but has remained largely unoccupied since