Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/1536583
3 gozotoday | FRIDAY • 20 JUNE 2025 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. 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 Hondoq plant and Ta' Cenc reservoirs upgraded to improve Gozo's water supply CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 "Continuous economic development in Gozo means more water is needed to sup- port households and businesses. To keep up with this demand, WSC is committed to expanding desalination capabilities. More water production inevitably leads to more wastewater, which is why substantial upgrades to Gozo's sewage treatment plant are also planned. This major upgrade pro- ject is set at around €25 million and will en- sure sustainable wastewater management while protecting the environment," said Minister Miriam Dalli. Minister Clint Camilleri said that, "These strategic investments in water infrastruc- ture in Gozo ensure a sustainable and high-quality water supply for the island's residents. The upgrade of the Reverse Osmosis Plant in Ħondoq, along with the new system in the reservoirs at Ta' Ċenċ, will strengthen the resilience of our supply. Furthermore, the investment in the sewage treatment plant and the new New Water filtration plant will enhance the sustainable management of our water resources and support the agricultural sector in Gozo." At Ta' Ċenċ, a new system has been im- plemented to connect and make the reser- voirs interchangeable. Karl Cilia, CEO of Water Services Cor- poration, said that, "Our investment strat- egy in Gozo reflects our commitment to providing safe, high-quality water to all Maltese islands. By increasing desalina- tion capacity at Ħondoq and upgrading our reservoir network at Ta' Ċenċ, we are building resilience and flexibility into the system. At the same time, we recognise the importance of managing wastewater sustainably, which is why the planned up- grades to Gozo's sewage treatment plant are a crucial part of this integrated water cycle approach." Investment in a new water polishing plant is also envisaged as part of WSC's broader vision for water reuse in Gozo. This ad- vanced facility will treat effluent from the upgraded sewage treatment plant to even higher standards, producing high-qual- ity polished wa- t e r that can be safely re- u s e d for irrigation. As a result, the agricultural sector in Gozo will be better positioned to benefit from a more consistent and sus- tainable source of water. Momentum proposes electoral reform to keep Gozo as standalone district MOMENTUM has expressed concern over proposed changes to Malta's elector- al districts, currently under discussion in Parliament, warning that both major po- litical parties are advancing self-serving proposals that risk weakening the coun- try's democratic framework. In a statement, Momentum said the reforms submitted by the Labour Par- ty appear to benefit the ruling govern- ment, while counter-proposals from the Nationalist Party also seem tailored to serve partisan interests. "This goes ex- pressly against the President's call for fairer representation in Parliament of the country's diverse political voices," the group said. Back in February, the Labour and Na- tionalist Party electoral commissioners submitted their respective proposals for how Malta's electoral districts should be redrawn. The discussions form part of a wider review of Malta's electoral system, which has long faced criticism for entrenching a two-party system and limiting smaller parties' chances of win- ning seats. Currently, Malta is divided into 13 electoral districts, each electing five members of Parliament, for a total of 65 elected seats. Additional seats are then added through constitutional mecha- nisms to ensure proportionality, bring- ing the current total to 79 MPs. The present structure requires a can- didate or party to secure at least 16.6% of the vote in a district to win a seat—a threshold critics say disadvantages smaller parties and independent candi- dates. Speaking on behalf of Momentum, Mark Camilleri Gambin said the group supports introducing a national quota system with a 3% threshold as a path- way toward greater proportionality. He also backed a proposal by the Chamber of Commerce to reduce the number of districts to five, each electing nine MPs. Building on this, Momentum pro- posed that Gozo retain its status as a standalone electoral district, elect- ing five MPs, to safeguard its distinct identity and account for its geographic isolation. The remaining four districts in Malta would each elect ten MPs. While this would result in slight over- representation for Gozo, Momentum argued this is justified by the island's double insularity. The proposed changes would reduce the effective district threshold from 16.6% to roughly 9%. While still high by European standards, the group de- scribed this as a step toward a more open and pluralistic political system. "We hope this process prioritises the national interest over partisan gain," Gambin said. Speaking on behalf of Momentum, Mark Camilleri Gambin said the group supports introducing a national quota system with a 3% threshold as a pathway toward greater proportionality Minister Clint Camilleri said that, "These strategic investments in water infrastructure in Gozo ensure a sustainable and high-quality water supply for the island's residents