Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/1542236
4 gozotoday | FRIDAY • 24 DECEMBER 2025 OPINION My aspirations for 2026 OUR last survey conducted jointly by the Gozo Business Chamber, and the Gozo Regional Development Authority in September 2025 reported overall pos- itive business conditions for enterprises here in Gozo, with a positive outlook al- so for the coming period. This strong business sentiment is important to cre- ate the right climate where business- es can continue to grow and expand. I believe that the business potential here in Gozo is signficant especially in areas which were not previously considered. The conditions are now mature for the diversification of the Gozitan economy, and its further internationalisation. The presence of the Queen Mary University of London Malta Campus in Gozo has shown that enterprises with a high value added have a place here on the island. The success of the medical sector shows us the way. The medical technology sec- tor for example is an area which I believe can be successful in Gozo. Indeed there is the potential for a hub for this sector on the island. To this end it is important that the implementation of the Master Plan for the Gozo General Hospital con- tinues at a steady pace. Even green and clean technologies pro- vide significant potential for the island. Gozo can indeed provide that platform for these technologies to be developed, tested and deployed here in Gozo. Even additive manufacturing through 3d printing technologies provides consid- erable potential for the island. The Government has indeed invest- ed significantly in Gozo in the past few years in the economic sector. Apart from the specific incentives for Gozitan based enterprises, all the incentives hold a higher aid intensity for Gozo. From an infrastructure point of view we have also seen the development of the Gozo Innovation Hub, and the second fibre optic link. The latter has provided the required redundancy that is much need- ed for technology companies to operate in Gozo. But what do we need to aspire to in 2026? From a simplistic perspective we need to join the dots, with all sides working cohesively together to achieve common objectives: government, business, and civil society. From a strategic point of view Gozo needs to be seen as an in- vestment priority area. All government entities working to promote enterpris- es here in Gozo need to come together cohesively, so that the positive benefits that are currently provided to business- es are tied to the strategic objectives we want for Gozo. In this sense the Gozo Regional Development Strategy needs to take centre stage. Even the infrastruc- ture currently present, needs to be seen in this perspective. The Gozo Innova- tion Hub must not be seen simply from an infrastructural point of view but as a tool to achieve the strategic objectives of the island. To this end we should start lookind at a different governance model, where government and business work together to promote this impor- tant investment, which should be tied to a business plan, with agreed common aims. Also, its model needs to involve more the community, on the line of sim- ilar models which have been implement- ed successfully abroad. Nonetheless, my main aspiration for 2026 is that together with all the parties concerned we start building a start-up eco-system in Gozo. While foreign di- rect investment is important we need to provide the right environment for our youth in Gozo to set up their own busi- ness, an environment which allows them to test, develop their ideas, and also al- lows them to make their own mistakes. The diversification of the Gozitan econ- omy needs to start from giving a con- crete chance to our youth here in Gozo, through a physical space dedicated to them but more so by creating the right environment, with the necessary tools, where they can thrive. Every year during our Youth4Entrepreneurship Gozo con- test I see brilliant ideas being presented by our youth, all related to Gozo. We now need to assist them to bring these to fruition. The Youth4Entrepreneurship Gozo in this sense can provide the right platform where they can start. Another concrete aspiration I have for 2026 is also that we continue to take concrete steps to help our business- es in their internationalisation efforts. Through our recent memorandum of understanding signed with the Austral- ian Maltese Chamber of Commerce, I could see the untapped potential that Australia has especially with the many successful Gozitan business people in this country. There are ties which can further help Gozitan businesses to grow in these foreign markets. From a strate- gic perspective we need to see markets, which have so far been untapped, even in countries as the UK where our focus needs to move from the established cit- ies such as London, to other regions in the UK which present considerable po- tential. This however, must not in any way di- vert our attention from certain structur- al issues that we are facing in Gozo. In this sense we need to help our business- es especially, micro and small businesses to further strengthen their human re- source function, and to help them deal with important issues such as how to manage an increasingly diverse work- force. The presence of non locals here in Gozo needs to be seen as an oppor- tunity, where our community can con- tinue to grow in a positive and enriching way. Gozo's port infrastructure is also an- other importat issue where we can see major development in 2026. The task force announced by the Government has been an important development and our aspiration as a Chamber, is to see impor- tant steps being taken in this direction. All in all, I believe that 2026 presents to us important challenges, but also op- portunities. It all depends on our ability to work together, government, business and civil society in one direction, one that benefits the Gozitan community in a holistic manner. Daniel Borg is CEO of Gozo Business Chamber The diversification of the Gozitan economy needs to start from giving a concrete chance to our youth here in Gozo, through a physical space dedicated to them but more so by creating the right environment, with the necessary tools, where they can thrive Gozo needs to be seen as an investment priority area (Photo: James Bianchi/MaltaToday)