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MW 5 February 2014

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maltatoday, WEDNESDAY, 5 FEBRUARY 2014 9 JAMES DEBONO CABINET memoranda show that the George Borg Olivier govern- ment was very sceptical on the feasibility of the development of a causeway between Malta and Gozo, an idea which was resurrected by the Gonzi administration in the form of a tunnel and by the Mus- cat administration in the form of a bridge. In 1969, Borg Olivier's govern- ment was faced by an application for financial assistance by Matual Trust Limited in connection to their project of developing a cause- way linking Malta and Gozo. The Gozo civic council was lob- bying the government to accept the project but the Borg Olivier government was reticent espe- cially after it had committed it- self on the modernisation of the Mgarr harbour. The company's demands includ- ed a grant of 50% of the project's costs and an income tax holiday of 10 years apart from emphyteu- tical lease on the land required in Malta, Gozo and Comino for the project. They also called for the in- troduction of toll payment at a rate approved by government. The Cabinet agreed that before any decision is taken, the govern- ment should seek the views of the Economic Planning Division. In a memorandum presented to Cabinet on 30 March 1970, Borg Olivier relayed the opinion of the Economic Planning Division that the government should not commit itself to such a scheme before a fea- sibility study was conducted. The Gozo bridge memorandum was typical of Borg Olivier's style of government (presenting his Cabinet with detailed memoranda before any decision is taken) – a pattern which emerges from the documentation made available to the public by the National Archives this week. This contrasts with the absence of any memoranda during the Mintoff years. Preliminary estimates indicate that the tolls, which will have to be levied to render the project com- mercially viable, would render the causeway "uncompetitive" with compared to the ferry service. Moreover, the Economic Plan- ning Division had also warned the government "it will be hardly pos- sible for government to find the necessary funds within the next five years for a 50% grant, for the laying of essential services and the construction of access roads." The division concluded that with "the burden on recurrent budget will be too heavy". The government felt that there was no impellent need to float loans of the magnitude likely to be required for such a project in the 1960 to 1974 development plan as the transport needs of Gozo were adequately provided by the mod- ernisation of the Mgarr harbour. But while the government was in- sisting that any decision should be based on the results of the feasibil- ity study, the promoters were saying that in view of the expense involved, it would not be possible for them to undertake the presentation of feasi- bility studies unless they had a prior indication through a letter of intent in which the government declared being in agreement with the project in principle. Thirty five years later, the Maltese government is still awaiting the re- sults of feasibility studies before taking a final decision. The latest study is being conducted for free by China Communication Construc- tion Company, a company which specialises in building bridges. jdebono@mediatoday.com.mt CABINET PAPERS REVEALED Indolent workers should be boarded out JAMES DEBONO GOVERNMENT employees who are not able to give a day's worth of work should be boarded. This was one of the conclusions of a Cabinet meeting held on 1 June 1980. Technically, only disabled or in- jured employees can be boarded out but this cabinet minute suggests a more widespread use of this benefit as a way to get rid of unproductive workers. The meeting also agreed that young people should be employed in the bulk buying section so that they may "gain experience abroad in buying the necessary products". A year prior to this, the Cabinet was told that this was the last chance for the government to take unpopu- lar measures. "As a last measure we should con- sidered selling some of our things to Maltese people. Such a measure would also restrict the exportation of capital from the country." This could be a clear indication of the economic difficulties faced by Malta less than three months follow- ing the definitive closure of the Brit- ish military base. People hardly had time to plan their holidays. On 4 March 1977 – barely three weeks before the celebration of the feast of St Joseph – a decision was taken to strike it off from the list of public holidays. On 13 September, Cabinet min- utes refer to the need to start works on yachting facilities in Senglea and Kalkara. No such works were ever conducted under Dom Mintoff, who went on to bring down the Al- fred Sant government over a marina project in Birgu. On 26 October 1979 – just 10 days after the ransacking of The Times and the home of the Opposition leader – the Cabinet discussed "what steps should be taken" to rebut claims by the Opposition, local and interna- tional newspapers and the council of Europe that the socialist government was encouraging violence by failing to clamp down on those perpetrating it. But no reference was made in the meeting to the incidents. Mintoff 's belligerent attitude to- wards the British re-emerged during a trade dispute regarding textiles im- ported from Malta. One of the decisions taken was to close the British Council, which was to remain closed until the trade dis- pute was resolved. The incident also prompted the government to enact a new policy en- couraging the employment of women in industry. "Wherever possible and practical we should change the policy to em- ploy males in industry by employing women instead." Gozo bridge not feasible Republic Street, Valletta next to the Courts 35 years later, the govrernment is still waiting on feasibility studies on the Gozo bridge before taking a decision Dom Mintoff

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