Alex Borg promises first-day Gozo visit if elected prime minister
Borg says he was upset by Labour MP’s claim that Gozo was a desert under PN governments
Alex Borg pledged to make Gozo a priority under a Nationalist government, saying he would return to the island on his first day as prime minister.
The Opposition leader was speaking at a party rally in Nadur, where he said Gozo should not be treated as an afterthought but as a central part of the country’s future.
“If the people put their faith in me to become the prime minister of our country from day one, I will be back here with you all," he promised the crowd, a week before Malta heads to the polls.
He added: “ Gozo is not just an afterthought on the periphery of Malta, Gozo is a priority as it has always been and always will be."
Borg said many politicians only turned their attention to Gozo during election campaigns, but insisted he had remained consistent in his commitment to the island.
The PN's speech was preceded by several speakers, including Nadur mayor Edward Said, deputy mayor Kevin Curmi, local councillor Karist Camilleri, and Maureen Xerri, an entrepreneur.
Borg and other speakers also referred to recent comments by Labour MP Rosianne Cutajar, who described Gozo as a desert under Nationalist governments.
“That upset me,” Borg said.
He said it was clear what had happened in Gozo under different administrations. And while both parties have contributed to the improvement of the island, he said, Nationalist governments had made significant investments in Gozo.
He cited work on ferry terminals in Gozo and Malta, several road projects, the sports complex in Rabat and investment in Gozo General Hospital.
Borg, who said he spent much of his childhood in Nadur, told the crowd he understood the challenges faced by Gozitans who had to travel to Malta for work, services and medical treatment.
“My family experienced cancer, and just like any patient or family member of a Gozitan patient we had to travel to Malta due to the lack of services in Gozo.”
He said this was not a challenge he had merely heard about, but one he had lived through personally.
Borg said that experience had shaped his understanding of what needed to change to improve life for Gozitans.