Opposition leader Bernard Grech accused the government on Sunday of neglecting Gozo and its residents.
Addressing supporters at a political event in Għajnsielem, Grech listed a series of proposals the PN would implement if it were to be elected in the upcoming general election.
A PN government, he said, would focus on healthcare, infrastructure and economic development in Gozo.
Grech criticised the government’s handling of the proposed Gozo hospital, claiming PL did not intend to deliver on its promises: “They spent millions. Did they build a new hospital? No. And they aren’t going to".
At most, he claimed, the government would only dig a hole or lay the first stone, adding: “they don’t love Gozo, and they don’t love Gozitans.”
The Gozo hospital has been at the centre for years. Originally part of a concession granted to Vitals Global Healthcare in 2016 and later transferred to Steward Health Care, the courts annulled the agreement in 2023, bringing the hospital back under government control.
The government has since pledged to regenerate the hospital, with Health Minister Jo Etienne Abela promising that work will be completed within five to seven years.
Grech pledged that if his party were to be elected, it would ensure the hospital was built, just as it had done with Mater Dei.
He also flagged the state of Gozo’s transport infrastructure, proposing the expansion of Mġarr port and an increase in fast ferry trips.
He promised that a Nationalist government would not only introduce a fourth Gozo Channel ferry but would also explore the possibility of adding a fifth vessel.
“We won’t just build or buy a fourth boat for Gozo, but we also think it’s possible for a fifth boat,” he said, emphasising that these would be of the highest quality.
He argued that long wait times for ferry crossings were wasting valuable time that people could spend with their families.
In October of last year, the prime minister announced that the government was in the process of issuing a tender for the fourth Gozo ferry.
Gozitans dependent on daily channel crossings have longed bemoaned the lease of the MV Nikolaus, a fourth vessel leased in 2019 that was initially meant to be a short-term solution until a new vessel could be commissioned.
However, just three months later, the government said that the Nikolaus would be kept on the books until a tender for a replacement vessel.
The government eventually did issue a tender for the lease or operation of a fourth ferry between Ċirkewwa and Mġarr in 2022, but it failed to attract any bidders.
On Sunday, Grech also referred to the PN’s work-life balance proposals. These include a full year of paid leave for parents, a split between maternity and parental leave, and an extension of parental leave from eight to 28 weeks.
“We believe in the Maltese family, and we want to support Maltese families,” he said.
He further outlined plans to develop Gozo’s blue economy, focusing on coastal tourism, maritime services, environmental and heritage protection, and digital infrastructure, particularly in AI and technology.
The event also featured speeches by MPs Chris Said and Alex Borg, as well as new PN candidate Beppe Galea.