Robert Abela on Sunday promised Gozo will become the new model for sustainable development in the country, following years of critique that rampant construction was souring the sister island’s charm.
The Prime Minister was closing the Labour Party’s general conference, which launched the party's slogan for the upcoming MEP and local council elections: ‘Is-Saħħa lill-Maltin’ (strength to the Maltese).
A slight deviation from the lyrics of the national anthem, Abela inferred that the theme had been derived from a series of town hall meetings where party officials heard pressing concerns from citizens from all walks of life.
This included a meeting in Gozo on Friday, where Abela said that while economic development must continue to grow on the island, it could not come at the expense of its distinct identity.
Stakeholders have long criticised unrestrained development they say is changing Gozo’s character, including in Xlendi, where a series of high-rise buildings have permanently altered the skyline of the seaside village.
Last year, a coalition of Gozitan entities even asked the government to place a moratorium on new ODZ planning applications in Gozo and pause policies that allow for extended building heights.
“Gozo is an island of villages and for it to advance, it cannot forget the things that made it what it is today,” Abela said.
“This is foundational and is the only way development can make sense. Gozo is going to be the model for new and sustainable development in our country,” he promised.
Issues that were once viewed as challenges, such as the environment and the digital sphere, must be transformed into opportunities for the good of the country, he added.
Outspoken Xagħra mayor Christian Zammit, who last year quit politics and Labour over development woes, announced on Friday he had returned to the party and would be contesting local council elections on its ticket.
He had previously said that he believed players in the construction industry had tried to “eliminate” him from politics.
‘PN intent on austerity’
Turning his sight on the Opposition, Abela said while the government had sought to find solutions to alleviate the burdens of the pandemic and inflation caused by war, the PN had continued to insist its initiatives were straddling the public with excessive debt.
“They have remained the party of austerity,” Abela said.
He continued to say that the country was lucky to have experienced economic growth, but it must now also address the challenges that come with it.
“You have a choice on what road to take. The Opposition’s attitude is to dismantle everything and go back to stagnation because that is what they did when they were in power and everyone knows the consequences of those actions,” he said.
“The other option is to change your attitude, keep what is good and change what isn’t working."
Abela also accused the PN of trying to undermine the government during the 2019 political crisis. He said the PL ultimately prevailed because it chose to act responsibly and to continue building on the good.