Labour promises Minister for Gozo

Minister Giovanna Debono on Friday said that the Labour Party had finally realised that the Nationalist Party had been right all along in its policy on Gozo.

During the press conference, she said that policy U-turns were a common occurrence, referring to what Opposition Leader had said earlier on Friday.

Dr Sant had announced a party policy U-turn when he said that Gozo will have a minister to ensure that it was represented in Cabinet.

During a political activity at Ta' Cenc, he said that the minister would be backed by a structure that respected Gozo's identity as a region, which would encompass all the social partners in Gozo.

Dr Sant also spoke about various tourist projects, including a yacht marina, a golf course and a casino, which would create jobs in Gozo and avoid Gozitans having to commute to Malta to work.

Regarding the Maghtab and Qortin quarries he said that these would be used up in four to five years and eventually rehabilitated and used for recreational or leisure purposes through a public-private partnership.

Dr Sant also said that Gozo Channel will not be privatised but will remain in the government's hands.

Minister Debono also said the MLP had made no fresh proposals on Gozo, and went on to list a number of services that the Nationalist government had improved or was introducing in the island.

"It seems clear that the Labour Party has two, completely different, electoral programmes. The official one; and thoughts not contained in it which are announced from time to time in news conferences," she concluded.