What Gozitans really think

The article on the Gozo tunnel shortlisting (September 14) should have been a more balanced report, especially for Gozitan residents who are really concerned about this project.

The comments by the Gozo Business Chamber president are nothing more than spinning of the tunnel project to please the government and the Gozo ministry. The president can only claim that he is speaking on behalf of the GBC, which surely is not a representative figure to claim they can speak on behalf of all the Gozo business community. I really doubt whether these members are all in favour of the tunnel project.

The GBC should have been more outspoken when the Sa Maison berthing place for commercial trips from Gozo was taken over by the government in 2019 to make way for a yacht marina. At that time, as now, the GBC is still passive, not daring to criticise the government as it has become nothing more than opportunists dancing to the Gozo ministry tunes.

Meanwhile, the Gozo Tourism Association is not supporting the tunnel project anymore, so it was not opportune for the Times of Malta correspondent to have its views too.

Furthermore, the reporter did not gauge the views of the GBC president on whether he supports a referendum on the tunnel. Obviously, since the government is against a referendum, the GBC chose not to commit itself on this issue.

What is really saddening is that the Gozo Business Chamber has surveys staring them in the face that Gozitans are against the tunnel project and,  still, its president is adamant to keep pushing this monstrous project which may ultimately spell the destruction of Gozo.

I hope the journalist would be more aware of the sentiment of Gozitan residents and provide them with balanced articles reflecting all views regarding this tunnel project.

Emmanuel Galea – Victoria

Tunnel vision

Gozo has traditionally been perceived as a respite. Photo: Shutterstock.com  

I am truly astonished that only 41.5 per cent of the Gozitan population are against the construction of a tunnel between Malta and Gozo.

Gozo has traditionally been perceived as a respite from all the monstrosities presently plaguing the larger island of Malta: the indiscriminate replacement of our once scenic countryside by characterless apartment blocks and of our once swimmable coastline by excrement-spattering yacht marinas.

Perhaps, one should ask, where lie the priorities of Gozitan MPs?

Are they focused on the long-term interests of their trusting electorate or are they ‘distracted’ by the impatient voraciousness of gracious developers?

Mark Miceli-Farrugia – Ta’ Xbiex

Contraflows for cyclists

As it is European Mobility Week, can I ask if it is possible to either remove the new no-entry signs at the far end of

Triq il-Ħwawar, Naxxar or add a cycling contraflow, as this

allows cyclists to avoid at least part of Triq Tal-Balal in

one direction?

We keep saying cyclists should avoid main roads but they cannot do so if we keep closing back roads to them.

Jim Wightman – St Julian’s

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