Reasons for subsidised fares

"What return do we get from the Gozitans for the subsidy they are given?". That is how John Muscat concluded his letter (October 8). Mr Muscat seems to have failed to come to terms with the raison d'etre underlying the reduced fare scheme for Gozitan residents. He declared that he will be seriously inconvenienced (with regard to the new timetable) so as to make subsidies to Gozitan passengers sustainable.

Let us for the moment leave aside the negative repercussions (and not simply "serious inconveniences") such a timetable will have on the Gozitan economy and life in general and dwell on some other important points that also require detailed consideration.

First of all it is pertinent to point out for the benefit of readers as well as Mr Muscat that the reduced fare scheme is not in any way connected with the fact that Gozitan commuters have to travel a long way to go to work or to attend university or any other post-secondary school. It is linked to the fact that Gozitans have to fork out every day an extra charge in order to be able to sign or punch in at their respective place of work or in order to attend lectures. Moving to Malta may sometimes not be possible due to family commitments or other specific reasons. Therefore, Gozitans have to choose the lesser of the two evils, that of commuting every day.

I am not trying in any way to depict Gozitans as martyrs or victims. However, a simple calculation will show that this little stretch of sea entails significant costs. In fact, a commuter who uses his car every day to cross over to Malta to drive to his place of work will at the end of the month realise he would be practically earning Lm46 less than his Maltese counterpart (Lm2.30 multiplied by the five working days, multiplied by four weeks).

I sincerely do not expect a Gozitan student or worker to pay Lm1.75 daily or Lm5.75 daily (if he opts to travel by car to the mainland). Travelling to Malta is a necessity and may I assure Mr Muscat that the ultimate destination of most Gozitan passengers is not Paceville or some other entertainment location.

Paying exorbitant fares in order to be able to work or study would definitely have serious repercussions on the economic and social life of the island and the island's double insularity, which we are constantly working to iron out, at least on the philosophical and social level, would take its toll. The excessive fares would be the last straw which would break the camel's back insofar as the Gozitan manufacturing industry goes. It would also render the island less competitive.

Gozo Channel has an important social service to carry out - that of providing a social service to Gozo and all its residents in the proper sense of the word. It should not be geared solely towards making substantial profits. Yet, on the other hand, it is not acceptable to have government companies in the red and one would expect these companies to make ends meet by eliminating all forms of financial leakages, be it recurrent expenditure, excessive advertising and so on.

It is true that for this financial year it has been estimated that Gozo Channel will make a Lm1 million loss. Such a situation requires an in-depth consideration. Nonetheless, this can in no way be compared to the Lm16 million loss of the Drydocks, not to mention its accumulated debt. I presume that this parastatal company is more impinging on Mr Muscat's pockets than Gozo Channel.

Moreover, whereas the Drydocks is providing a living to 2,000 persons and their respective families, Gozo Channel provides the lifeblood for approximately 30,000 people. May I assure Minister Austin Gatt and Mr Muscat that reducing the number of ferry trips will not have a significant effect on the island's coffers. Nor will any possible elimination of the helicopter service. Rather such measures can be counter-productive.

It would be nonsense on my part to refuse to acknowledge that the reduced fare system is being abused. But this fact alone does not justify its removal as Mr Muscat seems to be suggesting. The competent authorities should carry out a thorough investigation as to who is really abusing the system. It is a well known fact that many Maltese people have chosen to change to a Gozitan address in order to be able to benefit from the reduced fares, in spite of the fact that they are not ordinarily resident in Gozo. The number runs into hundreds not to say thousands. A quick look at the number of people who cross from Malta to Gozo on the eve and on the day of some general election in order for them to cast their vote will give a clear picture of all this. I presume this is also an unnecessary burden on Gozo Channel.

May I also invite Mr Muscat to compare like with like when he comes to comparisons. Comparing Gozo to the island state of Tasmania is, to say the least, ridiculous. My imagination is somewhat limited and I cannot possibly understand how you can draw parallels between an island which has an area of 67,800 square kilometres and 452,847 inhabitants, with another piece of land of merely 67 kilometres squared and whose whole population can be seated on one side of the renowned Stadio Olimpico in Rome.

If we were to go by the figures alone, one will immediately conclude that resources on the island are by far more limited than those of the island state of Tasmania. Gozo is not self-sustainable. Hence, a high degree of dependency on the island of Malta is inevitable.

Yet, in spite of all the hassle of living on a small island and all other related disadvantages, Gozitans have not been in any way put off or discouraged. The fact that a significant number of Gozitans have made it to top posts says it all.