Sole winter Gozo-Comino sea link floundering

So close and yet so far. The priest who plies the Gozo - Comino channel to celebrate Mass at the small chapel on weekends, the police who carry out duties there and/or the farmer who works the land on the tiny island will confirm how true this is.

As opposed to the summer months, a boat service between the two islands in winter is difficult to maintain as there are few visitors to Comino, making a regular service unprofitable.

However, to remedy this, in recent years Gozo Channel Co. Ltd used to contract a small operator to run a subsidised ferry service on weekends, feast days and on the eve of feasts. The idea was to, at least, maintain a link, even if just for the sake of members of the small community living on Comino who may need to cross over to Gozo.

But as from this year Gozo Channel did not award the contract to Midas Co. as it usually did.

Asked why, the Gozo Channel's general manager, Marvic Fenech Adami, said the matter had been raised in a parliamentary question and therefore it would be unethical to respond to questions by The Times before a reply was tabled in the House.

Although the contract was not awarded, Midas still decided to continue running the service but director Lorry Xuereb said the situation could not go on much longer. "It is ridiculous to ask the priest or the police - the most frequent users of the service - for money but, on the other hand, the company incurs costs to perform the crossing. It is hard to leave those needing the service stranded but something has to be done," he said.

Gozo Channel has been subsidising the service since it was launched five years ago. It ran between mid-October and March. Hotel ferries stop when the hotel closes for the winter and the operators of the small ferryboats that transport tourists and Maltese bathers also suspend the service.

Gozo Minister Giovanna Debono has been asked to intervene in the matter.

Contacted Ms Debono said she has brought the matter to the attention of the Gozo Channel chairman with a view to reconsider the continuation of the service to Comino in winter. During the last year Gozo Channel succeeded in cutting its losses through various reforms although it was not yet out of trouble.

Government Investments Minister Austin Gatt said last October that unaudited Gozo Channel accounts for the period October 2003 - September 2004 showed the company's turnover amounted to Lm4,618,000. In 2003 it stood at Lm3,655,000 and Lm3,526,000 in 2002.

Gross operating profits amounted to Lm467,000, up from last year's loss of Lm509,000 and a loss of Lm281,000 in 2002.

A net loss of Lm27,000 was made in 2004, an improvement over the previous year's loss of Lm988,000 and that of Lm852,000 in 2002.