Nationalist leader Simon Busuttil focused on his party's first promises for Gozo when he addressed a press conference in Gozo this morning.
He reiterated a promise made yesterday that those starting a family in Gozo would be given a €10,000 grant by the government. Recipients would include Gozitan couples who decide to form a family in Gozo and new families living in Malta who move to Gozo
The purpose of the measure, he said, was to reverse a trend where young people moved to Malta, with Gozo being gradually depopulated.
"We do not want Gozo to end being like an old people's home," Dr Busuttil said. Pressed to give more information, he said details of the scheme would be issued within the first 100 days of a new PN government.
He said that within 100 days of a new PN government, a maritime service between Gozo and Grand Harbour will be introduced.
A fast ferry service for passengers would be introduced before the end of the year.
A future PN government, he said, would immediately stock-take progress, if any, on the Gozo tunnel proposal and ensure that actual works started as soon as possible.
Dr Busuttil said Gozo would be declared a region in the Constitution and a Regional Council would be set up by January 2018. Gozo would then be able to apply for up to €250 million in EU funds.
Dr Busuttil noted that post 2020 Malta could no longer qualify for the current level of funds from the EU, and this would address such an eventuality.
HOSPITAL TO BE RETURNED TO GOVERNMENT HANDS
He said the Gozo hospital would also become public once more. "It will cost less when it is restored to the government than at present, where it is operated by Vitals on a government subsidy." The service, he said, had not improved in private hands, and complaints actually increased.
The PN leader said the Nationalist Party would make more proposals.
The prime minister, he said, was a 'total failure' in Gozo, having been unable to start and finish even one project except for a latrine at Hondoq. The Ċitadella project, for example, was started by the former Nationalist government.
He observed that Labour in 2013 promised work in Gozo for the Gozitans but 600 more Gozitans were now working in Malta.
The PN, he said, would present an electoral programme it would be proud of, a programme based on credibility, which Dr Muscat lacked, especially in Gozo.