Best choice for Gozo

I am a Gozitan who wants to see Gozo move forward, beyond rhetoric. Having worked in the public service for long years, I think I have developed some skill in distinguishing sound political acumen from the selfie politics of nowadays.

Five years ago, I met Peter Agius through an invitation to attend a public discussion about Gozo and the EU, organised by his campaign team. It was held in a hall at Marsalforn, some months prior to the last European election.

To tell the truth, I was enticed to attend the meeting more by the importance of the subject to be discussed than by the opportunity to meet Agius. In fact, he was not my preferred candidate in that election.

Peter Agius watering a tree in Gozo. Photo: Facebook

I did not regret my attendance. A brief talk with him at the end of the meeting was enough to get a feeling of a meeting of minds.

At the time, that was enough to earn him my second preference. On one hand, it was too early while, on the other hand, it was too late for me to redirect my first preference. Yet, though not elected, he did well enough to go for it again next year.

Our first meeting was providential on various counts. It was the beginning of a series of more meetings during which we continued to discuss and expand on what we started at the Marsalforn meeting.

We realised we have much in common where Gozo is concerned. We agreed that Gozo was not getting a fair share of EU funds. 

Instead of being eradicated, as envisaged in the Gozo Declaration, disparities between the two islands kept widening.

The 2019 EU report on the economic and social situation of Gozo confirms this unfortunate trend. For example: GDP per capita in Gozo in purchasing power standards corresponded to 60 per cent of the EU28 average, a level significantly lower than in Malta, which is roughly at the EU28 average; the gap in relative economic development between the two islands ‘widened’ from 21 in 2000 to 41 percentage points; more than 20 per cent of the Gozo resident workforce works on the island of Malta due to lack of high value-added jobs in Gozo.

Though millions of euros have been spent, the gross average wage in Gozo is still the lowest in Malta. The Gozitan family has the lowest average disposable income in Malta. Cheap labour is on the increase while high value-added jobs are still scarce. And, yet, the island regions committee meetings, where matters concerning island regions like Gozo are addressed and discussed, are rarely attended by MEPs.

It is now again time for us to select the best candidates to represent us as MEPs in very complicated institutions such as the EU. Therefore, we need persons who are professionally prepared, with a sound knowledge and experience of EU laws, rules and workings by its various institutions and committees.

Having followed Agius over the past five years, I can say that he has shown a sincere commitment to Gozo, with regular visits and regular contributions on the Gozitan cause on all kinds of media.

My voyage that started at the Marsalforn meeting helped me to conclude that Agius possesses years of experience, high qualities and credentials that will make him the best of an MEP that Malta and Gozo could have.

It is my duty to go for the best. After all, who should not?

George Cremona – Victoria