Warden over-enthusiasm over festa weekend unwelcome

The Gozo Tourism Association and the Gozo Business Chamber would like to express their satisfaction for the number of visitors both local and foreign who crossed over to Gozo during the past days.

Both GTA and GBC, believe that these numbers contributed substainally to the Gozitan economy and proved once again that the synergized efforts by all stakeholders concerned continue to reap the desired results.

These results are the fruit of a sustained and continued promotional campaign to market Gozo both with the local and foreign markets. However the two Gozitan constituted bodies, representing the majority of the Gozitan businesses, are concerned that these efforts can easily be marred, by irrational decisions.

Both the Gozo Tourism Association and the Gozo Business Chamber are all out for law and order, and support all decisions taken in this regard. However both constituted bodies do not agree with the way traffic contravention fines were issued yesterday on the public holiday, especially in Victoria.

It is a known fact that the Gozitan capital lacks enough parking spaces to cater for the needs of the Gozitan community. Therefore more common sense was expected from the local wardens on the busiest day of the year, when the island is hosting such an additional number of guests with their vehicles. In the prevailing circumstances, it is expected that the local wardens should have adapted a preventive approach rather than resorting to the issuing of fines. The lack of parking spaces in Victoria should not be borne by the visiting guests to Gozo.

Finally both the Gozo Tourism Association and the Gozo Business Chamber take this opportunity to thank Gozo Channel, and its employees, for the ferry service offered during these days of the peak season, and encourage all the competent authorities to continue seeking the common good in favour of our Island… Gozo.