Investing in roads and infrastructure

Official figures leave little doubt. Our economy is growing steadily, and it is not only the main island that is experiencing such positive growth.

Gozo is also benefitting, or shall we say that Gozo is contributing to this success? Whichever the net flow points to, Gozo is experiencing an increase in infrastructural investment not seen since the start of the nineties.

Investment in the physical infrastructure has more than one effect. It has a direct impact on the lives of residents as it makes transport easier, creating more accessible space and making their surroundings more attractive and more comfortable to live in. Then there is the indirect and longer term impact. Having a better infrastructure makes us more attractive for private investment because it helps both labour productivity and decreases costs.

We can discuss at length the various projects that are currently in their initial stages or not yet completely finalised such as the Gozo museum in Victoria and the Home for the Elderly in Ghajn- sielem, but for this article, I will just highlight the many projects that were completed recently.

This week, the newly refurbished Xagħra square and the main road leading to it were officially inaugurated. This has given a new facelift to the whole village. In June, another important project came to fruition, the restoration of the Cittadella. Two important events in just a few weeks. At the start of this summer the Menqa project in Marsalforn was completed; this consisted of infrastructural work to improve facilities for fishermen and help them operate more efficiently and effectively.

Since the start of this legislation, extensive upgrading was done to the Zewwieqa front in Għajnsielem as well as the complete reconstruction of Qala Square. There was also the asphalting of the 10km-road from Qala to Sannat, with the Ministry for Gozo investing €1.5 million and the remaining covered by Water Services Corpo- ration. Work is continuing in St Francis Square in Victoria and the main square in Ghajnsielem. Just a few days ago, work started on the Sannat road which has been neglected for 25 years. This project will not only make the life of residents easier but also improve accessibility to areas frequently visited by locals and tourists.

Sometimes, it is easy to forget how many infrastructural projects were either launched or finalized in the last three-and-a-half years. People simply take it for granted and this is something positive because it means that they have adjusted their expectations upwards. Under previous administrations, when a project was announced, people used to take it with more than a pinch of salt as they had got used to seeing it either postponed or delayed by several years. A prime example of such inability to conclude an infrastructural project in the stipulated timeframes is the Cirkewwa Terminal, which although technically is situated in Malta, it is to all intents and purposes an extension of Gozo. Another example is the road leading to San Lawrenz, which apart from going over budget by several millions took at least twice as long to complete, and it was only under this administration that it was continued.

In contrast, this administration puts specific dates to a projects and does its very best to complete them within these timeframes. This is important because any infrastructural work will inevitably result in a certain degree of inconvenience, both for residents as well as visitors. Minimizing this time will only make life easier for all concerned.

The investment in our road and physical infrastructure is not just a short term reward as it will provide benefits over a number of years. What it is being done now will help our economy for the next 10 to 15 years, or even more. It is for this purpose that we can never be fully satisfied with what we manage to achieve.