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I refer to the article entitled ‘Students talk of ‘dirty tricks’ by Gozo ministry to remove subsidy.’ (MaltaToday of March 20).
To put the record straight, following the announcement that the passenger fare for Gozo residents was to rise by 20 cents as from the beginning of June 2004. The Ministry for Gozo took up the matter with the Ministry of Finance as it felt that Gozitans studying in Malta should not be burdened with further additional expenses.
Subsequently the Ministry of Finance agreed that in this instance, the Lm15 monthly subsidy payable by the Ministry for Gozo to Gozitan residents following full-time courses at the University of Malta be topped up by an amount of 20 cents for each day of actual attendance. The revised subsidy is effective from 1 June 2004. However, as attendance registers are not kept during most of the academic courses held at the University it was deemed practically impossible to compute the number of days such students actually attend the University. Hence the Ministry of Finance recommended that applicants could be asked to submit a declaration denoting the days on which they have commuted between the islands in order to attend University. This is what the “calendar”, referred to in the article, is there for.
In stark contrast to what has been alleged in your article, Government and the Ministry for Gozo are well aware of the social handicap which Gozo resident students have in comparison with their Maltese counterparts, as well as the additional financial burden they have to face for higher travel and accommodation expenses. In fact, the Ministry for Gozo has taken remedial action in order to neutralise the effect of the increase in the ferry fare applicable in the case of such students.
However, this measure was in no way taken in relation to the Ministry for the Family and Social Solidarity’s Unemployment Assistance which the article refers to. The measure is specifically aimed at mitigating the expenses that have to be incurred by Gozitan students.
Emanuel Abela
Director of Information
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