Proposed Malta-Gozo ferry service not what government promised, PN says

The newly proposed Malta-Gozo ferry service is not what was promised in the Labour Party's electoral manifesto, the Nationalist Party said as it cast doubt on the transparency of the process.

The PN was reacting to government's announcement a few weeks ago that it abandoned plans to have a fast ferry service linking Gozo with Valletta and instead opting for a new service that linked multiple localities, including Gozo.

The PN said that despite the decision being announced at the start of August, the government had yet to respond to appeals made by various sections of society, including Gozitan students, businesses as well as the Opposition to reinstate the original plans.

“In light of the information that has come out in public so far, Transport Minister Ian Borg and the one responsible for Gozo, Clint Camilleri, as well as Transport Malta and the Gozo Channel have a lot to answer for. This is not only because the government deceived the people when it did not keep one of its main electoral promises, but also because there are suspicions of lack of transparency,” the party said.

Borg had revealed that a ferry service linking different locations in Malta and Gozo was considered more favourable than an isolated fast ferry link.

The regulator justified the policy decision to drop the fast ferry option, insisting that research-backed the choice of extended routes from Valletta, including one that links both islands.

READ MORE: New Malta-Gozo ferry service between multiple points considered

The PN has asked the government to come out with the real reason the fast ferry project was abandoned, as well as what studies have been done to justify the abandonment of the project and instead replacing it with a hop on hop off sea service. “Where have these studies been published if they have ever been conducted?” the party said.

The PN also called the government to release information on how many stops there will be, as well as how frequent the service will run, and the cost. As well as how long it will take to travel by the proposed hop on hop off sea service instead of the fast ferry from Gozo to Valletta area and vice versa.

Moreover, the party inquired whether it was true that the Request for Proposals (RFP) issued by the government as regards the hop on hop off sea​​service, a restriction on competition was introduced by certain operators and if this restriction was introduced, why and who did it benefit.