Flimkien għal Ambjent Aħjar appreciates Gozitans’ need for improved accessibility, that is why it had proposed free preferential ferry-boarding for bona-fide Gozo residents.
The plans to create a new airstrip at Xewkija need to be studied in the light of long-term benefits to Gozo. Given that both the helicopter and the seaplane services to Gozo have failed, FAA maintains that before sacrificing more green area only to have the airstrip shut down after a few years, the project should be accompanied an independent feasibility study prior to being processed by MEPA.
It needs to be recognised that this service will be of limited benefit to Gozo’s residents, most of whom need to cross to Malta with their vehicles. Realistically the cost of such a service would be out of reach of students or regular commuters.
Will extending the runway for private light aircraft to give flying lessons add to Gozo’s economy? Has the noise pollution that the airstrip will generate been quantified? Located close to the airstrip site, Gozo’s only 5-star hotel markets itself on the strength of its ‘tranquil surroundings’. What impact will a busy airstrip close to this hotel have on Gozo’s tourism?
What would be the loss to Gozo in terms of destruction of valuable agricultural land and the ruination of yet another of Gozo’s iconic landscapes by the creation of new service roads and large buildings to service the airstrip?
FAA points out that The airstrip is just 185m from the Grade 1 scheduled monument of the military tower of Torri ta’ Santa Cilja and less than 100 metres from the Grade 1 protected chapel of St Cecilia, the medieval chapel still existing in Gozo. Such buildings would have an irreversible impact on the unspoilt vista of this rich heritage area which is a Neolithic buffer zone and also a bird sanctuary.
Given that the scenic ferry crossing only takes 30 minutes, how many tourists would be likely to pay more for a shorter crossing by light plane? Would there be an actual increase in tourists visiting Gozo and a commensurate increase in employment in the tourist sector, or would it ultimately put off tourists seeking a holiday in a quiet unspoilt destination? Failure to carry out such studies would reinforce public perception that the overriding benefit of this airstrip project would be to the contractor who wins the tender to build it.
Gozo’s economy relies heavily on its attraction as an unspoilt, tranquil tourist destination. This image is already being tarnished by the heavy traffic, growing air pollution and increasing development activity in Gozo. Major developments in green areas have an irreversible impact, therefore anything that could potentially affect Gozo’s fragile environment and economy needs to be studied very carefully in order to avoid long-term damage.
