Gozo ferry quays to be ready in 6 months - Sant
Malta Star (08-02-2008)
The quays at the Cirkewwa and Mgarr ferry harbour linking Malta and Gozo will be completed within six months of Labour taking office. This pledge was made by Labour Leader, Dr Alfred Sant when he gave a press conference at the Cirkewwa ferry site which was supposed to have been completed five years ago. Dr Sant said that a new Labour Government will investigate why the works on this project have been delayed by more than five years.

Seven different completion dates


Dr Sant said that the Nationalist Government had given four different completion dates for the Gozo ferry terminals project.

In 2001 Minister Cnedsu Galea had said that the ferry terminal quays would be ready by 2003.

In 2005 when the terminals were supposed to have been ready two year, Nationalist premier, Lawrence Gonzi had said that the Mgarr Ferry Passenger Terminal would be ready by ready by 2006 while work on the Cirkewwa terminal would commence as soon as the Mgarr terminal was completed. Dr Sant pointed out that the Gozo Ferry Terminal project is another one which has not been completed because the Nationalist Government has not yet managed to get the required funds form the EU.

Costs spiral out of control


Dr Sant also explained how the original budgeted cost of the Gozo Ferry Terminal project had spiralled out of control. By 2005 the cost overrun was of LM 6.5 million (€15.14 million) from the original LM 8 million (€ 18.63 million) budget for a total of LM 14.5 million (€33.77 million) This is equivalent to an increase of 85% from the original estimate. 

Dr Sant said that this is a glaring example of how bad governance leads to loss of public funds despite the claims of a strong pair of hands at the helm.

The Labour Leader said that despite the Prime Minister’s boasts deadlines for the completion of works on public projects and their budgeted costs are always falling behind schedule and costing much more than originally planned. Dr Sant said that this is damaging economic growth. He said that Malta needs real economic growth of between 4% - 6% in order to start progressing again.  
Dr Sant concluded that the tranquil change that Labour will bring about will also reverse the bad governance of the Nationalist Government and replace it by more efficiency and a more effective way of managing public affairs.

 
2008 - Justyne Caruana