Gozo business lobby blasts ‘dire situation’ at Gozo Channel as delays intensify

Residents and visitors to Gozo are bearing the brunt of a “collection of issues” that are causing “failures in the service” of the Gozo Channel, said the Gozo Business Chamber (GBC) in a blunt statement released on Tuesday (today).

Describing the situation as “dire”, the GBC said there “seems to be a failure to realise the vitality of this service for the Gozitan population.”

Speaking to BusinessNow.mt, GBC CEO Daniel Borg said passengers were left waiting for an hour on Tuesday (today) morning, without any information being provided.

“It seems like no one knows exactly what’s happening and no one is willing to tackle it head on,” he said.

Mr Borg explained that while strong winds, as was the case today, have often resulted in delays, “these used to be some 15 minutes, not an hour.”

“These delays ruin people’s plans. It means an entire day of work gets thrown into disarray.”

The delays may be related to recent industrial action by staff working with but not employed by Gozo Channel, including mooring men and cleaners, who are reportedly engaged through a subcontractor.

These workers are said to be receiving substantially lower pay than their counterparts directly employed by Gozo Channel.

Mr Borg says the GBC was told that the issue is “being addressed,” but pointed out that “when there’s all these delays, something is clearly going wrong.”

In its statement, the lobby said the service failures have been most prominent in the morning, when the service is “most critical” for the Gozitan community.

“The governance and management of this service need to be addressed urgently. Overall, vital time is being lost, which puts the Gozitan population in a disadvantaged position. While considerable progress is being made at all levels, when the most vital thing of all i.e. accessibility, is not being addressed, this progress will be lost,” it said.

Mr Borg urged the company and authorities concerned to “be honest” about the situation.

“We need to be honest about it so that together we find a way forward.”

Gozo Channel response

In a statement issued by the Ministry for Gozo (Gozo Channel is a state-owned firm), the company said the delays were a result of the weather, which necessitated longer trips around Comino for safety reasons.

“In order for the company to remedy this inconvenience, caused by elements over which it has no control, it was decided that the shuttle service would be one and not according to the schedule.”

It concluded: “The Gozo Channel remains committed to offering the best possible connectivity across the channel as long as the weather, which is a key factor in shipping, allows for it.”