Alternattiva Demokratika Chairperson, Prof. Arnold Cassola, said: “The recent incentives offered by the Maltese government for the Maltese to visit Gozo have proved to be an excellent stimulant for the Gozitan economy. Alternattiva Demokratika is thus proposing to government to create more of such occasions by ensuring that public holidays which fall on a weekday should be enjoyed by workers on a Friday or a Monday. These new long weekends would not only give the Maltese more chances of visiting Gozo but would also serve as a short shut-down period for factories in Malta, when machinery could be serviced, etc.”

AD Deputy Chairperson, Carmel Cacopardo, added: “In order to ease the pressure of added traffic and pollution in Gozo on such occasions, whilst continuing to subsidise passenger tickets on Gozo Channel, the government should not subsidise the price of car tickets but should instead subsidise  a free bus transport weekend  ticket, valid in Malta on Friday afternoon and in Gozo for the rest of the weekend, where buses could run on a 24 hour basis on that weekend.”

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Iċ-Chairperson tal-Alternattiva Demokratika, Arnold Cassola, qal:a;t “L-aħħar inċentivi li qed joffri l-Gvern biex il-Maltin iżuru ‘l Għawdex urew li huma xprun mill-aqwa għall-ekonomija Għawdxija. l-Alternattiva Demokratika qiegħda għalhekk tipproponi lill-gvern biex joħloq aktar okkażjonijiet bħal dawn billi jiżgura li btajjel pubbliċi li jinzertaw f’jum ta’ xogħol jitgawdew mill-ħaddiema nhar ta’ Ġimgħa jew nhar ta’ Tnejn. Dawn il-weekends twal ġodda jagħtu mhux biss iċ-ċans lill-Maltin jżuru ‘l Għawdex imma wkoll ikunu jistgħu jservu ta’ shut-down qasir għall-fabbriki f’Malta, sabiex isiru attivitajiet bħall-manutenzjoni, fost l-oħrajn.”

Id-Deputat Chairperson tal-AD, Carmel Cacopardo, żied jgħid: “Sabiex intaffu t-traffiku u t-tniġġis żejjed fuq Għawdex f’dawn l-okkażjonijiet, il-Gvern missu, filwaqt li jkompli jissussidja l-biljetti tal-passiġġeri fuq il-Gozo Channel, ma jibqax jissussidja l-prezz tal-biljetti tal-karozzi iżda minflok jissussidja biljett b’xejn għall-weekend għall-karozza tal-linja, validu f’Malta il-Ġimgħa waranofisnhar u f’Għawdex għall-bqija tal-weekend, fejn il-karozzi jkunu jistgħu jaħdmu għal 24 siegħa tul tmiem il-ġimgħa.”