Freedom Day will be commemorated today, marking the 27th anniversary of the departure of the last British forces from the Maltese islands. Freedom Day this year will be commemorated in Gozo during an activity chaired by Minister for Gozo, Hon. Giovanna Debono. The activity presented by the Cultural Organisation Committee (Kumitat Organizzativ Kultura) within the Ministry for Gozo, includes a musical programme performed by the Police Band at Independence Square, Victoria, Gozo. This will start at 18:30pm. The programme offers a wide variety of light music. During this activity, a commemorative poem written for the occasion by Cav. Joe M. Attard will be read. This activity is free of charge and the general public is welcome to attend.

Why do Gozitans or any other person living in Gozo who wants to travel abroad have to use either the expensive helicopter service or use taxis to reach the airport? It costs a person travelling from Gozo to the airport between Lm9-Lm12 (plus 50c to Lm2 for ferry expenses), one way or Lm18-Lm24 return just to get to the airport and back by taxi. Additionally we have to dish out and average of Lm50 for airport taxes. For Gozitans this may total up to Lm75. This just to leave the island! I read with interest Alternattiva Demokratika's, The Green Party?s statement, where they suggested a shuttle bus service from Gozo to the airport. I fully agree with this proposal. This shuttle bus service from international airports exists in all other destinations worldwide. In our country these buses don?t need to ... Read more...

The Gozo Business Chamber has welcomed the news that Gozo Channel Co. Ltd has registered a profit. The chamber said it hoped the company will continue to register further profits and remember its social obligations towards the people of Gozo. In this regard it strongly recommends that the authorities reconsider the decision to increase the fares, for the third consecutive year, next June. The chamber feels that any further increase will be detrimental to Gozo's already fragile economy.

Gozo SPCA has said it will no longer be able to pick up or accept shot or injured wild birds because of the risk of avian flu. The society did not have the necessary protective clothing to handle birds under the prevailing circumstances. During hunting seasons, the society gets calls from the public to pick up injured birds. "These usually include birds of prey, such as marsh harriers and waders such as herons and spoonbills. "The public should notify the police immediately if they see an injured bird, giving its exact location. Do not touch the bird and keep pet animals away from it. It is important to make the report quickly, so that the bird can be picked up as early as possible," Gozo SPCA said.

The volume of fish landed by Gozitan fishermen increased from 279,823 kg in 2004 to 360,822 kg last year, while the value of the catch rose from Lm271,125 to Lm432,667. The information was given by Rural Affairs Minister George Pullicino in reply to a question by Anton Refalo (MLP). The minister said there were 152 full-time and 252 part-time Gozitan fishermen, practically unchanged from 2004, but up from 112 and 235 respectively in the year 2000.

One of the most amazing natural phenomena, a solar eclipse, will take place in Gozo tomorrow morning. The Moon will start to cover the Sun at around 11.16 am and will leave the Sun's disk at around 1.46 pm, with the deepest eclipse being at 12.30 pm when 68 per cent of the sun's disk will be covered. A solar eclipse is caused by the Moon passing between the earth and the sun, casting a shadow upon the earth and blocking out the sunlight reaching us. Solar eclipses are possible because of a lucky coincidence, although the Sun is about 400 times larger than the Moon, it is also about 400 times further away, so from our point of view on Earth, the Sun and the Moon appear to be the same size. A word of caution, looking directly at the sun ... Read more...

The Gozo helicopter operated its last scheduled flight, UV903, at 10am on 20 March. For the past week, there had been no flights between Malta and Gozo. Asked why the helicopter had been withdrawn from service a spokesperson said that the company was investing in new helicopters to enlarge its fleet. "There has been a delay in this process that has affected the service between Gozo and Malta. The service is expecteded to be back to normal on 1 April as the helicopter is programmed to leave Spain on 31 March."

The Gozo helicopter service has been stopped because of maintenance works on the helicopter, Communications Minister Censu Galea said yesterday. He was replying to a question in Parliament by Justyne Caruana (MLP) who asked why there would be no fights this week.

There is one pending application for the opening of a casino in Gozo, Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi said yesterday. Replying to a Parliamentary question by Labour MP Gavin Gulia, Dr Gonzi said the application was for a casino in San Lawrenz.

"Notwithstanding its strong recommendations for the Qala primary school building to be preserved, demolition works have commenced in connection with a project for a new facility for the Institute of Tourism Studies, undertaken by the Gozo Ministry and utilising European Union Funds," the chamber said. The chamber referred to a February 2001 Resolution by the Council of the European Union on architectural quality in urban and rural environments and which called on the European Commission, to seek, in consultation with the member states, and in accordance with the rules governing the use of structural funds, ways and means of ensuring, in the application of those funds a wider consideration of architectural quality and the conservation of cultural heritage. The chamber strongly condemned the demolition of the school, saying that Mepa?s own Audit Officer prepared a report, as recently as last month, ... Read more...