As from tomorrow, Gozo Channel will put into effect a new schedule of ferry crossings for the shoulder months. Traditionally, June and October have been regarded as part of the winter schedule, with a summer service coming into force towards the end of June and running through to the end of September. After consultation with the Gozo Tourism Association, the Industry Ministry recommended that Gozo Channel set up a shoulder month period between 1 and 25 June and again between the end of September through to the end of October. Under the new schedule, Gozo Channel will be adding an extra two crossings a day, resulting in a total of 48 crossings per day, until it switches to the 56 crossings per day in the summer months. Meanwhile, on 1 June, a tariff adjustment will come into force, as announced two years ago, ... Read more...

Two people were seriously injured in a traffic accident which occurred in Marsalforn, Gozo on Sunday evening. A man, driving a Mazda 323 heading towards Rabat, lost control of his vehicle and was involved in a head-on crash with an Isuzu Gemini that was heading in the direction of Marsalforn. The driver of the Mazda and a female passenger who was in the Isuzu were taken to Gozo General Hospital by ambulance. The driver of the Isuzu was not injured. Both cars were extensively damaged. Police investigations are underway conducted by Inspector Antonello Grech.

"The Maltese community here in the United States and Canada is like a tree," proclaimed Gozo's Bishop Mario Grech, describing his impressions upon visiting the United States and members of the Maltese Centre in Astoria, New York. "Its roots are in the Maltese culture: family, work and Christian values." "It's our duty to take care of the roots and to sustain our fundamental cultural values. As with all trees, life-giving oxygen comes through the leaves. But just as dust and dirt can coat the leaves and close the pores to life-sustaining elements, so the dust and dirt of cultural debris can clog our Maltese Tree of Life. If we want to keep our culture and our community alive, if we want to be fruitful, we've got to clean up the dust and dirt. We've got to be true to our ... Read more...

Authorities in Gozo have given their assurance that pupils of Sannat primary school may walk into their classes safely on Monday morning as any debris or unexploded petards from the feast in neighbouring Munxar will have been cleared up. Every year, small unexploded petards and debris from fireworks set off during the feast of St Paul in Munxar, which is taking place this weekend, end up in the grounds of the Sannat school. The fireworks are let off from an unbuilt stretch between the two villages, which are within walking distance of each other. Unexploded petards and debris tend to fly onto the school and a public playground in Sannat, especially when the north west wind blows. Most debris falls close to the school's unit for children with disability. Sannat mayor Carmel Camilleri said, "I have been informed officially that any unexploded ... Read more...

We recently had a wonderful fortnight's holiday on Gozo but were unlucky enough to have our bag containing our son's and his fiancée's camera and video camera with their holiday memories stolen from the car at Dwejra. Luckily a certain Vickie saw a car with the occupants acting strangely and was able to give the attending police officers a description of them. How marvellous and efficient the Gozo police were in apprehending the robbers before they could make their way back to Malta and recovering all our possessions. Our police force in England could certainly learn some lessons from them in customer care. We would like to thank all of the people who helped us with information and giving us lifts to the Victoria police station and for the loan of clothing suitable for the court appearance. We were so impressed by ... Read more...

Most of the proposals in the Labour Party's recently launched draft plan for Gozo were already being implemented or had been proposed for implementation, Gozo Minister Giovanna Debono said yesterday. While the plan had proposed diving as a niche segment in Gozo, the ministry was working to install a decompression chamber, market an artificial dive site and another two ships would be scuttled in June or July to serve as wrecks, she said. Commenting on the Malta Labour Party plan, the minister said one could see that both political parties were viewing Gozo from a common perspective. The minister picked on other points, which included improved roads, as well as restoration works at Ggantija and the Cittadella. Regarding an alternative road to Mgarr, the ministry had allocated Lm80,000 for a study on the subject. The MLP, Ms Debono said, had suggested there should be ... Read more...

The Gozo Business Chamber will hold the fifth edition of the Gozo Trade Fair at the Gozo Sports Complex, Victoria, from June 2nd to 4th. The fair is the showcase of Gozo's businesses, presenting a wide variety of items, services and opportunities available to the Gozo public, visitors and tourists. Through the cooperation of the Gharb local council, an Italian delegation of businessmen from Taranto will be taking part for the third year running, presenting various products from the Brindisi region. Car enthusiasts will be exhibiting luxury and Japanese cars, other exhibits include household goods, Gozo olive oil and liqueurs, purified drinking water, lifts, stained glass, wrought iron furniture, bedding, digital TV and telecommunication services, white goods, financial services, curtains and home furnishings, air conditioners and solar water heaters, frames and furniture, catering, sweets and chocolates, woodworks, garden furniture, industrial automations, lava ... Read more...

Yesterday was the hottest May day since records started being kept by the Meteorological Office 84 years ago, as temperatures soared for the second consecutive day. The temperature reached 35.3°C which is some 10 degrees higher than the average for this time of the year. The warmest May days before yesterday were those of May 22-23, 1945 when the thermometer reached 34.4°C. Although the winds were generally from an easterly or southeasterly direction, the atmosphere above the central Mediterranean was continuously descending from the upper levels to the ground, thus becoming warm and dry through being compressed, a process called subsidence. A weak front is now expected to pass over the Maltese Islands bringing along some cloud. Temperatures should go down to the mid to high 20s as a moderate northwesterly wind brings some cooler air

The highest temperature reached yesterday was 33.7 °C. making it the warmest May day since May 27, 1994 when the thermometer peaked at 33.9°C. The hottest May days since records started being kept by the Meteorological Office were exactly 61 years ago, when on two consecutive days, May 22 and 23, 1945, the temperature reached 34.4 °C. A weak anticyclone or area of high pressure extends from Libya to Italy and onto central and Eastern Europe. This, together with a depression, caused by seasonal hot air over Algeria, has produced a steady flow of warm air flowing north and northeastwards towards the central Mediterranean. However this very warm air episode should not last long with highs in the mid to high 20s forecast from Thursday onwards.

Gozo Bishop Mario Grech will make a pastoral visit to the United States between next Tuesday and May 31 following an invitation from Maltese and Gozitan migrants in New York and Washington. In New York he will meet the migrants at Mass at the Mount Carmel Church in Astoria and at a reception at the adjacent Maltese Centre. He will visit St Patrick's Cathedral, the UN headquarters and Ground Zero. He will also have a meeting with Gozitan priests. In Washington Mgr Grech will take part in a concelebration during which a painting of Our Lady of ta' Pinu will be blessed in a chapel dedicated to Our Lady at the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception. The ceremony will be led by Cardinal Teodor McCarrick and the Bishop of Gozo will deliver the homily. Among those present will be a group ... Read more...