Creating ‘employment opportunities of value’ a priority for Gozo Business Chamber CEO

“We face a shortage of workers in the private sector [in Gozo],” said Daniel Borg, CEO of the Gozo Business Chamber.

Speaking during an interview with Saviour Balzan on TV programme Xtra, Mr Borg said the issue has persisted for some time, and has been exacerbated further by COVID-19, particularly in those sectors that rely heavily on foreign workers, such as construction and retail.

“There are various reasons behind this problem, one of them being that certain employment opportunities of value are more widely available in Malta, such as for instance in the education sector, as well as an element of competition with the public sector in Gozo when it comes to attracting human resources,” said Mr Borg.

Highlighting what would attract investors to set up their business in Gozo instead of Malta, the CEO cites the islands’ quality of life as a top attraction, but agrees that there’s the need for the right incentives to be in place to create the right ecosystem for businesses to thrive there.

“A common obstacle for investors to set up here is accessibility – for them, if coming to Gozo means hours of travel time, it’s a non-starter.”

Mr Borg said that Gozo’s economy continues to face various challenges, some of which were heightened by COVID-19, such as the island’s over exposure to the tourism sector. “Although this remains a very important sector for Gozo, it’s also important that we target new sectors, which we’re actively working on, such as digitalisation and the green economy.”