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News
01 August 2011
PRESS RELEASE
The Gozo Business Chamber and Synaptic Laboratories Ltd. are pleased to announce that the ICT GozoMalta Project will be officially launched by the Hon. Giovanna Debono, Minister for Gozo, on Friday, 5th August, 2011, at 11.00a.m. at Hotel Calypso, Marsalforn. Besides the Hon. Minister Debono others speakers include Hon. Jason Azzopardi who will be attending on behalf of Minister Tonio Fenech; Mr Claudio Grech MITA Chairman and member of the steering committee who will be representing Minister Austin Gatt; as well as Joe Grech (GBC President), Mr Ron Kelson (Synaptic Laboratories) and Mr David Pace (Project Leader). Joseph G. Grech C.E.O.
INSULEUR Board of Directors and General AssemblyThe President and the CEO of the Gozo Business Chamber have attended the Board of Directors meeting as well as the General Assembly of INSULEUR which were held in Brussles. Important items discussed concerned State Aid issues and restrictions on businesses’ activities due to European rules and European projects.The report on the 2011 first semester’s lobbying activities was also presented. The General Assembly approved the appointment of Mr. Flavio Burlizzi and Ms. Silvia Delgado as, respectively, the Italian and Spanish members of the technical committee of INSULEUR._______________________________________________________________ 3 February 2011 PRESS RELEASE Malta – Gozo Tunnel The Gozo Business Chamber has welcomed the news of the proposal for a tunnel between Malta and Gozo, something which the Chamber has been discussing for a long time. Such a fixed link between the two islands will mean that students and young workers who have to cross over daily to Malta will find it easier to return home everyday, something which will help increase commerce by their shopping and living in Gozo. It will also make life easier for people needing to travel continuously for hospital treatment in Malta. Besides, it will encourage foreign and domestic investment as it will provide a direct link with Malta International Airport and the Freeport. The Chamber believes that, due to work and travel constraints, Gozo is suffering a brain drain and the population is slowly shrinking as parents now go to Malta to visit their children on weekends rather than vice-versa. Besides, the double insularity of Gozo means extra expenses for businesses, lack of foreign direct investment and lack of fair competition. A permanent link will solve most of the problems caused by double insularity and result in benefits across the board for all types of industry. Joseph G. Grech C.E.O. 21 October 2010 PRESS RELEASE GOZO BUSINESS SURVEY A survey carried out by the Gozo Business Chamber for the months from May to August 2010 showed that 44% of respondents experienced a decrease in business while 22% registered an increase with the remaining 34% having the same results in comparison to the same months for the previous year. The respondents also said that most of their business was with Gozitans (59%), Maltese visitors (22%) and tourists (19%). The Gozo Channel ferry service is believed by 37% of the respondents to have been the best factor in helping their business followed by the weekend activities organised throughout the period under review (31%). The worst culprit for lack of or loss of business was the lack of parking space available in Victoria and the popular beaches. In fact, the lack of parking facilities was accentuated once again by 26% of respondents when indicating points that might have had a negative effect on business. Other remarks ranged from the traffic wardens’ attitude (22%) to traffic congestion (20%), the waiting time to cross from Malta to Gozo (18%), and prices (14%). Respondents were asked to give their opinion about certain aspects, ranging from Very Good to Very Bad. Cleanliness was classified as follows: main roads (from 48% as good to 10% as very bad); town /village centres (52% good, to 7% bad); and beaches (45% good, 10% very bad). As for places of information for visitors, this ranged from good (37%) to very bad (13%). The worst off came public transport with 39% as bad to 13% as good, and parking spaces with 45% as bad and 7% as good. The respondents’ outlook for the next three months resulted in 3% expecting an increase in business, 52% expecting the same amount, and 45% expecting less business. This also reflected their outlook for future employment. While 3% said that they expect to employ more people, 76% said that they will keep the same number, and 21% expected to decrease the number of employees. The great majority of replies came from businesses based in Victoria and Xewkija (79%) with the rest from various other places around Gozo and represented the retail sector (44%), the manufacturing sector (29%) and the services sector (27%). Michael Galea PRO PRESS RELEASE GBC UNVEILS ICTGOZOMALTA PORTAL The Gozo Business Chamber today unveiled ICTGOZOMALTA.COM, an innovative and forward looking ICT Portal, the first stage in its objective is to establish a Cluster of Excellence in ICT with a strong focus on Cyber Security. This is a joint initiative between the Gozo Business Chamber and Synaptic Laboratories Limited, an Australian R&D company, based in Gozo, and draws on Synaptic Laboratories Limited's existing circle of international collaborators (www.synaptic-labs.com). The portal will become a one-stop shop for local and International companies, and even individuals, who wish to contribute to and collaborate on new and exciting Innovative and Creative Ideas which can be nurtured and developed and which have the potential to grow and expand to global markets. New Projects will bring together local and internationally sourced ICT breakthroughs and experts to enable the demonstration of even more advanced solutions. Through the facilitation of existing and developing international ICT relationships, the portal will also advance Malta based R&D, and promote Malta's unique advantages as a location for cutting edge ICT demonstration projects. Through participation and information transfer, local companies will develop skills and also have the opportunity to be first to create future products exploiting these breakthroughs. The envisaged medium term benefits to the economy will be the development of cutting edge ICT solutions in Gozo and Malta, resulting in the creation of new jobs, facilitation of knowledge transfer through regular webinars, seminars and other means for enhancing the skill levels in Malta, particularly in the area of Cyber security. Through the development of a skills and services register (phase 2) a facility will be provided to attract both locally based as well as the Diaspora of Gozitan and Maltese nationals who live and work abroad to register on a database with the potential to support the export drives of Malta sourced R&D or to even locate new jobs in Malta so as to be able return to Malta, bring home knowledge experience and skills acquired in the international markets, thus attracting more knowledge and experience to the Maltese Islands. The web portal will also be a place to advertise new initiatives to attract direct foreign investment into Gozo and Malta and increase awareness of the Maltese Islands as an ideal location to work and live. Working in close collaboration with key Government and private stakeholders and selected leading International companies, ICT Gozo Malta Projects will focus on technology proposals and solutions that have already started to win international recognition and that match European and international (such as USA) high priorities, in cutting edge ICT domains such as Future Internet, Global Cyber Security and Secure Computing in the Cloud. Although it has only just been launched, other cutting edge R&D technology companies being promoted by ICT Gozo Malta already include SST, Sonalysts, SecureRF and Anagran, all International Cyber Security and Internet focused companies offering next generation solutions. Further information may be obtained from The Gozo Business Chamber on Tel. (+356) 21550305 or info@gozobusinesschamber.org Joseph G. Grech CEO
_____________________________________________________________________ 18 October 2010 A delegation from the MCESD Gozo Regional Committee has presented an update of Dr. Gordon Cordina's report, in connection with proposalsfor the 2011 Budget, to Hon. Tonio Fench, Minister of Finance, the Economy and Investement (MFEI). The presentation took place at the MFEI and the delegation was formed of Ms Sylvia Gauci, representing the Chair as he was abroad, Mr Paul Scicluna, Mr Joseph G. Grech and Mr Aldo Formosa form the MCESD Gozo Office. |
