Gozo Times Disappeared!

I wonder if I’m the only one to have noticed that the “Gozo Times”, a monthly 8-page supplement of the Times of Malta was missing this month. What a pity! With the Gozo Times, the Times of Malta had provided a space for people to contribute ideas, problems and other interesting items pertaining to Gozo. Even so, I was given to understand by its editor that only a small number of Gozitans actually bothered to do so.

Uttering one’s opinion in public seems a very hard thing to do for Gozitans – unless they are already in the public eye, that is. There is a wide-spread fear to be characterized as “blue” or “red”, or to suffer repercussions of some sorts. So I reckon it’s the Gozitans themselves that are to blame for the Gozo Times to be quietly put to rest after two and a half years.

For the time being, what we are left with is the weekly Sunday Times column “Gozo Newsletter” which more often than not reads like a parish bulletin. Following are this week’s earth-shattering headlines:

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Gozo Newsletter
Commentary - Labour's plan for Gozo - Castelain At the end of this month, the Malta Labour Party's general conference will meet to discuss the party's plan for the future named "New Beginning". Among the various documents put forward...
MUSEUM leaders receive Gieh il-Qala award - Castelain Four members of the Christian Doctrine Society (MUSEUM) are this year's recipients of the Gieh il-Qala award. The decision, reached by the local council, recognises their life-long dedication to their work...
Coming up - Castelain Outgoing Gozo Bishop Nikol Cauchi leads a thanksgiving, farewell Mass at the Cathedral in Victoria today at 5 p.m. After Mass the Bishop will be presented with gifts by Vicar-General...

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I’m still hopeful that the Gozo Times might re-appear on the second Monday of February. Gozo needs and deserves that space!