The Executive Committee of the Għaqda Gurnalisti Sports (The Malta Sports Journalists Association) held the first meeting of the last year of its current administration on the Maltese island of Gozo.
This was the second time in the last three years that the committee decided to hold a one-day activity in Gozo during which some courtesy calls were made on sporting entities in the sister island.
This initiative was specifically taken see how the GhGS can help in giving better coverage to sporting activities in Gozo and also to try and find ways and means of how to entice more persons in the sister island to become more involved in sports journalism.
In a meeting with Dr Anton Refalo, Minister for Gozo, he expressed his appreciation of the Association’s interest in sports in Gozo. He promised his support through the Gozo Sports Board following a suggestion by the GHGS for an annual sports media activity to be held in Gozo.
He said his Ministry is committed to help sports in Gozo prosper as was the case with the introduction of the Gozo Sports Board, the development of the sporting facilities as well as the television programmes which help to give a better image to sporting activities on the island.
He went on to say that the indoor pool project is going ahead and hoped that construction work will start soon. He added that other projects included the horseracing track at Ta’ Xhajma which is to be developed into a modern facility.
The Association also offered its support in the organisation of the Gozo Sports Awards so that the top Gozitan sportsman and woman will be recognised accordingly at the Awards ceremony held in Malta every year as was the case in the last few years.
A meeting was also held with the Gozo Tourism Association Chief Executive Officer Joe Muscat who said that sports could become a niche to help increase the number of tourists to the sister island, especially during the winter months.
He also commented that sports had a strong potential for Gozo, however, only if there was an increase in sports facilities.
The President and the Secretary of the GHGS accepted an offer to collaborate whenever foreign sports journalists are invited to Malta to promote the islands.
Another meeting was held with the Chief Executive Officer of the Gozo Sports Board Alvin Grech who explained in detail the work being undertaken by the Board.
He added that thanks to the initiatives of the Board, participation in several sports disciplines has increased considerably. Such initiatives enable sports in Gozo to reach all sectors of society, including the elderly, through the Sports for All programmes.
He added that apart from the indoor pool and Ta’ Xhajma horseracing course projects, there are others in the pipeline and these include tennis courts, squash courts and others that could be used by several different disciplines.
The GHGS urged the Gozo Sports Board to continue helping the Gozitan Sports Associations so that their activities are duly promoted and given coverage in the local sports media.
IL-KUMITAT EŻEKUTTIV TAL-GĦAQDA ĠURNALISTI SPORTS F’GĦAWDEX
Il-Kumitat Eżekutiv tal-Għaqda Ġurnalisti Sports żamm l-ewwel laqgħa tiegħu tar-raba’ u l-aħħar sena tal-amministrazzjoni kurrenti f’Għawdex. Din kienet it-tieni darba fi tliet snin li l-kumitat eżekutiv tal-għaqda għamel attivita ta’ ġurnata f’Għawdex. Il-Kumitat għamel żjarat ta’ kortesija lil entitajiet involuti fl-isports f’Għawdex sabiex l-għaqda toffri l-għajnuna li tista’ sabiex l-isport f’Għawdex ikun espost aktar fil-media u sabiex jinstabu modi li jħajru aktar persuni jkunu involuti fil-media sportiva.
Waqt laqgħa mal-Ministru għal Għawdex, l-Ministru Dr Anton Refalo filwaqt li aprezza l-interess tal-għaqda fl-isport f’Għawdex wiegħed l-appoġġ tiegħu u l-għajnuna permezz tal-Gozo Sports Board għal suġġeriment tal-għaqda li jinżamm avveniment anwali f’Għawdex dwar il-media sportiva. Il-Ministru esprima l-impenn tal-Ministeru għal Għawdex sabiex l-isport jikber u li dan qed jsir b’diversi modi bħal ma’ huma l-Gozo Sports Board, l-iżvilupp ta’ faċilitajiet kif ukoll permezz tal-program televiżi dwar l-isport f’Għawdex li qed jesponi diversi dixxiplini sportivi li huma pratikati f’Għawdex. Huwa qal li l-proġett tal-pixxina fil-magħluq jinsab fil-aħħar fażi qabel ikunu jistgħu jibdew ix-xogħlijiet u li hemm aktar proġetti maħsuba bħal dak tal-korsa f’Ta’ Xħajma. L-Għaqda Ġurnalisti Sports offriet l-għajnuna ukoll sabiex ikompli jsir titjib fl-avveniment tal-Gozo Sports Awards u ser tkompli tgħin sabiex l-aħjar atleta Għawdxi jkun rikonoxut fil-Malta Sports Awards bħal ma’ diġa’ sar f’dawn l-aħħar snin.
Il-Kumitat eżekutivi ltaqgħa ukoll mal-Gozo Torism Association. Is-CEO Joe Muscat qal li l-isport jista’ jkun niċċa oħra li tgħin sabiex jitkabbar it-turiżmu f’Għawdex l-aktar fi żmien tax-xitwa. Intqal li s-settur tat-turiżmu sportiv għandu potenzjal kbir f’Għawdex iżda dan jista’ jsir billi jiżdiedu l-faċilitajiet sportivi. L-President u Segretarju Ġenerali tal-Għaqda Ġurnalist Sports laqgħu offerta tal-Assoċjazzjoni sabiex jkun hemm kollaborazzjoni kull meta ġurnalisti barranin mis-settur sportiv ikunu mistiedna f’Malta bħala parti mill-promozzjoni li ssir lil pajjiż.
Waqt laqgħa separata mas-CEO tal-Gozo Sports Board Alvin Grech dan spjega lil kumitat dwar il-ħidma tal-bord u semma li permezz tal-inizjativi tal-Gozo Sports Board qed tikber il-parteċipazzjoni fl-isport f’Għawdex u li qed jintlaħqu l-għanijiet li l-isport f’Għawdex jilħaq lis-setturi kolla tas-soċjeta. Is-Sur Grech qal li minbarra l-projetti tal-pixxina fil-magħluq u tal-korsa f’ta’ Xħajma hemm il ħsieb li jsiru aktar projetti bħal ma’ huma tennis courts, squash courts u faċilitajiet li jkunu jistgħu jintużaw minn aktar minn dixxiplina waħda. L-Għaqda Ġurnalisti Sports ħeġġet lil Gozo Sports Board sabiex ikun ta’ għajnuna lil assoċjazzjonijiet sportivi Għawdxin sabiex l-avenimenti tagħhom ikunu imwassla lil mezzi kolla tal-media u b’hekk ikun jistgħu jesponu aktar l-isport rispetivi tagħhom.
Wara dawn il-laqgħat il-Kumitat Eżekuttiv iltaqgħa b’mod formali għall-ewwel laqgħa tal-aħħar sena li ġġib fi tmiemha t-terminu ta’ erba’ snin meta l-kumitat eżistenti kien elett fis-sena 2013.
