Ninu Zammit, Resources and Infrastructure Minister, said there had been a strong commitment over the past four years to improve village centres, with works aimed to bring out the characteristics of the places concerned.

Various parvis had been renovated, church facades illuminated and where possible village squares were embellished.

Mr Zammit was speaking at Mqabba where such works are in hand around the parish church.

Works such as these, he said, have been carried out at Safi, Mellieha, Lija, Kirkop, Cospicua, Zurrieq, Zabbar, Birzebbuga, Qormi and San Gwann, and other works are in hand at Qrendi and Balzan.

At Mqabba the parvis surface of cement tiles had been removed and hard stone tiles were laid to a design that complemented the church’s architecture. The pavement too was being re-done with hard stone tiles.

Similar works are to be taken in hand in the coming months in Siggiewi, Sta Venera, Fgura, Sta Lucija and Qormi San Gorg.