Time flies.

A full year has passed since the 2017 general election and therefore a full twelve months of the Muscat II Government.

I believe that considerable work has been done by all ministries and it feels, in more ways than one, that the first twelve months of the second Muscat government were even better than the first one.

In my case, the ministry which I am responsible for was established in 2015 with the amalgamation of three important portfolio- Justice, Culture (including Broadcasting) and Local Government.  That set up was bolstered following the last general election with the inclusion of Consumer Protection and Cleansing services necessitating a second Parliamentary Secretary.   

Indeed it is a very rewarding ministry.  Through our work, we touch most of the aspects of every citizen’s life and wellbeing.

We are always at work.  During the past year a lot of effort has been put in to keep on strengthening our country’s democracy, ensuring a more accessible and inclusive culture for our communities, and to increase efficiency in the judicial sector. This is all being done so that together we keep on offering a better quality of life fit for our country.

Let me focus on some of the main points.

Professionalisation and accessibility in the Culture sector

The culture sector has significantly improved in the past few years. Through the introduction of entities such as Festivals Malta, Teatru Malta and Żfin Malta, which have all seen their commencement through Arts Council Malta, we are ensuring to broaden the increase professionalisation in this sector which is at the heart of our strategy.

These entities have become a foundation for artists and local talent, through which they can keep on progressing in their artistic career and are also providing more opportunities in the artistic sector.  Culture is truly at the heart of our community and that is why a series of public consultations have been initiated for the creation of an updated national culture policy. We are committed to ensure that culture is accessible to all. 

The culture sector is relatively vast, and it consists of other public organisations and entities which contribute to the strengthening of this sector, which in turn results in a more inclusive and accessible culture for all in its aspects and forms. Including heritage and our patrimony.

This government acknowledges the importance of our country’s heritage and is currently working on protecting our intangible cultural heritage through the setting up of a board, which is tasked to implement the national intangible cultural heritage policy. The board will work on how to establish a national structure to start the process of a national inventory, following the advice of UNESCO nominated expert,  Marina Calvo.   Through this process, a number of elements of our cultural heritage will be proposed for nomination to the UNESCO list of intangible cultural heritage, hence gaining worldwide recognition.

Moreover, through Heritage Malta’s open days, we can keep on promoting our country’s rich culture and history, events through which our sites and museums are more accessible for everyone to visit, enjoy, and learn about our country’s rich history and culture.

Restoration is a fundamental pillar in the culture sector and it is aiding us to keep on preserving our country’s historical heritage, which in turn is providing us with a legacy for future generations. Thanks to an extensive restoration programme, a number of large projects have been completed in Valletta. Restoration interventions have also been carried out in our localities, where one also finds precious sites that carry historical and cultural significance.

A stronger Justice System

Numerous reforms have been done to keep on strengthening the Justice Sector.

During the past couple of years, our laws have also gone through a strong reform to keep on strengthening journalistic and artistic freedom.  These laws which provide more protection, have put Malta on a high level when it comes to the respect of freedom of expression as they strengthen the former to unprecedented levels.  I am sure that the people at large will start realising the difference we have made as soon as the relevant laws will start being used for the defence of the journalist.

We are also committed to provide an efficient justice administration which is of a higher quality and of service to our citizens as well.  Measures were taken during the past five years to keep on strengthening this sector, and we are determined to keep on going.

We have already seen a decrease in pending cases in 2018 when compared to previous years, a clear sign that a better service to our country is being given. This decrease can be seen in the Civil Courts and Criminal Courts as well.  The Justice Scoreboard which has been issued a few days ago is clear testament to the immense work which has been done.  For instance, the Maltese justice system has placed first in the EU when it comes to a very important efficiency calculation – the clearance rate.  In fact we have the best clearance rate in the whole European Union for civil, commercial and administrative cases when compared to those opened in 2016. Additionally, the Maltese Justice system has moved up three places when compared to last year’s scoreboard overall in terms of the length of time it takes of a case to be decided.

This was the fourth year running in which Malta has seen a positive decrease in the clearance rate and this government is committed to keep on improving its services for increase efficiency in our courts. 

The Law Courts have also undergone infrastructural work which has resulted into more space for hearings to take place, with the aim to decrease the waiting time.  In this regard, three new courtrooms have been opened in less than a year. We have also seen the opening of a larger Registry for the Family Court, as well as the relocation of the library and training centre.

A celebration of culture

The beginning of this year saw to the much awaited Valletta 2018 opening celebration, where an estimated 110,000 people attended the artistic spectacle thrown in Valletta.

These celebrations where praised not only by locals, but also by high representatives of culture within the European Commission, which included Tibor Navracsics who was present for the opening.  

The Parliamentary secretariats

Following the 2017 elections, a new Parliamentary Secretariat was introduced within the Ministry with the task to monitor the execution of the European Capital of Culture. This secretariat also has the Cleansing and Maintenance Division under its helm, which has been providing us with positive results for these much-needed and essential tasks.  The MCCAA and the Medicines Authority both form part of this secretariat, and provide the public with protection and knowledge regarding their respective areas.  

A big thank you goes to Dr Deo Debattista for the huge input he has given.

The Secretariat dedicated to local government and communities, headed by Silvio Parnis, has also done a great deal of work to revitalise local councils . Just last November, the Commonwealth Local Government Conference was held for the first time in Malta. This is the second largest conference organised by the Commonwealth and focuses on local government, to which more than 400 delegates from 40 countries were present. Once again, our country was at the centre where decisions were taken.

This Secretariat is currently working on a much-needed local government reform, a reform that will provide a better product and service to our communities. I must also mention the recent LESA reform, where now local wardens have become public employees.

The Ministry for Justice, Culture and Local Government truly embodies the vivid spirit of our nation, not only because it is entrusted with its soul via the culture portfolio but also due to the fact that through its other sectors, it keeps on producing a better, efficient service which a modern democratic country truly deserves.