This week we announced further reforms in our justice system, whereby the Administrative Review Tribunal has now been enhanced and strengthened with two additional panels – the Gaming Panel and the Digital Innovation Panel. These panels will deal with technical issues in their respective competence given that the panel members appointed thereto will bring about further specialisation to the Tribunal.

I underline that this specialisation will improve both expertise and efficiency in this Tribunal. These experts will now help the Tribunal to take better quality decisions in the two fields mentioned – Gaming and Digital Innovation.

Reforms in the justice sector are required to enable the system to efficaciously react and adapt to the modern times we are living in. Indeed, reforms have to cater for the new sectors being introduced in a modern and forward-looking country – just as Malta is doing.

With these two panels, we will also be promoting better efficiency in the Administrative Review Tribunal, as the challenges and technicalities posed by these new sectors will be effectively catered for, consequently bringing about quality decisions within an expedient time that will eventually help minimising the backlog. Through such reforms, both citizens and the system will stand to benefit.

I reiterate that this Government is not leaving any stone unturned in the justice system and is adamant to further improve, strengthen and enhance it with the introduction of further reforms essential to safeguard our rule of law and human rights especially where a healthier, more efficient and expeditious judicial process is concerned.

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Another event happened this week that merits its due attention. As in the justice system, we are working hard so that all sectors realise their potential – in this case a better experience, apart from safeguarding the Malta Maritime Museum for future generations.

Together with my colleague Aaron Farrugia we announced the expansion of the Malta Maritime Museum by more than 500m² apart from the extension of the digital outreach – a €2m project steered by Heritage Malta and partly financed by the peoples of Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway through the EEA Grants.

This project will see the Malta Maritime Museum in Birgu increasing considerably the total area of its public museum and exhibition space, together with an extended outreach to digital visitors with the digitisation of 2,600 objects from its collection.

Heritage and preservation have increasingly become more essential through time and during the past couple of years, the culture sector has been transformed into a ‘value-adding’ industry. Thanks to restorations and upgrades, the project will enhance the attraction, and therefore the touristic product offered, whilst providing the community with spaces which have been inaccessible, for a better cultural experience

This is yet another project, which will contribute to the reduction of economic and social disparities through the enhancement and upgrading of cultural heritage as an asset.

In the past major works were undertaken to restore and adapt part of the Old Naval Bakery to serve as the Malta Maritime Museum, however to date, only a relatively small percentage of the building is serving as a museum.

In recent years, Heritage Malta has commenced an ambitious restoration programme to restore the external fabric of this historical structure. The agency has completed the restoration of one turret, the front and side façades, and is in the process of finalising the restoration of the back façade, and all the apertures through national funds.

The new project will consolidate the building through structural interventions, which will recreate the spatial environment that was originally designed by renowned British architect William Scamp back in the 1840s, while also introducing new internal areas and spaces.

The digitization component of the project aims to create a fully fletched e-accessible database of rich information, knowledge, and various forms of digital media of Malta’s cultural heritage assets, focusing on the Maritime Museum collection of models and navigation instruments.

This capital project, which will be finalised in 2022, is envisaged to lead to an annual increase of another 5,000 visitors and to a wider outreach towards the digital audience of the Malta Maritime Museum.

We are giving this sector a much needed drive to modernise it, bringing it to the best possible level for it to meet today’s exigencies. With MUŻA and MICAS, the Valetta Agency replacing Valletta 2018 and more, we are safeguarding the cultural sector but also leaving it as a legacy for the coming generations.

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On Thursday, we launched Teatru Malta’s 2019 programme. Teatru Malta was created with a specific aim – that to break ties with insularity when it comes to theatre and move towards building a theatre ecosystem that has no walls, no artistic limitations and no structural boundaries.

In other words, a theatre for all. A theatre accessible to the community at large.

2019 will bring about a jam-packed calendar of events boasting a number of exciting projects and as is the aim, Teatru Malta will be travelling to venues across both Malta and Gozo, making sure to bring theatre to audiences all over the islands. The programme includes the involvement of a variety of local theatre practitioners and international artists, further enriching its quality and sustaining its overall diversity. Touring street circus performances, monologue masterclasses, and a festival for children are also in store.

Teatru Malta also has a number of opportunities lined up for this year with initiatives like the Spazji Teatrali collaboration project, which aims to sustain functional theatre spaces in Malta. This is another initiative by my ministry. Collaborating with and helping our communities use, and in certain cases re-use theatrical spaces dotting the islands. An initiative that further brings culture to the people – in their community.

Teatru Malta has proved itself since its inception. It has managed to create theatre that has its finger on its audience’s pulse. It has been ground-breaking and relevant. Malta and Gozo are its stage – working with everyone; creatives, professionals, amateurs and everyone who thinks theatre can make us better.

I am proud of their achievement in the cultural sector.

More information on Teatru Malta’s programme of events for 2019 can be found in this link: www.teatrumalta.org.mt.

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I will not delve into all the discussions, debates and what not relating to Brexit. I believe that this is the top followed topic since the UK announced its referendum.

However, I think it is pertinent to mention a few points from our Prime Minister’s press conference also held this week – underlining that Malta wants to be “the most UK-friendly country in the EU for both citizens and businesses”. Prime Minister Joseph Muscat also outlined the Government’s plan to deal with the impacts of Brexit particularly in terms of a no deal scenario if that happens.

One notes that Brexit will affect 82 pieces of legislation. In addition, there will be 36 ‘plans of action’ taken by 13 ministries due to the different consequences resulting from a no deal scenario. 15 other consequences are being tackled by the EU since they fall within their competence.

Looking at the national level, the most important focus is citizens’ rights, and I agree with the Prime Minister that both 30,000 Maltese living in the UK and British citizens living in Malta (around 13,000 of which 5,000 are working) are “justly anxious”. A Brexit hotline will soon be launched.

UK citizens currently residing in Malta, and who intend to stay after 29 March 2019, will have to apply for a new residence document issued by Identity Malta as per EU guidance, which will be valid for 10 years. In the interim, and until new documents are issued, which will be free of charge, Malta will allow UK nationals to continue using their current documents.

This new residence document will reflect the fact that UK nationals are no longer EU nationals, but a new “special’ category of EU nationals who have moved to Malta prior to Brexit. 

The Prime Minister explained how Cabinet also discussed voting rights for UK nationals, who will no longer be allowed to vote in European Parliament elections. Maltese nationals in the UK will however be able to vote and contest in local council elections, therefore the UK citizens residing in Malta will have the right to vote in local council elections and run for local elections. This was a right enjoyed by UK nationals before Malta’s accession to the EU in 2003, and one we are keen to continue.

The Prime Minister also spoke about health care, a sector in which we want to retain the relationship which we have and strengthen it.

He continued to say that a no deal scenario will inevitably mean more screening and checks on people crossing into and out of the EU, so changes might need to be made at the Malta International Airport. With similar changes needed at customs.

The Government has already launched an assistance measure to help businesses prepare for Brexit. 

Indeed this Government is prepared for all circumstances.