Next year, Community Policing will extend across the entire country, Finance Minister Clyde Caruana said in his Budget speech in Parliament on Monday.

The minister also said that Police Patrol and Community Support Officers will also be introduced. "With this project that focuses on increasing police presence on the roads, continuous work on station renovations, and the way that long-closed police stations were turned into Community Police offices, we now have the largest police presence on the streets."

The minister also said that next year, the aim is for a second hub for victims of domestic violence to open, in Mtarfa, and the ability to use panic alarms will be given.

He said that when victims of domestic violence are required to appear in court, a support service will be introduced that includes childcare for those with children and an in-home carer service for victims responsible for elderly or disabled dependents.

The government, he said, also wants to implement electronic monitoring for the first time. "This will be another major reform, with the logistics now almost in place; the next step is for the electronic monitoring law to pass through all stages of approval."Top of FormBottom of Form

He also spoke about investing in rehabilitation, and said that the project for new half-way houses for the rehabilitation of prisoners is continuing.

The minister said that next year, the government will negotiate new sectoral agreements for members of the Armed Forces of Malta and the Civil Protection Department. "It was this government that provided the first sectoral agreements for these workers, and now we will build upon them." He noted that a sectoral agreement for the Police Force was signed in the past months, adding that "next year, we will continue strengthening the measures we introduced last budget. We will improve the scheme that we started this year for those who spend more than 25 years in service and reach 29 years of service."

Caruana also spoke about natural disasters, saying that a committee had been appointed to evaluate the scenarios that emerge from the National Emergency Response Framework Programme. He said that shortcomings began being identified.

"We will start with small projects, but which are very important, like a media policy and a strategy for major incidents."

He said that the government will start transforming Boiler Wharf in Isla to have adequate facilities to hold the needed apparatus in case of a maritime crisis.  The plan is to have a zone for training rooms and emergency control rooms, he said.

A safe country, the minister added, must be complemented with effective justice and efficient procedures, he said. He spoke about the incoming Family Court reforms, strengthening the role of the Children's Advocate, and reforms in compilations of evidence and inquiries. "This while continuing with the specialisation process."

He also said that while works to maximise the space of the law courts took place, "it is expected that work will commence on the demolition and construction of a building near the law courts."

Investing in infrastructure

The minister said that this year a lot of work was done by Enemalta, in collaboration with Infrastructure Malta and Transport Malta, "to strengthen around 82km of cables in 19 localities." The process for the third phase in this regard has begun, he said.

He said that continuous investment is being made in substations, distribution centres and electricity feeders, among others. The same, he said, is being done in terms of water infrastructure.

"With a national plan worth €310 million over ten years, the WaterServices Corporation is working on concrete measures to satisfy the demand with the provision of higher quality water," he said, while also mentioning expanding the New Water initiative and upgrading the sewage network.

Regarding waste management, he said that WasteServ is working on several large-scale projects designed to improve existing infrastructure. "In a few months, construction will begin on a new facility that will separate bulky mixed waste. Thanks to this facility, we will be able to reduce approximately 47,000 tons of waste from ending up in landfills, and instead, recover recyclable materials such as metal and wood to create new resources from them," he said.

As for road infrastructure, he said that this year government launched "Vjal Kulħadd," a new €10 million scheme managed by Infrastructure Malta."

He also said that traffic reorganization projects in Tal-Barrani, Qormi, and Kirkop will be fully completed. At the same time, we will continue improving road infrastructure, especially the arterial roads in Gozo.

Caruana also spoke about Project Green, Ambjent Malta and GreenServ, adding that together they created 105,000 sqm of open space in two years. "In the same period 26,000 trees were planted."

In 2025, he said that the government looks to open more open spaces, including in development zones in Luqa, Lija, St Julian's and Kirkop. "8,000 sqm of space for people in the heart of localities. These form part of 19 projects that Project Green alone is expected to open next year."

Construction

Collaboration between the Building and Construction Authority (BCA) , as well as the
Occupational Health & Safety Authority (OHSA) on enforcement will strengthen, he said.

The OHSA, he said, will open a centre in Gozo to offer immediate support. In addition, an official register will be set up that incorporates experts who work in the health and safety sector, based on qualifications and experience.

Work is also ongoing to create a new structure for the conformity and enforcement directorate.

Initiatives like the incentives for purchasing a property in a UCA, among others, will be extended.

Lands Authority

The government sees the need to renew the wat the title of properties are registered, and with this aim said that government will embark on a renewal process in the land registry.

A scheme will also be launched so that temporary emphyteusis on properties that can be saved. This scheme will expand eligibility for current and past schemes while introducing criteria so that the redemption of residential ground rents to freehold ownership would be facilitated more.

On other issues, the government will also remove the need for women to pay tax on essential sanitary products, the minister said.

The minister, during his speech, also said that the first phase of the Marsa Culture Hub will commence, with €15 million EU funds being allocated.

He also said that the financial allocation to Creative Malta will increase by €2 million, to support local film producers and promote the Maltese film industry.