Last Sunday, Prime Minister Robert Abela and I met a healthy group of artists, creatives and cultural managers to discuss the role of our traditions in the shaping up of our identity. I couldn't be prouder.

For more than an hour, we discussed the future of our cultural traditions, and there was widespread agreement on the vital role of culture in strengthening Maltese identity.

As the Minister responsible for these sectors and the creative industry as a whole, I feel that it is my duty to strengthen these sectors.

Certainly, we owe today's success primarily to our talented artists and creatives who are making Malta proud, but also to the many employees who work tirelessly in our various entities that promote culture and the arts.

At the event, the Prime Minister referred to two important initiatives, spearheaded by my Ministry, whereby Gozo's Citadel and Mdina could be part of the UNESCO world heritage list as the government plans on submitting an application for both sites and that in November, the government also plans on submitting Malta's candidacy to be on the UNESCO world heritage committee. 

The Safi barracks incident

As I write this on Wednesday morning, the Police announced that later in the day, a number of people shall be taken to court over the Hal Safi Barracks drug heist. Their arrest came 48 hours after it was reported that a sizable amount of drugs were stolen from Safi. This is once again a clear demonstration of the efficiency of our Police Force led by Commissioner Angelo Gafa.

The interior minister, my colleague Byron Camilleri, lost no time in taking stock of the situation. Pending investigations, the AFM Brigadier was suspended, investigations commenced immediately, and the Prime Minister even announced an independent inquiry led by retired judge Geoffrey Valenzia. Minister Camilleri offered his resignation, which was not accepted by the Prime Minister, and rightly so.

Byron is a man of integrity. Under his helm, important reforms within the Police, the Army, and the correctional facilities were carried out successfully. His is no walk-in-the-park portfolio, but Byron is doing a good job at it despite the opposition doing all it can to disrupt him from carrying out his duties. 

This was clearly demonstrated on Monday evening when Prime Minister Robert Abela went to Parliament to inform the House of Representatives of the latest situation regarding the drug heist from the Safi barracks and subject himself to all the questions the Opposition wanted to ask. 

However, the Nationalist Party Opposition had absolutely no intention of discussing, maturely, and responsibly, this incident. Instead, Bernard Grech, prodded, as usual by PN MP Karol Aquilina, was interested solely in trying to score cheap political points. For more than two hours, Grech, Aquilina, and the rest of the PN MPs did their best to stop the Prime Minister from making his statement. This newspaper aptly described what happened in Parliament, on Monday evening, as a farce. The same thing happened on Tuesday evening. This time, MP Aquilina lashed out at Speaker Farrugia, and in doing so, he reached a new low. Shameful indeed.  

Carnival weekend

This week, together with Labour Party deputy leader and MEP Alex Agius Saliba, we visited the carnival float builders whose creations thousands of Maltese and tourists alike shall enjoy this weekend in Valletta and Floriana. I am unfailingly impressed by the high level of detail and the extraordinary work that goes into float building. 

Each year, Carnival in Malta is getting stronger, and we have successfully become a go-to destination for the winter Carnival. I look forward to seeing these floats, along with hundreds of extraordinary dancers and artists, taking their place of pride in Malta's magnificent capital city, Valletta, this weekend.  

A few months ago, we announced the setting up of the Cultural Hub in Marsa, from which our Carnival enthusiasts shall benefit by having the place that they deserve to build their beautiful and highly artistic Carnival floats.

Pope Francis

As I write, Pope Francis is at Rome's Gemelli hospital, with pneumonia in both lungs. His situation has been described by the Vatican as 'critical'.

I have read the reviews of 'Hope' - Francis's autobiography. It tells of the remarkable journey of the 88-year-old pontiff from the streets of Buenos Aires in Argentina all the way to the highest position within the Roman Catholic Church.

Pope Francis has done remarkable good to the Catholic Church since his election. He strived to open the church for everyone. It has not been an easy task for him, having to face numerous hurdles from conservative quarters within the Church. But he never gave up. His papacy is based on love and mercy. 

As he battles his latest illness, we pray for Pope Francis' recovery.

The war in Ukraine

I am following with deep interest the events that are unfolding with regards to the Russia - Ukraine war. 

US President Donald J. Trump says that he is determined to put a stop to this war, which has been going on for three years, and which left in its wake thousands of innocent civilians, on both sides of the divide, dead.

 The global community is in unanimous agreement that this war must stop - the question is on the 'how'. 

President Trump, through his representatives, started off by meeting the Russian side only, but eventually Ukraine was roped in too. 

Whilst President Trump has so far given the EU's top officials the cold shoulder on this matter, he met French President Emmanuel Macron at the White House. 

This was an important development for peace, which cannot be achieved unless the US, Russia, Ukraine, and the EU are all on board. 

We hope that peace shall soon be achieved to finally see an end to this war, which ravaged Ukraine and left thousands of people dead. I have been to Ukraine twice in the last two years (once in the thick of it) and I witnessed the atrocities and the devastations of war. 

Yet, I also witnessed the impressive determination of the Ukrainian people to survive. Remarkable people, indeed.