The Labour Party on Wednesday commemorated 30 years since the opening of the National Labour Centre in Ħamrun.

"This is an important anniversary that was initiated with the appointment of Alfred Sant as Leader of the Labour Party in March 1992.   At that time, the Labour Party began to focus on how to modernise itself in particular in its organisation," the party said.

"That is why Dr Sant started working to make the party have new and more adequate quarters. Just a month after his appointment as Labour Leader, Alfred Sant had announced that the Labour Party was approaching the end of negotiations that were being held with a view to having new headquarters."

The new Labour Party headquarters was to be built where Radio City was located, in Ħamrun, a project entirely funded by donations gathered from thousands of Maltese and Gozitan families, the PL said. "The infrastructural work on the headquarters started on 1 July 1993 and was completed just under two years later, to be officially opened on 28 May 1995 by the then Labour Leader, Dr Alfred Sant and the two deputy leaders, Dr George Abela and Dr George Vella."

"The National Labour Centre in Ħamrun has now been the headquarters of the Labour Party for 30 years where the most important decisions are taken by the Leadership of the Party, the Parliamentary Group, the National Executive, and the delegates of the Labour Party."

Labour Party Chief Executive Leonid McKay described this project as a dream that has become a reality at a time of change in party structures, media and policymaking. He said that the National Labour Centre to date is the heart of the Labour Party which gives life to many ideas and projects designed to further the party's growth and renewal.

He added that this anniversary confirms how much the Labour Party is the party of change, that it is not afraid to go into the challenges and to deliver on what it promises.

Leonid McKay said that as it was 30 years ago, "the Labour Party must be best prepared for the challenges it will face in the near future, and therefore the Fundraising Marathon for the Labour Party will be organised on Sunday 1 June under the theme 'Il-Ġid għall-Maltin' (Wealth for the Maltese)."