We all remember a time, not so long ago, when culture and the arts were within the exclusive remit of the few. We changed that. 

Today, culture and the arts are for all - artists, creatives, and the public at large. This change did not happen overnight. It took time, effort, substantial investments, and a change in mindset. I can proudly state that this milestone has been achieved.

This week, in Parliament, I delivered my intervention on the budget debate on culture and the arts, lands, and local government. Budget 2026 has been very well received by families and businesses alike.

It is a fact that Maltese citizens trust Labour on the economy and believe that Budget 2026 will improve their lives. We have challenges, of course, we always do, but our track record speaks for itself. 

Since 2013, successive Labour Party administrations have managed to transform many challenges into opportunities for all. At the time, many thought that some of the challenges were insurmountable. Labour proved that they were not. 

In Parliament, I had the opportunity and the privilege to explain the huge amount of work being done by hundreds of people across many government departments and entities that fall within the responsibility of my ministerial portfolio. I would, of course, have a firsthand account of the work being done throughout the year.

In preparation for our Ministry'budget for the next year all the entities within my political responsibility are asked to compile a list of decisions taken throughout the current year and the main targets for the coming year.

These achievements and targets would be framed within the Labour Party's 2022 electoral manifesto and the budget for the coming year.

Each year, unfailingly, I am impressed by the work done, and for this, I must publicly acknowledge the women and men who give their all to ensure that culture and the arts, lands, and local government are a remarkable success. 2025 has been a year of extraordinary achievements within these sectors, and 2026 promises to be even better.

The Labour government has been a success on many fronts, and culture and the arts are certainly two sectors that have flourished in the past few years.

There was a time, not long ago, when a job in these sectors was totally out of question, at least unless one wanted to severely lower his or her financial expectations. That is now history. Today, hundreds of financially rewarding new jobs are being created and will continue to be created. Labour enabled artists and creatives to put their talents into practice and to perform them for a living.  To encourage self-employed artists, we have lowered their tax rate to 7.5% tax. The future of jobs in these sectors is extremely promising.

We placed culture and the arts at the heart of our nation and of the government's policies. There was a time before 2013 when investment in culture and the arts was an afterthought. Truth be told, the country couldn't afford to invest in these sectors. That was a time when unemployment was astronomically high, and public finances were in a deep mess.

Labour changed that, and today, on the back of the best performing economy within the Eurozone, Malta can put millions of euros in culture and arts, or better, at the disposal of artists and creatives to strengthen their talents, push beyond boundaries, and make Malta proud thanks to their achievements.

Going forward, we shall be launching new initiatives and substantial projects to further strengthen these sectors. Last year, we opened MICAS, Malta's first international contemporary art museum, giving Maltese and international artists a state-of-the-art venue to showcase their talents.

MICAS has been an unprecedented success. We are now in the process of building a culture and the arts hub in Marsa, a project of huge dimensions for Malta. This hub, which shall complement the huge regeneration projects that will happen in Marsa in the coming years, shall provide ample space for artists and creatives. This is a project which will prove to be a game changer for carnival enthusiasts who have been asking, and rightly so, for a place to create their highly artistic carnival floats. We promised that we would create the right space for them, and Labour always delivers on its promises.

Labour also invested heavily in Malta's rich patrimony through restoration works across Malta and Gozo. Villa Guardamangia is a prime example of this, as are the many restoration projects on Malta's historical forts and buildings.

The majestic Grand Masters Palace in Valletta is now open for all Maltese and tourists alike - following a €40 million investment in restoration works.

Not only do these restoration projects safeguard these historical places, but they also make Malta a better tourist attraction. We have no less than 120 active restoration projects across Malta and Gozo.

Substantial investment has been made, and more shall be done, in Malta's film servicing industry to the effect that major blockbusters have, in recent years, been filmed in Malta, creating hundreds of new jobs and giving added value to Malta's services industry. We shall continue to promote Mata as a leading destination for filming, including efforts to join Euroimages to increase co-productions and distribution opportunities.

We continue to develop the film production infrastructure in Ricasoli, Kalkara, including the building of the new sound studios to attract foreign productions and bolster the local value chain. Alongside this investment, we are also increasing our efforts to bolster the local film industry through investment in local talent and financial incentives to local film producers.

In our quest to safeguard local traditions, notably the Maltese festa, which under a Labour government has been promoted to a UNESCO intangible heritage of mankind, we ensured that no less than 14 buildings, housing Maltese festa organisations, have been safeguarded - a €30 million investment. In parallel, we have launched a loan interest subsidy for those Festa organisations whose buildings do not require government protection but that need financial support, nonetheless.

With an unprecedented investment of €8.12 million, Arts Council Malta, currently celebrating its tenth anniversary, is actively supporting artists and creatives to reach their milestones in Malta and beyond Preparations are currently underway for Malta's first participation at the Gwangju, South Korea, Art Biennale in 2026, and in the 2026 Venice Art Biennale, where Malta has been taking part for the past few years and has had an extraordinary success each year.

For the second year running, the Malta Art Biennale shall be showcasing Malta's finest.

This government is also investing heavily to ensure that government land is enjoyed by the people. Our reform programme in this sector aims to increase efficiency and transparency in the administration of government-owned land, with the goal that by 2027, 90% of properties granted to the government by the Church under the 1991 Church-State Agreement, the Ecclesiastical Properties Act, will be registered. This year, 70% of this property has been registered. We aim to reach the 80% target by 2026. 

We shall also continue in our endeavour to streamline the process of regularising probationary titles for various types of residential ownership to improve the situation of those wishing to acquire permanent ownership without imposing undue burdens on families.

Registering property provides certainty over one of the most valuable assets an individual can own. We are planning a ten-year strategy to modernise systems and legislation governing government land registration, aiming to enhance efficiency and provide the best possible service to the public.

Labour works, and Malta benefits. This is why people continue to trust Labour.