Month: July 2025

Tender to be issued for ferry service linking Sliema to Gozo with a stopover in Buġibba – free ferry service between Buġibba and Sliema

Prime Minister Robert Abela inaugurated the breakwater and ferry landing project in Buġibba. Prime Minister Abela reaffirmed the government’s commitment to strengthening domestic sea transport. He announced that a call for proposals will be issued for private operators to manage a new sea transport service connecting Sliema, Buġibba, and Gozo. This initiative aims to enhance the efficiency and uptake of sea transport, not only along the main channel and routes to the main ports, but also across other key coastal areas. The Prime Minister added that the use of this service will be further encouraged through a number of free routes, including the one between Buġibba and Sliema.

With an investment of nearly €14 million, partly financed through European funds, Infrastructure Malta has successfully completed the construction of a new breakwater in Buġibba on schedule. Stretching 180 metres in length, the breakwater is designed to reduce the impact of waves within the bay and provide enhanced protection for the mooring of fishing boats and small vessels. Along with the main breakwater, a 36-metre-long secondary arm was constructed to provide enhanced shelter and safer mooring during adverse weather conditions together with a terminal equipped with sheltered waiting areas and other facilities which serve the needs of passengers travelling by sea.

The Prime Minister mentioned that this year, expenditure on capital investment projects is expected to exceed €1 billion. This is double the amount spent under the previous administration. This level of infrastructural investment is the result of the government’s efforts to further strengthen and grow a dynamic and resilient economy, as well as its success in securing a substantial package of European funds. These funds are, among others, being channelled into infrastructure projects that deliver tangible value and improved quality of life for citizens.

Minister for Transport, Infrastructure and Public Works, Chris Bonett, explained how the new Buġibba breakwater and ferry landing represent another step forward in the Government’s vision for sea transport. He noted that the unprecedented investment in this sector over recent years has led to record increases in the number of Maltese passengers using sea transport services. The Buġibba terminal will support a new fast ferry service operating between Tas-Sliema and Mġarr, Gozo. Minister Bonett added that the sea transport service will be integrated with land transport to create a truly multi-modal transport system for the country. “With the potential offered by this alternative means of transport, today we’ve reached an important milestone that will make daily life easier for many Maltese and Gozitans. In the years to come, sea transport will reach the next level, because the greater the challenge, the greater the opportunity”, concluded Minister Bonett.

In his address, the Minister for European Funds and the Implementation of the Electoral Programme, Stefan Zrinzo Azzopardi, explained that this project is part of a broader initiative called SMITHS, through which significant investments are being made across Malta and Gozo for eco-friendly transport and alternative means of travel by sea and land. He stated that the Buġibba project is part of this vision, which, through substantial investment from European funds, is providing the public with new and practical travel options. “With the help of EU funds, we are building more sustainable and efficient alternatives to traditional transport, options that not only ease traffic on land but also offer better and more sustainable connections for Malta’s northern region”, Minister Zrinzo Azzopardi said.

F’konferenza tal-aħbarijiet li fiha ġiet preżentata riforma dwar uffiċjali pubbliċi u dawk f’entitajiet, il-Prim Ministru Robert Abela saħaq li din il-bidla hija pass ieħor importanti biex inkomplu nsostnu lill-ħaddiema u uffiċjali tagħna fl-amministrazzjoni pubblika, dawk li kuljum jaqdu dmirhom b’sens ta’ dover u lealtà lejn pajjiżhom u lejn il-poplu Malti u Għawdxi. Huwa żied jgħid li din ir-riforma mhux biss kwistjoni ta’ liġi, iżda wkoll kwistjoni ta’ ġustizzja u rispett lejn dawk li jaqdu lill-pajjiż. Hija l-intenzjoni tal-Gvern li jara li l-Att dwar ir-responsabiltà ċivili ta’ persuni li jokkupaw kariga pubblika u ta’ entitajiet pubbliċi, jgħaddi mill-istadji kollha tal-Parlament qabel dan jaġġorna għall-vaganzi tas-sajf.

Il-liġi proposta tkopri uffiċjali pubbliċi, membri tas-Servizz Pubbliku u membri ta’ korpi dixxiplinati, kif ukoll dawk li għandhom kariga stabbilità mill-Kostituzzjoni, meta fil-konfront tagħhom ikun hemm sentenzi u danni ċivili relatati mal-qadi ta’ dmirijiethom fil-kapaċità tal-kariga pubblika li jservu fiha.

L-abbozz jgħid b’mod ċar li jekk l-azzjoni jew id-deċiżjoni tittieħed fl-eżerċizzju ta’ funzjoni pubblika u mingħajr intenzjoni kriminali doluża jew negliġenza grossolana, l-Istat se jkun dak li jagħmel tajjeb għad-danni ordnati, flimkien ukoll mal-ispejjeż legali relattivi mal-każ. Fl-istess waqt jekk ikun hemm każ, il-Gvern jidħol ukoll parti fil-proċeduri u jsostni l-pożizzjoni tiegħu quddiem il-Qorti.

Il-Prim Ministru Robert Abela qal li l-poplu għandu dritt għal amministrazzjoni pubblika li taħdem b’mod effettiv u b’serenità, għalhekk il-Gvern irid li jagħti s-serħan tal-moħħ lil dawk li jservu sabiex ikunu jistgħu jaqdu dmirhom mingħajr biża’ li jistgħu jispiċċaw f’xi kawża legali mhux mixtieqa. Il-Prim Ministru semma kif din ir-riforma hija parti minn viżjoni usa’ ta’ tisħiħ tas-Servizz Pubbliku, viżjoni li f’dawn l-aħħar xhur u snin rajnieha titwettaq b’mod konsistenti. Dan hekk kif fakkar kif ftit tax-xhur ilu ġie ffirmat ftehim kollettiv li ta żidiet fil-paga u poġġa l-pedament għal titjib fis-sigurtà tal-impjieg u fil-kundizzjonijiet tax-xogħol għal 33,000 ħaddiem. 

Dan filwaqt li qed ikompli jissaħħaħ l-investiment fil-ħaddiema taċ-Ċivil anki fl-għodda mogħtija lilhom fosthom l-investiment ta’ €4 miljun ma’ Microsoft f’sistema ġdida tal-intelligenza artifiċjali Co-Pilot sabiex l-uffiċjali jkunu jistgħu jaqdu l-qadi ta’ dmirijiethom b’mod aktar effiċjenti u joffru l-aħjar servizzi possibbli għaċ-ċittadini.

Dr Abela fakkar fil-11-il ftehim iffirmati fix-xahrejn li għaddew li saħħew il-pagi u l-kundizzjonijiet ta’ madwar 1,100 ħaddiem taċ-Ċivil. Huwa enfasizza li l-Gvern se jibqa’ jkun it-tarka tal-ħaddiem, mhux biss billi jara li jkompli jtejjeb u jsaħħaħ il-kundizzjonijiet tax-xogħol u s-salarji, iżda wkoll billi jsostni u jappoġġja lill-ħaddiema taċ-Ċivil b’mod legali u istituzzjonali.

Il-Ministru għall-Ġustizzja u r-Riforma fis-Settur tal-Kostruzzjoni, Jonathan Attard, qal, “Din il-liġi toffri protezzjoni b’responsabbiltà u tirrifletti sistema legali matura li tifhem il-kumplessità tal-amministrazzjoni pubblika. Hija liġi li tinkoraġġixxi t-teħid ta’ deċiżjonijiet responsabbli, filwaqt li trażżan l-abbuż tal-poter u tissalvagwarda d-drittijiet legali taċ-ċittadini. Din il-liġi tirrikonoxxi li dawk kollha li jwettqu funzjoni pubblika għandhom ikunu f’pożizzjoni li jaqdu d-dmir tagħhom mingħajr biża’ li jispiċċaw personalment responsabbli għal nuqqasijiet ġenwini. Madankollu, tagħmilha ċara wkoll li din il-protezzjoni mhijiex assoluta. Jekk in-nuqqasijiet jitwettqu b’negliġenza grossolana jew b’intenzjoni kriminali doluża, dawn ma jiġux moħbija taħt il-protezzjoni tal-kariga pubblika.

Dan huwa pass importanti biex nassiguraw serħan il-moħħ lil dawk li jaqdu d-dmir tagħhom b’rieda tajba u skont il-liġi, b’lealtà lejn il-pajjiż. Fl-istess waqt, huwa pass kontra kull min jipprova jipparalizza l-ħidma tal-amministrazzjoni pubblika amministrazzjoni li hija s-sinsla ta’ pajjiżna. “Dan huwa gvern li b’sens ta’ ġustizzja qed ikun fuq in-naħa ta’ dawk li jaqdu l-funzjoni pubblika tagħhom b’mod ġust u mingħajr biża’, iżda li jassigura wkoll li dawk li jonqsu jġorru r-responsabbiltà tagħhom,” qal il-Ministru Attard.

Il-Kap tas-Servizz Pubbliku Tony Sultana sostna li f’pajjiż li qed jevolvi b’rata daqstant mgħaġġla, l-amministrazzjoni pubblika qed tkun iktar dinamika biex tkun viċin in-nies. Dan ifisser aktar sfidi u pressjoni ta’ xogħol, flimkien ma’ deċiżjonijiet li jridu jittieħdu malajr fuq operat aktar kumpless. “Dawn huma deċiżjonijiet li jittieħdu mill-impjegati kollha f’kull livell. Għaldaqstant mhuwiex ġust li nippretendu li tali ħaddiema jlaħħqu mad-domanda ta’ pass mgħaġġel mingħajr ma noffrulhom serħan il-moħħ li jixirqilhom. Għalhekk nemmen li b’din ir-riforma mhux biss qed insaħħu s-Servizz Pubbliku imma wkoll lill-pubbliku li nservu,” temm jgħid is-Segretarju Permanenti Ewlieni.