Manoel Island and Fort Tigne are coming home

A 99-year concession granted in 2000 had placed two stretches of Malta’s most precious public lands, Tigne Point and Manoel Island, into private hands.

The private consortium had plans for large-scale development. With regards to Tigne Point the development happened but with regards to Manoel Island it did not.

Prime Minister Robert Abela has announced that this chapter is closing, and a new one is opening that will see Manoel Island and Fort Tigne returned to public ownership. This historic achievement was not inevitable. We could have decided to do nothing, or allowed the uncertainty to drag on for years, or debated endlessly, or entered lengthy court battles with no guarantee of success, leaving the public locked out while lawyers argued. But we did nothing of the sort.

Instead, we gave our word that Manoel Island and Fort Tigne would be returned to the people, and we kept it. We turned commitment into action. This is familiar Labour turf: People come first.

We knew from the word go that the negotiations would be tough and delicate. But we were adamant in securing the best deal for Malta. From the word go we were clear that we were not prepared to pay any cent for the actual value of the property and any payment had to be fair and verified relative to expenses made by MIDI so that each party ends up in the legal position it was prior to entering into the concession.

MIDI asked for a €78 million reimbursement for expenses made. We verified all the claims through an independent auditor. We did not simply negotiate; we delivered a fair and responsible outcome at €43 million—just over half the €78 million initially demanded.

Our work is not done yet. Now, we move to the next step. The agreement shall proceed through the necessary parliamentary steps. Preparations are already underway for Heritage Malta to take possession and begin the next phase of stewardship upon the final signing of the deed.

Maltese families have long called for a national space, a green lung, a place they can enjoy and call their own. Manoel Island and Fort Tigne will do just that. Now, their legacies shall be safeguarded for generations to come. This is what a competent government is all about.

Had the naysayers had their way, this landmark achievement would not have happened. We negotiated hard and tirelessly whilst dealing with a disruptive Opposition and an unprecedented geopolitical situation that requires focused attention. We succeeded by turning negotiations into positive results.

But there is more to the historic announcement than just the return of Manoel Island and Fort Tigne to the people. This is deeper and more meaningful than a land deal. This is about Malta’s identity.

Manoel Island sits at the heart of Marsamxett Harbour, a place of huge historical importance for successive Maltese generations. It is a place etched in the collective memory of our people. We shall now transform it into a community place and a place of belonging.

As minister responsible for public lands and ultimately responsible for the negotiations, I would like to sincerely thank Prime Minister Robert Abela and the Cabinet for their support, and above all the people at the Lands Authority for the professional and serious work they carried out. This is not the end of a process but the beginning of a new vision.

Only a few weeks ago, we launched Malta Vision 2050. Our country has an impressively strong GDP, but Vision 2050 will embrace even broader concepts that target a better quality of life. The return of Manoel Island and Fort Tigne to the people goes to the core of Malta Vision 2050. We gave our word—Manoel Island and Fort Tigne are coming home.