Land adjacent to the Sports Pavilion in Ta’ Qali will be transferred to the Malta Basketball Association for the development of new sports facilities.
This Cabinet decision was announced by Prime Minister Robert Abela during a meeting in Castile with the different categories of national basketball teams, all of whom achieved historic success in the respective European Championships of the last few weeks.
Accompanied by Minister for Education and Sport Byron Camilleri, the Prime Minister recognised the athletes and technical staff of the men’s and women’s national teams who both won the European Championships for Small Countries, as well as the U18s and U16s national girls’ teams who won the respective European Championships (Division C), and the U16s national boys’ team who came second in the European Championship (Division C).
Dr Abela said that this is confirmation of how much investment in the talent of athletes yields exceptional results that make our country so proud.
The Prime Minister mentioned how, from its earliest days, this Government has given clear direction that sport must be at the highest level of the country’s priorities.
He explained how the culture that existed in our country has changed and young people today have come to believe that sport can create a career. This progress has been made, among others, by improving sports infrastructure, both in disciplines traditionally considered major, as well as in disciplines considered smaller in terms of participation.
It was here that Dr Abela announced that, this very week, the Cabinet of Ministers decided to continue investing in basketball, through the transfer of new land adjacent to the existing Pavilion, so that the Malta Basketball Association can strengthen the sports facilities from where athletes can take their next leap.
“We make these decisions because we are convinced that this country has athletes who are internationally competitive. Yes, despite our size, we are capable of going abroad and winning,” said the Prime Minister.
The Prime Minister concluded by saying that the Government will continue to provide this strategic direction, but the mission will be led by sportspeople as ambassadors of the beautiful values that sport provides, such as integrity, discipline, sacrifice, and the collective sense of team spirit.
Photo: OPM/DOI
