Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/1535434
5 gozotoday | FRIDAY • 16 MAY 2025 NEWS THREE public officers have been appointed as Permanent Secretaries in the Public Ser- vice. These appointments were made after the officers were nominated by the Principal Permanent Secretary, Mr Tony Sultana, to the Public Service Commission which, after evalu- ating the careers of each of the officers, recommended their appointment to the President of Malta. Dr Renzo Degabriele, Mario Borg, and Ronald Mizzi have been appointed to three differ- ent ministries. Degabriele has been appointed Permanent Secretary within the Ministry for Health and Active Ageing. Dr Degabriele has 30 years of experience in the Public Service and is a qualified medi- cal doctor. In 2011, he served as Assistant Director in the Prima- ry Health Department, and in 2019, he was appointed Chief Executive of Active Ageing and Community Health. Under his leadership, several new services were introduced, such as Tele- care on the Move and Silver T, and a number of centres for the elderly were renovated and opened. Borg has been appointed Per- manent Secretary within the Ministry for Gozo and Plan- ning. Borg began his career in the Public Service in 1994. In 2004, he joined the Economic Policy Department within the Ministry for Finance. In 2015, he was appointed Director of Economic Statistics at the NSO, and in 2020, he was appointed CEO of the Gozo Regional De- velopment Authority. Moreover, Mizzi has been ap- pointed Permanent Secretary within the Office of the Prime Minister (Malta Vision 2050, Implementation and Coordina- tion). Mizzi brings with him 20 years of experience in economic planning, European funds, and policy development. He previ- ously served as Permanent Sec- retary between 2014 and 2022 (Ministry for Tourism) and be- tween 2022 and 2024 (Ministry for the Economy, Enterprise and Strategic Projects). The Public Service would like to thank and congratulate Christine Schembri and John Borg, who, after reaching retire- ment age, will be stepping down from the post of Permanent Secretary. This follows years of service and various contri- butions in different positions within the Public Service. Three new permanent secretaries appointed in Gozo and Malta Left to right: Dr Renzo Degabriele, Mario Borg, and Ronald Mizzi THE Għajnsielem Local Coun- cil has started works on the transformation of the Amabile Cauchi playing field in Pjazza tad-Dehra into a multifunc- tional recreational space with a stormwater harvesting compo- nent. The €1.35 million project includes various levels across the area to create a more inter- active layout and open views. Pathways have been designed to be fully accessible. The project will retain chil- dren's play areas, upgraded to modern standards, and will also include an amphitheatre, new playing equipment, and an edu- cational hub focused on valleys and water harvesting. Water reservoirs with a total capaci- ty of approximately 400 square metres will collect rainwater for irrigation, preventing waste. Additional features include a community garden, outdoor gym, public convenience facil- ity, landscaped areas, access to the Imġarr Valley, and lighting with low-light pollution stand- ards. The design includes acces- sibility features such as braille signage for tree names and play equipment, as well as colour fea- tures intended for children with autism. In Xewkija, a new garden of ap- proximately 740 square metres is planned. Works are expected to begin this summer. The project, valued at €470,000, is designed to be self-sufficient and sus- tainable, incorporating renew- able energy sources, efficient irrigation, and environmentally friendly play structures. The garden will include a 46 cubic metre water reservoir connected to an advanced irri- gation system. Renewable ener- gy features include a "wind tree" with small wind turbines, so- lar-powered lighting poles, and a 21-metre energy-generating track. Play structures will include ki- netic jumping pods and spring riders that generate light and sound from movement, as well as other nature-integrat- ed structures such as climbing frames, slides, tunnels, and a re- cycled plastic balancing trail. Renders for both projects have been made available. Works begin on recreational projects in Ghajnsielem and Xewkija Two major public open space projects in Gozo aim to improve accessibility, sustainability, and recreational facilities, with a combined investment of €1.82 million.