Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/1540549
FOR decades, the Maltese public had been denied access to Fort Binġemma. We changed that. For my government it was unacceptable that this imposing fort, sited in the heart of what is undoubtedly one of the most scenic areas of our island, was locked up, and in disuse. Over the past few years, the combined efforts of so many branches of our government finally came to fruition with, first the repossession of this magnificent building, then its formal trans- fer to Xjenza Malta. This was much more than an adminis- trative act. It is a twofold statement of na- tional purpose: We have reclaimed and are returning a place of historic importance to the public, and we are going to put it to good use, for the benefit of our children, our researchers and our economy. Space Park Malta will see Fort Binġem- ma transformed into a living campus for science and more. The concept that will be embodied in this project respects our na- tional heritage, is open to our communities, and builds national capabilities in the field of space science. Our declared aim has al- ways been that Malta will not stand on the side lines of the knowledge economy, but at the heart of it. We will build the skills, the infrastructure and the partnerships that will allow Maltese talent to compete and to lead. The government is making a considerable investment in Space Park Malta so that our society can enjoy real and tangible bene- fits; an investment on which the return will be better education for our young people, stronger national services, new research ca- pacity, and quality jobs. Science is at the heart of this project. The earth observation hub will allow Malta to turn satellite data into practical solutions for the country. We shall be able to better monitor our seas and coastline, manage our land more smartly, and have stronger tools for planning, environmental protection and climate resilience. The new hub will also be a platform for new services and high-value employment, from data engineering and analytics to applied research and entrepre- neurial spin-offs. This is work that has a positive impact on our quality of life, and also supports nation- al security. The research grade observatory will open the skies not just for researchers and as- tronomers, but also for families and stu- dents. It will be a working national facility, programmed for education and for com- munity use, connecting people of all ages to the curiosity that drives science. Space Park Malta will bring together ed- ucation, research and enterprise. Schools will discover clear pathways to future skills, while universities and institutes will find modern infrastructure and purposeful col- laboration. Start-ups and established firms will be helped to find gateways to new mar- kets and programmes. We are sending a clear and simple message to our graduates and professionals: You do not have to leave Malta to build a career at the frontier of technology. This is also a project that will exemplify how a nation treats its heritage. Binġem- ma will be restored with care for its fabric and its story. The site plan prioritises public realm and gardens, furnished with native planting, shaded routes and safe access. We will protect the night sky with appropriate lighting so that the observatory can do its work, while wildlife can thrive undisturbed. We will build sustainably, with solar gener- ation on suitable roofs, smart energy man- agement, water capture and its reuse for ir- rigation. Good stewardship of a historic site and good environmental practice are not in competition. Space Park Malta strengthens sovereignty in a modern sense. It equips the state with the information and skills to act in the na- tional interest—from maritime safety to emergency planning. At the same time, it opens doors for international cooperation by making Malta a credible contributor to shared programmes. Partnership is strong- est when it rests on competence. That is what we are building at Binġemma. Delivery will be phased, transparent and will offer value for money. The public will see progress happening, as areas of the site open and programmes begin. We will keep standards high, consult where needed, and insist on safety, accessibility and accounta- bility. A national flagship deserves nothing less. From fortress to future, Space Park Malta turns a closed gate into an open invitation. It invites our children to discover, our re- searchers to innovate and our entrepre- neurs to build. Above all, it invites the coun- try to believe that Malta can honour its past, serve its people today, and lead with knowl- edge in the years ahead. OPEN your phone. While the kettle be- gins to whisper, headlines and that one reel everyone's sharing slip past your thumb. That quick scroll is shaping what we think is happening in Malta. How we get our news now moulds how we talk to each other, how we understand our islands, and how we show up as citizens. The latest L-Istat tan-Nazzjon survey, commissioned by the Office of the Pres- ident and carried out earlier this year by Vincent Marmarà, puts numbers to our behaviours. Online news portals, once our first stop, are slipping. Only 21% go straight to them now, down from over 40% in 2021. Television still leads (47.5%), more by rou- tine than by appeal. For younger Maltese, the phone has re- placed the TV. Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok aren't side acts anymore; they're the main stage, and their incentives quietly shape our agenda. Algorithms don't read truth; they read signals. They rank posts by what keeps you on the app: Watch time, pauses, replays, comments, shares, follows, and even how quickly you react. Posts that trigger fast emotion or surprise often win those early tests, so it spreads not because it's the most important, but because it's the most striking. Visuals and novelty get an edge; slower, more technical stories need extra care to travel. A decline in trust is evident beneath the numbers. More than half of respondents say the media only "somewhat" reflects their concerns. That's a polite way of say- ing many people don't feel seen. And when we don't feel seen, we drift into comforta- ble corners of the internet that tell us we're right and everyone else is wrong. Over time, those corners harden into bubbles. And bubbles aren't just an algorithm glitch. They start with us. We follow people like us (homophily), click what confirms us, and in like-minded groups we grow more certain. Add the online "spiral of silence"; we bite our tongue if we think our view won't land, and repetition starts to feel like evidence. So, what do we do? Part of the answer sits with newsrooms. Ease off the click chase and show your working. Point to sources and explain editorial choices in plain lan- guage. Connect stories to everyday life— population, waste management, environ- ment, traffic, infrastructure, construction. Meet audiences where they are, even on social media platforms without lowering standards. Language matters. Our national conversa- tion lives in Maltese and English, and most apps quietly sort us by language. A scoop that drops in English at 10am might show up in Maltese an hour later as a screenshot with a spicy caption and no source and context; by the time a full Maltese version appears, reactions have already set. Equal depth isn't a luxury. It's how we keep the whole island arguing about the same facts, not two sets of headlines. Platforms have a role too. Their busi- ness model is engagement, but small de- sign choices can help. This should include clearer labels for sponsored or AI-generat- ed content, easier ways to see source his- tory, and a nudge before forwarding viral claims. And the rest is on us. Media literacy isn't a lecture; it's a daily skill. Read beyond the headline; check the byline, the date, and a source you can actually open. Before for- warding anything from Facebook, Insta- gram TikTok or in the family chat, click through and see if at least one credible outlet is reporting the same facts. Guard your attention too. Turn off autoplay (so videos don't start before you choose), save longer pieces for when you have time, and follow one serious outlet you trust. Ask yourself: 'Do I understand this, or do I just agree with it?' If in doubt, park it and give it a second look. These are small, repeatable moves that make us fairer readers and bet- ter sharers. Yes, the survey was done in June, but the same pattern is on our phones every day. We get clips that make us react, not under- stand. Journalism is the slow, careful work that adds context and checks facts. If we rely only on our feeds, our view shrinks to whatever is trending. If we choose proper reporting, we keep a fuller picture and a fairer conversation. That's how we protect public life in Malta. 6 maltatoday | SUNDAY • 19 OCTOBER 2025 OPINION Melvic Zammit Algorithms aren't newsrooms Communications strategist Keith Azzopardi Tanti From fortress to future: Why Space Park Malta matters Parliamentary secretary for youth, research and innovation Science is at the heart of this project. The earth observation hub will allow Malta to turn satellite data into practical solutions for the country. A decline in trust is evident beneath the numbers. More than half of respondents say the media only "somewhat" reflects their concerns