Government signs contract to buy Marsaxlokk band club for €550,000
Madonna ta’ Pompei becomes 14th kazin acquired by the state
The government has signed the final contract to purchase the premises of the Madonna ta’ Pompei Band Club AD 1990 in Marsaxlokk, following the signing of a promise of sale in May.
The investment amounts to €550,000 for the property and an additional €50,000 in damages to the owners, in line with legal obligations.
Speaking at the signing on Tuesday morning, Culture Minister Owen Bonnici said the government was committed to ensuring the property “continues to be used for the benefit of the community and of culture”.
“All this shows how much this government believes in our cultural heritage and in the strength of the Maltese identity,” he said.
Bonnici also highlighted the unique role that band clubs play in Maltese society, serving not only as cultural and community spaces, but also as music schools in their own right.
The blue door is the bandclub purchased for over 500,000 euros Photo: Emma BorgMichael Psaila, president of the band club, thanked the government, saying the investment would allow future generations to continue the tradition.
This is the 14th band club, or kazin, to be acquired by the state. In total, the government has spent €30 million on these purchases.
Other sites purchased include the Għaqda tal-Mużika San Gejtanu AD 1906 in Hamrun, the Soċjetà Mużikali Marija Reġina Marsa A.D.1977, the Għaqda Soċjomużikali Anici in Ħal Qormi, and King’s Own of Valletta.
The Maltese festa was officially recognised by UNESCO as part of Malta’s intangible cultural heritage in 2023.