Appointed the first Minister for Gozo Affairs in 1987 he was re-appointed in the same portfolio in 1992, a post he held up to 1996.
Whilst Minister for Gozo he promoted the regional aspect of the island in the national context and within the Conference of Peripheral and Maritime Regions of Europe (CPMR), wherein Gozo participates as a full Member.
He was also very active in promoting Parliament’s autonomy by requesting the Management Efficiency Unit in the Office of the Prime Minister to submit a report on the ‘Strengthening of the House of Representatives — The Case For Autonomy’ which report was laid on the Table of the House in mid-2005.
Tabone helped put Gozo and the Gozitans’ interests to the fore with the result that nowadays the island’s dimension is being considered at the forefront of both the national policy as well as in the EU territorial dimension.
In 2008 the National Order of Merit in the grade of Companion was conferred on Mr Tabone.