In Malta a feast of solidarity, generosity

The Voice of the Maltese
(driven by the voice of its readers )
Issue 92
January 6, 2015
o
on
nlliin
ne
e m
ma
ag
ga
az
ziin
ne
e
s
e
h
s
i
w
t
s
e
B
5
1
0
2
r
o
f
They say that
nothing beats Sydney when it comes
to the celebrations
to welcome a New
Year. It was no exception this time as
the first city on
the planet welcomed New Year
2015 with a $7
million fireworks
display at Sydney
Harbour in New
South Wales.
t
s
a
e
f
a
a
t
l
a
M
In
,
y
t
i
r
a
d
of soli sity
genero
Pictures by IRIS
They all pulled
their weight
for a good
cause at
L-Istrina,
including
the President.
What excels during the Christmas and
New Year festivities in Malta are the
two annual Charity telethons, for LIstrina, and the Dar tal-Providenza.
Described as a feast of solidarity and
generosity, this year, donations by the
people of Malta broke all records. Between them, the two events raised a
total of €4,631,401. (See pgs 12 and 14)
The
Prime
Minister
at the
L-Istrina
telethon
The leader of
the Opposition
2 The Voice of the Maltese
Tuesday January 6, 2015
HC hosts Maltese-Australians at Canberra Chancery
During last year (2014), the
Malta High Commission
hosted a number of Maltese-Australian groups at
the Chancery in O’Malley,
Canberra. H.E. High Commissioner Charles Muscat
and Mrs. Muscat, as well as
the Deputy HC, Dr Joseph
Pirotta and staff met these
groups and assured all Maltese-Australians and other
nationalities that they are
very welcome to visit the
High Commission at any
time and that the its offices
are there to assist them.
The HC reminded those
present that the High Commission has consulate offices in Melbourne and
Sydney, and that other
states, as well as New
Zealand are served by Honorary Consuls appointed by
the Maltese Government to
serve and help with enquiries regarding consular
Malta’s HC, Charles Musand other relevant work.
cat (second left) at the
pacing of wreaths at the
The groups thanked and
Australian War Memorial
showed their appreciation
for the fact that the HC accepted their request to visit
the place.
Among other activities in recent weeks, the HC Charles
Muscat also attended with Mrs Muscat and thousands of
other people, the Remembrance Day Ceremony at the Australian War Memorial in Canberra. Together with other
members of the diplomatic corps, Mr. Muscat placed a
wreath on the Memorial of Remembrance.
In November the High Commissioner also joined other
diplomats at the G20 Summit hosted by the Australian Government in Brisbane that was addressed among others by a
number of Heads of States, including President Barack Obama
Malta’s High Commissioner (centre) in one of his
(USA), Chinese President Xi Jinping, UK Prime Minister
meetings with a group of Maltese Australians
David Cameron and Indian Prime Minister Narenda Modi.
Attends Remembrance Day Ceremony, G20 Summit
Charles Muscat Presents Credentials to NZ GG
T
he Maltese High Commissioner to Australia, H.E.
Charles Muscat, last month presented his credentials to
H.E. Lt Gen Right Hon Sir Jerry Mateparae GNZM,
QSO, Governor General and Commander-in-Chief of New
Zealand at a ceremony held at the Government House in
Wellington, New Zealand.
The presentation accredits Mr. Charles Muscat as the nonresident High Commissioner of the Republic of Malta to New
Zealand.
The High Commissioner, accompanied by his wife Victoria,
were welcomed upon arrival at the Gov- Ceremony was concluded with drinks
ernment House with the traditional Maori being served and photographs taken.
ceremonial challenge called the Wero.
The High Commissioner and Mrs.
The ceremony was followed by the gen- Muscat, with the other newly accredited
eral salute and the inspection of the guard, Heads of Mission and their accompanycontingent of the New Zealand Air Force. ing partners, joined the Governor GenThe Honorary Consul of Malta in eral for lunch at the Norrie State Dining
Wellington, Dr. Carmen Dalli, accompa- Room attended also by Hon Paul Goldnied by her spouse, Mr. Richard Niven, smith, Minister of Commerce and Conwas also in attendance.
sumer Affairs, Associate Minister for
Speeches were exchanged between High ACC, the Household staff, and officials.
Commissioner Muscat and Governor
The luncheon was concluded with a
General Mateparae, highlighting the ex- toast to HM the Queen.
cellent relations existing between the ReWhile in Wellington, the High Commispublic of Malta and New Zealand. The sioner also called on the Dean of the Dip-
From left: Mr. Richard Niven; Mrs. Victoria
Muscat; Gov. Gen. Jerry Mateparae; HC
Charles Muscat; Hon. Paul Goldsmith, and
Dr. Carmen Dalli
lomatic Corp and Canadian High Commissioner, H.E. Caroline Chretien, the
Head of the EU Delegation, CDA
Michalis Rokas, and officials of the NZ
Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade.
Honorary Consul, Dr. Carmen Dalli,
Mr. Richard Niven and Maltese Community in Wellington welcomed the
High Commissioner and Mrs. Muscat
with a reception that would remind one
of the hospitality Malta is known for.
A proud sponsor of
The Voice of the
Maltese
website: www.breakawaytravel.com.au
Breakaway Travel 94 corner of Main & Campbell
Streets, Blacktown NSW
for all your travel needs.
Tel (02) 9622 7799
[email protected]
The Voice of the Maltese 3
Tuesday January 6, 2015
An Educator at Large
Our relationship with the mass media and
information and communication technology
W
hen my siblings and I were
growing up, our staple mass
media “diet” consisted of
“Lehen is-Sewwa”, “It-Torca” and “The
Times and Sunday Times of Malta”.
Also, to practise other languages, we had
“Children’s Own” in our Primary School
years and “Lo Scolaro” and, occasionally, the magazine “Paris Match” in our
High School years. Rediffusion’s cable
radio gave us a chance to listen to translated and serialised classics, as well as a
chance to dance around the dining table
to the Beatles’ “Yellow Submarine”, to
my mother’s horror at our choice of
music.
It was our occasional relaxation from
interminable stacks of “homework” we
had to do, especially as we prepared for
the selective schools’ exam, and our
years in High School. Later on, “homework” was replaced by unending assignments, as all four of us girls went
through an intensive and residential two
years at the Mater Admirabilis Training
College for pre-service teachers.
Television came later, when we had
started earning our own money. Then
there were only three computers in Government settings; namely the office of Inland Revenue, the dockyard and the office
of national data and statistics. So, migrating to Australia and working in a vast office of the Department of Veterans’ Affairs
in Sydney opened my eyes to all the terminals and their operators that made life
so much easier for clerical work.
Those computers were heavy and bulky
contraptions that required a stable temperature in an air conditioned environment to stop them “crashing”, virtually
stopping all file movement.
About a decade earlier I had gone with
Follow The Voice of
the Maltese online
magazine every
fortnight.
Now we also have our
our facebook page.
So join us. Go to:
https://www.facebook.com/groups/thev
oiceofthemaltese
By Lucy Calleja MA
(Retired head teacher)
a small group of Science students to a
cave, not far from the teachers’ college,
to see those big computers that read and
saved data obtained after sun rays, spots
and flares’ images passed through a giant
convex lens. The German scientist who
looked after the programme used to
travel the globe in wait for major solar
eclipses.
How times have changed, with the invention of microchips. The world is at
one’s fingertips, with the advent of widespread digital technology and cyberspace. By the time I came close to
retirement, one couldn’t find students
that didn’t have a late model mobile
phone, seemingly “super glued” to their
hands.
As if it wasn’t bad enough, decades earlier, with the advent of colour television,
to hold students’ attention in class, and
engaging them in subject matter that was
mandated by the ever crowded curriculum. The digital era had, ultimately, to
enter every learning space in any school.
It was a matter of keeping up with ever
changing technology or becoming extinct. It had a great upside, as “You tube”
and “Google” provided instant resources
for teaching students new concepts.
Older people who, at times, have an
aversion to new technology mostly do so
because they lack confidence. Therefore
it is quite heartening to see various clubs
and institutions, such as libraries and
community colleges, holding classes for
beginners. Once individuals become familiar with and confident in the use of
technology, the benefits reaped can be
great.
The use of software such as “Skype”
can bring family members around the
globe very close indeed. Other benefits
of being online can mean, for people
with young families, running worthwhile
businesses from the home, if not all the
time, at least sometimes.
For many decades, apart from cable and
transistor radio and television, mass
media was in print, namely newspapers
and magazines. We listened, watched and
read voraciously. Our insatiable thirst for
what’s happening around us and globally
couldn’t be quenched and subdued.
Cable radio and television programmes
serialised stories, so the listeners and
viewers “had to be home” at a certain
time to “watch their story”.
Men may have wondered why the
ladies in the household had to listen to or
watch certain programmes. The women,
on the other hand, wondered what the
fuss was all about when the men cut
short family visits because they had to
watch a certain
sport on television.
Therein lies
the danger of
ever intrusive
technology:
mobile phones
that go off in
the middle of a theatre show; the addictive nature of certain programmes that
are shown on television or streamed online; the much reduced communication in
families because various members are
too busy watching endless programmes,
texting friends, reading and sending messages on their “Facebook” account.
I confess to being a BBC production
tragic, be they period drama or contemporary cop shows. However, I will not
watch re-runs if I’d have watched
episodes the first time around. Also, ensuring that television and the internet do
not rule my life, I set certain times to use
them as tools or some relaxation. One
must be aware that being outdoors and
active is a very important part of our
healthy existence.
The real dangers of digital mass media
can change individuals’ and their families’ lives irrevocably. We’ve read, heard
and viewed enough stories of cyber bullying and trolls.
Online menace has, sometimes, proliferated in high schools and workplaces, to
the extent that young people have suicided. Personally, I do not spend any
time on Facebook, as I believe that a
phone call or using Skype are much better options for communicating with
friends and family members. And I’ve
never considered tweeting. I’d rather
read a good book, watch a reputable programme or do some puzzles on newspapers to keep my “grey matter” active; or
spending some day time sweating it out
in the garden.
Sometimes, especially when one is still
in full time employment, digital technology is a blessing. It makes life so much
easier when it comes to networking, data
gathering and online information available to enhance learning and, indeed, relaxation.
We as a community should feel ever so
blessed and grateful to have the online /
magazine “The Voice of the Maltese”. It
is filling the gap left by the demise of the
only Maltese print paper in Australia,
namely, “The Maltese Herald”. We will
support “The Voice” in whichever way
we can. As with digital radio and television, online papers are the way now, and
more so in the future.
4 The Voice of the Maltese
Tuesday January 6, 2015
Malta one of only 20 islands from 200 in Europe that attract tourism
F
ACT: There are over 200 islands in the Mediterranean, but
a whopping 90% of tourists stay on just 10% of them. One
of these is Malta that sits south of Sicily and northeast of
Tunisia. It may be one of the smallest countries in Europe that
it has lots of history.
In fact, Malta that sits about 80 kilometressouth of Sicily is
made up of three islands: Malta itself, Gozo and Comino.
There are some interesting facts to note about Malta, too may
to mention in fact, however, when it comes to tourists it is worth
reminding that Malta has TWO official languages, Maltese - that
sounds Arabic - and English.
Valletta, its current capital, that has also been chosen as Eu-
rope’s Capital of Culture 2018, is one of the most concentrated
historical areas in the world, according to UNESCO.
Mdina, the nation's old, walled capital close to Rabat, only allows cars of residents on its roads,
Hal Saflieni Hypogeum, an underground necropolis, was excavated around 2,500 B.C.
Victoria, the capital of Gozo, is also known as Rabat. It is famous
for its beautiful Cittadella, which goes way back to the Middle
Ages.
Comino, the smallest of the islands, is virtually uninhabited save for one family and a hotel-and is carless. Blue Lagoon is
its biggest attraction and it's not hard to see why.
A book review
by Mark Caruana
“Kitarri, Tombli u Teatrin”
I
came from Malta. We are nostalgic but not
stagnant.
In a commentary done by Victor Borg,
president of the MCCV, that appeared in
the MCCV Newsletter, Victor noted that
Mario Azzopardi compares the Maltaborn Australians with the average Maltese
living in Malta today.
Victor stated that it would have made
much more sense to compare the first generation Maltese-Australians, who were
mainly manual labourers from villages in
Malta and Gozo, with those of the same
age from the same geographical areas.
Would the author have found any major
differences there? This is a very good
point made by Victor. You compare apples with apples. It looks like the author
compared apples with oranges.
Victor added that if the author did not
bother to discuss with the MCCV, this
was an omission. If the author mistook the
vice president of another association, one
can understand wrong identity but it is still
a serious flaw. It could have been easily
remedied by adequate community consultation with key leaders who could have
verified certain conclusions. I concur with
Victor on these observations.
My concern in reading this book is in its
limited parameters and in its lack of wider
consultations.
Because few Maltese in Malta study the
Maltese diaspora, I feel there is a respon-
have read Mario Azzopardi’s book,
“Kitarri, Tombli u Teatrin” with interest. It is the work of a Maltese from Malta
looking into the Maltese community in
Victoria. It focuses mainly on the state of
affairs regarding the performing arts by
Maltese migrants in Victoria in comparison to Malta. The book includes a CD
which I enjoyed listening to its exotic folkloric music.
Sadly, the author seems to have limited
his research to Malta-born Australians
only. The reality is that there are far more
Maltese born in Victoria than Maltese born
in Malta and their views were not solicited.
The author never defines what precisely he
means by 'Maltese-Australians'. In my
view, it would have been easier to say,
Maltese by birth, or Maltese by Descent.
I am not sure if the author was aware that
those who play bocci or bingo do not form
the majority of the Maltese community in
Victoria, or for that matter, the majority in
Australia. It is a fact that Maltese who belong to associations, or attend Maltese
functions, certainly do not make up the
bulk of our community.
As regards innovation in the performing
arts, it could possibly be true that Maltese
in Australia have developed relatively
slower than Maltese in Malta, partly a
phenomenon of the consequence of migration.. but it is not correct to say Maltese in
Australia have not developed since they
ÓAMRUN ASSOCIATION LTD ABN: 22 080 314 156
100 Jackson Street, Marsden Park, NSW 2765 Ph: 02 9838 1111 Email: [email protected]
President: George Zahra 0407434651
Secretary: Robin McGarrigle 0407701004
VALENTINE’S DAY SHOW
IL-klabb se jorganizza din il-lejla mimlija kant, Ωfin u çajt, nhar
is-Sibt 14 ta’ Frar, fis- 7.00pm fil-klabb stess, f’100 Jackson St. Marsden Park.
-------------------------------------------------------Id-divertiment se ji©i pprovdut minn CHARLIE u VINCE, u
SURPRISE YOUNG FLOOR SHOW
---------------------------------------------Donazzjoni ta’ $12.
G˙all kull tag˙rif u biljetti çemplu lil
Agnes: 9626 6753, jew Mary: 0421 285 698
Il-kçina u l-bar ikunu miftu˙in g˙al kull ikel u xorb Malti
sibility on such researchers to ensure
that their findings and consultations are
broadly based, the parametres of limitations are clear, in order to avoid creating
misconceptions.
The book may be a good beginning by an
outsider looking into our community but
it leaves much to be desired, especially if
the book enters schools in Malta. It certainly does not enjoy the backing of the
MCCV which is a respected and long-established umbrella body in Victoria.
The book could possibly give a distorted
impression and create a stereotype among
Maltese in Malta. On the one hand, it is
pleasing to see academic research widened
to include the Maltese diaspora but researchers need to tread very carefully.
Editor’s Note:
Kitarri, Tombli u Teatrin is a book
written in Maltese, yet both Victor
Borg of Melbourne and Mark Caruana in Sydney replied in English.
Unfortunately in the “forward”, this
book repeats false, misleading and
damaging statements made by others.
The Voice of the Maltese 5
Tuesday January 6, 2015
’
Stejjer b’differenza
Lou Drofenik (Zammit) twieldet f’Birkirkara,
Malta. Wara la˙qet g˙alliema fi skola primarja u
qattg˙et g˙add ta’ snin fl-amministrazzjoni talistess skola. Hija kitbet g˙add ta’ novelli bl-IngliΩ,
fosthom, Birds of Passage, In Search of Carmen Caruana, Of Cloves and Bitter Almonds,
Cast the Long Shadow, Beloved Convict and
Bushfire Summer.
In-novelli ta’ Lou rebb˙uha g˙add ta’ awards
letterarji kemm f’Malta u wkoll fl-Awstralja. Filbiçça ‘l kbira jirriflettu l-im˙abba tag˙ha lejn ilwirt Malti u dak tal-Awstralja fejn qattg˙et
il-biçça ‘l kbira minn ˙ajjitha. Óafna mill-kitbiet
N
minn Lou Drofenik (Zammit)
tag˙ha huma dwar in-nisa emigranti Malti, issnin biex issetiljaw u r-rabta tag˙hom ma’ art
twelidhom.
Lou tg˙ix ma’ Ωew©ha u l-familja f’Victoria, fejn
minbarra l-kitba t˙obb tie˙u ˙sieb il-©nien kbir
tag˙ha.
Illum qed nippublikaw wa˙da mill-istejjer ta’
Lou. Qed ng˙idu li din, u o˙rajn aktar ‘l quddiem,
huma stejjer b’differenza. Huma miktuba bi stil
uniku li ftit hawn min juΩah, imma l-kitba tag˙ha
hija sempliçi u li tinftiehem. Fost kollox hi kitba
wkoll mexxejja u dda˙˙al lill-qarrejja fid-dinja li
trid l-awtriçi.
ina twieldet Gel-ikbar
elong,
belt wara Melbourne, fil-Victoria. Twieldet fl-1985. Ommha
kienet minn San Ìiljan,
Malta, u missierha minn San Pawl il-Ba˙ar. It-tnejn kienu
©ew l’Awstralja mal-©enituri tag˙hom fis-sittinijiet malmew©a kbira tal-emigranti Maltin. It-tnejn kienu g˙adhom
Ωg˙ar. Missierha kellu sitt snin u ommha sebg˙a. It-tnejn
kibru l-Awstralja.
Il-©enituri ta’ Nina marru skejjel Awstraljani. Iltaqg˙u
f’ballu tal-Maltin meta kellhom 18-il-sena. Huma ΩΩeww©u
fil-knisja ta North Melbourne f’çerimonja minn qassis
Malti. G˙all-ewwel marru joqog˙du St.Albans, fejn ftit
bog˙od mill-©enituri tag˙hom kien hemm ˙afna Maltin
o˙ra.
Bil-Malti kienu jitkellmu sew u kienu anke jafu bl’IngliΩ.
Omm Nina kienet taf issajjar ˙afna, kemm ikel Malti u
wkoll Awstraljan.
Meta, wara sitt snin ta’ Ωwie© ommha kellha lil Nina, ilmissier tant fera˙ li g˙amel mag˙mudija kbira daqs tie©.
Wa˙da biΩΩejjed. A˙na n˙obbuha wisq lil din it-tifla. Ma
na˙sbux li jekk ikollna tfal iΩjed inkunu n˙obbuhom daqs
kemm in˙obbu lil-Nina, kienu jg˙idu.
Meta Nina kellha disa’ snin il-familja xtrat dar f’Geelong.
Peress li twieled San Pawl il-Ba˙ar, il-missier kien i˙obb jistad u l-ba˙ar kien l-hena tieg˙u. Xtraw dar kbira li kellha
bΩonn ˙afna xog˙ol.
Missier Nina kien jaf imidd idejh g˙al kollox. Drena©©, elettriku, xog˙ol ta’ mastrudaxxa, u anke ta’ bennej. F’sena iddar li xtraw kienet saret qisha wa˙da min dawk li tara fuq
it-televiΩjoni. Mit-twieqi ta’ quddiem kont tista’ tara l-firxa
sabi˙a tal-bajja ta Corio. Dawk id-dg˙ajjes tal-qlug˙ sbie˙.
Stajt tara dawk il-vapuri kbar de˙lin u ˙er©in. Kienet
l’g˙axqa t’ommha u ta’ missierha li fil-g˙axija, wara xxog˙ol joqog˙du bil-qieg˙da fil-©nien ta’ quddiem jitpaxxew b’dik il-veduta sabi˙a. “Qisna qeg˙din San Pawl”
kien jg˙id missierha. “Qisna qeg˙din San ©iljan,” kienet
tg˙id ommha. Kienu ferm kuntenti.
Imma ittra li qalbitilhom ˙ajjithom ta’ ta˙t fuq waslet
g˙and in-nannu ta’ Nina bla ˙sieb.
se nsibu dar o˙ra b˙al
din? Mela Malta ta˙seb
li m’hemmx djar sbie˙?
Óa naraw kemm i©©ib
id-dar. Miljun u nofs!
Smajt sew jien? Miljun
u nofs dollar. U l’a©ent g˙andu koppja lesta biex t˙allas iddepoΩitu. X’sa nag˙mel? Ma, jien ma nistax ng˙idlek. Hu
jrid imur Ma.
Da˙˙ala f’rasu li jrid jipprova ˙ajja Maltija. Ru˙i mela
hawn m’intomx qeg˙din fil-©enna tal-art? U mbag˙ad
tridu t˙arrbtu kollox biex tmorru lura min fejn ©ejna? Ma,
miljun u nofs m’a˙na sa n˙arbtu xejn.
Ir-ristorant quddiem il-ba˙ar kien ippakkjat bin-nies. Lanqas post wie˙ed ma kellhom. Qalulna li jekk irridu ikla ˙ut
mil-aqwa ni©u hawn. Iva ˙i trid tibbukkja minn qabel.
Iva lanqas mejda fir-rokna? Stennew hawn ˙alli nara
x’nista’ nag˙mel. G˙andkom g˙axar minuti. Tridu ter©g˙u
ti©u lura? Daqskemm g˙andna ©ug˙. Intom jaqaw Awstraljani? Iva. Minn fejn intom? Minn Melbourne. Jien
hemm twelidt. Fejn toqog˙du Melbourne? Geelong.
Geelong. L-isem gerfixha. ˙allielha qalbha ttaqtaq. Li
tisimg˙u fuq ilsien ˙addie˙or, hekk bla ˙sieb kwaΩi
qatg˙alha nifisha. Geelong. It-triqat wesg˙in b’si©ar miΩrug˙in mitt sen’ilu. L’iskola. Ti©ri mat-tfal l’o˙ra. Tilg˙ab
il-hopscotch. Tog˙la sas-s˙ab fuq il-bandli. Nhar ta’
©img˙a ©urnata sports. Netbol, baskitbol. Wara l-iskola fissajf tg˙um fil-bajja quddiem id-dar. Nhar ta Sibt il-futbol.
Geelong kontra Carlton. Geelong kontra Hawthorn. Geelong reb˙u lil North Melbourne.
Nhar ta ˙add g˙and in-nanna. Pastizzi ja˙arqu mill-forn.
Torta tal-irkotta u l-ful. Qatt Malta ma setg˙et issib l-istess
tog˙ma tal-irkotta, tal-krema, tal-˙alib. Geelong fix-xitwa
bir-ri˙ ivenven mill-bajja.
Bil-qieg˙da fil-park wara l-bandli. BorΩa mimlija popcorn
ja˙raq, il-butir jin˙all f’˙alqha. Hi u l-˙abiba jpespsu s-sigrieti
f’widnejn xulxin. Il-films mal-˙bieb. Il-ferrovija g˙as-city.
Ommha ΩΩommilha jdejha biex ma tintilifx qalb dawk innies.
Geelong. Il-˙wienet tal-˙wejje©, taΩ-Ωraben, tal-fish and
chips, tal-˙elu, tal-©elati.
Tg˙odd il-flus wara li g˙alqu r-ristorant. Nofs il-lejl. Saqajha g˙ajjew. G˙ada tilbes iΩ-Ωarbun l-ie˙or. Dan g˙adu ma
˙ax il-qag˙da ta’ saqajha. Missierha jikkontja. Kemm nefqu.
Kemm qalg˙u. Sejrin tajjeb qalilha. Mur orqod sabi˙a. ˙a
nçempel lin-nanna. G˙adhom it-tmienja ta fil-g˙odu
hemm, forsi g˙adha rieqda.
Le˙en in-nanna qasam il-firxa ta’ eluf ta’ mili, qasam loçeani, niΩel mill-muntanji u wasal f’widnejha.
Nina, Geelong reb˙ulhom lis-Sydney Swans. Na˙seb sa
nkunu fil-finali. U dak il-mument b’qalbha kollha Nina
Mamo xtaqet li ma kienetx fejn kienet. Xtaqet b’kemm
kellha sa˙˙a li g˙andha par ©wiena˙ ˙alli ttir il-fuq, il-fuq,
il-bog˙od, il-bog˙od fejn il-mew© tal-bajja ta Corio jit˙allat
mal-ilma tal-bajja ta Port Phillip, fejn eluf ta’ gawwi jtarrxuk bit-twerΩieq tag˙hom u fejn in-nanna kienet qed
tag˙mel l-ewwel kikkra kafé qabel ma tmur tixtri.
Nina Mamo
G˙aΩiΩ Karmenu,
Kif intom? Nispera li din l-ittra ssibkom tajbin kif t˙alli
lili. Jien Alla jbierek ninsab tajjeb. Issa taf int jien g˙andi ilpiΩ tas-snin u l-˙anut li ˙allieli missierna ma nifla˙x inΩommu iktar. Issa qabel ma nbieg˙u irrid inkun naf jekk
it-tifel tieg˙ek hux interessat li jixtrieh hu. Dan business tajjeb ma ng˙idlekx. Jien li kieku nixtieq jibqa` fil-familja.
Óuk Ìovanni.
Tella’ u niΩΩel: Iva, le le, iva. Naqilbu kollox ta ta˙t fuq?
Immorru? Nibqg˙u hawn? U a˙na issa mhux Awstraljani
hux? U mela! A˙na Maltin. Maltin twelidna u lanqas jekk
indumu hawn sakemm immutu Maltin nibqg˙u.
Ara jien ma rrid immur imkien. Din id-dar! Ara kemm infaqna flus fiha. U kemm ˙dimna. Ara kemm hi sabi˙a. Fejn
6 The Voice of the Maltese
Tuesday January 6, 2015
l-ewwel snin tas-seklu dsatax bosta kienu dawk li jsiefru
F
barra minn pajjiΩhom biex jibdew ˙ajja gdida u jsibu
mpieg fl-Awstralja. Fl-1852 f’dan il-pajjiΩ, g˙all-ewwel
darba kien instab id-deheb. Sa ˙ames snin wara g˙al dan
il-kontinent kienu emigraw mal-226,000 persuna, kwaΩi
nofshom IngliΩi. Fi ftit aktar minn tmintax-il xahar il-popolazzjoni f’Melbourne kibret, minn 23,000 g˙al 70,000.
F’dak iΩ-Ωmien il-mezz tat-trasport kien il-ba˙ar, u l-bastimenti bil-qlug˙. Il-Clipper kien ilu Ωmien iba˙˙ar u j©orr
il-passi©©ieri. Wara tfaççaw dawk mibnija mill-˙adid bi
skrun fuq wara li jdur b’magni li ja˙dmu bl-istim.
Il-vapur Great Britain, mibni b’qafas tal-˙adid, kien lewwel vapur ming˙ajr ir-roti bil-palelli mal-©nub biex
‘jaqdef’ fl-ilma. L-In©inier IngliΩ Isambard Kingdom
Brunel kien il-mo˙˙ wara dan il-pro©ett. Minflok ir-roti
˙are© bl-idea li jpo©©i skrun fin-na˙a t’isfel ta’wara talbastiment.
Il-vapur ir˙ilha jsalpa mill-port ta’ Liverpool fl-ewwel
vja©© tieg˙u fl-Lulju tal-1845 u wara 14 il-jum da˙al New
York. Kien itella’ mat-360 passi©©ier u kellu ekwipa©© ta’
130. Barra minhekk kellu post biex i©orr mal-1200 tunellata ta’merkanzija, imma kien ja˙li kwantita’ kbira ta’
fa˙am li kien jie˙u ˙afna mill-ispazju tal-vapur.
G˙alkemm seta’ ja˙dem bl-istim, il-magna kienet tintuΩa
biss meta l-ba˙ar kien ikun kalm u t-temp ming˙ajr ri˙.
G˙alkemm il-bastiment Great Britain kien modern u
b’qafas li jifla˙ g˙al mew© qawwi u mag˙luq b’kompartamenti biex ma jid˙olx ilma, il-Clipper kien vapur Ωg˙ir
imma aktar ˙afif u jiΩen biss 1600 tunellata. Il-passi©©ieri
ma tantx kellhom fejn iduru, imma l-Clipper Março Polo
kellu sptar Ωg˙ir bis-servizz ta’ Ωew© tobba u banjijiet apposta fejn il-passi©©ieri setg˙u ja˙slu l-˙wejje© tag˙hom.
Dawn il-façilitajiet, li ma kienux jeΩistu fuq il-vapur Great
Britain kienu fost il-fatturi ewlenin li naqqsu ˙afna millg˙add ta’ passiggieri u l-ekwipa©© li kienu jimirdu u anke
imutu tul il-vja©©.
Il-pittura tal-artist Henry Nelson
O'Neil, li pittirha fl 1861. Kwadru li
semmieh 'A Volunteer' fejn juri l
figura ta’ ÌuΩeppi Ruggier b'habel
marbu mieg˙u lest jaqbez il-ba˙ar
minn fuq ir-Royal Charter
Ba˙ri Malti fl-istorja tad-destin
kiefer tal-bastiment Royal Charter
Ba˙ri Malti l-eroj
fid-disgrazzja
tar-Royal Charter
W
ara l-introduzzjoni ta’ fuq
biex wie˙ed ikun jaf dwar lewwel vja©gi bil-ba˙ar minn
dawk li kienu jemigraw lejn l-Awstralja, ng˙addi g˙all-ewwel parti tal©rajja li rrid ikteb dwarha u li baqa’
mag˙ruf g˙aliha u jista’ ji©i meqjsu
b˙ala eroj, il-ba˙ri Malti, ÌuΩeppi
Ru©©ier, u l-vapur li kien isalpa fuqu,
ir-Royal Charter.
Dan il-vapur li jid˙ol fl-istorja tag˙na
tal-lum huwa kien mibni u attrezzat
bl-a˙jar façilitajiet li kellhom iΩ-Ωewg
vapuri li semmejt aktar ‘l qabel.
Kien meqjus b˙ala l-mudell g˙all-vapuri tal-futur u kellu jifta˙ era ©dida
g˙at-trasport tal-passig©ieri bil-ba˙ar
fuq ir-rotta bejn l-Ingilterra u l-Awstralja.
Ir-Royal Charter ©ie mibni mid-ditta
Sandycroft f’Wales u ©ie varat fl-1855.
Kien jiΩen 1720 tunellata. Kellu qlug˙
kbar u meta ma kienx isib ir-ri˙ biex
iba˙˙ar, seta’ jqabbad il-magni bl-isteam. Kien jg˙abbi merkanzija Ωg˙ira
u kellu spaΩju g˙al 550 persuna. Kellu
gabini komdi u ta’ çertu lussu g˙allpassi©©ieri tal-ewwel klassi.
G˙al dak iΩ-Ωmien dan il-bastiment
kbir, b’tul ta’ 336 pied, kellu tlett arbli
g˙olja u çumnijja wa˙da. Ori©inarjament kien inbena g˙all-kumpanija ta’
Charles Moore. Ftit wara ©ie bieg˙uh
lil-linja tal-ba˙ar Eagle li di©a’ kella
vapuri o˙ra fosthom il-Great Britain u
l-Albatross.
Fil-jum li fih ir Royal Charter ©ie
varat beda bl-inkwiet. Ma setax jiqala’
kitba ta’
Joe R. Scicluna
(l-ewwel parti}
minn postu u
kellhom i˙affru
kanal biex iΩersquh g˙all-ba˙ar.
Hawnhekk ukoll
waqt li kien qieg˙ed isalpa fuq ixxmara, inkalja u ©arrab xi ˙sarat, tant
li kellu jid˙ol fil-port ta’ Liverpool
biex jissewwa.
Il-vapur tlesta biex iba˙˙ar u fit 18 ta’
Jannar 1856 salpa g˙all-ewwel vja©©
mill-port ta’ Liverpool lejn l-Awstralja.
G˙al pa©na 7
The Voice of the Maltese 7
Tuesday January 6, 2015
Il-bastiment kien qed i©orr id-deheb
Minn pa©na 6
Ir-Royal Charter kien ©ie mg˙obbi
b’g˙add ta’ tunellati ta’ fa˙am fl-istiva
g˙ax ˙asbu li seta’ jinqaleb min˙abba
li kellu Ω-Ωaqq dejjaq u l-arbli li kienu
g˙oljin wisq.
Bit-toqol tal-fa˙am u l-merkanzija lbastiment niΩel fl-ilma aktar milli kien
me˙tie© u min˙abba f’hekk beda
jnaqqas mill-˙effa. Kien anke qed
isibha aktar diffiçli biex jaqta’ millilma.
Kien ilu gimg˙a li ˙are© mill-port ta’
Liverpool meta l-ba˙ar beda jitqawwa
b’mew© li sa la˙aq l-g˙oxrin pied, u
beda jid˙ollu ˙afna ilma. Deher li ma
kienx se jkun jista’ jtemm il-vja©©,
g˙alhekk kontra qalbu l-kaptan,
qatag˙ha li jerga’ lura u jid˙ol fil-port
ta’ Plymouth.
Il-vapur li kien gie ddisinjat biex ikun
il-mera tal-futur ma setax jie˙u fama
˙aΩina u jit˙alla ji©i skartat. Allura fis16 ta’ Frar ta’ l-istess sena kien lest
biex jer©a’ jba˙˙ar.
Din id-darba kollox mar sew u rRoyal Charter wasal f’Melbourne f’˙in
rekord u l-propjetarji ttieg˙u setg˙u
jifta˙ru mal-klijenti li fi Ωmien xahrejn
kienu kapaçi jwassulhom fil-kontinent
Awstraljan. Beda ji©i meqjus b˙ala
wie˙ed mill-aktar bastimenti ta’ ˙effa
fuq il-rotta bejn l-Ingilterra u l-Awstralja u mfittex ˙afna minn negozjanti
u nies sinjuri.
Il-ba˙ri Malti ÌuΩeppi Ruggier
Fit-tiftix tieg˙i dwar il-©rajja ta’ dan
il-bastiment, sibt li minn storja ta’
vapur li kellu jispiçça mg˙arraq ftit
sieg˙at biss qabel ma kellu jid˙ol filport tad-destinaΩΩjoni tieg˙u, kien
hemm persuna©© Malti, ba˙ri li seta’
ji©i mfisser b˙ala eroj wara li ssogra
˙ajtu biex isalva l-passi©©ieri u dawk
li salpaw fuqu minn ˙alq il-mewt.
Kien fil-lejl tal-25 ta’ Ottubru tal-1859
meta r-Royal Charter kien kwaΩi
wasal biex itemm il-vja©© u jid˙ol filport ta’ Liverpool fl-Ingilterra wara li
kien ilu li salpa mill-Awstralja g˙al
xahrejn. Kien beda l-vja©© fis 26 ta’
Awissu.
Kien dalam sew u r-ri˙ li matul il-jum
kien ilu jin˙ass li se jiΩdied, beda
jonfo˙ mhux ˙aΩin. Il-ba˙ar beda
jitqawwa u f’kemm trodd salib qamet
maltempata bir-ri˙ jil˙aq forza ta’
riefnu. Il-bastiment beda jissabbat
mal-mew© g˙oli u l-kurrent beda jimbuttah lejn il-blat.
Permezz ta’ sinjali bil-fanal, il bastiment beda jibg˙at messa©© li kien filperiklu u l-kaptan talab l-g˙ajnuna
tal-pilota tal-port. Il-ba˙ar ried jibla’ lart, u fir-ra˙al ta’ Moelfre, fuq il-gΩira
ta’ Anglesey, il-maltemp fuq l-art kien
tal-biΩa’. Tant l-urugan kien qed
jag˙mel ˙erba li ˙add ma kien se jis-
sogra jo˙rog fuq il-ba˙ar f’maltempata
bhal dik.
Il-kaptan tal-bastiment kien Thomas
Taylor li kien imbarka ta’ eta’ Ωg˙ir u
baqa’ sakemm wara snin ta’ esperejenza la˙aq il-grad. G˙alkemm kien
strett fuq ix-xog˙ol u ta’ dixxiplina,
kien irrispettat mill-fizzjali u l-ba˙rin.
Fuq il-vapur kien hemm mal-500 persuna li kwaΩi erbg˙a fil-mija minnhom kienu passi©©ieri, fil-biçça ‘l kbira
ja˙dmu fil-minjieri fl-Awstralja, li
kienu sejrin lura lejn l-Ingilterra.
Qabel ma ˙alla l-port ta’ Melbourne
il-bastiment kien ©ie mg˙obbi bi
kwantita’ ta’ biççiet tad-deheb li kien
assigurat (insurance) g˙al £120,000.
Fil-fatt, il-valur kien aktar minn hekk
min˙abba li bosta mill-passi©©ieri
kienu qed i©orru flus fuqhom u
o©©etti ta’valur.
Il-vapur issa kien wisq qrib il-blat,
jit˙abat mal- mew© qalil, u l-kaptan
beda jinduna li l-g˙ajnuna minn fuq lart ma kenetx se tasal. Kien diffiçli u
impossibbli li n-nies mir-ra˙al ta’
Moelfre jag˙tu l-g˙ajnuna lil dawk ta’
fuq il-bastiment.
Imbag˙ad dg˙ajsa dehret titniΩΩel
minn fuq il-bastiment bi tlett ba˙rin
fuqha. Dawn ippruvaw jersqu lejn lart. Ma damitx wisq titbandal u tog˙la
mal-˙alel tal-bahar, meta nqalbet u
tfarket mal-blat. Dawk ta’ fuqha g˙erqu kollha.
Xi ba˙rin ta’ fuq il-vapur xtaqu u
˙asbu li setg˙u jg˙umu lejn ix-xatt
biex forsi i©ibu xi dg˙ajsa kbira biΩΩejjed biex i©orr il-passiggieri minn fuq
il-bastiment g˙al fuq l-art. Imma ˙add
ma ssogra li jpo©©i ˙ajtu f’dak ilperiklu, ˙lief wie˙ed.
Kien hawn li GuΩeppi Ruggier ba˙ri
Malti fuq ir-Royal Charter, bniedem
b’sa˙˙tu u g˙awwiem tajjeb, li kien ilu
snin iba˙˙ar u kien jaf sew xi jsarraf ilba˙ar, qatag˙ha li jintrabat b’˙abel,
jaqbeΩ il-ba˙ar u jg˙um lejn ix-xatt.
Issielet ˙afna mal-mew© u kien g˙oddu
qata’ qalbu meta sajjieda mir-ra˙al iffurmaw b˙al katina umana u rnexxiel-
hom ji©bduh u jtellg˙uh fuq l-art.
ÌuΩeppi kien ilu ma jorqod jumejn,
imma g˙alkemm g˙ajjien, ried jibqa’
man-nies fuq ix-xatt jag˙ti l-g˙ajnuna.
Imma ma fela˙x aktar u ˙aduh
f’g˙orfa fil-qrib.
Sadanittant, xi ba˙rin minn fuq ilvapur g˙addew çima marbuta mal˙abel li bdiet tin©ibed minn fuq ix-xatt
u li mbag˙ad ©iet marbuta sew malblat. Maç-çima rabtu si©©u mag˙mul
mill-˙bula li seta’ jiΩΩerΩaq u j©orr
passi©©ier wie˙ed wie˙ed lejn ix-xatt.
L-ekwipa©© beda jag˙mel ˙iltu
kollha biex jipprova jsalva lpassi©©ieri, imma l-mew© kbir kien
qed jg˙atti l-vapur li beda jinkiser u
fil-fatt ma damx ma tfarrak mal-blat.
Dawk kollha li kienu g˙adhom abbord sabu ru˙hom jit˙abtu mal-˙alel
tal-ilma, u mijiet ta’passi©©ieri u
ba˙rin spiççaw g˙erqu.
G˙al ˙afna dak kellu jkun destin
kiefer f’dik il-lejla li fih se˙˙et din ittragedja. Qabel ma kien imbarka fuq
il-bastiment, il-ba˙ri Ωag˙Ωug˙
Charles Taylor kien bag˙at ittra lillommu jg˙idilha li dalwaqt kien se
jkun id-dar. Bahri iehor mir-ra˙al ta’
Moelfre, Isaac Lewis, ukoll kien fost
o˙rajn ferm ˙erqan li jer©a’
jing˙aqad mal-familja. Issa kienu jissarraw mal-mewg fl-a˙˙ar mument
ta’ ˙ajjithom.
Kien hawn li Isaac lema˙ lil
missieru fuq ix-xatt, beda jsejja˙lu u
jg˙ajjat, “missier jien wasalt id-dar
biex immut hawn”.
L-i©tsma ta’ ˙afna mill-mejtin u dak
li kien baqa’ mit-tag˙bija dehru
jin©arru mal-mew© lejn ix-xatt. Dawk
li kienu fuq l-art ma setg˙ux jemmnu
lil g˙ajnejhom meta lem˙u kwantita’
ta’ muniti tad-deheb ileqqu malmew© u je˙lu bejn il-blat. Kien hemm
min sab u ©abar flus u deheb fi
kwantita` li qatt ma ˙olom u seta’
jobsor li jkollu, anke li kellu ja˙dem
tul ˙ajtu kollha.
(It-tieni parti fil-˙ar©a li jmiss)
Dehra antika tax-xtajta tar-ra˙al ta’
Moelfre f’Anglesey. Ftit bog˙od
minnha ghereq ir-Royal Charter
8 The Voice of the Maltese
Tuesday January 6, 2015
Have your say/Xi trid tghid?
Your letters/ L-ittri tag˙kom ...
Fakkartuni f’dak li na˙seb kien
fl-isba˙ Ωmien tal-futbol f’Malta
The Voice of the Maltese
on
nlliin
ne
e m
ma
ag
ga
az
ziin
ne
e
o
is is a bi-lingual (in
English and Maltese) fortnightly online publication
specifically targeting all
Maltese living abroad
with emphasis on the
Australian scene.
is online magazine is
sent via email by request.
Subscription is free.
Editors:
Malta: Joseph Cutajar
Australia:
Lawrence Dimech: MOM,
OAM, JP
email address:
[email protected]
Letters for publication in The Voice either in Maltese or English should be
e-mailed to: [email protected].
Now you can also join us
on facebook:
https://www.facebook.
com/groups/thevoiceofthemaltese
Paul Spiteri minn St Albans jikteb:
N
irringrazzjakom minn qalbi tal-artiklu
dwar Billy Dalli (˙arga Nru 91) g˙ax
©ibtuli memorji ferm sbie˙ ta’ tfuliti f’Malta meta mhux biss kont dilettant kbir
tal-futbol, kemm narah u wkoll nilag˙bu,
imma aktar minn kollox g˙ax kont partitarjiu tat-tim tal-Floriana, u komplejt insegwi u nappo©©ja l-aktar lil George
Cross.
Billy (x’nag˙mel issa nsejja˙lu Alfred?)
u jien a˙na tal-istess eta’ u jien ukoll ©ejt
l-Awstralja fis-sittinijiet. Lil Billy niftakru
wkoll jilg˙ab g˙alkemm ma tantx dam
jilbes il-flokk tal-Floriana. Nixtieq lil Billy
˙ajja twila u ta’ sa˙˙a.
L-intervista mieg˙u ©abitni mmur lura
lejn dawk iΩ-Ωmienijiet ta’ meta l-Floriana
g˙al ˙afna snin kienu j©orru kull unur u
kull tazza. Kien Ωmien sabi˙ meta l-futbol
Malti kien mimli plejers ta’ stoffa.
Dak kien Ωmien li fih il-grawnd tal-GΩira
kien ikun imballat bil-partitarji, kwaΩi
kwaΩi jilg˙ab min jilg˙ab, g˙aliex kull tim
kellu plejers teknikament tajbin u li individwalment kienu kapaçi j˙abbtuha malbarranin. Li ma kienx hemm biΩΩejjed
na˙seb li kienet it-teknika b˙ala tim. Imma
xorta wa˙da kul˙add kien jag˙ti gost.
Jien niftakar ukoll li minkejja li l-akbar
rivalita` kienet bejn it-timijiet tal-Floruana
u dak tas-Sliema li bejniethom fis-snin
bikrin kienu jaqsmu l-unuri bejniethom,
kien hemm timijiet o˙ra li wkoll kienu
jpaxxu bil-futbol taghhom.
Niftakar pereΩempju lil St. George’s ta’
Bormla, lil Vittoriosa, lill-Óamrun, lil
Rabat, lil St Patrick, u lil Birkirkara li kienu
g˙ad-hom tilg˙in fl-Ewwel DiviΩjoni.
Kienu wkoll bdew jid˙lu sew fix-xena malkbar, il-Hibs.
Meta nara r-riΩultati tal-futbol Malti
n˙oss nostal©ija g˙al dawk iΩ-Ωmienijiet u
nibqa’ nistag˙©eb pereΩempju, kif it-timijiet tal-Floriana u tas-Sliema donnhom
ma jistg˙ux jer©g˙u jaqbdu art, u
nsewwed qalbi nara li l- appo©© lejn ilFloriananaqas daqstant.
Fl-Awstralja niftakar ukoll plejers o˙ra
li kienu g˙amlu isem mal-Floriana b˙al
Tony u Lolly Vella, u Willie Vassallo.
Ikun interessanti naqraw xi tag˙rif anke
dwar dawn.
A˙na l-Maltin kapaçi
ng˙ixu ma’ kul˙add
Anthony Cassar minn Greenwich, NSW jikteb:
a nistax ma naqbilx mar-ra©unar ta’
Ivan Cauchi fl-a˙˙ar artiklu tieg˙u blisem Christmas jew Xmas? (˙ar©a Nru. 91),
l-aktar fejn staqsa jekk qattx smajna lil xi
˙add li mhux nisrani jg˙id li j˙ossu skomdu
meta jew jara simboli tal-Milied, inkella li
ma jie˙ux gost b’dawn iΩ-Ωmienijiet li fih
niççelebraw dawn il-festi.
Jien na˙dem ma’ g˙add ta’ nies, u anke ©ar
ta’ o˙rajn li r-reli©jon tag˙hom Ωgur li mhix
dik nisranija, fosthom l-aktar Musulmana,
inkella Buddista. Mhux talli dawn ma jiddejqux bil-mod ta’ kif a˙na niffesteg©jaw,
imma talli jknu minn tal-ewwel li jifir˙ulna
u f’waqtiet anke jissie˙bu mag˙na fil-fer˙.
Naqbel perfettament li ˙afna drabi, min
jg˙id li dawk ta’ reli©jonijiet o˙ra ma
jie˙dux gost jarawna nifir˙u kemm fil-Milied u anke f’waqtiet o˙ra g˙eΩieΩ g˙alina lKattoliçi, ikun qed jg˙idu biex jikseb xi
gwadan, l-aktar politiku, b˙al meta xi politiku jitkellem dwar li l-barranin jistg˙u jitilqu minn fejn ©ew jekk ma jridux joqog˙du
g˙all-uΩanzi u l-mod kif ng˙ixu fl-Awstralja.
Dan qed ng˙idu g˙aliex ˙afna drabi, kummenti b˙al dawn mill-ewwel ji©u mdawwra
mal-erbat irjie˙ tad-dinja permezz tal-Intenet
biex jie˙du ftit pubbliçita’.
Issa, jew a˙na l-Maltin nafu ng˙ixu ma’
kul˙add, inkella ˙addie˙or japprezzana,
imma nista’ ng˙id li rari qatt smajt lil xi
Malti jg˙id li jiddejjaq jew idejjaq lil min
mhux tal-istess ˙sieb.
Anzi na˙seb fl-Awstralja l-Maltin a˙na ta’
eΩempju g˙al kull nazzjonalita’o˙ra f’dan ilkontinent multikulturali g˙ax kapaçi ng˙ixu
ma’ kul˙add.
M
The Voice of the Maltese 9
Tuesday January 6, 2015
Have your say/Xi trid tghid?
Il-Konvenzjoni tal-Maltin ta’ Barra 2015
Xejn ma nbidel Iwie©eb il-Ministeru
Salv Borg, minn Balmain NSW jikteb
rajt b’interess l-ittra ta’ J. Mifsud millKanada dwar il-Konvenzjoni talQ
Maltin ta’ Barra li g˙andha ssir f’Malta
f’April 2015. Jien ukoll smajt xi tgergir
minn din in-na˙a g˙ax veru li jidher li kien
hemm dewmien Ωejjed.
M’g˙andiex nifhem li kien hemm xi mijiet
ta’ applikazzjonijiet li dewwmu t-twe©ibiet
u l-g˙aΩliet finali. Naf biss li din mhix lewwel Konvenzjoni fejn kien hemm din ilkonfuΩjoni kollha. Fl-a˙˙ar wa˙da, dik
tal-2010 ukoll kien hemm dewmien u
ta˙wid, anzi ©ew mag˙Ωula ˙afna nies li
akkwistaw l-g˙ajnuna finanzjarja u mank
attendew g˙al-laqg˙at.
Dakinhar kien hemm min waqt il-laqg˙at
kien imur jixtri l-Belt u jigi f’nofs il-laqg˙at
mimli basktijiet bl-affarijiet li jkun xtara.
Fejn huma Ω- Ωg˙aΩag˙ ta’ g˙axar snin ilu
li tant qalulna li l-futur se jkun f’idejhom?
U x’minnhom il-pjannijiet li kellhom?
Insomma mhux qed nara differenza u jekk
ma noqog˙dx attenti l-istess jigri anke filkonvenzjoni tal-2015.
Fiona Formosa Segretarju Permanenti fl-Uffiççju tal-Affarijiet Barranin, Malta tikteb:
N
ag˙mel referenza g˙all-kumment li sar
mis-Sinjura Josett Mifsud minn Ontario,
fil-Kanada dwar il-Konvenzjoni g˙all-Maltin
li jg˙ixu barra minn Malta li se ssir is-sena ddie˙la f’Malta u li ©iet ippubblikata fil-˙ar©a
ta’ The Voice of the Maltese (23 ta’ Diçembru).
Dan il-Ministeru g˙amel eΩerçizzju ta’ konsultazzjoni estensiva mar-rappreΩentant talKunsill g˙all-Maltin li jg˙ixu Barra minn
Malta li jifforma parti mill-Kumitat Organizzattiv tal-istess Konvenzjoni.
Il-Ministeru jixtieq jinforma li x-xog˙ol ta’
proçess dwar il-lista tal-perteçipanti ntemm u
dawk kollha li ressqu l-applikazzjoni tag˙hom
qed jirçevu ittra formali bl-informazzjoni
me˙tie©a.
Kull min jixtieq aktar tag˙rif dwar il-Konvenzjoni g˙andu jikkuntattja lill-Kumitat Organizzattiv tal-Konvenzjoni 2015 fuq:
[email protected]
/2
Bl-ajru jew
bid-dg˙ajjes?
Tom Spiteri minn Double Bay NSW
jikteb:
ont na˙seb li Scott Morrision
veru waqqaf il-boat (iddg˙ajjes), iΩda dan l-a˙˙ar qrajt li ssena l-o˙ra waslu l-Awstralja 62,000
persuna bl-ajru u 20,000 minnhom
baqg˙u hawn illegalment, u ˙add ma
tant inkwieta ru˙u dwarhom.
Fl-istess ˙in, waqt li dawk li jaslu
bil-boats mhux talli jwaqqfuhom jew
jibag˙tuhom fl-a˙rax u l-ag˙ar postijiet fid-dinja, b˙al Nauru, eçç, binNavy Awstraljana mobilizzata bi
spejjeΩ ta’ miljuni, o˙rajna jid˙lu blajru suppost g˙al ftit taΩ-Ωzmien u
jibqg˙u hawn.
Forsi g˙ax dawn l-illegali, fil-parti
‘l kbira minnhom huma Cinizi, Inglizi u Amerikani?
Ara Alan Jones qatt ma jsemmihom
lil dawn. Veru li l-immigranti saru
ballun politiku b’˙asra kbira g˙al
kul˙add.
K
Thank you from Llandilo The Martin Place Tragedy
Helen Azzopardi from Llandilo NSW, writes:
Joe Grima from Malta writes:
T
A
hank you Lawrence Dimech (president of the MCC of NSW)
from the bottom of my heart for the ongoing support to my
group (The Llandilo Maltese Community).
The seed you and Maria DeCarlo sowed thirteen years ago, has
grown into a large tree and is now bearing lot of fruit. You should
be very proud for the community work you have done and are
still doing. Once again thanks for all you have done.
May God send a special New Year’s Blessing to you and your
family.
llow me to express all my indignation at the wanton murder of innocent civilians by one more debased and inhuman religious fanatic attempting to impose his deranged practices on the freedoms that
civilization guarantees to all individuals living in a world free from the
shackles of dictatorial oppression.
Our prayers and sympathy with the families of the victims of this
planned massacre. In the face of these mounting deliberate attacks on
the individual and collective liberties that free countries guarantee to
all citizens, standing on the sidelines is no longer an option.
10 The Voice of the Maltese
Tuesday January 6, 2015
Perspettiva
Pavlov u l-Islam
A version of this series in
English may be found in
the author's blog at:
http://www.ivancauchi.
blogspot.com.au
F
il-bidu tas-seklu g˙oxrin, studjuΩ talfiΩjolo©ija jismu Ivan Petrovich Pavlov
˙are© bil-kunçett tar-Rifless Ikkundizzjunat. Kellu kelb, li meta kien se jibda jitimg˙u
kien idoqq qanpiena jew jitlaq metronomu. Wara
ftit tar-ripetizzjoni, innota li l-kelb beda jipproduçi l-bΩieq immedjatament meta kien idoqq ilqanpiena, anke jekk ma kienx jippreΩentalu likel. Il-konkluΩjoni ta' Pavlov kienet li l-kelb
kien beda jassoçja l-˙oss tal-qanpiena mal-ikel,
li g˙aliha kellu reazzjoni fiΩjolo©ika.1
Jien nara li hemm relazzjoni bejn it-tag˙lima ta'
Pavlov mas-sitwazzjoni tal-Islam illum.
Fil-pajjiΩi tal-Punent (li mag˙ha ninkludi l-Awstralja anke jekk
tinsab fil-Lvant, min˙abba l-kultura qawwija IngliΩa tag˙ha), l-Islam
b˙ala reli©jon u anke b˙ala kultura jinsab fil-minoranza. G˙alhekk,
f'dawn il-pajjiΩi, il-ma©©oranza tan-nies jiltaqg˙u mal-Islam filmidja predominantement, jew fit-triq fil-˙ajja ta' kuljum - fil-mezzi
ta' trasport pubbliku, fil-˙wienet, fil-postijiet tax-xog˙ol. Meta jsir
dan, jie˙du stampa wa˙da wara l-o˙ra ta' dan il-fenomenu, iktar milli
jg˙ixuh fil-qrib u fit-tul.
Jien ukoll ng˙addi minn dan. Nista' ng˙id li l-istampi fil-midja, anke
milli nara jien, ikunu kwaΩi kostantement negattivi, u ˙afna drabi estremament negattivi, ta' bosta nies li jg˙idu li ja©ixxu f'isem l-Islam.
Huwa façli li wie˙ed jirrimarka li l-midja tg˙a©©eb, u tag˙Ωel dak
li tirrapporta. Dan mhux daqshekk diffiçli li timma©inah isir, l-iktar
meta jkun hemm interessi kummerçjali fin-nofs, u jkun hemm l-interess li jiΩdiedu l-qarrejja, is-semmieg˙a jew il-telespettaturi. Imma
jien nara li dan ma jispjegax kollox.
Xi ©img˙at ilu f'Sydney kellna l-kaΩ, trawmatiku g˙al ˙afna nies li
baqg˙u iççassati quddiem it-televiΩjoni, ta' persuna mi©nuna li ˙adet
sbatax-il osta©© fil-Kafè Lindt li jinsab f'Martin Place, fiç-çentru ta'
Sydney, li spiççat f'musketterija liema b˙ala u l-mewt tra©ika ta'
tnejn minnhom, flimkien mal-aggressur.
Li kien straordinarju, u li mhux kul˙add induna millewwel bih, kien
li l-aggressur kien qieg˙ed i©ieg˙el lill-osta©©i jie˙du vidjos ta'
xulxin jg˙idu l-messa©©i li riedhom jg˙idu quddiem bandiera sewda
b'kitba bl-G˙arbi u messa©© Islamiku, u jibag˙tuhom lil stazzjonijiet
tat-TV u tar-radju, fuq Youtube u l-midja soçjali.
L-awtoritajiet qag˙du attenti li ma jag˙tux lill-aggressur il-pubbliçità fuq it-televiΩjoni li xtaq, imma naturalment ma setg˙u
jag˙mlu xejn biex iwaqqfu l-midja soçjali.
G˙alhekk, l-aggressur kien qed ifittex il-midja, mhux ja˙rabha.
L-istess qed jag˙mlu l-gruppi l-estremisti o˙ra li jsej˙u lilhom infushom Islamiçi, b˙all-grupp ISIS li waqqaf il-kalifat li ktibt dwaru
darb'o˙ra, Al-Qaeda u o˙rajn. Dawn apparti li jibag˙tu l-messa©©i
propogandistiçi tag˙hom, ˙a©a li jag˙mlu l-gruppi kollha politiçi ta'
madwar id-dinja, iΩewwquhom ukoll bi stampi u vidjos atroçi u
krudili g˙all-a˙˙ar, bi sfond muΩikali rebbie˙, u kitba G˙arbija (li lparti l-kbira tan-nies tal-Punent ma jifhmux) u messa©© Islamiku (li
ji©i tradott, u jinftiehem sew).
Dan it-tanbir kontinwu mhu qed jag˙mel xejn ˙lief, f'g˙ajnejn innies ta' madwar id-dinja, jassoçja lil kull min huwa Musulman ma
nies qattiela, bla emozzjonijiet, krudili u bla qalb.
Huwa veru li dawn il-messa©©i jistg˙u jappellaw g˙al min hu bla
tama, bla skop f'˙ajtu, min forsi mhux aççettat mis-soçjetà, min ˙ass
diskriminazzjoni kontrih u l-bqija. Huwa veru li dawn il-gruppi
jistg˙u joffru l-glorja tal-mument f'atti makabri u vjolenti, u
jwieg˙du l-˙las fil-©enna, skont l-interpretazzjoni tag˙hom tal-Islam.
Imma ng˙id jien, kemm iktar nies se jkunu attirati minn din l-or©ja
tal-vjolenza u depravità? Kemm se jkun hemm ommijiet li tassew
i˙obbu lil uliedhom li jibag˙tuhom ikunu l-istmerrija tad-dinja u g˙al
mewt probabbilment bikrija? Possibbli li dawn il-gruppi ja˙sbu li
se jipperswadu lil xi massa kbira ta' nies li jag˙tuhom l-appo©©?
Normalment, organizzazzjonijiet jippruvaw jippreΩentaw l-a˙jar
attitudnijiet tag˙hom fil-midja. L-Islam innifsu g˙andu ˙ames
kitba ta’
IVAN
CAUCHI
kolonni tal-fidi, li jinkludu l-karità mal-fqar u ssawm fost l-o˙rajn, li huma virtujiet poΩittivi
˙afna. Il-kelma 'Islam' innifisha ©ejja minn
'sliem', jew paçi.
G˙all-kuntrarju, dawn il-gruppi qed jippreΩentaw lill-pubbliku l-ag˙ar fost l-ag˙ar aspetti tag˙hom, u qed jag˙mlu ˙sara kbira
lir-reli©jon tag˙hom, u lill-isem tal-profeta
tag˙hom Mo˙ammed.
Jien g˙andi ˙bieb minn ˙afna reli©jonijiet u
anke w˙ud li m'g˙andhomx reli©jon. Meta tkellimt ma' dawk Musulmani dwar dawn l-affarijiet,
˙lief kliem ta' stmerrija, u dispjaçir li dak ittag˙lim ta' paçi li jippruvaw jimxu mieg˙u ta' kuljum qed ji©i sempliçement mormi minn dawn l-estremisti, ma nismax.
Dan itini ftit tal-komfort. Diversi st˙arri© juri li l-ma©©oranza ta'
Musulmani huma kontra azzjonijiet b˙al attakki ta' suwiçidju biex
jiddefendu lill-Islam, fil-pajjiΩi kollha ˙lief it-Territorju Palestinjan.2
Madankollu il-perçentwal ta' nies favur huwa Ωg˙ir imma mhux
negli©ibbli.
L-assedju ta' ftit jiem ilu f'Martin Place qasam lill-Awstralja fi tnejn.
Fuq na˙a wa˙da, kien hemm moviment qawwi, u mhux mistenni, ta'
min jikkunsidra li l-estremisti ma jirrappreΩentawx lill-ma©©oranza
tal-Musulmani, moviment li deher biç-çar fil-kampanja fuq Twitter
imsej˙a #IllRideWithYou3, li bdiet meta persuna offriet li tirkeb ittrasport pubbliku ma' persuna Musulmana li tilbes il-˙i©ab li kienet
qed tibza' mir-riperkussjonijiet tan-nies wara l-assedju.
Fuq in-na˙a l-o˙ra, hemm moviment qawwi ie˙or ukoll li g˙andu
rabja kbira g˙al dak kollu li hu, u kull min hu, Musulman. Anke
jekk wie˙ed minn dan il-moviment jirra©una li mhux kul˙add huwa
estremist, jekk jiltaqa' ma' xi simbolu li jista' jindika li persuna hija
Musulmana, anke jekk il-˙a©a hija kulturali u mhux reli©juΩa, b˙al
˙i©ab, niqab, burka, turban Persjan, il-verΩjoni G˙arbija tal-kelma
'Alla' (Allah) jew anke sempliçement kitba G˙arbija, kwaΩi immedjatament tisma kliem iebes u anke ta' rabja.
Ukoll meta persuna li f’diskussjoni tipprova tag˙mel distinzjoni
bejn l-estremist u Musulman komuni, tittie˙ed li qed tiddefendi lillestremist. Ir-rieda li ji©i kkundannat kull ma hu Musulman, f'dan ittieni moviment, huwa tant qawwi. Dan hu l-effett Pavlovjan li kont
qed nirreferi g˙alih qabel, u irrid ng˙id li nifhem lil min i˙oss hekk.
L-isfortuna hi li dawn il-gruppi estremisti qed ireww˙u dan l-effett
huma stess, deliberatament u konsistentement, u ma dawn il-gruppi
jistg˙u jing˙addu m©ienen b˙all-aggressur ta' Martin Place.
G˙alkemm huwa veru li mhux l-Islam biss g˙andu dawn l-estremisti, riçentement qed ikun hemm wisq minn dawn l-estremisti madwar id-dinja, li jinqdew bl-Islam biex iwasslu l-ideolo©ija qattiela
tag˙hom, u dan l-effett Pavlovjan jikber qieg˙ed.
Jien l-unika soluzzjoni li nara g˙al din is-sitwazzjoni f'pajjiΩna, hu:
- li jkun çar li l-komunità Musulmana tkun milqug˙a u aççettata
mill-bqija tas-soçjetà, ˙alli ma jing˙atax lok g˙al min i˙ossu eskluΩ
u jfittex li jkun milqug˙ f'xi grupp fil-periferija tas-soçjetà;
- li l-komunita' Musulmana tkun qawwija u persistenti filli ssostni,
kemm fil-komunità tag˙ha, u mas-soçjetà in ©enerali, li assolutament
hija kuntrarja g˙all-estremiΩmu. Dan qieg˙ed isir, u jrid jitkompla
u jitqawwa;
- li nies li jidhru li qed ji©u radikalizzati, ji©u identifikati u
jing˙addu minn programmi ta' rijabilitazzjoni u/jew jg˙addu missistema kriminali.
Dan ma jistax ˙lief ikun proçess fit-tul.
Referenzi
[1]http://www.simplypsychology.org/pavlov.html, retrieved 19.12.2014
[2]http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/07/02/muslimsagainstextremismpewsurvey_n_5551693.html,retrieved19/12/2014
[3]http://www.gizmodo.com.au/2014/12/illridewithyousydneystandsuptoracismwithonebeautifulhashtag/,retrieved 19/12/2014
The Voice of the Maltese
Tuesday January 6, 2015
11
MCC Oral history project - Maltese Personalities
order to
Iourpn rMalteseeserve
Australian
heritage for
posterity, the
MCC of NSW
has embarked on videorecording
the settlement experiences of Maltese
personalities.
The oral history interviews are conducted in English on Wednesdays
mornings. The time taken varies
from 60-90 minutes and are done by
Mark Caruana, who has been doing
such interviews since 1982.
At the end of the interview, the person interviewed is asked to do any
necessary editing and to furnish four
photos to be included in the DVD
cover.
The MCC will produce seven DVDs,
five of which go to the family, one to
the MCC Archives and one to the National Library in Canberra. A donation of $50 to cover costs would be
appreciated.
Anybody wishing to have his settlement history recorded, is requested to
contact Emanuel Camilleri on 9822
0228.
Better future for
the MCC Centre
he Liberal State Government has agreed with the MalT
tese Community Council of NSW that the Centre at
59b Franklin Street Parramatta West is in need of an up-
grade as the Maltese community in the area is using it
constantly.
The Hon Victor Dominello, Minister for Citizenship and
Communities, Minister for Aboriginal Affairs, Minister
for Veterans’ Affairs and Assistant Minister for Education
visited the Centre together with the State Member for
Granville, Tony Issa MP bringing with them news that a
grant to assist through the 2014 Community Building
partnership Programme has been made to the MCC.
Mr Tony Issa told The Voice of the Maltese that since he
has been elected he was fortunate enough to support proj-
At the presentation of the grant for
the MCC Centre: From: left: Tony
Pace Feraud, Oscar Calleja, Marlene
Dimech, Tony Issa MP, Minister Victor Dominello, Lawrence Dimech,
Emanuel Camilleri, George Pace,
Frances Montesin.and Victor Fenech.
ects that have built, upgraded and enhanced local infrastructure in his district. He insisted that he has a very
good working relation with the Maltese community.
The Minister showed enormous interest in Malta and
spent time asking questions about it. He said he was very
interested in visiting the island in the near future.
Meanwhile, the president of the Maltese Community
Council of NSW, Lawrence Dimech thanked Minister
Dominello and MP Tony Issa for their help, as well as
Andrew Rohan MP, Member for Smithfield for assisting
with the application for this grant, and the MCC’s v/president, Emanuel Camilleri, for accepting to look after the
works to its completion in 2015, and to make sure that the
project would be ready on time.
MALTA TRAVEL
Incorporating Pendle Hill Travel
A division of Felice Travel Pty Ltd ABN 71 073 235 408
Licensed Travel Agent Lic. No 2TA4425
Join Charlie Felice on a Tour of USA West! Its all inclusive
- flight, top hotels, breakfast and dinner daily, transfers
and insurance! Only 4 couples left! Looking for a single
lady. First come first served! Call Charlie on 9631 2689
165 Dunmore St., Wentworthville NSW 2145
Phone: (02) 9631 2689 Fax: (02) 9636 5949
Email: [email protected]
Website: www.maltatravel.net.au
12 The Voice of the Maltese
Tuesday January 6, 2015
Roundup of News About Malta
Maltese generosity at its best
People donate €4,631,401 in two charity telethons
I
f any more proof was needed as to the
generosity of the Maltese people, then
two main activities over the festive season was it. The 2014 L-Istrina campaign on
Boxing Day (otherwise known in other
countries, as telethon), driven by Malta President Marie Louise Coleiro-Preca and hundreds of volunteers, raised a record sum of
€3,656,000 in donations surpassing last year's record by €241,614.
Another €12,000 were raised two days later
in the annual Thomas Smith Charity Smith
by 250 young and old swimmers braved the
cold weather for the swim at Balluta Bay.
Further to that, on New Year’s Day, the
Maltese people once again expressed their
generosity by donating €975,401 in the annual telethon in aid of the Dar tal-Providenza, the largest sum collected since the
setting up of the marathon 17 years ago to
bring the total in donations in these two
fundraising events to a record €4,631,401
No wonder an enthusiastic President was
almost lost for words at the end of the L-Istrina event as she thanked the people for
showning once again “how unique we are in
the world when it comes to displaying love
and solidarity with our suffering brethren.
“We were all one united team tonight,” she
said at the end of the event, adding that
Malta “showed yet again that Christmas for
us is not only about giving presents and eat-
ing food but about helping those who are less
fortunate than us.”
In an appeal at the start of the 12-hour fund
raising charity show, the country's leaders
urged the people to donate, while the President, presiding over her first L-Istrina expressed her appreciation of people coming
together to help others in need.
Church says will not discriminate
against non-Catholic teachers
T
he Church authorities in Malta have given
the teachers’ union, MUT assurances that
teachers working in Church schools will not
be discriminated against if they are not practicing Catholics. This followed a meeting between the MUT and bishops Charles Scicluna
and Mario Grech that discussed earlier controversial plans announced by the Church to
block promotions to higher or sensitive teaching posts to candidates who cannot prove they
are “practicing Catholics”.
In a statement the MUT said that it was reassured that the Church has no intention to
judge or discriminate in favour or against employees working in Church schools according
to how they lead their private lives.
Heads of Church schools had been asked by
the Maltese archdiocese to discuss new terms
of employment that would guarantee that
schools’ head teachers and other staff can be
safely considered to be “practising Catholics”
– or face disciplinary action if their “life
choices give scandal or run counter to the
ethos of the school”.
The document had been denounced as “medieval” by the MUT, and pointed out that employment by the Church in Malta is governed
by Maltese Law, which clearly does not allow
for such odious distinctions to regulate the selection or promotion of employees.
The President said it was a day when Maltese people don’t look at each other’s faces but
at those suffering from sicknesses and other
difficulties. “This day makes me so proud to
be Maltese. Despite all our arguments and
disagreements, we show that we are capable
of looking after each other,” she said.
In his appeal, Prime Minister Joseph Muscat said: “You don’t need politicians to urge
you to donate.
“Today is not about politics but about common values. This is one of the best days of
the year, when the Maltese unite to donate
impressive amounts of money to those in
need.”
Opposition leader Simon Busuttil said:
“The Malta Community Chest Fund needs
your help in order to continue to help others.
Some day, you may need help yourselves
and when that day comes, you will be grateful that the MCCF exists to help you.”
Others appeals were made by former Presidents, Ugo Mifsud Bonnici, Eddie Fenech
Adami, and George Abela.
L-Istrina is the main fundraiser of the Malta
Community Chest Fund that is operated by
the Office of the President, and is the only
national fund that finances cancer treatment
for people who cannot afford the costs.
Up till end November, Tourism up by 8%
I
nbound tourism to Malta from
January to November last year
(2014) amounted to 1,647,915, an
increase of 8.0% over the same
period in 2013. Total nights spent
by inbound tourists went up by
5.0 per cent, reaching 12.9 million nights, the National Statistics
Office (NS) has said.
During the period under review,
total tourism expenditure was
estimated at €1.5 billion, 6.2%
higher than that recorded for the
same period in 2013. Total per
capita expenditure stood at €910,
a decrease of 0.8% when compared to last year’s levels.
In November alone, compared
to the corresponding mo-nth last
year, inbound tourist trips
showed an increase of 3.1 per
cent, or 103,435, and excluding
the passengers who stayed
overnight on board their berthed
cruise ship, this increase
amounted to 3.%.
Also during November, a total
of 85,789 inbound visits were
carried out for holiday purposes,
while a further 10,682 were undertaken for business purposes.
Inbound tourists from EU Member States went up by 7.4 per
cent to 87,544. The largest proportion of inbound tourists was
aged between 45 and 64, fol-
lowed by those within the 25-44age bracket.
Total tourist expenditure was
estimated at €80.4 million, an increase of 4.1 per cent over the
corresponding month last year.
The Voice of the Maltese 13
Tuesday January 6, 2015
Roundup of News About Malta
Energy Minister Konrad Mizzi (left) and Yun Dan Wang, chairman of Shanghai Electric Power signing the Enemalta agreement
Shanghai Electric Power advances €250 million to Enemalta
Largest investment transaction
Malta has ever experienced
F
or the past few years, Enemalta had
proven to be a great burden around
the neck of successive NP governments to carry and beside debts of €840
million, was also suffering from lack of investment in energy distribution, and dependency on oil for electricity generation.
However, the new Labour administration
has taken the bull by the horn and following an agreement with Shanghai Electric
Power the future now looks quite bright.
Following contractual obligations and responsibilities that were signed on December 12, this came into force on December
30 following the conclusion of a €250 million transaction between the Maltese government and Enemalta on one part, and the
Chinese state-owned corporation Shanghai Electric Power
The final transaction wrapped up the negotiations between the Chinese company
and the state utility corporation, to con-
clude what a government spokesman described as the largest investment transaction Malta has ever experienced.
By advancing €250million to Enemalta,
Shanghai Electric Power has now become
Enemalta’s strategic partner, holding a minority stake of 33.3% in Enemalta. In the
coming months it will also be investing in
the conversion of the BWSC plant from
heavy fuel oil to gas and gasoil.
The capital injection will also result in
the establishment of two joint venture
companies that will focus on renewable
energy and on the maintenance of SEP’s
energy plants in the region.
Prime Minsiter Dr Joseph Muscat, who
was also present during the transaction,
said that thanks to the deal, new opportunities would be created and the country’s
economy would be strengthened with
Malta confriming its ties with the globalised world.
1138 drop in unemployment in a year
C
ompared to November last year, unemployment in Malta by end November
2014 dropped by 1138 and is now 6,501 according to the National Statistics Office
(NSO)
Decreases in registered unemployment
were recorded in all age groups and in all
categories of duration of registration, with
the most significant being recorded among
those who had been registering for employ-
*
ment for less than 21 weeks. The number of
persons with a disability who were registering for work has decreased by 84 to 449.
In November 2014 the largest share of men
on the unemployment register sought occupations as crafts and related trade workers
(17.5 per cent), whereas the largest share of
women mostly sought occupations as technicians and associate professions or clerks
and support workers (25.3 per cent).
Malta will have a new casino after the government signed a 10-year casino concession with Eden Leisure Group. Economy Minister Chris Cardona said that through
the concession, the government was sending a clear message that it would continue to
work to strengthen the country’s economic rhythm.
He said that in a relatively short time, a
problem has been turned into an opportunity and from a country depending on a receiver of energy will now be servicing the
rest of the region.
Malta registers
Coldest December
for over 26 years
M
alta has registered the coldest December day for the past 26 years as
temperatures on New Year’s Eve dropped
to a minimum of 4˚C. The last time December temperatures dipped to below 4˚C
was in 1988, when the temperature
dropped to 3.7˚C.
Though a snowy Malta is very unlikely,
December 31 rresidents in Rabat and Dingli said they had experienced snowflakes.
This was explained as a rarity in the Maltese islands as theoretically, only temperatures below 0˚C could lead to snow.
The Met Office explained that a spell of
cold weather reached the Mediterranean
from Russia and Scandinavia.
Gozo was also hit with a particularly severe hailstorm on December 29 causing
parts of the island to appear as though they
had been struck by a snowstorm, and some
Gozitan children took advantage of the situation to construct miniature ice-men.
The Nadur weather station posted data
last that for a brief moment the temperature actually slipped below zero, dropping
to -0.6˚C.
14 The Voice of the Maltese
Tuesday January 6, 2015
PoΩittivi....
ilwaqt li nag˙tu bidu g˙al sena ©dida ta’ ˙idma, nixtieq li llum,
propju fl-ewwel
˙ar©a tal-Voice g˙as-sena 2015, in˙ares lejn a˙bar.
ijiet pozittivi biex tassew nibdew is-sena
fuq nota tajba u b’xi mod
.
nippruvaw inne˙˙u l-idea li dak li hu ˙azin biss jag˙mel a˙bar u ma
nibqg˙ux bl-idea li “no news is good news”.
F
Rekord
Fit-turiΩmu
wkoll
K
if kien mistenni l-©abra
ta’ din is-sena g˙all-Istrina kienet wa˙da rekord.
Ma setax jonqos wara l˙idma kbira li saret favur
din il-©abra li ssir ta’ kull
sena. Is-somma mi©bura
kienet ta’ aktar minn
€3,656,000, ji©ifieri
€244,000 aktar mis-sena lo˙ra meta n©abru
€3,412,000. Fl-2012 il©abra kienet ta’ €3,294,997.
Il-mistoqsija hi jekk ilpoplu Malti hux se jkun kapaçi jibqa’ jikser rekord ta’
kull sena. J’alla jkun hekk
g˙ax fuq kollox minn dan
il-©bir igawdi min hu batut
u min g˙andu l-akbar
˙ti©ijiet, speçjalment f’kaΩijiet fejn tid˙ol is-sa˙˙a.
Prosit lill-poplu Malti u
G˙awdxi g˙all-qalb kbira
tieg˙u.
(ara rapport aktar fit-tul
f’pa©na 12)
D
Karikatura tal-PM
F
ost l-o©©etti g˙all-bejg˙ waqt il-©abra tal-Istrina kien hemm ilkarikatura tal-Prim Ministru Malti, Dr. Joseph Muscat li saret
minn Kevin "Kal" Kallaugher, li jpin©i l-karikaturi g˙ar-rivista ta’
fama mondjali, The Economist.
Kallaugher kien Malta dan l-a˙˙ar biex jie˙u sehem f'gala dinner
organizzat minn The Economist. Huwa qal li kien kuntent ˙afna li
qed jag˙ti dan il-kontribut speçjali u uniku lill-Malta Community
Chest Fund f'isem The Economist.
Óasra li ma nafux kemm ©abet flus fl-irkant din il-karikatura li
tidher fuq f’idejn il-Prim Ministru, li jidher ma’ Kallaugher.
Il-kelb ukoll donnu ried jg˙in!!
if sar g˙al dawn l-a˙˙ar 16-il sena ©emg˙a ta’ nies in©abru fil-Bajja tal-Balluta biex jie˙du
K
sehem fl-g˙awma li l-iskop tag˙ha hu li jin©abru flus g˙all-Community Chest Fund. Din
id-darba mal-ir©iel ing˙aqdu wkoll nisa u tfal (l-iΩg˙ar ta’ erba’ snin)... u sa˙ansitra kelb li
minkejja l-kesha u r-ri˙ li
ddominaw f’dan il-jum
qabeΩ wara sidu l-ba˙ar.
Kien hemm ukoll ©emg˙a
ta’ g˙axar Russi mill-Ambaxxata Russa, iΩda kif
stqarru huma stess g˙alihom, it-temperatura talba˙ar ma tantx effetwathom
g˙ax kienet l-istess b˙al dik
li jkollhom f’pajjiΩhom fissajf f’pajjiΩhom.
Bis-sa˙˙a ta’ din lG˙awma n©abru €12,000
o˙ra
in in-nota ta’ ottomiΩmu
tidher ukoll fil-qasam turistiku li kull ma jmur qed
jisa˙˙a˙.
Dan ©ie ukoll irrokonnexxut
mill-Organizzazzjoni Dinjija
tat-TurΩmu tal-Ìnus Mag˙quda, l-UNWTO li fir-rapport
tag˙ha g˙all-2014 irrimarkat
dwar it-tkabbir robust li qed
tirre©istra Malta fl-g˙add ta’
turisti li jΩuruha.
Infatti fl-ewwel g˙axar xhur
tal-2014, bejn Jannar u Ottubru, Malta kellha l-akbar
persenta©© ta’ Ωieda fit-turiΩmu fost il-pajjiΩi kollha talMediterran u aktar miΩ-Ωieda
medja g˙all-pajjiΩi tad-dinja
kollha, li kienet ta’ 5%.
IΩ-Ωieda fl-Ewropa kienet ta’
4%, filwaqt li fil-pajjiΩi talMediterran kienet ta’ 7%,
Imma Malta qabΩet dawn ilfiguri g˙ax irre©istrajna Ωieda
ta’8.4%, u fix-xhur tas-sajf
kellna sa˙ansitra Ωieda ta’ 9%,
Ωieda li hi wkoll akbar millmedja tal-pajjiΩi tal-Mediterran u n-Nofsinhar tal-Ewropa
rre©istrata fl-istess perjodu.
G˙al dawk li j˙obbu l-figuri
ta’ min jg˙id li minn Jannar sa
Ottubru l-g˙add ta’ turisti
madwar id-dinja ammontaw
g˙al 978 miljun... u nimma©ina li g˙add sostanzjali minnkom tiffurmaw parti minn din
il-figura hekk impressjonanti.
Ix-xejra ta’ titjib fil-figuri tatturisti li n©ibdu lejn Malta
kompliet ukoll fix-xahr ta’ Novembru meta fil-GΩejjer Maltin
waslu 103,435 turist, Ωieda ta’
3.1% meta mqabbel mal-istess
xahar tas-sena l-o˙ra.
(g˙al aktar dwar din iΩ-Ωieda
f’Novembru ara pa©na 12)
The Voice of the Maltese 15
Tuesday January 6, 2015
Mix-xena tal-˙ajja Maltija 2
Ir-riΩultat tal-ist˙arri©
tal-Malta Independent
I
SorpriΩa!
r-riΩultat li ˙are©
minn st˙arri© li
sar fost 300 persuna, ta' etajiet u
sess differenti u
g˙ax meta l-istess persuni ©ew
©ejjin minn lokalitajiet differ- mistoqsija dwar kemm jemmnu
ent, mill-©urnal lokali The li l-Gvern qed jag˙mel xog˙lu
Malta Indipendent dwar kif tajjeb, 59.7% qalu iva – Ωieda
ja˙sibha l-poplu Malti dwar il- ta’ 8% fuq l-ist˙arri© li sar
qasam politiku kien ta’ sorpiΩa f’Mejju li g˙adda, qabel l-elezg˙al ˙afna.
zjonijiet tal-Parlament EwL-ist˙arri© sar propju fi tmiem ropew. Il-proporzjon ta' nies li
wie˙ed mill-aktar perijodi ja˙sbu li l-Gvern mhux miexi
mbarazzanti g˙all-Gvern Labu- sew naqas minn 27.7% f'Mejju
rista. Ωmien fejn fil-parti l-kbira li g˙adda g˙al 23.7% fl-aktar
tal-midja lokali, flimkien mal- st˙arri© reçenti.
Partit Nazzjonalista, kienet
Min-na˙a tieg˙u l-Partit Nazg˙addejja b’kampanja qawwija zjonalista kellu wkoll Ωieda filta’ kritika lill-Gvern dwar il- prestazzjoni, iΩda din kienet
kaΩ tal-ispartura mix-xufier tal- wa˙da minima, g˙alkemm kien
Ministru
Manuel Mallia... hemm Ωieda wkoll fost dawk li
kampanja li attwalment wasslet wie©bu fin-negattiv.
biex il-Ministru Mallia tne˙˙a
Fil-fatt dawk li esprimew
minn Ministru tal-Intern u min- fehma poΩittiva Ωdiedu mar©ifloku n˙atar Carmelo Abela.
nalment minn 28.7% f'Mejju
Óafna stennew li dan l-inçi- g˙al 29% fl-a˙˙ar st˙arri©; dadent kien se jitfa’ dell ikrah fuq wk li ma kkommettewx ru˙il-Prim Ministru Dr Joseph hom naqsu minn 30.3% g˙al
Muscat u se jnaqqaslu sewwa 20%; u dawk li esprimew fehmill-kredtu politiku tieg˙u.
ma negattiva Ωdiedu minn 41%
Kienet g˙alhekk tassew sor- g˙al 51%.
priΩa meta, filwaqt li dawk li
G˙all-mistoqsija dwar liema
˙adu sehem fl-ist˙arri© sostnew Ministru jew Segretarju Parlali l-Gvern ma kienx mexxa sew mentari g˙andu l-aqwa prestaz(“did not handle”) dan l-inçi- zjoni, 29% g˙aΩlu lill-Prim
dent, xorta wa˙da ta fiduçja Ministru (11.5% f'Mejju li
qawwija lill-Prim Ministru... g˙adda). Warajh ©ie l-Ministru
anzi skont l-istess st˙arri© jidher g˙all-Ener©ija u s-Sa˙˙a, Konli l-fiduçja f’Dr. Muscat Ωdiedet. rad Mizzi, bi 15% - çifra li
Fil-fatt, 57.9% ta’ dawk li ©ew kienet 52.3% f'Mejju li g˙adda.
intervistati qalu li g˙andhom
U hawnhekk ukoll ta’ min jinfiduçja f'Joseph Muscat filwaqt nota li fit-tieni post ©ie Minli 25.4% biss qalu li g˙andhom istru li dan l-a˙˙ar kien fil-mira
fuduçja fil-kap tal-OppoΩiz- tal-Partit Nazzjonalista u talzjoni, Simon Busuttil. Il-bqija midja min˙abba l-mod kif it(16.7%) qalu li m'g˙andhom twaqqif tal-power station li
fiduçja fl-ebda wie˙ed.
ta˙dem bil-gass waqa’ lura.
Fuq skala minn 1 sa 10 f'dik li
Huwa diffiçli ˙afna li wie˙ed
hija fiduçja fih personali, Jos- jinterpreta dawn ir-riΩultati,
eph Muscat kiseb rata ta' 6.55 (li iΩda kultant nistaqsi jekk dawn
kienet 5.84 f'Mejju) filwaqt li ir-riΩultati jurux li l-poplu beda
Simon Busuttil kiseb rata ta' jitg˙allem jiΩen sewwa dak li
4.54 (li kienet 5.1 f'Mejju).
tg˙id il-midja u li mbag˙ad
Mhux il-Prim Ministru biss jiddeçiedi hu u ma j˙allix lil
mar tajjeb f’dan l-ist˙arri©, ˙addie˙or jiddeçiedi g˙alih.
F’Novembru li g˙adda l-g˙add ta' nies li kienu
Jonqos
qed jirre©istraw g˙ax-xog˙ol f’Malta kien ta'
il-qag˙ad 6,501, ji©ifieri 1,138 persuna inqas minn Novembru tas-sena li g˙addiet. Anke l-g˙add ta’ persuni b'diΩabilità li
qed jirre©istraw naqas b'84 g˙al 449.
Fiduçja
fil-Gvern
idher li dak li ˙are© mill-ist˙arri© ta’ The Malta InJst˙arri©
dependent mhux xi kumbinazzjoni g˙ax skont
tal-Kummissjoni Ewropea f’Novembru, fost
iç-çittadini madwar l-Ewropa kollha jag˙ti l-istess stampa.
Infatti skont dan l-ist˙arri© 56% tal-Maltin u l-G˙awdxin jemmnu
li pajjiΩna sejjer fid-direzzjoni t-tajba. Din hija l-og˙la proporzjon
minn fost il-pajjiΩi kollha tal-Unjoni Ewropea u tikkuntrasta sew
mat-30% biss li kien irre©istrat f’Novembru tal-2012 u l-25% f’Novembru tal-2009, l-istess perjodu tal-le©islatura preçedenti.
Mill-intervistati, 90% qalu li sodisfatti b’˙ajjithom b˙alissa,
b’kuntrast mas-76% li qalu hekk f’Novembru tal-2012 – l-a˙˙ar
st˙arri© li kien sar ta˙t l-amministrazzjoni preçedenti, kif ukoll
mas-72% li kien ˙areg fl-ist˙arri© li kien sar f’Novembru tal-2009.
Fl-ist˙arri© ta’ din is-sena, 81% qalu li l-finanzi tag˙hom marru
g˙all-a˙jar, titjib mit-63% li kienu qalu hekk f’Novembru 2012.
Iç-çittadini Maltin u G˙awdxin huma t-tieni l-aktar madwar l-Unjoni Ewropea li qed i˙ossu li l-qag˙da fis-suq tax-xog˙ol sejra tajjeb, b’Ωieda ta’ aktar minn 20% minn Novembru 2012. Aktar minn
kwart jemmnu li l-impjieg tag˙hom se jmur a˙jar u li l-qag˙da finanzjarja tal-familja tag˙hom se titjieb matul it-tnax-il xahar li
©ejjin.
L-ist˙arri© jikkonferma li l-familji qed iΩidu l-fiduçja taghhom
fil-Gvern. Fil-fatt il-poplu Malti huwa dak li l-aktar g˙andu fiduçja
fl-amministrazzjoni preΩenti minn fost il-pajjiΩi kollha tal-Unjoni
Ewropea, b’56% jafdaw lill-Gvern. F’Novembru tal-2012 kienu
biss 34% li kienu jafdaw lill-Gvern.
PROFESSIONAL FREIGHT SERVICES PTY. LTD.
Melbourne: (03) 9335 2499
Unit 6, 4-6 Commercial Crt, Tullamarine, Vic., Australia, 3043
[email protected]
www.pfs.net.au
SYDNEY, BRISBANE & ADELAIDE TEL: 1300 360 703
- PARCEL SERVICE TO MALTA
- NO WEIGHT LIMIT
- FULL CONTAINERS TO OR FROM MALTA AT
COMPETITIVE RATES
- AIRFREIGHT SERVICES ALSO AVAILABLE
- NITKELLMU BIL-MALTI
A$ 55.00
A$ 85.00
1 Carton A$120
2 Cartons A$180
3 Cartons A$220
25 x 30 x 25cm
40 x 30 x 45cm
40 x 30 x 45cm
*Prices quoted are from receival at our depot to arrival port Malta
*Destination Port fees will apply. Storage or duties, if any, may also apply.
FOR YOUR FREIGHT REQUIREMENTS FROM MALTA CONTACT AGENTS:-
TRISTAR FREIGHT SERVICES LTD
AIRWAYS HOUSE 22 TOWER STREET
MSIDA MSD 06 MALTA
TEL: 21338161 FAX: 21334188
www.tristarmalta.com
16 The Voice of the Maltese
Tuesday January 6, 2015
A quick glimpse at Australia
Where they
come from
he Departmentd of Immigration says that an estiT
mated 62,100 people were unaccounted for in Australia during 2014, which is roughly 1.2 per cent of the
5.5 million people who enter the country each year on
temporary visa. The Chinese topped the list of visa
overstayers by 7,690. Some visitors (44,800) and students (10,720) were the largest cohort of visa holders
to overstay their visit.
The highest number of visa overstayers by nationality
in 2013 came from China 7,690, Malaysia 6,420, USA
5,220 and Britain 3,780. Traditionally the highest numbers of unlawfuls have come from the USA and the
UK. Our newly appointed Immigration Minister Peter
Dutton has vowed to crack down on illegal bikie gang
members.
He stated they are on top of his list. Unlawful noncitizens, if located can be detained and removed and
would also face a three year re-entry ban.
Maltese broadcaster
- 30 years of service
B
reakfast and Maltese programme presenter and father of three Mario Sammut was
recently awarded a station Life Membership
for almost 30 years of service to Gippsland
FM 104.7.
Mario also presents a Maltese programme on
3ZZZ in Melbourne and provided key support
to the administration of the station.
Mario Sammut born in Hal Lija, Malta, is
one of the two Honorary Consuls of Malta in
Victoria, representing Latrobe Valley and
Gippsland. He will be celebrating 26 years in
the position next March. Mario arrived in
Australia in 1983.
The PM reshuffles pack
P
rime Minister Tony Abbott has
unveiled sweeping changes to
his ministry. Scott Morrison is
now in Social Service while Kevin
Andrews has replaced David Johnstone in Defence. Susan Ley (pictured) becomes the second female
Minister in the cabinet by taking
the responsibility of Health while
Peter Dutton goes to Immigration.
This change was regarded as a
change to refresh and reset the
Government after a bruising year.
The former Immigration Minister
who “stopped the boats” will now
craft a holistic family’s package
that will be such an important part
of the political and economic agenda in the first half of 2015.
“The ministry for social services is essentially a ministry for economic participation and it is very important to have a minister of
Scott’s drive and competence in the role” said the PM.
In Melbourne ALP
gets 51.99% of votes
I
n the last State of Victoria election, held on
November 29, 2014, on two party preferred, the ALP won 1,745,020 votes =
51.99% and the Liberal/Nationals 1,611,507
= 48.01% The state of the Legislative Assemble is therefore as follows: ALP 47, Liberal
40, Nationals 8, Greens 2. Independent 1,
total of 88 seats.
In the Legislative Council there are ALP 14,
Liberal 14, Greens 5, Nationals 2, Shooters 2,
DLP 1, Sex Party 1, Local Jobs 1, total of 40
seats. As far as we can tell, there are no Members of Parliament that are of Maltese descent.
Million dollar transformation for Shane’s rest.
altese TV chef Shane Delia’s
M
flagship restaurant, Maha is undergoing a million dollar transforma-
Shane Delia
tion. The restaurant opened in Bond
Street Melbourne in January 2008. It
will reopen on February 12 after the
make-over.
“It’s the same Maha and business
have never been better, we’re just
trying to stay ahead and be innovators, it’s going to be more opulent
and sexy” said Shane Delia.
Celebrity chef Shane gained his
popularity with his 2013 TV cooking
series, ‘Shane Delia’s Spice Journey’,
that took the viewers on a culinary
pilgrimage to explore his heritage
and discover Middle Eastern food
traditions that go back thousands of
years. It was shot extensively in his
homeland, Malta, where his love of
cooking was born, and where, it was
explained, the aromatics and spices
of the Middle East mingle with the
European traditions of the Mediterranean to produce a unique food culture.and in the Middle East.
Since opening ‘Maha’ (named after
his wife), and beside the Spice Hourley series, Shane, has appeared on a
number of other TV cooking shows
including regular segments on
‘David and Kim’s 9am’ and TV hit
‘Ready, Steady, Cook’.
The Voice is not just a news portal; We comment, we fight for your rights.
We believe in freedom of expression; We are read in the right places.
The Voice of the Maltese 17
Tuesday January 6, 2015
A quick glimpse at Australia
WA Shark attack kills Teen with
Maltese sounding name of Muscat
A
17-year-old Australian spearfishing
enthusiast probably of Maltese descent, Jay Muscat was killed at Chaeynes
Beach, 66 kilometres east of Albany on the
South Coast in Western Australia on December 29 after being attacked by a shark,
thought to have been a great white up to
five metres long.
Jay, described as a “lover of the ocean”
was spearfishing with a friend, Matt Pullella when he was being bitten on the leg
by the shark at a popular fishing spot
known as Three Stripes.
Pullella, fired his speargun into the mouth
of the shark when it also turned to him
after biting Muscat.
Two sets of drumlines
– baited shark hooks –
were in the water for
four hours after the attack and the beach remains closed.
In a statement, the family said they were “all
devastated over the sudden tragic passing of Jay
who loved life to the full
and was most happy
fishing and diving.”
They added that from
a very early age it
was obvious that
fishing was Jay’s
passion and was
always going to
be a huge part of
his life. “We can
take some comfort in knowing Jay passed doing
something he loved, the family said.
Luke Foley (left) who is expected to replace
John Robertson (right) as NSW Labor leader
Change at the top
B
y the time you read this issue of The Voice
of the Maltese, the NSW Labor will have a
new leader after John Robertson resigned over
revelations he signed a letter for siege gunman
Man Haron Monis at the Lindt Café in Martin
Place.
It is practically certain that the new leader will
be Luke Foley 44, an upper house MP. Two other
leadership contenders, upper house MP Steve
Wham and Maroubra MP Michael Daley withdrew from the contest so that Luke Foley will not
be contested.
The State of NSW faces an election on
March 28 this year. John Robertson has led
Labor since the change of government in
2011. He said that as a life-long Labor
man he chose to step aside to give Labor a
better opportunity.
As the Member for Blacktown NSW
Robertson has helped many Maltese and
attends regularly at functions organised by
the Maltese community. Political observers
were predicting the demise of Robertson at
some stage after the election.
Prediction is that Labor will claw back
some 15 seats. This will not be enough for
a victory but would put the Labor Party in
a competitive position for the 2019 poll.
The Liberals and the Nationalists have at
present complete dominations of the Legislative Assembly as follows: Liberal Party
42, National Party 19 = 61 seats, Labor 23,
Independents 8 and Greens 1 = 93 seats.
Gas vs Coal
A
Liberal party rising star, Rhodes scholar MP Angus
Taylor who was elected the member for Hume in the
2013 election, says gas is a better way to reduce carbon
emissions and supply countries such as China and India
with the energy they need to continue their raise.
“Building new natural gas generators, instead of coal
generators, in the developing world is the way to go as
gas can drive sharp reductions in emission” he said. His
comments came as a British company successfully
shipped liquefied gas from coal seams off Gladstone, the
first shipment of gas in Queensland’s history.
Mr. Tony Abbot has different views as he insists that
coal is “good for humanity and the foundation of prosperity for now and the foreseeable future because it is
cheaper”. Australia’s natural gas exports increased by
nearly 20 per cent last year, making it the third largest
export of LNG in the world.
MICHELLE ROWLAND MP
FEDERAL MEMBER
FOR GREENWAY
Proudly serving the areas of:
Acacia Gardens, Blacktown*, Girraween,
Glenwood, Kellyville Ridge, Kings Langley,
Kings Park, Lalor Park, Parklea, Pendle
Hill, Prospect*, Quakers Hill*, Riverstone,
Rouse Hill*, Schofields, Seven Hills,
Stanhope Gardens, The Ponds,
Toongabbie*, Vineyard
*Parts of
230 Prospect Hwy, Seven Hills 2147
Ph: 9671 4780
Email:
[email protected]
www.facebook.com/mrowlandmp
Twitter: @mrowlandmp
18 The Voice of the Maltese
Tuesday January 6, 2015
Minn Malta g˙al Kuba: Vja©© li 53 xahar ilu
˙a lil Patri Luçjan g˙all-missjoni f’Kuba
I
llum se naqsam mag˙kom storja nteressanti, dik tal-patri Agostinjan, Luçjan
Borg, li b˙alissa qed ja˙dem fil-missjoni
f’Kuba, li l-ewwel darba li ltqajt mieg˙u kien
xi snin ilu waqt li jien u marti konna fuq
btala f’Malta.
Min˙abba li fil-programm li kont inxandar
fuq ir-radju komunitarju f’Melbourne 3ZZZ
kelli segment dwar “il-qari u t-tifsir tal-Van©elu tal-Óadd li ©ej”, kont indur qassisin u
patrijiet f’Malta li kienu lesti jirrekordjaw
mieg˙i sett ta’ xahar evan©eli. Kont iltqajt
mal-Kappillan tal-Knisja ta’ Santu Wistin,
fil-belt Valletta ma’ Patri Saviour Grima, li
min-na˙a tieg˙u ntroduçieni ma’ Patri Luçjan, li dak iΩ-Ωmien kien Provinçjal.
Il-Patri kien ©entili biΩΩejjed biex aççetta
mill-ewwel li jtini l-g˙ajnuna tieg˙u. Minn
dak iΩ-Ωmien bqajna f’kuntatt u sa˙ansitra
meta mar il-Kuba, fejn xi minn daqqiet l-uΩu
tal-Internet f’dak il-pajjiΩ ma kienx mill-a˙jar.
Patri Luçan twieled ÓaΩ-Ûebbu© fis-26
ta’Diçembru tal-1943. B˙al ma kienet iddrawwa f’dawk iΩ-Ωmienijiet ©ie mg˙ammed
l-g˙ada stess. Kienu tawh l-isem ta’ Ìanni,
g˙al missier il-nanna, omm missieru. Dejjem
kif kienu jg˙idulu, xi ftit jiem wara li twieled
kien mar g˙andhom Patri An© Pizzuto,
Agostinjan u konfessur t’ommu li kienet
Beltija u qalilha: “Marija, dan g˙alina lAgostinjani.”
Sa minn dejjem kellu l-vokazzjoni u wara
li attenda l-iskola primarja f’ÓaΩ-Ûebbu©
mar jistudja fil-kulle©© ta’ Santu Wistin li
kien g˙adu kemm kien ©ie trasferit mill-Belt
g˙al Óal-Tarxien. Spiçça s-sekondarja
f’Ìunju 1960 bil-GCE, u f’Settembru tal-istess sena da˙al novizz fl-Ordni Agostinjan, li
dak iΩ-Ωmien kien isir fil-kunvent ta’ Victorja f’G˙awdex.
Kienu erba’ novizzi u s-surmast tag˙hom
kien Patri Konsolat Bezzina, mag˙ruf b˙ala
bniedem qaddis li g˙araf jag˙tihom formazzjoni mill-a˙jar u jnissel fihom spirtu missjunarju. Hu stess kien mar it-TuniΩija, sentejn
wara li kienu g˙amlu n-novizzjat. Patri Luçjan kompla jg˙idli li kienet sena mill-isba˙
minn
Paul Vella
(Melbourne)
g˙alih u qatt ma seta’
jinsa l-hena u l-fer˙ li
kellu, u s-skiet u l-kampanja G˙awdxija.
Minn hemm mar fid-dar
tal-formazzjoni
filosofika u teolo©ika li lAgostinjani kellhom irRabat
ta’
Malta.
Mag˙hom kienu jistudjaw ukoll l-istudenti tasSoçjeta`
Missjunarja
Maltija, jew kif kienu jsibihom, ta’ De Piro jew
ta’ San Pawl. G˙amlu
Patri Luçjan (lemin)
sentejn filosofija u lmal-Kardinal Quirilio
grupp tieg˙u suppost
kellu jmur TuneΩ ˙alli jissokta bl-istudji 1967 fil-Katidral tal-iMdina mill-arçisqof
mal-White Fathers biex setg˙u jitg˙allmu l- Gonzi u fil-15 ta’ Settembru g˙amilt lG˙arbi u jag˙mlu l-kors tat-teolo©ija fl-am- ewwel quddiesa solenni f’ÓaΩ-Ûebbu©. Prattikament ©img˙a wara tlaqt lejn il-Bel©ju
bjent li kienu se ja˙dmu fih aktar tard.
F’dawk iΩ-Ωmienijiet, l-Agostinjani kell- biex nispeçjalizza fil-filosofija fl-universita
hom kunventi f’La Goulette, f’TuneΩ u f’Ip- kattolika ta’ Louvain. F’Settembru tal-1971
pona f l-Al©erija. IΩ-Ωew© pajjiΩi kienu kisbu inΩilt Malta biex nag˙mel esperenza tatl-indipendenza minn Franza u g˙amlu l- tag˙lim qabel ma nispiçça u nippreΩenta dIΩlam b˙ala r-reli©jon tag˙hom. Skont Patri dottorat.”
Patri Luçjan issokta jirrakkonta li fit-23 ta’
Luçjan, il-patrijiet da˙lu f’Ippona fl-1930 u
f’TuneΩ fl-1954 biex fost ˙idma pastorali April, il-Provinçjal, Patri Albert Borg
o˙ra jie˙du ˙sieb dawk ta’ dixxendenza sejja˙lu u qallu li f’Ippona kienu jin˙tie©u
b’ur©enza lil xi ˙add im˙ejji tajjeb.
Maltija, li kienu ˙afna
“Urieni l-ittra li l-eks Provinçjal, Patri U.
Patri Luçjan issokta jg˙idli: “Il-plan ma
rnexxiex min˙abba diversi ra©unijiet u jien Gatt, li ta˙tu g˙amilt l-ewwel professjoni
flimkien ma’ patri ie˙or ©ejna mibg˙uta reli©juΩa, u li kien is-superjur tal-missjoni flRuma biex nag˙mlu t-teolo©ija hemmhekk. Al©erija, kien kitiblu wara l-laqg˙a li kellu
Konna waqt l-Konçilju Vatikan II u l-erba’ mal-isqof tal-post, Mons. Scotto, u f’Settemsnin li g˙addejt Ruma tassew kienet esper- bru 1972 tlaqt lejn Ippona. Hekk bdiet ljenza kbira. Ìeneralment min jintbag˙at avventura tieg˙i Afrikana li ntemmet f’2002,
Ruma jkun destinat g˙all-istudji u g˙at- meta kelli ninΩel Malta g˙ax kont ©ejt
tag˙lim. Jien kont tajjeb fil-filosofija u g˙al- mag˙Ωul b˙ala Provinçjal. Avventura ta’
tletin sena li g˙addew b˙al berqa, avventura
hekk id-destin tieg˙i kien di©a` immarkat.
Ìejt ordnat saçerdot fis-26 ta’ Awwissu tal- li qatt ma ninsa. Mhux possibbli li nirrakonta
dak kollu li ghixt u g˙amilt.
BiΩΩejjed ng˙d li dejjem kont
jack of all trades ....” qalli.
Fi Frar tal-2002 Pari Luçjan
beda l-ewwel term tieg˙u
b˙ala Provinçjal. Jg˙id li dejjem sibt kollaborazzjoni minn
˙utu r-reli©juΩi u mil-lajçi li
ja˙dmu mag˙ho, u minkejja li
l-problema ma naqsux, imma
flimkien u bil-g˙ajnuna ta’
Alla g˙arfu jsolvuhom.
F’April 2006 ©eddewlu lmandat u kompla b˙ala Provinçjal sad-9 ta’ April tal-2010.
F’April tas-sena ta’ qabel
waqt vista kanonika mill-Pirjol Ìenerali, approfitta ru˙u
bix jg˙idlu li kif jispiçça minn
Provinçjal kien lest jer©a’ lura
Ippona inkella jag˙mel esperjenza missjunarja f’Kuba.
Patri Luçjan (fin-nofs) flimkien mas-seminaristi fil-korsijiet tat-teolo©ija f’Kuba
G˙al pa©na 19
The Voice of the Maltese 19
Tuesday January 6, 2015
The arrival
of the Magi
brings Gozo’s
nativity Village at
Ghajnsielem
to a close
The arrival and triumphal entrance of the
“Three Magi” (The Three Kings) and their
“adoration” on the feast of Epiphany commemorated late afternoon at Betlehem
f’G˙ajnsielem on Sunday in Gozo, during
which they presented gifts to baby Jesus,
brought the popular Nativity Village that
this year attracted over 100,000 visitors, to a
close.
The Magi arrived in Malta on Saturday from Cologne, Germany, where they had a symbolic send off from Cologne
Cathedral, by the Archbishop of Cologne Cardinal Rainer
Maria Woelki, along with a choir of over 3,000 people.
They have been taking part in the commemoration of the
850th anniversary since the relics of the Three Magi, Caspar,
Melchior and Balthazar arrived in the City. A delegation
The Three Magi
seen at Xag˙ra, in
Gozo on their way to
the Nativity Village
at G˙ajnsielem on
Sunday afternoon
from Gozo led by the Minister for Gozo Dr Anton Refalo,
was present in Cologne to thank the Archbishop for the
beautiful event organised for the departure.
While presenting the Cardinal with an icon of Our Lady of
Ta’ Pinu, Minister Refalo invited them to visit Malta and
Gozo, particularly the National Sanctuary dedicated to Our
Lady Ta’ Pinu.
Patri Malti g˙in lill-Knisja ter©a’
tid˙ol fil-qalb ta’ ru˙ il-pajjiΩ
Minn pa©na 18
Fi Frar tal-2010 l-Pirjol qallu li
kien me˙tie© f’Kuba, aççetta, u
fid-29 ta’ Lulju ta’ dik is-sena
wasal Kuba. Jg˙id li ma jiddispjaçihx.
Minn dakhinar g˙addew aktar
minn erba’ snin, u bl-umilta’ kollha
ng˙id li kif jg˙id il-Malti, qatt ma
qag˙ad b’idejh fuq zaqqu. FilpreΩent huwa kappillan tat-tieni
parroçça l-aktar qadima tal-Belt
kapitali ta’ La Havana, dik ta’
Cristo del Buen Viaje. Jg˙id li
jinsab f’Ωona fejn il-faqar materjali
u speçjalment spiritwali u morali
tmissu b’idejk. B˙alissa qed
jer©ghu jibnu mill-©did il-˙ajja
Kristjana , u anke jg˙allem fid-dipartiment tat-Teolo©ija fis-Seminarju.
G˙al 11-il Djoçesi u populazzjoni
li qabΩet il-11-il miljun, f’Kuba
hemm biss madwar 80 seminarista
mtella’ fis-sistema marxista-leninista
u li jaslu fis-seminarju ming˙ajr ilftu˙ kulturali li jag˙tik l-KristjaniΩmu. Internet ma g˙andhomx u
kotba u revisti recenti ftit. “Il-˙idma
intellettwali mag˙hom hija sfida
kbira imma fl-istess ˙in timlik b’tama qawwija li qieg˙ed t˙ejji saçerdoti b’pedimenti sodi g˙all-isfidi li
g˙andhom quddiemhom kemm ilknisja kif ukoll is-soçjeta`”.
Patri Luçjan qalli li wara 50 sena
l-knisja qed ter©a’ tid˙ol fil-qalba
ta’ ru˙ il-pajjiΩ. Mis-sena l-o˙ra
bdew il-korsijiet g˙all-B.A in Humanities, programm approvat misSanta Sede. Dan hu l-ewwel pass
tal-Futura Universita` Kattolika ta’
La Habana fejn hu Viçi Rettur u
Dekan
tad-Dipartiment
talFilosofija. It-tir hu li j˙ejju lajçi
Kattoliçi u mhumiex biex fl©ejjieni jkunu jistg˙u jid˙lu flistrutturi u l-istituzzjoni ta’ pajjiΩ
im©edded u msawwar fuq prinçipi
sodi u valuri eterni.
Il-Patri j˙ossu xxurtajt bil-formazzjoni li rçeva u jag˙mel kull ma
jista’ biex joffri lil-istudenti l-a˙jar
formazzjoni akademika possibbli,
“bla ebda paternalismu, konvint li
dak li rçevejt, irçevejtu biex
ng˙addih ˙alli s-Saltna ta’ Alla tasal
fostna u tag˙mel mill-umanita`
preΩenti art ©dida u sema ©did fejn
il-bniedem jkun jista’jg˙ix b-mod
antiçipat l-˙ajja tal-Belt ta’ Alla li
g˙alija tant ˙adem missieri Santu
Wistin”.
Fl-a˙˙ar korrispondenza li kelli
mieg˙u, Patri Luçjan Borg, qalli
kemm kien kuntent bl-a˙bar ta’
dan l-a˙˙ar li wara 50 sena, il-President Amerian, Barack Obama, u
dak ta’ Kuba, Raul Castro, u anke
bil-˙idma tal-Papa Fran©isku, lAmerka u Kuba iddeçidew li
jer©g˙u lura g˙ar-relazzjonijiet
diplomatiçi bejn iΩ-Ωew© pajjiΩi.
Wie˙ed jittama li jo˙ro© ˙afna ©id
minn dawk ir-relazzjonijiet ©odda.
UTS Sydney
Free English classes
As part of its Teachers Training for
2015, the University of Technology
(UTS) Sydney - Insearch is offering free
English classes designed to improve
one’s speaking and listening skills.
The dates for the 2015 programme:
January 5 - January 30
(1.30pm to 3.30 pm, Monday to Friday)
March 24 - May 28
(6.00pm-8.00pm Tuesday & Thursday evening)
July 6 - July 31
(1.30pm to 3.30 pm Monday to Friday)
August 11 - October 15
(6.00p.m-8.00pm Tuesday & Thursday
evening)
October 20 -December 23
(6.00pm-8.00pm Tuesday & Thursday evening)
If interested call 92188646, fax
92114334 or email:
[email protected] – Student Centre, Ground Floor, 187 Thomas
Street Sydney NSW 2000 (corner of
Quay & Thomas Street Chinatown).
Students must be at least 16 years old
20 The Voice of the Maltese
Tuesday January 6, 2015
Tag˙rif lingwistiku, ortografiku, grammatikali u kulturali dwar il-lingwa Maltija ma˙ru© mid-Dipartiment tal-Malti fi ˙dan il-Kulle©© San Injazju, Malta
biex l-ilsien Malti jing˙ata l-valur li jist˙oqqlu.
Biex jinkiteb Malti tajjeb
Meta tkun tittajpja bil-kompjuter liema hi t-tajba? jixxieb˙u b˙al: mara onesta mΩejna bl-onestà, ilPapa (ta’ Ruma) u l-papà (missier).
kumdita’, kumdita, kumdita` jew kumdità?
L-unika kelma tajba hija kumdità. Qabel xejn, irridu
nifhmu mill-ewwel Ωew© sinjali - l-appostrofu u l-aççent
- li jintuΩaw fil-kitba Maltija bi skop differenti.
L-appostrofu (’) nuΩawh biex nuru li hemm xi ˙a©a
nieqsa jew imqassra, ng˙idu a˙na xi vokali li waqg˙et
(eΩ. f’April flok fi April), jew il-konsonanti g˙ f’tarf ilkelma (eΩ. re©a’ minflok re©ag˙).
Mela l-forma kumdita’ hija ħaΩina, g˙ax hawn
m’g˙andna xejn nieqes jew imqassar.
L-aççent (`) jurina li f’dik il-kelma l-qawwa tal-le˙en
qed taqa’ fuq l-a˙˙ar sillaba (verità, kafè, Marì, bijambò, tribù). B’hekk nag˙mlu differenza bejn koppji
Mela l-forma kumdita hija ˙aΩina g˙ax nieqsa millaççent li jurina l-le˙en u ti©i tinqara b˙al qarnita.
L-aççent jinkiteb dejjem fuq il-vokali, mhux warajha,
g˙ax huwa parti mill-˙oss tal-istess vokali. Hija vokali
aççentata.
Mela l-forma kumdita` mhix tajba g˙ax hawn laççent inkiteb fl-ispazju ta’ wara l-vokali, minflok
fuqha. Xi wħud, minflok l-aççent fuq il-vokali, jiΩbaljaw u jiktbu l-aççent (jew l-appostrofu) wara l-vokali
(kumdita`, kumdita’).
Dawn je˙tieġ jitg˙allmu li meta qed juΩaw il-kompjuter kulma jridu jag˙mlu hu li jag˙fsu l-buttuna Alt
Gr u l-vokali li jridu flimkien.
ÌUÛÈ AQUILINA, studjuΩ tal-lessiku
u l-lingwa (1911-1997)
l-Professur ©uΩè Aquilina twieled il-Munxar G˙awdex fis-7 ta’ April 1911.
IiSchool
Studja fis-Seminarju tal-Isqof f’G˙awdex, iktar tard fl-Università ta’ Malta u flof Oriental and African Studies tal-Università ta’ Londra (1937-40). Kien
l-ewwel Professur tal-Malti u l-Ilsna Orjentali (1937-1976) u kien id-Dekan talFakultà tal-Arti bejn is-snin 1948-1966 u s-snin 1972-1975, fl-Università ta’ Malta.
Minn meta la˙aq Kap tad-Dipartiment tal-Malti u l-Ilsna Orjentali fl-Università
fl-1937 ma heda qatt bl-inizjattivi favur l-istudju tal-Malti u f’˙afna çentri kulturali barra minn Malta, l-aktar fl-universitajiet ta’ Sorbonne u ta’ Leeds fejn kien
meqjus b˙ala awtorità fl-istudji tal-Malti.
Aquilina kiteb ’il fuq minn 50 ktieb fuq il-lingwistika, proΩa, poeΩija u kitbiet
o˙ra fuq il-lingwa u l-letteratura f’perjodiçi xjentifiçi f’Malta u barra minn Malta.
Ix-xog˙lijiet ewlenin tieg˙u huma: Papers in Maltese Linguistics, A Comparative
Dictionary of Maltese, Proverbs, Comparative Maltese Arabic Grammar, The
Structure of Maltese, Teach Yourself Maltese, u naturalment id-dizzjunarju Maltese-English Dictionary f’Ωew© volumi u English-Maltese Dictionary f’erba’ volumi.
Aquilina kien l-editur tal-Journal of the Royal University of Malta Literary Society (1932-1937), Le˙en il-Malti (1940-1976), Tag˙lim g˙all-Kbar (1953-1965),
Journal of Faculty of Arts (1957-1976) u tal-Journal of Maltese Studies (19611976).
ÌuΩè Aquilina miet fit-8 t’Awwissu 1997 fl-eta` ta’ 86 sena
Tinteressak il-kitba?
Id-direzzjoni
ta’ The Voice
t˙e©-©e© lillqarrejja li
j˙ossu li jew
g˙andhom
talent g˙allkitba inkella
li ja˙sbu li bi
ftit g˙ajnuna jistg˙u jrabbu l-kunfidenza g˙all-kitba, biex jekk iridu
jistg˙u jibag˙tu x-xog˙ol tag˙hom
lil: The Voice of the Maltese. Email
address: [email protected]
Taf xi jfissru dawn?
Korsija
Il-passa©© çentrali fil-knisja li
jwassal g˙allartal ma©©ur.
Hekk kien jissejja˙ ukoll ilpassa©©
tal-injam fuq
galera li kien
ikollha l-bankijiet tal-qaddiefa fuq kull
na˙a.
Zokklu
Faxx ta’ tibjid jew żebg˙a fuq il˙itan tal-kamra u/jew kuritur li
jitla’ mill-art sa çertu livell ’l fuq.
Dan issibu fl-iskejjel u fl-isptarijiet biex il-˙ajt ikun jista’
jintmesa˙ u jidher dejjem nadif.
The Voice of the Maltese 21
Tuesday January 6, 2015
Community News
Follow The Voice of the Maltese online magazine
every fortnight.
Now we also have our our facebook page. So join us. Go
to: https://www.facebook.com/groups/thevoiceofthemaltese
Tune In to Radio
and Television
Maltese Radio Programmes
MELBOURNE, on 3ZZZ 92.3FM or on
www.3zzz.com.au. Mondays 5pm, Fridays
5pm, Saturdays 10am.; Last Wednesday
each month at 1pm.
MELBOURNE on 98.9 North West FM,
each Friday 6.00 - 7.00p.m. Presenter Emmanuel Brincat.
MELBOURNE: STEREO 974 (93180930):
97.4FM Wed (Maltese Magazine) & Thursday (Merhba): 6.00pm to 8.00 pm Co-ordinator – Ray Anastasi
In SYDNEY, listen to the MCC radio programme Sunday at 11am 2GLF FM 89.3, or
on demand: www.893fm.com.au
In BRISBANE listen to the Maltese Program on 4EB on Tuesdays 6.00 -8.15am;
Sundays 4.15pm to 5.15pm
UNCLE SAM DJ (Maltese Radio) tune in
to link: www.unclesamdj.com
Maltese Programmes on TV and Web
The GDAY MALTAUSSIE SHOW
on TVS is broadcast in Sydney
Every Saturday at 2pm;
Repeats on Mondays 5 pm and Tuesdays 7.30 am
Watch direct via HYPERLINK:
http://ww.tvs.org.au; http://ww.tvs.org.au
The SBS MALTESE NEWS
Maltese Community Council of NSW Inc
Alfred Fenech Maltese Resource Centre, 59b Franklin Street
(cr with Young Street) Mays Hill NSW. Phone: 02 98220228
Maltese living at the Central Coast
Group Meetings are held every secondt Monday of each
month, starting February 9, 2015 at Wyong RSL,
cnr Anzac & Margaret Street Wyong from 10 am to 12 noon.
For more information Tel: 02 439 000 12 or 0414 267 652
On SBS Radio - Day Time Analogue Digital
Tuesday: 12:00-13:00 SBS Radio 3
Thursday: 12:00-13:00 SBS Radio 3
Friday: 12:00-13:00 97.7fm SBS Radio 2
Saturday: 14:00-15:00: 97.7fm SBS Radio 2
To tune into digital radio you need receiver
or device with a DAB+ chip.
Tuning in is by station name not frequency. Digital radio can also be heard
on digital TV. SBS Radio 2 is on Channel 38 and SBS.
Radio 3 is on Channel 39. Analogue is
the present FMwavelength. Digital radio
can also be accessed by a smart phone
and/or by going online at HYPERLINK:
http://www.sbs.com.au, www.sbs.com.au
VIVA MALTA
VIVA MALTA on Central Coast
Radio: January 15 and 29; February 12
and 26 - from 6 pm -7 pm on COAST
FM 96.3 Community Radio in Gosford
NSW. Presenter: Nathalie Gatt.
Web streaming on: www.coastfm.org.au.
L-A˙barijiet on SBS TV twice a week nationwide Sunday at
8.00 am on SBS2 (Chan. 32); Thursdays at 8.05 am on SBS2
Meetings of Day Care
Maltese Groups in NSW
Fairfield Active Maltese Seniors
Meets on the first Tuesday of the Month
from10:00am to 12 noon.
The group meets in the Parish Hall, cnr
of Stella Street & The Boulevard, Fairfield Heights.
Daceyville Maltese Seniors
Meets on the last Wednesday of the
month in the Meeting Room One, No. 3
General Bridges Crescent, Daceyville.
Note: The Groups also arrange regular Bus Trips
Come and join us and make new friends..
Merrylands Social Maltese Seniors
Meets every second Friday of the
month; Miller Room, Memorial Avenue
Merrylands from 10.30am to 12.30 am
Llandillo Maltese Seniors
Meets on the first Wednesday of the
month at the Llandilo Community Hall,
Seventh Avenue, from 11am to 1pm.
Greystanes Maltese Seniors
Meets on the second Monday of the
month n the George Preca Centre of
The Maltese Language
School of NSW
The Maltese Language School
of NSW invites applications for
Maltese language classes at
the Alfred Fenech Maltese Resource Centre located at
59b Franklin Street (corner
with Young Street) Mays Hill
(next to Parramatta West
Public School).
Both young and adult
students may apply.
For more information contact
Mary Pace-Feraud on 9601 2189
or email:
[email protected]
You can have full access The Voice
of the Maltese online anytime by
logging to:
http://www.maltesewelfare.com.au
and click on The Voice sign
OLQP Church, 198 Old Prospect Road,
Greystanes from 10 am to 12 noon
The Sutherland & St George
Maltese Group
Ongoing: We meet every First Wednesday
of the Month from 10:00am-1:00pm
Our Meetings/Get Togethers are interesting, informative & entertaining.
Come Join us and make new Friends
For more information contact our Coordinator: Charles Mifsud J.P.Phone (02)
9501 5525 – mobile 0421 662 298
*(All Groups are Sponsored by The Maltese Community Council of NSW). Please contact the MCC Welfare Officer: Marisa Previtera JP on 0414 863 123. The MCC offices
are at 59b Franklin Street Mays Hill NSW (next to West Parramatta Primary School)
22 The Voice of the Maltese
Tuesday January 6, 2015
C
Co
om
mm
mu
un
niit
ty
y N
Ne
ew
ws
s
G˙arfien lill-Voluntiera
THE MALTESE GUILD OF
SOUTH AUSTRALIA INC.
W
asal iΩ-Ωmien li nag˙tu ©ie˙ u
rispett lill-anzjani tag˙na fis-Seniors
Week 2015. Óu din l-opportunita’ biex
tipproponi lil xi ˙add li ja˙dem ta’ voluntier fil-komunita’ u ˙aqqu ringrazzjament.
Il-Maltese Welfare (NSW) qed jirçievi applikazzjonijiet minn individwi ta’ dixxendenza Maltij li ghandhom ‘l fuq minn sittin sena u residenti fi NSW biex
ikunu parti mill-Quiet Achievers – Night of Recognition li din is-sena se jsir nhar l-Erbg˙a, 18 ta’ Marzu
2015 fis-St Dominics’ Annunciation Hall, Walters Rd,
Blacktown NSW.
Biex tinnominaw lil xi ˙add jin˙tie© tiksbu formola
tal-applikazzjoni billi ççemplu lis-segretarju tal-Maltese Welfare (NSW), Emanuel Camilleri 9822 0228 0409 744 376 inkella ΩΩuru l-website:
http://www.maltesewelfare.com.au tniΩΩluha minn
hemm u tibag˙tuha mhux iktar tard mis-27 ta’ Frar 2015.
Nominate a Volunteer
t’s that time of year again when we direct a spotlight
Iportunity
on our seniors during Seniors Week. Take this opto nominate someone who in your view is a
genuine volunteer within our general community and
deserves to be recognised.
The Maltese Welfare (NSW) is seeking nominations
for people of Maltese descent over 60 years old, residents of NSW to take part in its annual Quiet Achievers – Night of Recognition to be held at St Dominics’
Blacktown, on Wednesday March 18, 2015.
Nominations are to be made on an application form
that can be obtained by phoning the Maltese Welfare
secretry, Emanuel Camilleri on: 9822 0228 - 0409 744
376, or visit the website:
http://www.maltesewelfare.com.au. Applicatons have
to be submitted by not later than February 27, 2015.
Malta Society of
New Zealand
We now have a Facebook page
that former members are invited to join. It is: Mainly-Maltese-in-Auckland:
https://www.facebook.com/pages
/Mainly-Maltese-in-Auckland/
396193070527203?ref=hl.
It is open to all who have an interest
in the Maltese culture.
L-a˙barijiet
tal-PBS (Malta)
G˙alkemm il-PBS ta’ Malta tforni lillSBS fl-Awstralja bis-servizz tag˙ha, ilqarrejja m˙e©©a li x’˙in iridu jid˙lu
fil-website: www.tvm.com.mt u jsegwu la˙barijiet ta’ Malta. Din tkun a©©ornata
l-˙in kollu bi stejjer li jkunu qed ise˙˙u.
Mhux biss, imma min irid isegwi dak li
jkun g˙addej, kull filg˙odu ˙in ta' Malta
fuq il-website jittellg˙u wkoll l-a˙barijiet
tal-jum ta' qabel.
Maltese Cultural Centre
6, Jeanes Street Beverley S A 5009
Phone Tuesday’s only: 8243 0868.
AH: 8254 6988/0421 791 327
Email: [email protected] Website: www.malteseguild.webs.com
Socials, Meals, Multicultural
Events, Bus Trip Excursions For
the Aged are partly supported by
Functions Calendar for the year of 2015
AustraliaDay
DayLuncheon
Luncheon
Australia
Bus Trip AWAY”
AshesMass
MassatatMaltese
MalteseCultural
CulturalCentre
Centre
Ashes
MalteseCultural
CulturalCentre
Centre38th
38thAnniv
AnMaltese
niversary
Dinner Dance
Dinner
Dance
AdelaideCup
CupLuncheon
Luncheon
March 9th
Monday
Adelaide
Monday
April 6st
Monday
Easter Monday Luncheon
Monday
June 8th
Monday
Queens Birthday Luncheon
Monday
Bus Trip
Trip
July 19th
Sunday
Bus
Sunday
August 11th
Tuesday
Celebrating Mass St. Mary
Tuesday
Feast of St. Mary
August 16th
Sunday
Sunday
September 12th
Saturday
Malta National Day Dinner Dance
Saturday
FestaTad-Duluri
Tad-DuluriMass
Mass
September 15th
Tuesday Festa
Tuesday
AnnualGeneral
GeneralMeeting
Meeting
September 27th
Sunday
Annual
Sunday
LabourDay
DayLuncheon
Luncheon
October 5th
Monday Labour
Monday
MelbourneCup
CupLuncheon
Luncheon
November 3rd
Tuesday Melbourne
Tuesday
November 13, 14, 15, 16 Fri,Fri,Sat,Sat,Sun,
Sun,Mon
Mon 4 Days
4 DaysBus
BusTrip
Trip,(Place
Place to
of Be
TourNotified)
(To Be Noti
Mass Mass
for thefor
Deceased
Members
November 17th
Tuesday
the Diseased
Memb
Tuesday
Members
XmasXmas
PartyParty
December 19th
Saturday
Members
Saturday
Eve Dinner
DanceDance
December 31st
Thursday New Year’s
New Year’s
Eve Dinner
Thursday
January 26th
February 15th
February 17th
February 28th
Monday
Monday
Sunday
Sunday
Tuesday
Tuesday
Saturday
Saturday
Please Note! The Maltese Cultural Centre will open every Tuesday From
10am till 3pm of every week, starting on January 13 to December 19, 2015
Date of Events are subject to be altered if needed to be changed.
FRIENDS OF PROVIDENCE HOUSE NSW
(Formed in November 2011)
Founder /Coordinator: Jim Borg
Structure: Secretary: Marisa Previtera;
Treasurer: Rita Kassas
Official Bank Account: Commonwealth Bank of Australia:
BSB: 062 416 A/C 10199448
Aim of Association: Raising funds for Id-Dar tal-Providenza, Malta
Money raised so far: 2012/2013 - $ 2,500 and 2013/2014 $35,000.
Method of fund raising: Functions, tours, donations, raffles, sponsors.
Percentage of funds raised donated to Id-Dar tal-Providenza, Malta – 100%
Future fund raising: Donations direct to the official bank account,
sponsorships, tours, functions and raffles.
The Friends of Providence House NSW is the official
Ambassador of Id-Dar tal-Providenza, Malta in Australia
Contact details: Jim Borg, Co-ordinatorPhone: (02) 9636 7767 (Mb) 0418 825 591
Email: [email protected]
Proudly supported by:
The Voice of the Maltese 23
Tuesday January 6, 2015
Community News
GEORGE CROSS FALCONS CLUB Inc.
The Xaghra Association of NSW Inc.
(25-27 Lake Ave Cringila NSW 2502, (02) 4273 0906 [email protected])
INVITES YOU TO COME & CELEBRATE:
Home-made cooked two-course meal,
tea and coffee
Date: Saturday January 24, 2015. Time: Doors open 6.30 pm
for 7.00pm start. Place: Mandavilla Function Centre,
1788 The Horsley Drive, Horsley Park
Coffee & pastizzi. Also antipasto plus fruit platters.
Monday Seniors’ Day Every Monday
Bingo and dancing lessons, computers available for usage.
Cost only $5.00. Sponsored by MCCI Illawarra.
Phone 42 746121 and leave a message.
(Numbers are growing and been reaching
around 95 every Monday)
AUSTRALIA DAY
Entertainer: Joe Apap
For more information contact:
Ray & Josephine Bigeni: 9627 4182, Mob: 0439 974 182
M'Anne Teuma: 9627 4641
St Nicholas Festa Committee (NSW): 2015 Calendar of events
March 22: Autumn Fiera; July 5: Lejla fil-Buskett; October 18: Spring Fiera;
November 28: Night of Entertainment; December 6: Festa ta’ San Nikola
We are One but
We are Many
The Maltese community
in NSW says:
Thank you Australia
AUSTRALIA DAY 2015
Sunday, 25 January 2015
at the Holroyd Centre
17 Miller Street Merrylands
(parking on site)
An afternoon of celebration
From 3.30pm
Special Guest: Dr Barry York OAM
Entrance free. Light refreshments provided.
All welcome
Organised by the
Maltese Community Council
of NSW
The Maltese Past Pupils & Friends of Don Bosco NSW
The feast of Don Bosco will be held on February 1 at 10.30am
at Our Lady of the Rosary Parish, Swanson Street, St Marys.
A concelebrated Mass and a procession will be held. Refreshments. Please invite your friends and bring a plate with you.
Please note....
We value our readers’ support. If
you are one of the thousands of
readers of the online magazine
and you are not receiving The
Voice of the Maltese on a regular
basis please get in touch with us
immediately on
[email protected]
It is of comfort to us that you
read the online magazine
regularly.
The Editors
Learn Maltese!
MALTESE LANGUAGE SCHOOL OF NSW
A Division of the Maltese Community Council of NSW Inc.
Classes are available for students from 6 years
to adults at all levels of ability in the Maltese
language. We have trained and experienced
teachers qualified in language teaching and
with Maltese study credentials.
Learn the Maltese language, the culture, lifestyle,
cuisine, traditions and about the amazing history of this magnificent
Mediterranean island.
Classes at: HORSLEY PARK - SEVEN HILLS - LUDDENHAM
For more information and enquiries Call Mary on 9601 2189
Or email: [email protected]
Supported by the Minister of Education and Training
And the NSW Community Languages Schools Programme.
Member of the NSW Federation of Community Language Schools of NSW.
Member of the Federation of Maltese Language Schools of Australia.
Supported by 16 Maltese associations affiliated with the MCC of NSW.
The Maltese Language School of NSW is a Not-For-Profit organisation.
24 The Voice of the Maltese
Sports
Tuesday January 6, 2015
Australia
A-League
Perth Glory’s run ongoing; Sydney winless in 7
F
Balzan sign top striker
altese-Australian Anton Tagliaferro, the
M
main sponsor of Balzan FC (formely
Balzan Youths) has reportedly been instrumental in financing the deal that enabled the Maltese Premier League side to secure the
signature of 28-year-old Montenegrin striker
Bojan Kaljevic from Mosta for a sum reportedly
being in the region of €50,000.
This will most certainly be the top transfer deal
in the January window.
Kaljevic (above) had been playing for Mosta
since they signed him from the Montenegro Division I side, Mladost in 2013.
In his first season with Mosta the striker scored
12 goals in 24 matches. He has also he scored
seven so far this term.
Mr Tagliaferro, a leading financial services
practitioner in Sydney is the investment director
of Sydney-based Investors Mutual Limited (IML)
Malta Premier League
ollowing three rounds of matches in the A-League since our last issue, Perth
Glory managed to extend their lead at the top by three more points to 32
after beating nearest challengers Melbourne Victory 2-1 in Round 13 at the Simonds Stadium in Geelon. Monday night they were also involved in the Round
14 home tie with Adelaide.
RESULTS:
Round 14
The Glory went into the match on a Sydney FC v Newcastle Jets
0-0
nine-game unbeaten run. They had suf- Wellington Ph v Brisbane Roar
3-0
fered their only loss of the A-League Central Coast v Melbourne C
2-0
campaign this season in Round 3 Perth Glory v Adelaide Utd
?-?
against Adelaide United.
Western Syd. W v Melbourne V. (Jan 6)
The match was ongoing as we finRound 13
ished the current issue of the magazine.
Newcastle Jets v Melbourne C.
2-5
The teams were level at 1-1.
Brisbane
Roar
v
Sydney
FC
0-0
In the previous round against the Vic- Melbourne V. v Perth Glory
1-2
tory, Perth paved the way for success by Adelaide Utd v Wellington Ph.
1-3
scoring after eight minutes and taking a Western Sydney W v Central Coast 0-0
2-0 interval lead. They then suppressed
Round 12
the Victory’s reaction to seal an imporSydney FC v Adelaide U
0-3
tant triumph away from home.
Melbourne C v Perth Glory
1-1
Melbourne Victory play their 14th Central Coast v Brisbane Roar
3-3
round match on Tuesday (January 6). Melbourne V. v Newcastle Jets
1-0
In other matches, after their fourth win Wellington Ph v Western Syd.
1-0
on the trot, Wellington did themselves
Standings
P W D L F A Pts
the world of good and have managed
Perth Glory
13 10 2 1 24 11 32
to leapfrog over Melbourne Victory Wellington Ph 14 9 1 4 28 14 28
though with a game more. Wins over
Melbourne V 13 7 4 2 26 14 25
Western Sydney, away against AdeAdelaide U
13 7 2 4 20 13 23
laide and their home clash over BrisSydney FC
14 4 7 3 15 15 19
Melbourne C. 13 4 4 5 20 24 16
bane have seen to to their success.
Brisbane R.
13 3 3 7 14 19 12
Melbourne City’s best spell of the
Central Coast 14 2 6 6 12 21 12
Hyundai A-League season continued
Newcastle J. 14 1 5 8 12 28 8
for two matches, by first holding
West.Sydney 11 0 4 7 6 16 4
league leaders Perth Glory to a 1-1
draw and then beating Newcaslte Jets failed to score in any of their last four
away, but their run was halted at Cen- games. First they were comprehensively beaten 3-0 at home by Adetral Coast who beat them 2-0.
Fresh from beating fierce rivals Mel- laide, then held 0-0 by Brisbane and
bourne Victory in the derby in the pre- Newcastle.
Sydney’s fans were fearing the worst,
vious round, the City were aiming to
make it three wins in succession aga- that is, the prospect of seeing their
inst Perth, but after taking the lead, team tumbling out of the top six by the
Perth conjured an equaliser out of end of the busy festive season fixture
nothing - scored by former City player list. However, Melbourne City’s loss
Richard Garcia - to escape with a to Central Coast helped them escape
the prospect.
share of the spoils.
The A-League now takes a short break
Sydney FC's A-League woes continued as their winless run has now ex- as Australia hosts the AFC Asian Cup. It
tended to seven games. They have also resumes on January 24.
New Year kicks off with goal bonanza
At the resumption of the league following while Floriana scored four. Five more goals were
the stoppage for the festive season, Hiberni- scored in Valletta’s 3-2 narrow victory over Qormi,
ans continued where they left off at the end having come from two goals down.
of 2014 to kick off year 2015 with another
Hibs also came from a goal down before obtaining
comfortable victory over wooden-spoonists their easy victory over Ûebbu©.
Ûebbu© to maintain their 15-point lead at the
Surprisingly, dwspite all these goals, no hat-tricks
top of the placing RESULTS:
were registered, though there
Round 17
over joint runners-up
were four doubles.
Hibernians
v
Ûebbu©
R.
5-2
Valletta and Birkirkara Jorge P. Silva, Rodolfo Soares, Jonathan Pearson, EdiStandings P W D L F A Pts
who both also regis- son Luis dos Santos, Andrew Cohen; Carlo Monti (2)(Z) Hibernians 17 16 1 0 56 8 49
Valletta v Qormi.
3-2
tered easy wins.
Valletta
17 11 1 5 41 14 34
Hamza Barry (2), Ian Azzopardi (V);
The New Year started Frank Temile, Zoran Levnajic (Q)
Birkirkara 17 11 1 5 34 17 34
Balzan
17 6 7 4 24 21 25
5-1
with a goal bonanza Birkirkara v Mosta
Rafael Ledesma, Haruna Shodiya (2), Ellinton AC
Floriana
17 6 6 5 29 32 24
with 32 goals scored in Morais,
Paul Fenech (B); Sasa Jovanovic (M)
Sliema W 17 6 4 7 19 22 22
the first programme of Balzan v Tarxien R.
5-0
Mosta
17 6 2 9 17 35 20
Jean Pierre Mifsud Triganza (2), own goal, Steve
2015, an average of Bezzina,
Naxxar L. 17 4 5 8 21 28 17
Gianmarco Piccioni
5.3 goals a match.
Qorm1
Floriana v Naxxar L.
17 4 5 8 18 29 17
4-1
17 3 7 7 16 29 16
Three teams, Hibs, Steve Pisani, Gary Muir, Douglas M. Cobo, Matteo Tarxien
Piciollo (F); Uchenna Emenike Mbachu (N)
Pieta H.
16 3 5 8 13 27 14
Birkirkara and Balzan Sliema
W. v Pieta H.
2-1
Ûebbu© R. 17 1 6 10 20 43 9
each scored five goals, Andrea Pisanu, Trevor Cilia (S); Luke Micallef (P)
Australia hosts
the Asian Cup
T
he Asian Cup, the oldest, biggest and
the most reputed football tournament
in Asia takes place in five cities in Australia from January 9 to 31. The venues
are: Sydney Stadium, Newcastle Stadium,
Canberra Stadum, Brisbane Stadium and
MelbourneRectangular Stadium.
The 16 nations taking part in the tournament, divided into four groups are:
GROUP A
Australia, Korea Rep., Oman and
Kuwait
GROUP B
Uzbekistan, Saudi Arabia, Chona PR and
DPR Korea
GROUP C
Iran, UAE, Qatar and Bahrain
Group D
Japan, Jordan, Iraq and Palestine