The Voice of the Maltese No. 121

Issue121 online magazine

(driven by the voice driven by the voice of its readersof its readers)

February 16, 2016

The Voice of the Malteseonline magazine

Ira Losco with the trophy, and(top) in her meetng with PresidentMarie-Louise Coleiro Preca. (bot-tom right) She is greeted byPrime Minister Joseph Muscatafter her victory in the Malta Euro-vision Song Contest that earnedher the right to represent Maltain the next Eurovision SongContest in Stockholm, Swedenon May 10.

(See report on page 5)

Carnival time in Malta this year was extra special. Not just because it was celebrated in sur-prisingly very nice weather throughout, but also because record crowds flocked to watchand participate. Colourful floats paraded through the main streets of Valletta, Floriana, and

Political satire, reintroduced in the past few years after decades of doing without it, also helped makethis year’s event the best ever. Prime Minister Joseph Muscat and Opposition Leader Simon Busuttilwere the main targets of this satire (photo)

Malta Carnival 2016 - the best ever Malta Carnival 2016 - the best ever

this year also in Hamrun, were tangible proof of the artistry of those who built them.

2 The Voice of the Maltese Tuesday February 16, 2016

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Palliation versus euthanasiaMany European nations, more

so those from the north, placea great deal of importance on

the value of autonomy and the right ofevery patient to have the final say onmatters relating to terminal treatment.

Some (including Belgium, Luxem-bourg, the Netherlands, Sweden andSwitzerland) have legalised euthanasia,while others (including Denmark, Fin-land and Norway) do not seem to havedefinitive legislation prohibiting it.Most other countries worldwide, per-

haps the more conservative nations in-cluding Malta, have argued thatnobody, and in particular nopatient, has the right to termi-nate his or her life, irrespectiveof the pain and misery theymay be suffering.

Moreover, it is a criminal of-fence for anyone to aid and abetanother person to commit sui-cide. This includes the doctorwho is the person most likely tofacilitate such an event.

In a popular discussion pro-gramme on the ABC TV (Aus-tralian Broadcasting Corporation), asort of high-powered Xarabank whereexperts as well as patients took part,this issue was examined in consider-able depth.

One might argue that the differencebetween palliation – which is univer-sally accepted as a humane method ofcontrolling terminal pain, and eu-thanasia is a question of speed of ac-tion rather than substance.

In palliative care, strong drugs aregiven in doses just sufficient to controlthe pain, though the actual dose isoften under the control of the patientsthemselves. The result is that terminalpatients are kept in a semi-comatosestate until they slowly fade away.

On the other hand, euthanasia in-volves the administration of lethaldoses of painkillers (like Nembutal)whose action is instantaneous and ir-reversible.

However, it has to be emphasisedthat intention plays a pivotal role in

determining the legality of such ac-tions. The aim of palliation is not tokill the patient, while the aim or eu-thanasia invariably is. And even if theend result is eventually the same,there is an enormous intentional gulfseparating one from the other.

In an article in Malta Today (August17) relating to a survey of medicalpractitioners in Malta, it was statedthat while the majority of generalpractitioners oppose euthanasia, “over

14 per cent of them received requestsfor euthanasia from their ailing pa-tients”. Moreover, it stated that “a rel-ative majority of respondents (45 percent) agreed that patients had a rightto decide whether to hasten their endor not.”These findings further indicated that

there exists “some misunderstandingwith respect to the role of sedation atthe end of life”.

In a more comprehensive survey ofEuropean and American medical prac-titioners (Medscape Ethics Report2014), 41 per cent of European doctors(and 54 per cent of American doctors)stated that physician-assisted suicideshould be allowed.

It is obviously the case that attitudestowards medically-assisted termina-tion of life are changing worldwide.The deeply religious ideas that used toinform our ethical life are beingeroded in Malta as elsewhere in the

developedworld.

It is there-fore all themore im-portant toensure thatthe public iswell awareof what fa-cilities areavailable todeal withend-of-lifeissues and

clear distinctions made betweenthe various modalities of treat-ment.

In Malta, in addition to theseethical issues, we have the fur-ther problem of rampant pater-nalism affecting members of thefamily who, with the best of in-tentions, tend to rob the patientof their autonomy and, as oftenas not, believe they have theright to decide on their behalf.

It is often the case that familymembers act as the go-between, pro-tecting their loved one from the badnews that comes from health profes-sionals.

I believe it is high time that this kindof benign protective paternalismshould come to an end, and patients en-couraged thinking for themselves andtaking responsibility for their decisions.

In a situation where informed con-sent is the most critical requirementfor decision-making, it is crucial thatpatients are clear what they are re-questing. No patient is free to chooseif all decisions are taken by proxy,through the administrations of well-wishing family members.It is also beneficial to the general com-

munity to participate in programmessuch as the one mentioned, to ensurethat important societal issues are dis-cussed and aired in public, particularlyfor the benefit of others, includinghealth practitioners and those responsi-ble for political decision-making.

MauriceCauchi

One might argue that the difference between palliation –which is universally acceptedas a humane method of controlling terminal pain, andeuthanasia is a question ofspeed of action rather thansubstance

Tuesday February 16, 2016 The Voice of the Maltese 3

An 11-year-old singer from ThePonds, NSW, Violeta Bozanic ne-eds our readers’ support to help

fulfil her and her parents’ dream of per-forming in the Junior Eurovision Contest.But first she needs to reach the grand finalof Australia’s Got Talent contest. She isgoing to be part of the Judges Auditionsfor the event during the live show onChannel 9 on February 21.

She needs all the support she can get toreach the final stage. Therefore we appealto our readers to vote for this young girl ofMaltese descent. Her mother, Rose-anneBozanic-Grima was born in Sydney, thedaughter of Toni whose parents, Salvu andRosanna Grima migrated to Australia along time ago before returning to Malta 20years ago. They currently reside at Xewk-ija, in Gozo. Violeta’s father is Dejan.

Violeta has an amazing voice and confi-dence beyond her years that is wowingjudges at Talent Quests across Australia,including at the finals of a National An-them competition, the Aussie Vault (LittleAussie Songster) competition, Australia’sGot Talent and as a winner of the 2014Talent Quests Australia. Kirsten Cottone, director of Talent Quests

Australia, spoke very highly of thisemerging young artist. “Violeta demon-strated a maturity beyond her years and ifyou close your eyes, you cannot imagineshe’s only 10 years old,” he told RouseHill Times.

When Violeta was crowned Quests Aus-tralia winner last year at the age of 10, ina report titled: The Ponds singer VioletaBozanic crowned Talent Quests Australiawinner, The Daily Telegraph described heras, “our hottest young singing talent, withher amazing voice and confidence wowingjudges at Talent Quests Australia.” She

has an amazing voice and con-fidence beyond her years.

She also impressed with herperformances at the finals of aNational Anthem competition,the Aussie Vault (Little AussieSongster) competition, Aus-tralia’s Got Talent and as awinner of the 2014 TalentQuests Australia.

At the time, Violeta told thenewspaper, “I am very happythat all the hard work has paidoff. “I was a bit nervous duringthe finals but I was soon in myzone. Singing is my passionand I think pop and ballads suitmy voice.”

Ms Cottone said that Violeta“infuses her performanceswith a passion that comes fromwithin. Violeta has a verybright future ahead of her.”A John Pal-mer Public School

student Violeta said her parentshave always encou- raged herand her composure is also re-flected in her finishing runner-up at a state multiculturalspeaking competition. She said:

“I enjoy singing and performing becauseit gives me the opportunity to showcasemy talent in a very rewarding way. It gives methe opportunity to have fun, entertainmany people and meet the the most talented people in the county within themusic industry.

I love performing on stage and thechance to inspire others to believe in them-selves and follow their dreams. It is mydream to become a successful music artistand perform around the World.“My plan is to promote myself as an artist

and be a successful musical artist.”With already three videos on YouTube pro-

duced by Onemaker Academy of her coversof ‘Titanium’, ‘Heroes’, ‘At Last’ and twooriginal songs ‘Baby I am Sorry” and‘Moving Pictures’ Violeta’s mature voiceand seasoned performances are more remi-niscent of an adult with many years of ex-perience, rather than a young girl. The Daily Telegraph said that Violeta in-

fuses her performances with a passion thatcomes from within and that she clearly hasa very bright future ahead of her.Her original song ‘Moving Pictures’ that

is featured on the Music Matters CharityAlbum, evolved out of being bullied andspeaks of staying strong and true to whoyou are. The song received a Highly Commended

Award and placed in the top 4 at the 2015Australian Children’s Music Foundation’sACMF National Song writing Competi-tion, having been selected by an esteemedpanel of judges from across Australia.

Let us help young singer Violetafulfil her and her parents’ dream


In the last issue I mentioned thegreat FAITH of the Maltese andhow they prayed for Victory over

the Axis. Although worn out by pro-longed bombing and under-nourish-ment, faith sustained the Maltese;they managed to live under duressand under the daily trials of war.Le˙en is-Sewwa, the official organ ofthe Malta Catholic Action, maintainedregular publication. The contributors’articles helped to boost the morale ofthe people and to inspire confidencein God for a final victory.

As time went by, food became veryscarce. Ration portions were gettingsmaller and smaller. The local situa-tion became desperate as but most ofthe ships forming part of convoys thatwere sent to Malta escorted by severalwarships were sunk on the way.

Sometimes after arriving safely toMalta they were bombed and sunk inthe Grand Harbour. The people wereon the point of starvation. But the Mal-tese never gave up their faith in God,prayers were intensified, and as thefeast of the Assumption was approach-ing their hope in the Lord was great asHe was watching over them all thetime and constantly protecting them.

The Santa Maria Convoy 1942The deteriorating situation since the

June 1942 convoys failed to replenishthe Island’s needs persisted. Allaround Malta and Gozo pilgrimageswere organised in various parishes allover Malta with the many people tookpart in these processions, reciting theHoly Rosary and imploring Our Ladyto save us, to save our country and tokeep protecting us.

Then on August 10, 1942, fourteenfast vessels, including the Americantanker Ohio manned by a British crew,

MALTA: Echoesfrom the past

DorisCannataci

End Of World War II In Malta

entered the Mediterranean under aheavy escort by warships. In order toprotect this convoy a dramatic battletook place in the Sicilian Straits. Out of the fourteen vessels only three

managed to survive and when threedays later, in the afternoon of August13, the three surviving ships appearedon the horizon, people danced andsang in the streets. Some felt the urgeto jump into the sea and swim to-wards them to assist the limping shipsinto Grand Harbour.The following day, on August 14, an-

other ship sailed in and was given agreat welcome. In the early morningof August 15, the feast of the Assump-tion the Ohio, carrying vital fuel, oiland kerosene - without which Maltacould not survive - was lying crippledand smouldering some miles offMalta. After a number of attempts andon the verge of sinking, Ohio man-aged to enter Grand Harbour.

Everybody believed that it wasthrough the intersession of Our Lady,her love, and through the great faithand yearning prayers of the Maltesethat the crippled Ohio entered GrandHarbour.

The convoy of Santa Maria finallyreached the beleaguered island. Maltawas saved! God through Holy Maryonce again saved Malta!!! This was atangible way to show how prayer andfaith are the only means for achievingvictory.

September 1943On September 8 Malta commemo-

rates the end of the Great Siege of1565. It is a National feast. It is also thetitular feast of the city of Senglea. Sep-tember 8, 1943 was a very special cel-ebration not only for the parishionersof that city, but also for all the peopleof Malta and Gozo. The titular statue of Il-Bambina (Little

Holy Mary), which had been in safe-keeping after a tremendous and dev-astating attack in January 1941, was onits way back to its church. Many Sen-gleans, including those who soughtrefuge outside the city, welcomed thestatue back and congregated inthanksgiving for the deliverance fromthe onslaught that for three years hadthreatened their life.

*Continued on page 5

The crippled SS Ohio limping into the Grand Harbour on August 15, 1942


The feast of Don Bosco in NSW has beencelebrated since 1987. It is held annuallyat Horsley Park parish among members

and friends of the Maltese Past Pupils &Friends of Don Bosco Association. This year itwas celebrated in a different way.

The Horsley Park parish priest, Fr DominicKarnas, who belongs to an order of priests thatforms part of the Greater Salesian Family, em-braced the idea of a joint celebration by the As-sociation and the parish. By combining ourresources together, it was felt that parishionerswould become even more aware of Don Bosco.Fr Dominik Karnas was the main celebrant at

the Mass commemorating the event, while FrCarmelo Sciberras, the Association’s spiritualdirector and Fr Claude Borg, past spiritual di-rector of the Association also took part. The JCChoir was in attendance and the format wasmore-or-less similar to previous years.The statue of Don Bosco was in a more promi-

nent position and placed to the side of the altar,that also included a picture frame of BlessedBronislav Markiewicz, a Polish priest whofounded the Congregation of St Michael theArchangel (CSMA), one of 30 officially recog-nised groups of the Salesian Family of Don Bosco. Fr Carmelo Sciberras, who this year was awarded the OAM

on Australia Day, delivered the homily praising the attrib-utes of Don Bosco, whose contribution towards disadvan-taged youth today has spread to over 130 countries and isserved by 17,000 Salesian priests and brothers, 15,000 Sale-sian Sisters the Daughters of Mary Help of Christians, and27,000 Salesian co-operators.Polish-born Fr Dominik said that his congregation in Aus-

tralia is made up of seven priests working in four parishes,namely Terrigal (Central Coast), Clovelly, North Ryde andHorsley Park, with an outreach to four missionary parishes

in PNG served by five priests.A procession with the statue then took place on the

grounds of the parish, followed by refreshments at MarionHall.Those who assisted in making this celebration a unique his-

toric occasion should be commended for their efforts in or-ganising this event, which, we hope, augurs well for thefuture. No doubt, with the support of Fr Dominik and theparishioners, next year’s festa will make Don Bosco evenmore appreciated.

MarkCaruana

*from page 4

As the procession with the statue ofOur Lady reached the devastated city,destroyers berthed in the Grand Har-bour coned their searchlights on the Il-Bambina statue, and a loudspeakerfrom one of the naval ships blared outthe joyous news of Italy’s surrender.There was double rejoicing. We all be-lieved that God, through Our Ladyand St Paul once again saved Maltaand the Maltese.

The faith of the people, their prayersand their solidarity were once again re-warded. At the same time, the goodnews was confirmed through a lettersent from the Dockyard Admiral Su-perintendent to Archpriest Brincat whoread it to the congregation as soon asthe procession entered the Church.The wailing of the sirens announcing

the last air raid on Malta was that ofAugust 28, 1944.

May 7, 1945 was Victory Day in Eu-

rope. Hostilities were to cease at mid-night the following day, May 8. Maltacelebrated Victory in Europe in Val-letta. Maltese civilians and servicemenfrom allied countries marched downKingsway (now Republic Street) ac-companied by bands playing cheerfulmarches and with Church bells tolling.World War II ended just before mid-

night on August 14, 1945, exactly threeyears after the Ohio entered grandHarbour. News arrived in Malta at1.00 a.m. the following day. On thathistoric day at 6.00 a.m. sirens, bellsand hooting from ships in Grand Har-bour joined the chorus to announce tothe World that the War was over.

Four days later, on Sunday August19, Archbishop Gonzi held a VictoryThanksgiving Mass at St John’s Co-Cathedral in Valletta that ended withthe singing of the Te Deum. War in Europe ended on the Feast of

Our Lady of Pompeii (May 8), andWorld War II ended on the feast of the

Assumption of Our Lady (August 15). Was it coincidence that both wars

ended on two feasts celebrated hon-ouring Our Lady?

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Feast of Don Bosco with a difference


Q. I live in a house on a one-acre block. Adeveloper has approached me and wishesto purchase part of this land in order forhim to build a second house. As this landis part of the land with my residentialhome, do you think I would have to paycapital gains tax on it?

A. Capital Gains Tax may be payabledependent on when you actually pur-chased your principal home. If you pur-chased the property prior to September20, 1985, no capital gains tax needs to bepaid.

If, however, you purchased the propertyafter September 20, 1985, and sold a sub-division to a developer, the subdividedparcel may be subject to Capital Gainstax or a Capital Loss, dependent on yourapportioned cost base and sales price.

Q. Once a spot is found for her, my

mother is waiting to move into an AgedCare Facility. She has been living withme for the last six months but I cannotcontinue to do this as her health has dete-riorated and she needs constant attention,which I am unable to offer her. Her houseis currently rented out and she would liketo hold on to it and not sell it. Is this pos-sible once she moves into the Aged Carefacility?

A. It is possible to retain your mother’shome, rather than sell it, but whether sheshould retain it, will depend on her fund-ing requirements, health condition andtax.When your Mother moves into the Aged

Care Facility she will be asked to pay anAccommodation Payment and a BasicDaily Fee. She may also be subject to aMeans Tested Fee and an Extra ServicesCharge. The Accommodation Payment

can be paid in full, as a lump sum re-ferred to as a Refundable Accommoda-tion Deposit (RAD), or it can be paid asa Daily Accommodation Payment (DAP)or a combination of RAD and DAP. Renting her home will not affect her Age

Pension, but she may pay tax on therental income (dependent on her incomelevel). The rental income will be includedin the calculation of her Aged CareMeans Tested Fee.

Selling her house, on the other hand,will potentially affect her future Age Pen-sion entitlements and her Aged CareMeans Tested Fee. No capital gains tax ispayable on the sale of her home.

My advice to your mother is to see a fi-nancial planner to be able to calculateher best option prior to moving into theAged Care Facility.

Q. We have been living in Australia forthe past 42 years. We have recently re-tired from the workforce and thinking ofreturning to Malta. We have no childrenourselves but we still have relatives inMalta who are encouraging us to makethis move. Is this a wise move?

A. If you are currently receiving the AgePension, because you have been living inAustralia for over 35 years you will stillretain your pension, but the amount re-ceived will be reduced if your absence isgreater than 26 weeks.

There are other things to consider in-cluding your home, assets and tax in Aus-tralia. For example, if you sold yourhouse in Australia and found that afterliving in Malta for a few months you wishto return to Australia, you may not beable to afford a house if house priceschange dramatically. I suggest that youtest the waters in Malta for no more thansix months, and seek financial advice onyour preferred option.

Marie-Louise Muscat is fluent in Maltese and English and can assist you in:

* Wealth Creation

* Pre Retirement and Retirement Advice

* Maximising Centrelink Benefits

* Tax effective strategies in retirement e.g. sale of property

* Rearranging finances to minimise ongoing fees prior to

entering Aged Care facilities

Call Marie-Louise for a complimentary consultation on:

(02) 9231 2133

Marie-Louise Muscat is a representative of Fiducian Fiinancial Services Pty LtdABN 46 094 765 134 AFSL and Australian Credit Licence 231103

This is a monthly service offeredto the readers of The Voice ofthe Maltese with the assistance

of Marie Louise Muscat from theFiducian Financial Services. It dealswith superannuation, self-managedsuper funds, pensions, investment, re-tiring and the like. It is intended tohelp our readers to understand betterthe complexities and changes associ-ated with financial planning. If youneed assistance regarding the subjectsend Marie Louise an email ad-dressed to: [email protected].

This document contains factual in-formation only and is not intendedto provide any recommendation oropinion in relation to the topic/sdiscussed. Fiducian recommendsthat you seek advice from a pro-fessional to address any issuesthat may be raised by this article.Fiducian accepts no liability forany loss suffered by anyone whohas acted on any information inthis document

Q&AQ&A


inGUARDIA

for more information: tel: 2291 5440/1/2 • [email protected] • www.visitmalta.com

Shows during 2016Shows during 2015January 3 | February 7, 28 | March 6, 13, 20 April 3, 10, 17, 24 | May 1, 8, 15, 22October 9, 16, 23 November 6, 13, 20, 27

December 27

Held on Sundays, as per dates above. Starts at 11 finishes at 11.45 am.

CALENDAROF EVENTS 2016

WWW.VISITMALTA.COM/EN/EVENTS

Carnival Celebrations Vodafone Malta Marathon

05/02-09/02 Carnival celebrations in Valletta, Floriana & Nadur Gozo10/02 Feast of St. Paul’s Shipwreck26/02 Business Leaders Malta Conference28/02 Vodafone Malta Marathon 10/03-11/03 World Heritage International Expo 17/03-20/03 Tour Ta’ Malta18/03-19/03 Malta International Karate Event 19/03 Feast of St Joseph20-21/03 Spring Equinox 25/03-27/03 Good Friday & Easter Sunday28/03-02/04 World ISF Badminton Championships for Schools31/03 Freedom Day; Regatta in the Grand Harbour31/03-03/04 Annie Mac presents Lost & Found Malta01/04-09/04 International Spring Orchestra Festival02-03/04 Malta Karate Federation Competitions03/04 XTerra Triathlon15/04 George Cross Commemoration16/04, 23/04 Malta International Fireworks Festival & 30/04 18/04 Malta Mechanised Fireworks Festival

22-24/04 Opera+ Weekend24/04 Gozo Half Marathon27/04-10/05 Malta International Music Festival & Competition 01/05 Labour Day09/05 The Valletta Green Festival30/05 Gozo Ultra Race03-05/06 Earth Garden 07/06 Sette Giugno07/06 Figs Festival, Xaghra Gozo08/06-11/07 19th edition of the Victoria International Arts Festival10-12/06 Ghanafest – Malta Mediterranean Folk Music Festival18-19/06 Agricultural Fair, Nadur, Gozo28/06 Isle of MTV Malta Special29/06 Feast of St. Peter & St. Paul; L-Imnarja Summer Folk Festival10/07-03/08 Malta Arts FestivalJuly Joseph Calleja in Concert

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Mario Griscti minn Ta’ Xbiex, Malta jikteb:

Nag˙tikom ˙ajr tal-˙ar©a numru 120 ta’The Voice of the Maltese. Jolqtuni

˙afna t-tag˙rif dwar l-Ilsien Malti, il- let-teratura/grammatika u l-artiklu tas-sinjuraCannataci, dwar it-Tieni Gwerra Dinjija,apparti l-a˙barijiet lokali kollha, soçjali,politiçi, sportivi, edukattivi u reli©juΩi.

It-t˙awwir ta’ dan il-magazine, jag˙mlu

magazine illustri bi storja g˙alih u metanirçevih, nara li ndur dawra mieg˙u sew.

M’hemmx g˙alfejn ng˙idilkom jien,imma verament qed toperaw missjoni ta’ambaxxaturi illustri g˙al Malta u l-Aw-stralja u qed ise˙˙ilkom tkunu bilançjatif’kull a˙bar, kumment, avviΩ u editorjal. Nibqa’ nawguralkom aktar ˙ar©iet, g˙ax

qed tissodisfaw il-kriterji ta’ ©urnaliΩmuserju, kif tabil˙aqq g˙andu jkun.

Chev. Tony C. Cutajar from Malta writes:

First and foremost, I would like to con-gratulate you officially for the publica-

tion of The Voice of the Maltese. It iscolourful, attractive and very appealing,with plenty of information for one and all.

I would like to refer to the news itemabout Glenn Bedingfield (Issue No. 119page 15)). I will not go into the merits ofthe Prime Minister making his controver-sial New Year's message, but I took excep-tion to Bedingfield's crude swipe at theArchbishop.

As the Prime Minister's consultant in aposition of trust basis, and therefore as apublic figure he should have never madethat uncalled for abusive dig. In fact, I ex-pected Joseph Muscat to censure his cho-sen consultant and tell him to show morerespect and to keep his place.

Have your say/Xi trid tghid?Your letters/ L-ittri tag˙kom ...

onl ine magazineonl ine magazine

The Voice of the Maltese

is is a bi-lingual (inEnglish and Maltese) fort-nightly online publication

specifically targeting allMaltese living abroad with emphasis on the

Australian scene. is online magazine is

sent via email by request.Subscription is free.

Editors: Malta: Joseph CutajarAustralia:Lawrence Dimech: MOM,

OAM, JPemail address:

[email protected]

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Letters for publication in The Voice ei-ther in Maltese or English should bee-mailed to: [email protected].

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Il-VOM jissodisfa l-kriterji kollha

Iwould like to express my thanks to theeditors of The Voice of the Maltese for

their commitment throughout the year inproducing for us readers, such a high levelpublication that has become the talk of thetown with a great number of the Maltesecommunity. This is such a professional task. I am sure

that if The Maltese Herald had been pro-duced on such lines, it would still havebeen around.The content in The Voice is always so in-

teresting and most of the time, as soon asI receive it I find it hard to stop reading itthrough. It keeps me glued to it, and al-ways try to read it at one go; so well doneand thanks.

This is the only professional publicationserving the Maltese community in Aus-tralia, therfore we must all work hard toappeal to all the Maltese businessmen inAustralia to help maintain it.

Thanks!Ed Calleia writes from Botany, NSW writes:

Further to Mark Caruana’s observationsto The Voice re the timing of the issuing

of a special hand postmark by Malta Post’sGozo branch to commemorate the 100thanniversary of the dark episode known asthe Maltese of New Caledonia or the SSGange Incident of 1916, the secretary incharge of stamps in Gozo clarifies:It is GPS policy to try to commemorate

philatelically events connected with Gozo.The year 2016 was obvious but the datewas chosen for practical considerations. For your information, the GPS AGM was

held on January 9 - when a special exhibitwas inaugurated at Il-Óa©ar Museum. The stamped cards then had to be sent to

Australia for re-stamping there at the ex-hibition held by the Canberra PS everytwo years (to create these special interna-tional double cards that are already prac-tically sold out!)

Thank you for your interest.

The SS Gange PostmarkMalta Post’s Gozobranch explains

Uncalled for comments

Victor Gauci from Castle Hill, NSW, Aus-tralia writes:

Ilook forward to every new issue ofThe Voice of the Maltese. It makesgood reading and as it is bi-lingual the

publication is also perused by those in myfamily who are unable to read Maltese.

I noted with interest the Calendar ofevents for 2016 as published in issue No.119. I am pleased to inform you that in ad-dition to the many events listed, the Caten-ian Association will be holding theirAnnual Conference in Malta for the firsttime in their long history. The dates for theconference have been set for Friday 13thMay 2016 through Sunday 15th May 2016.

One may or may not have heard aboutthe Catenian Association. With referenceto our website which is www.thecateni-ans.co.uk the purpose of Association is asfollows:

Who are we?

The Catenian Association was estab-lished in England and is now an interna-tional body of thousands (including me)of proudly Catholic laymen who meet atleast once a month in local units calledCircles, to enjoy each other's companyand thereby strengthen their family lifeand faith through friendship. It is open topractising Catholic laymen from the ageof 18 years.

The Association is well represented inMalta and Gozo and, of course, Australia.

Many members of the Association areinvolved with the Church, particularly asReaders and Eucharistic Ministers andalso as governors of Catholic schools, orinvolved with Diocesan education com-mittees.

Members are drawn from a wide rangeof experience. Many have a business orprofessional background; some are self-

Hakan Harman, Chief Executive Officer ofMulticultural NSW writes:

Multicultural NSW has developed aSettlement Portal to help connect

migrants with the information they need tosuccessfully settle in NSW and we needyour help to ensure it offers the best andmost up-to-date links available.The Settlement Portal links users directly

with practical resources, and aims to helpall migrants living in NSW includingrefugees and humanitarian entrants,skilled and family stream migrants, andtemporary visa holders such as interna-tional students and seasonal workers.

It offers seamless access to informationabout services and support provided by thethree tiers of government as well as fundedservice providers, community organisa-tions and charities, making it a ‘go-to-place’ for all migrants to NSW.

With a focus on simple descriptions, vi-

sual cues and community language re-sources, the Settlement Portal will alsohelp Multicultural NSW strengthen itsfocus on new migrants, including human-itarian entrants.

Accessible via a New Arrivals to NSWicon on the Multicultural NSW homepage(www.multicultural.nsw.gov.au/home),the Settlement Portal offers links to usefulorganisations, websites and resources, tohelp with a range of issues.

Multicultural NSW is committed to acontinuous improvement plan to ensurethat the Settlement Portal remains helpfuland up-to-date.

I invite you to share this information, in-cluding a direct link to the Settlement Portal(www.multicultural.nsw.gov.au/commu-nity_engagement/settlement_web_portal),with appropriate stakeholders, and encour-age them to provide any feedback to [email protected] you for your assistance.


Multicultural NSW

- Settlement Portal

employed, while others have a teaching,health service or other public service back-ground. Some have no formal qualifica-tions.

The Catenians raise funds to support awide span of charities and interests, at alocal, national or International level.

We offer prayers at our meetings andhave Masses for special intentions, for ex-ample for our deceased or for vocations. Our many Social Events involve our fam-

ilies and build long lasting friendships.Widows and their families are also ac-tively involved.

For further details regarding the upcom-ing conference it may be of interest toMaltese Catholics who happen to be inMalta on Sunday May 15 to attend theHigh Mass in Mdina (Cathedral) that willbe celebrated by H.G. Mgr Charles J. Sci-cluna. I feel that the occasion will providean excellent opportunity for potential newmembers to establish contact with localand overseas representatives of the Asso-ciation.

Catenian Association meets in Malta

Conference

Spiss nikkummenta dwar diversi differenzili nnutajt bejn Malta u l-Awstralja. Illumxtaqt nitkellem dwar wa˙da mill-konseg-

wenzi tal-kobor tal-pajjiΩ/gΩira/kontinent li hul-Awstralja, ji©ifieri d-diversità tal-pajsa©©, u s-sbu˙ija tag˙ha. Dan stajt napprezzah sew per-sonalment waqt dawra li g˙amilt madwarha fuqmedda ta' xhur xi snin ilu.

Il-kobor tal-pajjiΩ jippermetti temp pjuttostkiesa˙ f'Tasmania fin-Nofsinhar, bil-gΩiramag˙rufa b˙ala Maquarie Island li hija meqjusaparti minn Tasmania tinsab nofs triq lejn l-An-tartiku. Li nara speçjali f'Tasmania hu li mad-war nofsha huwa dikjarat b˙ala park naz-zjonali, u li hemm relattivament ftit niesjoqog˙du hemm: daqs nofs miljun (ftit iktarminn Malta) fi gΩira ta' 90,000km2 (Malta300km2).

Affarijiet li niftakar hemm huma Cradle Moun-tain, Wineglass Bay li meqjusa wa˙da mill-isba˙ bajjiet fid-dinja, u s-sewqan fuq is-sil©.

Fl-estrem l-ie˙or, fit-Tramuntana tal-Awstralja hemm temp tro-pikali, u hemmhekk u f'diversi postijiet fil-kosta tal-Lvant ix-xitatkun mistennija li taqbeΩ il-metru u nofs fis-sena.1 Meta kont qednivvja©©ja hemm, kien ix-xitwa (biex nevita d-dulluvju, li aktarxkien jag˙mel il-qsim ta' xi xmajjar impossibbli).

Ma ninsa qatt fi Queensland ng˙um fi xmara ta˙t kaskata friska,u nosserva eluf kbar ta' friefet il-lejl tal-frott sejrin lura lejn l-g˙erien tag˙hom, b'u˙ud minnhom jinΩlu tnejn tnejn f'titjira çirko-lari sakemm jie˙du xarba waqt li g˙adhom itiru.

Ma ninsiex lanqas l-ammonti kbar ta' si©ar tal-©ewΩ tal-Indi (co-conuts) fix-xtajtiet (u ammonti ikbar ta' ©ewΩ fuq ir-ramel), u s-sodisfazzjoni li nil˙aq il-punt l-iktar fit-Tramuntana tal-kontinent.Hemmhekk ©ietni t-tifkira li l-Awstralja g˙adha tiççaqlaq b'˙amesçentimetri fis-sena fil-mixja tag˙ha lejn l-ekwatur.In-Northern Territory g˙andu fih il-park ta' Kakadu, fejn il-klima

tropikali ti©©enera post li fakkarni f'verΩjoni Ωg˙ira tal-AmaΩonja:˙afna u ˙afna ilma, kukkudrilli komuni ˙afna u g˙asfur gustuΩ fermjissejja˙ Jesus Bird, g˙ax g˙andu l-kapaçità li jimxi fuq l-ilma.

Niftakar ukoll nosserva ajkla tal-ba˙ar fuq si©ra li wara xi Ωew©minuti ma tit˙arrikx, taqbeΩ dritt l-isfel b'saqajha fil-ba˙ar umbag˙ad tit˙abat biex ittir b'˙uta kbira burrumundi miΩmumab'saqajha, u meta rnexxielha, tieqaf ftit 'il bog˙od fuq l-art biextag˙mel festa.

Dan it-territorju wkoll ifakkarni fil-˙afna g˙ejjun ta' ilma s˙unjew kwaΩi jikwi, li wie˙ed jista' jinΩel fihom u afna drabi ma jkol-lokx aptit tinqala' minnhom!

Fl-Awstralja tal-Punent, li spikka g˙alija kien il-kobor esa©erattal-istat (li hu l-ikbar wie˙ed fl-Awstralja, u kbir daqs Victoria,NSW u Queensland flimkien), u l-kobor tal-industrija tal-minjieri.Il-port ta' Broome huwa bbaΩat fuq it-tg˙obbija tal-˙adid fuq il-bastimenti, u l-minjiera tad-deheb ta' Kalgoorlie hija kkunsidrata lihija l-ikbar minjiera miftu˙a fid-dinja!

Fit-Tramuntana wasalt sal-kaskata spettakolari fuq tliet livelli ta'Mitchell Falls li w˙ud jippreferu jgawduha bil-˙elikopter.Niftakarni wkoll ng˙id kemm Perth, bil-port kbir tieg˙u, ifakkarni

f'verΩjoni invertita ta' Sydney.Fin-Nofsinhar ta' WA, u fil-verità fin-Nofsinhar tal-Awstralja kollha,

wie˙ed ji©i mfakkar f'Malta, g˙ax il-blat aktarx ikun tal-©ebla tal-franka. Hawnhekk nikkunsidra li jinsabu l-isba˙ xtajtiet u bajjiet tal-Awstralja, bil-kulur tal-ba˙ar ka˙lani çar u l-kwiet jg˙ajjat.

Lejn iç-çentru tal-Awstralja, nofs il-pajjiΩ huwa kkunsidrat li hudeΩert, aridu (inqas minn 200mm ta' xita fis-sena) jew semi-aridu(bejn 200 u 500mm). Ma setax jonqos li mmur nara Ahers Rock,jew Uluru bl-isem abori©enu. Tg˙allimt li dak kien biss wie˙edminn tlett formazzjonijiet kbar tal-©ebel fl-in˙awi, hekk qishom ji-tilg˙u mill-art wa˙edhom, b'ie˙or mag˙ruf jissejje˙ Kata Tjuta, lijista' jitqies impressjonanti daqs Uluru.F'South Autralia g˙alija jispikkaw ir-ra˙al ta' Coober Pedy, li hija

prattikament kollezzjoni ta' minjieri tal-˙a©ar tal-opal, fejn l-abitaz-zjonijiet, inkluΩa l-knisja, jinsabu kollha ta˙t l-art! Adelaide impressjonani g˙al kemm l-abitanti tieg˙u lesti li jkellmu

lil min mhux tal-post biex joffru l-g˙ajnuna tag˙hom, ˙a©a li asso-lutament ma' ssibhiex f'Sydney jew Melbourne. Fl-a˙˙ar MountGambier g˙andu Ωew© g˙adajjar kbar, wie˙ed mimli b'ilma kulurblu u l-ie˙or ftit 'il bog˙od b'kulur a˙dar.Victoria niftakru g˙al g˙adira li f'partijiet tal-©urnata tidher roΩa,

li ©ej minn alka li jikber qalb il-kristalli tal-mel˙ hemmhekk. Rajtfenomenu simili f’WA. Dan l-istat g˙andu wkoll Wentworth, fejnjing˙aqdu x-xmajjar il-kbar Murray u Darling (li ji©u minn Queens-land u NSW) biex imbag˙ad jibqg˙u sejrin South Australia fejnjiΩbukkaw fil ba˙ar.L-ACT g˙andha l-kapitali Canberra, fejn hemm il-Parlament u di-

versi istituzzjonijiet o˙ra Federali, u ΩΩomm l-ikbar festival tal-fjuri(Floriade) fir-rebbieg˙a.

Fi NSW hemm il-Park Kosciuszko li g˙andu l-muntanja l-iktarg˙olja tal-pajjiΩ, kif ukoll l-ikbar skema fil-pajjiΩ ta' ©enerazzjonita' dawl elettriku mill-ilma. Hemm ˙afna parkijiet o˙ra, inkluΩidawk tal-Blue Mountains, li jissej˙u hekk min˙abba l-kulur likemm kemm jidher fl-isfond ©ej miΩ-Ωejt tal-ewkaliptu mill-˙afnasi©ar ta' dak it-tip li jinsabu hemmhekk. Park ie˙or famuΩ huwa r-Royal Park ta' ˙dejn Sydney, li huwa l-

eqdem park nazzjonali li ©ie ddikjarat fid-dinja li g˙adu jeΩisti.B˙al ma tistg˙u tapprezzaw, hawnhekk hawn ˙afna x'tara u

x'iΩΩur. Jien biss tajtkom tog˙ma çkejkna, u nista' nistqarr li lanqasbiss bdejt! Min jinteressah, in˙e©©u jippakkja u jaqbad it-triq illumqabel g˙ada! Ma jiddispjaçikomx, biss navΩakom li tridu ˙afnaΩmien u t˙ejjija.

Nie˙u gost jekk li nisma' l-esperjenzi tag˙kom 'il quddiem.

PerspettivaA version of this series inEnglish may be found inthe author's blog at: http://ivancauchi.blogspot.com

kitba ta’

IVAN

CAUCHI


Id-diversità tal-pajsa©©fl-Awstralja

Referenzi

1. http://www.bom.gov.au/jsp/ncc/climate_averages/rainfall/index.jsp, retrieved8/2/2016

Wineglass Bay... meqjusa b˙alawa˙da mill-isba˙ bajjiet fid-dinja


Laqg˙a f’©ie˙ Charles Mifsud Kienet g˙odwa solita’ izda l-ewwellaqg˙a tas-sena g˙as-Sutherland

& St George Maltese Group spiççatb˙ala okkaΩjoni ta’ apprezzament u˙ajr g˙ac-chairman tal-g˙aqda,Charles Mifsud li f’Jum ir-Repubblikata’ Malta fit-13 ta’ Diçembru li g˙addarçeva l-midalja tal-Ordni tar-Repubb-lika ta’ Malta waqt çerimonja fil-Palazz tal-President fil-Belt Valletta.

Charles Mifsud irçeva dan l-unurpresti©©juz g˙ax-xog˙ol fejjiedi tieg˙ufost il-komunita` Maltija g˙al dawn l-a˙˙ar hamsin sena.

Bhala mistednin g˙al-laqg˙a li saretf’Miranda Community Hall kienhemm il-president tal-MCC ta’ NSWEmanuel Camilleri u l-v/presidentMark Caruana flimkien mal-ko-editurta’ The Voice of the Maltese, Lawrence

Dimech. It-tlieta li huma tkellmu

dwar xi jfisser dan l-unur,mhux biss g˙al CharlesMifsud iΩda g˙all-komu-nita` Maltija. Fa˙˙ru wkollir-rwol ta’ martu Jessie lidejjem kienet mieg˙u tul˙ajtu.

Dan il-grupp flimkien mao˙rajn simili li spuntawf’˙afna subborgi ta’ Syd-ney qed ikunu ta’ impor-tanza g˙ax permezztag˙hom il-Maltin anzjaniqed ji©u mog˙tija tag˙rifme˙tie© g˙all-˙ajja lijg˙ixu.

Charles Mifsud (it-tieni mil-lemin) waqt il-laqg˙a.Jidhru wkoll (mix-xellug): Emanuel Camilleri (bil-wieqfa), Joe Deguara, u Norman Lee

As always, and as was to be expected onAustralia Day this year was once againcelebrated all over the country and the

Maltese communities around the various stat-es did their best to commemorate this day asbest they could.

The Maltese Community in Adelaide cele-brated the Day with the participation in theparade, of the Maltese Queen of VictoriesBand of South Australia, which made use ofa large open truck supplied by the AustraliaDay Parade Council.The committee of the MC of Adelaide deco-

rated the truck beautifully, with its band logodrapes, colourful red & white balloons, theMaltese and Australian flags, the SA Stateflag, and also the band’s flag, which incorpo-rates the band’s logo that signifies our Mal-tese heritage, and that in itself is a very fitting one insymbolism that epitomises the very sentiment of Aus-tralia Day!Once the bandsmen and conductor were seated on board

the open truck members of the committee in uniform,armed with Austrlian flags marched ahead while theband played Maltese marches as the colourful cavalcadeproceeded along the route through King William streetin the city to the Concert area in Elder park to the ap-plause of around 50, 000 spectators that lined the streets.

It was a great feeling amongst the bandsmen, and Iknow for a fact that they felt proud to be Maltese livingin this great land, Australia!

RonBorg

Commemorating Australia Day in Adelaide

Members of the Maltese Queen of Vic-tories Band of South Australia playingmarches on top of an open truck

Committee members o the MalteseCommunity of Adelaide marchingin the Australia Day parade

further devel-opment of thepharmaceutical industry, sending pa-tients abroad for treatment and spe-cialised health and fitness apps forsmart phones.

The attendees at the summit atDubai’s Madinat Jumeirah under thetheme “Shaping Future Governments”,included VIPs and senior experts fromthe public and private sectors globally,ministers, decision makers, representa-tives from the United Nations, theWorld Bank, the Organisation for Eco-nomic Co-operation and Development(OECD), World Economic Forum, aswell CEOs, innovators, officials, ex-perts, entrepreneurs, academics, anduniversity students. At the summit a number of initiatives,

reports and studies were launched withMohammed Abdullah Al Gergawi, Min-ister of Cabinet Affairs and Chairmanof the Organizing Committee saying inhis opening address, that human beingswill always pursue happiness; therefore,the message of all governments shouldbe the happiness of humanity.

Roundup of News About Malta


Malta, UAE agree to establish furthercooperation between the two countries While attending the 4th World Government

Summit in Dubai – February 8-10, and onthe sidelines of the meeting, a ministerial

delegation led by Prime Minister Joseph Muscatsigned a Memorandum of Understanding with thegovernment of the United Arab Emirates that estab-lishes further cooperation between the two countrieson five areas.

Malta delegation atWorld GovernmentSummit in Dubai

The MOU, a blueprint for further col-laboration at political, bilateral andstrategic level, is the result of an under-standing reached between the MaltesePrime Minister and the Prime Ministerof the UAE back in November 2015.

It was signed by the Minister for theEnvironment, Sustainable Develop-ment and Climate Change Leo Brincat,and the Minister for Cabinet Affairs ofthe UAE Mohammed Abdullah Al Ger-gawi, in the presence of Prime MinisterJoseph Muscat and the Vice-Presidentand Prime Minister of the UAE andRuler of Dubai, Sheikh Mohammed BinRashid Al Maktoum.Brincat formed part of the Maltese del-

egation that also included Health andEnergy Minister Konrad Mizzi and Prin-cipal Perm. Secretary Mario Cutajar.

The five areas of cooperation are: In-novation, Education and Training inPublic Administration, Government KeyPerformance Indicators, SMART Gov-ernment, and Accelerator Programme.

At the signing, Muscat said that to-day’s challenges require strong govern-ment leadership in order to harnesstechnology and inspire innovative solu-tions. “The world is changing and weneed to adapt to new realities. Havinggovernment available 24/7 via mobileapplications is the way forward.”

He added that the agreement “repre-sents a shared commitment to that

strong leadership, and by pushing theboundaries of science and technologytogether, we can create a better futurefor everyone.”

The meetings were made on the side-lines of the Summit that attracted morethan 3,000 personalities from over 125countries, and 125 speakers in over 70sessions.

Muscat took the opportunity to meetwith Sultan Bin Khalifa Al Nahyan,son of the Abu Dhabi President, to dis-cuss potential sectors of cooperationand investment between the two coun-tries, including health and tourism.He spoke about Malta’s growing econ-

omy and the investments being at-tracted to the island, while Energy andhealth minister Konrad Mizzi discussedcooperation on health programmes andinitiatives with UAE’s health ministerAbdul Rahman Bin Al Mohammed.

The two ministers discussed Medicaltourism and the upcoming investmentin the Maltese health sector, how to fa-cilitate training programmes on earlydetection of diseases, exchange of doc-tors and sharing of their expertise, the

Energy Minister to be named LP’s next deputy leader for party affairs

The Maltese delegation at its meeting with the UAE’s SultanBin Khalifa Al Nahyan (right) in Dubai. From left: MnistersKonrad Mizzi, Leo Brincat and Prime Minister Joseph Muscat

Minister for Health and Energy Konrad Mizzi to be officially named the Labour Party’sdeputy leader for party affairs on February 25 replacing Dr. Toni Abela who relin-

quished the post after eight years after his nomination for the European Court of Auditors.The energy minister is uncontested. His nomination was endorsed by a number of ministers.

Hailing statistics indicatingthat last year, 2015 was arecord year for inbound

tourism arrivals, Tourism MinisterEdward Zammit Lewis also notedthat several reports and statisticsstemming from both local and inter-national sources confirm the opti-mism surrounding the industry.Statistics show that tourism to Malta

in 2015 grew by 5.4% and reached the1.8 million mark. It was the 6th yearin a row that tourism has increased.When it comes to nights stayed bytourists during the year, this has goneup by 695,047 to reach 14.2 million.

Addressing a business breakfast or-ganised by the Malta Tourism Au-thority (MTA), the minister said apartfrom the enhanced economic benefitsaccruing to the country as a result ofthese achievements, the accommoda-tion sector has been seeing growthboth in terms of occupancy and grossoperating profit per available room.Tourist expenditure reached €1.65

billion – a significant €115 million

more (7.5%) when compared to2014. From €905 in 2014 the percapita tourist expenditure in 2015 in-creased to €918.While pointing out that Malta’s port

has been ranked as the best port ofcall in the Mediterraneanin several surveys, and wasranked as the most inter-esting port of call in Eu-rope during a recenttourism fair in France andthe second most interest-ing in the world, behindNew York, he noted duringthe same year, 307 cruiseliners visited Malta, carry-ing 670,000 passengers,which is a 30% increaseover the previous year.

The minister said thatthe cruise line industry di-rectly generated €82.8million in the economylast year, over and aboveits multiplier effects, andsaid that while it was im-portant to increase touristarrivals, it was even moreimportant to attract high-quality tourists that spend

money. When it comes to “hospitality work-

ers” the minister pledged that beforethe end of this year the governmentwould improve their work conditions.

A ministerial statement said, thathospitality employers 'must pass off asmall chunk of their profits gainedthrough reduced electricity bills totheir employees. The minister said:“Hospitality employers are benefittingfrom reduced electricity and waterbills, and it is only fair that they passa small part of this added profit totheir workers.”

Dr Edward Zammit Lewis referredalso to the introduction of an Envi-ronment Contribution charged onhotel guests from April 1 and said therevenue would be used for local infra-structure enhancement.The minister said that in the coming

weeks he will launch a public consul-tation process on “a holistic reform intourism-related legislation”.

“We intend to reduce bureaucracy,render the Malta Tourism Authoritya one stop shop and clamp down onnon-licensed accommodation,” headded.


Roundup of News About Malta

Year 2015 Malta’s best ever for tourism

Tourism was also the subject Prime MinisterJoseph Muscat discussed at a meeting with

the Malta Hotels and Restaurants Association(MHRA). He said that in a bid to change thementality of some of those working in the sec-tor, through the EU, the government is invest-ing €50 million to raise the Institute of TourismStudies (ITS) to an international level in thecourses it offers its students.He said that the positive trend in tourism has

remained consistent for the past five years andemployment in the sector can truly be consid-ered as a career.

MFRA president Tony Zahra said that thecountry’s success in the sector was also creatingseveral challenges, adding that tourists visitingMalta should be provided with an experienceof all that is Maltese.

Prime Minister Joseph Muscat (left) in his meeting withmembers of the Malta Hotels and Restaurants Association

Tourism Minister Edward Zammit Lewis (centre) flanked byMTA’s Events Operations Adviser Edward Zammit (left) andMTA chairman Dr Gavin Gulia at the Business Breakfast

Isle of MTV June 28

T he Ministry of Tourism has launchedthe branding campaign for this

year’s 10th edition of Isle of MTV, thespectacular event that attracts youngpeople from all over Europe and be-yond, which is to be held at the Grana-ries in Floriana during Malta’s MusicWeek, on June 28.Singer Jess Glynne, who dropped out oflast year’s concert because of illness,will be taking part in this year’s event.

Investing €50 m. in Tourism Studies


“Eviva: Eviva l-Karnival”

Fl-Ambjent: Fejn A˙na?Wie˙ed mill-aktar su©©etti ja˙arqu

f’dawn l-a˙˙ar xhur kien l-am-bjent. Smajna mhux ftit

diskussjonijiet dwardan is-su©©ett, saru di-versi protesti, speçjalment dwar il-kwest-joni tal-bini tal-Universita’ AmerikanafiΩ-Zonqor, f’Wied-il G˙ajn.L-istampa li tat il-ma©©oranza tal-midiadwar il-qag˙da tal-ambjent fil-GΩejjerMaltin kienet wa˙da xejn sabi˙a, bil-Gvern ji©i mixli kemm-il darba li mhuxqed jag˙ti kas l-ambjent.

IΩda f’daqqa wa˙da tfaçça r-riΩultat ta’st˙arri© internazzjonali dwar l-ambjent, lipo©©a li Malta fid-9 post minn 180 pajjiΩ.Dan l-ist˙arri© isir kull sena mill-univer-

sitajiet ta’ Yale u Columbia flimkien mal-Forum Dinji Ekonomiku, u j˙ares lejn kifil-pajiΩi jipprote©u l-eko-sistemi u s-sa˙˙atal-bniedem. Il-Filandja ©iet fl-ewwel posttal-klassifika b’90.68 punt, b’ Maltating˙ata 88.48 punt.Forsi wie˙ed jistaqsi: Allura min g˙andu

ra©un, l-ambjentalisti Maltin jew minng˙amel dan l-ist˙arri©?

Forsi t-twe©iba tista’ to˙ro© mill-fatt li˙afna minn dak li qrajna u smajna fil-midja Maltija kien l-aktar ffukat fuq il-kwestjoni tal-bini fuq art li mhux suppostisir Ωvillup fuqha (il-famuΩa ODZ), iΩdag˙al dawk li g˙amlu l-ist˙arri©, u per-

Xi a©a hekk jing˙ad fl-Innu tal-Karnival. Imma na˙seb li din

is-sena l-aktar li kantaw “Eviva”fil-jiem tal-Karnival kienu l-inpren-dituri, tal-˙wienet, lukandi, ris-toranti, eçç, G˙awdxin. Dan billidin is-sena f’temp sabi˙, eluf ta’Maltin ir˙ewla g˙al G˙awdex biexigawdu dawn il-jiem ta’ blug˙af’din il-GΩira fejn fost kollox ji©iççelebrat l-aktar Karnival popolari,dak tan-Nadur.

Matul dawn il-jiem nistg˙ung˙idu li G˙awdex kien invaΩat l-aktar minn Ωg˙aΩag˙ li bl-eluf in-vadew il-GΩira G˙awdxija. Huwamifhum li tul il-jiem tal-KarnivalZaru l-gΩira G˙awdxija billi qasmul-fliegu minn Malta mat-43,000ru˙, allura qrib sew id-doppju tal-popolazjoni G˙awdxija.Din is-sena dawk li Ωaru G˙awdex

setg˙u jgawdu vaganza aktar twila,g˙ax barra l-weekend u l-jiem tal-Karnival, inzerta li l-g˙ada ta’tmiem il-Karnival kienet festa pub-blika wkoll, dik ta’ San PawlNawfragu.

Fuq talba ta’ membru Parlamentari IngliΩ fil-Par-lament Ewropew, Il-Kummissjoni tal-Unjoni

Ewropeja qalet li fis-sistema l-©dida tal-˙las tal-karozzi tal-linja permezz tal-Linjacard ma kienhemm l-ebda diskriminazzjoni kontra l-barranin billidin il-card jista’ jiksibha kul˙add, irrispettivamentmin-nazzjonalità jew mir-residenza tal-persuna.

Fl-2013 il-Kummissjoni Ewropeja bdiet proçedurikontra Malta g˙ax skont il-Kummisssjoni bit-tariffimda˙˙la fl-2012 kienet qed issir diskriminazzjonibejn Maltin u barranin billi it-tariffi li j˙allsu l-bar-ranin kienu og˙la minn dawk li j˙allsu l-Maltin. Fil-fatt fl-2014 dawn it-tariffi kienu nbidlu u ©ewl-istess kemm g˙all-Maltin u wkoll g˙all-barranin.

M’hemmx diskriminazzjoni!

Milied 2016

Klassifika EPI 2016

PajjiΩ RiΩultat

1. Finlandja2. Islanda

3. Svezja

4. Danimarka

5. Slovenja

6. Spanja

7. Portugall

8. Estonja

9. MALTA

10. Franza

90.68

90.51

90.43

89.21

88.98

88.91

88.63

88.59

88.48

88.20

sonalment na˙seb li hekk g˙andu jsir, l-ambjent jinkludi ˙wejje© o˙ra fosthom l-arja, il-klima, il-biodiversita’, l-abitatnaturali, l-ener©ija, is-sajd, il-biedja, eçç.

Tg˙iduli g˙adna fil-bidu tas-sena, di©a`qed ta˙seb fi tmiemha?

G˙andkom ra©un, iΩda kultant iç-çirkus-tanzi jitolbu li wie˙ed ja˙seb bil-quddiemsewwa, u dan propju li g˙amlu l-Gvern u l-Knisja Maltija li flimkien irnexxielhomjiksbu d-dritt presti©©juΩ li fil-Milied li ©ejitellg˙u presepju Malti fil-Pjazza San Pietrufil-Vatikan.

Ta’ kull sena jittella’ presepju f’din il-pjazza li jkun wie˙ed mill-attrazzjonijietspeçjali f’dan il-lokal f’dawk il-jiem ta’festi.

Attwalment, dan il-presepju se jkun pre-sepju G˙awdxi billi l-mudell mag˙Ωul,wara kompetizzjoni mill-Kumitat ta’ Eval-wazzjoni, appuntat mill-Ministru respons-abbli mill-Kultura flimkien mal-Kurja ta’Malta, kien propju x-xog˙ol tal-G˙awdxiManwel Grech.

L-artist G˙awdxi Manwel Grech

L-abbozz tal-presepju Maltili se jinbena fil-Vatikan

Meta l-IngliΩi kienu jmexxu l-GΩejjerMaltin, mhux darba jew tnejn laqqmu

lill-Maltin b˙ala “Maltese Gemgem”. Na˙-seb li xi ftit tar-ra©un kellhom ukoll, g˙axtifta˙ il-©urnali u tisma’ r-radju kultant ˙liefilmenti ma tismax.Imma jidher li kif jg˙idu l-Inglizi (g˙all-In-

gliΩi ©iet illum) ‘deep down under’ il-verita’hi li l-Maltin huma kuntenti bil-˙ajja. Dan in-tqal mhux darba u tnejn fi st˙arri© li sar minnentitajiet barranin. Issa dan qed jing˙ad ukollminn st˙arri© immexxi lokalment.

Infatti skont studju li sar miç-çentru naz-zjonali tar-riçerka dwar il-familja fi ˙dan il-Fondazzjoni tal-President g˙all-©id tas-Soç-jetà, juri li 75% tal-Maltin huma kuntenti˙afna bil-˙ajja li qed jg˙ixu.

F'dan l-istudju, li raha s-sehem ta' 2,469parteçipant b'etajiet varji, jo˙ro© ukoll li 43%tal-parteçipanti huma kuntenti fil-˙ajja 'sin-gle', bil-ma©©oranza jkunu nisa.

Jo˙ro© ukoll li 62.4% iddeskrivew lilhominfushom li huma f'sa˙˙ithom, b'nisa mhuxmiΩΩew©a u o˙rajn li m'g˙andomx tfal humaf'sa˙˙ithom aktar.Jo˙ro© ukoll li 93% ta' dawk li qeg˙din f're-

lazzjoni jippreferu sie˙eb jew sie˙ba Maltija

filwaqt li 31.3% ta' dawk divorzjati jip-preferu sie˙eb jew sie˙ba barranija.

Jo˙ro© ukoll li dawk li g˙andhom tfal bl-eta` ta' ta˙t id-disa’ snin u bl-etajiet ta' l-fuqminn 20 sena qedjg˙ixu ˙ajja a˙jar,u dawk li g˙and-hom tfal bl-etajietta' bejn l-10 u d-19-il sena qeg˙-din jg˙ixu ˙ajjaaktar fqira.

Jo˙ro© çar li l-parteçipanti li hu-ma miΩΩewginjew li mhumiexqeg˙din f'relaz-zjoni, huma aktarsodisfatti minndawk li huma di-vorzjati, separatijew romol.

Dak li qed tg˙idl-istatistika. Issasta g˙alik li qedtaqra jekk tem-minx jew le!!!!


Mix-xena tal-˙ajja Maltija 2

Fil-ma©©oranza kuntenti

Illum, f’dinja fejn il-vjolenza kull matmur qed tikber, kwaΩi l-mexxejja tal-pajjiΩi kollha u ˙afna min-nies impor-

tanti g˙andhom l-iskorta tas-sigurta’tag˙hom.

Imma barra dik l-iskorta hemm kwalita’o˙ra ta’ skorta li nies li g˙andhom çertuflus ifittxu meta jkunu barra minn pa-jjiΩhom. L-hekk imsejj˙a Escort Girls -tfajliet li jag˙mlu skorta li ˙afna drabi majfittxuhomx biex dawn i˙arsuhom minn xi˙bit fuqhom, imma g˙al skop ta’ kum-panija. G˙alkemm tradizzjonalment dawn l-esko-

rti kienu jakkumpanjaw lil ra©el jew maraskont il-kaΩ, g˙al xi okkaΩjoni partikolarijew biex jaqtg˙u ftit mis-solitudni ta’ niesli, per eΩempju, ikunu ’l bog˙od minn djar-hom, illum l-istampa nbidlet u daΩ-Ωmiensar jinkludi wkoll servizzi o˙ra, inkluΩ is-sess.

G˙al ˙afna Maltin dan kien servizz linaqraw dwaru jew narawh fil-films, u li ftitu xejn kien mag˙ruf fil-GΩejjer Maltin.IΩda iΩ-Ωminijiet jinbidlu. Dan are© çar minn dak li deher fil-©urnal

ta’ nhar ta’ Óadd, Illum, li qal li f’Maltahawn mijiet ta’ Escort Girls. BiΩΩejjedng˙idu li skont dawk li qed jirriklamaw fuqs-siti soçjali nsibu li f’Tas-Sliema hemm324 mara, il-biçça l-kbira barranin, li qedjoffru dan is-servizz. Hemm ukoll 384 o˙raf’San Ìiljan. Nisa b˙al dawn insibuhom fibliet u r˙ula o˙ra Maltin u sa˙ansitra fir-Rabat Ghawdex.

Kif jidher mir-reklami ˙afna minn dawn

Malta g˙andha r-raba’ casino. Il-©did,b’investiment ta’ €12-il miljun sar

mill-Eden Leisure Group li di©a’ hi sid il-lukanda Inter Continental f’Paceville,flimkien ma’ kumpannija mill-Estonja.Huma ˙asbu biex jestendu l-lukanda b’danil-pro©ett li di©a’ j˙addem 200 ru˙, u li ©ieinawgurat nhar is-Sibt li g˙adda mill- PrimMinistru Joseph Muscat.

Skont is-sidien, dan il-pro©ett se joffriprodott innovattiv fis-settur tad-divertiment,u c-chairman tal-Eden Leisure Group, IanDecesare qal li, billi huma mhumiexdaqshekk intiΩi fit-tmexxija ta’ pro©ett b˙aldan, g˙aΩlu biex imexxuh kumpannija es-perta mill-Estonja li di©a’ tmexxi casinoso˙rajn fl-Ewropa.L-inawgurazzjoni ta’ dan il-Casino, li ntqal

li huwa l-akbar wie˙ed f’Malta, b’aktarminn 280 magna tal-log˙ob, 25 mejda tal-log˙ob u bl-itwal bar f’Malta, saret waqt lil-kumpannija qed tfakkar il-50 sena tal-op-erat tag˙ha.

Id-disinn tal-post ©ie ispirat minn casinosf’Las Vegas, l-Istati Uniti bl-uΩu ta’ diverti-ment muΩikali kontinwu.

Is-sidien, li wkoll g˙andhom il-kumplesstaç-çinema l-Eden Century u l-Bay Radiofost l-o˙rajn, qalu li se jkollhom nies li ji©uapposta Malta biex jilag˙bu fih u semmewli xi jiem o˙ra se ji©u Malta mat-800 ru˙g˙al dan il-g˙an.

Casino ©didb’investiment ta’ €12-il miljun

KaΩ kurjuΩ li beda f’Jannar tal-2013 in-qata` dan l-a˙˙ar fil-Qrati Maltin.

Il-kaΩ kien dwar tfajla li marret f’˙anut lijbieg˙ l-ilbiesi tat-tie©. Ippruvat libsa g˙alkemm il-darba, u fl-a˙˙ar g˙aΩlithat. Kienetlibsa ta’ €1,800. Ma ˙allsitx il-libsa fil-prontimma ˙allset depoΩitu ta’ €100.Biss lanqas g˙addew tmint ijiem li ma mar-

ritx lura l-˙anut u qaltilhom li min˙abba dif-fikultajiet finanzjarji ma kienetx se tie˙ul-libsa. Talbet li ting˙ata lura l-€100 g˙axsostniet li s-salesgirl kienet qaltilha li jekkjer©a` jibdielha kienet ting˙ata l-flus lura.

IΩda s-sid tal-˙anut irrifjuta li jag˙tiha d-depoΩitu, anzi qalilha li la darba ˙allset id-dipoΩitu u ffirmat l-irçevuta li kienet in˙ar-©itilha mhux biss ma ting˙atax id-depoΩituimma kellha t˙allas il-prezz kollu.It-tfajla ressqet il-kaΩ quddiem it-Tribunal

li jiddeçiedi kaΩijiet b˙ala dawn, imma t-Tribunal ta ra©un lil sid il-˙anut. It-tfajla ap-pellat mid-deçiΩjoni, imma xorta ddeçiedakontriha u qalilha li kellha t˙allas il-prezzkollu tal-libsa g˙ax meta ffirmat intrabtet litixtri l-libsa. Sintendi, it-tfajla ©iet mitlubali meta t˙allas ti©bor il-libsa, li se ti©borhatliet snin wara li kellha bΩonnha.

Mhux ta’ b’xejn dejjem ni©u mwissija liqabel ma niffirmaw xi ˙a©a noqog˙du at-tenti g˙al dak li l-IngliΩi jsejj˙u “the smallprint”.

Wara li di©a’ kienet Ωaret lill-President Marie-Louise Coleiro Preca uwkoll lill-Prim Ministru Joseph Muscat, Ira Losco, ir-rebbie˙a tal-

Malta Eurovision Song Contest, li allura se tirrappreΩenta lil Malta fil-Eurovision li se jsir fi Stokkolma, l-Isvezja f’Mejju li ©ej, laqg˙et ukolll-istedina tal-Kap tal-Oppozizzjoni, Simon Busuttil u ltaqg˙et mieg˙u.Hija ©iet irrappurtata li qalet li se tag˙mel minn kollox biex tikseb riΩultateççellenti g˙al pajjiΩna.

Óallsitha bla mqar libsitha

it-tfajliet barra l-iskorta jof-fru dak kollu li ji©i mitlubaminnhom, inkluΩ kull tip ta’sess li dak li jkun jixtieq.

Sintendi, dan is-servizzma jing˙atax b’xejn g˙ax g˙al sieg˙a ta’servizzi l-prezz ivarja bejn il-€100 u t-€800;g˙al jum s˙i˙ dan jaf ivarja minn €450 saanke €3,000.Insomma ma tridx tkun xi Peppi Camil-

leri, li bi 3000 Euro jipprova jie˙u tliet va-ganzi barra l-pajjiΩ, biex tfittex servizzb˙al dan!

Skorta

Ballarat-born CardinalGeorge Pell, chief financial

adviser to the Vatican and thethird most powerful man in theCatholic Church (pictured), hasbeen called to give evidence tothe Royal Commission into In-stitutional Res- ponses to ChildAbuse under the chair of Justice Peter McClellan for the

third time to answer allegations he wascomplicit in widespread church cover-up. It was revealed that his health could be at

risk if he travelled to Australia to give ev-idence. His doctors in Rome had advisedagainst a long-haul flight as it would pres-ent “serious risk to his health”. It has nowbeen agreed that the cardinal will givevideo evidence from Rome… as soon aspossible in the interest of victims.

The full bench of the High Court ruled6-1 that the federal government hasthe power under the constitution to

detain people in other countries, findingthat its conduct was within the law.

The High Court has ruled that Australia'soffshore detention regime at Nauru andManus Island is lawful, dashing the hopesof asylum seekers that detention centreswould be closed and they would be settledin Australia.

Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull hasbeen under pressure to allow child asylumseekers to stay in Australia regardless of thecourt's decision. The Greens said that forc-ing their return amounted to “child abuse”.

During Parliament’s question time, Mr.

Turnbull reiterated the government's strongcommitment to thwarting the people-smug-gling trade, saying, “the line has to drawnsomewhere and it is drawn at our border”. He said the High Court upheld Australia's

border regime as legally and constitution-ally valid, and claimed Labor's “experi-ments” with softer border protection led to50,000 unauthorised boat arrivals and“hundreds drowned at sea”. Following the verdict Human Rights Law

Centre legal advocacy director DanielWebb, whose organisation brought the caseto court, said “legality is one thing. Themorality is another.”In its editorial The Sydney Morning Herald

questioned the ruling of the High Court bysaying: “…but is it mor-al? The Her-ald accepts itcan be justi-fied for ad-ults, but thereis no moraljustificationfor punishingchildren forthe “sins” oftheir parents.

The testcase was runon behalf ofa Bangla-

deshi woman who was brought to Australiafrom Nauru in August 2014 for medicaltreatment. Supporters said the woman, whohas a baby daughter, was “terrified” of re-turning to Nauru, where asylum seekers saythey have suffered physical and sexualabuse, poor health care and inadequate liv-ing conditions.

The woman argued that the Common-wealth's conduct, including restraining herliberty and entering into contracts to allowher detention, was not authorised by anyvalid Australian law.

The court ruled that the woman was notentitled to declare that her past detentionwas unlawful. It said a memorandum of un-derstanding between the Commonwealthand Nauru on the processing of asylumseekers was authorised under the constitu-tion, and other government conduct fellunder the Migration Act.

Cases have also been brought for about200 people who have been detained off-shore and are now in Australia temporarily,including men who have been victims ofviolence on Manus Island and women sex-ually assaulted on Nauru.The Human Rights Law Centre argued the

Australian government asked Nauru to es-tablish a detention camp, organised aperimeter fence to keep people inside andeffectively controlled the detention of asy-lum seekers at the island - conduct it saidwas unlawful.

A quick glimpse at AustraliaA quick glimpse at Australia


Legal yes, moral no!

Cardinal Pell too ill to fly

Some of the children facing deportation according to SMH

Join us on The Voice of theMaltese facebook page:

https://www.facebook.com/groups/thevoiceofthe-

maltese

A quick glimpse at AustraliaA quick glimpse at Australia


Labor leader Bill Shorten has unveiled a suiteof new policy measures designed to protect

Australian workers from being ripped off bydodgy bosses. Mr. Shorten said that after meet-ings with workers around the country, andafter the Ombudsman recovered $22.3 millionin back pay for underpaid workers in 2014-15,he had decided to act.

“Malcolm Turnbull talks about better condi-tions for workers – but as with everything else,he says one thing and does something com-pletely different. As the Liberals refuse to act,Labor will. More must be done to protect theseworkers from exploitation," he said.“A Shorten Labor Government will stand up

for middle and working-class families. Laborwill put people first, strengthening and protect-ing workers' rights at work.

“We will consult employers and their repre-sentatives, workers and unions on the scale ofthe increase to penalties to ensure there is anappropriate deterrent in place to protect work-ers from unscrupulous employers.”The opposition leader accused the Liberals of

being silent and inactive on the need to addressworker exploitation. However, last October,Employment Minister Michaelia Cash estab-lished a high-level ministerial working groupto lead a crackdown on the exploitation of for-eign workers.

The group's focus is on employers engagedin systematic underpayment of employees,rather than companies which accidentally dothe wrong thing.

MICHELLE ROWLAND MPFEDERAL MEMBER

FOR GREENWAY

Proudly serving the areas of:

Acacia Gardens, Blacktown*, Girraween,Glenwood, Kellyville Ridge, Kings Langley,

Kings Park, Lalor Park, Parklea, PendleHill, Prospect*, Quakers Hill*, Riverstone,

Rouse Hill*, Schofields, Seven Hills,Stanhope Gardens, The Ponds,

Toongabbie*, Vineyard*Parts of

230 Prospect Hwy, Seven Hills 2147Ph: 9671 4780

Email: [email protected]

Twitter: @mrowlandmp

www.facebook.com/mrowlandmp

Ripped off by bosses

Police in Australia have made whatthey are calling one of the biggest

drug busts in the country's history,with officers saying that they haveseized methamphetamine with astreet value of around 1.26 billionAustralian dollars after intercepting ashipment from Hong Kong.

Four Hong Kong passport holderswere arrested in Sydney last monthover the import from China of 720litres (190 gallons) of the drug hiddenin boxes of silicon bra inserts and artsupplies, police said.This is described as being among the

country's largest-ever haul of the illicitdrug in its liquid for, known in itsstreet name as "Ice" in Australia.Justice Minister Michael Keenan said

crime gangs had sought to profit fromAustralia's "lucrative ice market". Headded, "3.6 million individual hits ofice were taken off our streets with astreet value of $1.26 billion".

The Australian Federal Police (AFP)said it has worked closely with Chineseauthorities as part of Taskforce Blaze,which cracks down on internationalmethamphetamine trafficking syndi-cates.

Australia police seize meth worthA$1bn hidden in bras inserts

Barnaby Joyce isAustralia's newDeputy Prime

Minister after being el-ected unopposed as theNationals’ new leader ata meeting of the Nation-als party in Canberra.

His elevation, follow-ing the resignation oflong-standing Nationalsleader Warren Truss,sets up a whole newpower dynamic in thegovernment between theurbane Malcolm Turn-bull as a Prime Ministerpopular in middle Aus-tralia and Mr Joyce, ahappy-go-lucky populistdeputy well-known and highly regarded as anauthentic representative of regional Australia.

Mr Joyce described his promotion as an“awesome responsibility”. “This responsibil-ity is not taken lightly,” he said, while praisinghis predecessor. NSW senator and current Minister for Rural

Health, Fiona Nash emerged from the exhaus-tive ballot as the first ever-female deputyleader of the Nationals.

Mr Joyce, often characterised as a maverick,described himself as someone who works in"the collegiate form" - no doubt a commentdesigned to reassure those who worry abouthis tendency to “shoot from the lip” as oneNational admitted.

Australia has new Deputy PM

Following a major reshuffle after losingfive ministers since he came to the top

job, Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull hasrevealed his new-look Cabinet, describingit as having “new talent, experience andcontinuity ... that will encourage innova-tion and enterprise”.He said it was part of a need for “transi-

tion, change and renewal” within theCoalition.There are now six women in cabinet with

Ms Nash joining Foreign Minister JulieBishop, Assistant Treasurer Kelly O’D-wyer, Defence Minister Marise Payne,Health Minister Sussan Ley and Ministerfor Women Michaelia CashTurnbull also promoted Liberals Senator

Concetta Fierravanti-Wells to the outerministry, handing her the portfolios of In-ternational Development and the Pacific.

For the first time in Australian politics,women now hold the deputy leadershippositions in all three major parties.

Malcolm Turnbullreshuffles Cabinet

Prime Minister Malcom Turnbull(right) congratulating Barnaby Joyce

In-nies fil-parroçça ta' San ĠuΩepp Óaddiem ta' North Reser-voir organizzaw festa f’©ie˙ il-kappillan tag˙hom, il-

Kanonku Manny Bonello f’g˙eluq sninu. Huwa g˙alaq is-60fil-21 ta’ Jannar.

Fr Manny, li hu mix-Xag˙ra, G˙awdex ilu g˙al ˙afna sninimexxi din il-parroçça li tinkludi kemm Maltin, Taljani, Fil-ippini, ÇiniΩi, u nies o˙ra ta' nazzjonijiet differenti li kollhag˙andhom stima speçjali lejh. G˙al din l-okkaΩjoni fi knisja mballata bin-nies, fuq artal li

b˙ala sfond kellu banner speçjali biex jikkommemora l-okkaΩjoni, saret quddiesa li Fr Manny stess qaddes u li b˙alakonçelebrant kellu lil Fr Dom Degiorgio.

PreΩenti wkoll kien hemm membri tal-familja tieg˙u fos-thom erba’ utu li wkoll adu ˙sieb il-qari u l-offerti, flimkienma’ membri ta' Reskeon Maltese Association Seniors Group u ta’Stella Maris Maltese Association.

Fi tmiem il-Quddiesa tajtu sorpriΩa billi ˙sibt li jindaqq l-innu "Patruna tax-Xag˙-rin", versi tal-Arçipriet Carmelo Re-

falo, mu-Ωika ta MroRay Sciber-ras, u kan-tat minnJohn Cas-sar u s-so-prano RitaD i m e c ha k k u m -p a n j a t imill-BandaV i c t o r ytax-Xag˙ra, G˙awdex. Wara sar riçeviment fis-sala tal-knis-ja fejn Fr Manny qasam il-kejk tal-okkaΩjoni, imdawwarminn ˙utu u l-familji tag˙hom.

Fost o˙rajn, Miriam Mizzi ˙admet ˙afna biex l-okkaΩjonikienet wa˙da ta’ suççess.

experience some of theold traditions, hopingnever to forget wherethey have come from.

The Maltese Festival ofLatrobe Valley will bethe revival of "Jum il-Maltin" held in Sunburyyears ago, and the Por-tarlington Maltese Festi-val both suffered anatural death.

His idea has been wellreceived by the Maltese.The amount of coachesthat would be leavingMelbourne on the day tobe part of this Festival isquite impressive.

Frank told me that hereceived a lot of helpfrom John Buhagiar, the

president of Latrobe Valley Maltese Cluband its committee; Mario Sammut, broad-caster on Gippsland FM and on 3ZZZMelbourne; Latrobe City Council; theMaltese Community Council of Victoria,and a number of sponsors, particularlythe Director of Stable Engineering whereFrank works as Production Manager.

Mark Andrew, Elvis Tribute Enter-tainer; Destiny Band; Stex Band; MalteseBrass Band and well-known singer fromPortarlington, Charles Attard, wouldprovide the music at the festival. There will also be market stalls, and en-

tertainment for the kids, and of course,Maltese traditional food and drinks

(For more information go to: www.la-trobe.vic.gov.au/whats on, or the Face-book page for Latrobe Valley MalteseFestival.

AMaltese Festival,the brainchild ofFrank Tabone,

who is Australia-bornson of a Maltese father,also Frank from Birkir-kara and an Australianmother, Jeanette, is to beheld on February 27 atKernot Hall, Morwell(10am - 6 pm).

Frank, who was inter-viewed by Mario Sam-mut and myself duringMario’s Maltese pro-gramme “Ejjew Oqog˙-du” on 3ZZZ, talkedabout his idea to organ-ise this Festival for theMaltese in Gippsland aswell as those living inMelbourne, and also abo-ut his family and the time his “nannu”(grandfather), born in Nadur, Gozo,came to Australia in 1950.He said that when his “nannu” arrived

he was told that there were scouts at thewharfs of Melbourne offering employ-ment with the State Electricity Commis-sion of Victoria (SECV). So he travelledto Yallourn North and started workingat Yallourn Mine straight away.

A year later, the rest of the family, in-cluding Frank's Dad, arrived fromMalta, and the family set up residence inYallourn Nth. His grandparents alreadyhad six kids before they came to Aus-tralia. Later, a seventh child was born inAustralia.

Frank was brought up in a Maltese en-vironment. Although he doesn't speakthe language much, he admits he loveseverything that is Maltese and later this


A revival of ‘Jum il-Maltin’Latrobe Valley Maltese Festival February 27

PaulVella reports (from Melbourne)

year he intends to visit the island.Frank grew up with his grandparents

and as such was brought up to love allthat is Maltese, the food, the traditions,the culture, its heritage, the history andthe people. He is so proud of Malta.

He has experienced the language, theculture, the stories, the food and theway it was with family back in the 1970sand 1980s. He said that nowadays hedoesn’t see large families being togetheras much as when he was growing up.

He believes the communities, friends,etc. doesn’t mix together as much now,so organising the Maltese Festival couldperhaps change that. He wants the Fes-tival to be a day where Maltese peoplecould come together as a group enjoythemselves in each other’s company,and reminisce over the old days, theirheritage and their culture, and also to

Il-Parruççani jiffeste©©jaw ma’ Fr Manny Bonello f’g˙eluq sninu

Frank Tabone (right)being interviewed byMario Sammut on 3ZZZ


Se nissoktawbl-eΩempji,

jew mudelli fil-Konjugazzjonital-Verbi li bde-

jna fl-a˙˙ar ˙ar©a billi llum nit-trattaw xi verbi mag˙rufa b˙ala

Dg˙ajfin. B˙al ma g˙milna fl-o˙rajn se nittrattawhom fil-modIMPERATIV u wkoll INDIKATIV,kemm fl-Imperfett (li juri g˙emil lig˙adu ma twettaqx), u wkoll fil-Per-fett (li juri g˙emil li twettaq). Illumg˙andna ˙ames verbi.

Biex tikteb Malti tajjebIl-konjugazzjoni tal-Verbi (Mudelli)

niΩentiΩenjiΩentiΩenniΩnutiΩnujiΩnu

ng˙ix tg˙ixjg˙ixtg˙ixng˙ixutg˙ixujg˙ixu

nqumtqumjqumtqumnqumutqumujqumu

ni©riti©riji©riti©rini©ruti©ruji©ru

nag˙litag˙lijag˙litag˙linag˙lutag˙lujag˙lu

©rejt©rejt©era©riet©rejna©rejtu©rew

g˙elejtg˙elejtg˙elag˙elietg˙elejnag˙elejtug˙elew

wΩintwΩintwiΩenwiΩnetwΩinnauΩintuwiΩnu

g˙extg˙extg˙exg˙exetg˙exnag˙extug˙exu

qomtqomttqamqametqomnaqomtuqamu

JienaIntiHuwaHijaAhna Intom Huma

(Fil-˙ar©a li jmiss nittrattaw il-Verbi Kwadrilitteri)

Fl-okkaΩjoni tal-ftu˙ uffċjali tal-mas©ar fl-Imtarfa mill-Kunsill

Lokali tar-ra˙al fis- 17 ta’ Jannar lig˙adda ©ie mniedi ktejjeb, kemmbil-Malti kif ukoll bl-IngliΩ (A walkin the wood), dwar xi ftit mill-ispeçita’ flora u ta’ fawna li wie˙ed jista’jiltaqa’ mag˙hom f’dan il-mas©ar.Dan il-mas©ar kien fil-biçça l-kbira

tieg˙u me˙ud minn si©ar tal-Ewkaliptus, si©ra Awstraljana li ftittag˙mel ©id lill-biodiversità Maltija,kemm min˙abba l-ilma li tixrobmill-art, kif ukoll min˙abba l-weraqli bil-kimika tag˙hom ma j˙alluxpjanti o˙ra jikbru qrib is-si©ra.Bi ftit ˙sieb, u˙ud minn dawn is-

si©ar ©ew mibdula ma’ g˙add ta’o˙rajn u s©ajjar indi©eni Maltin.Fost dawn wie˙ed jista’ isib is-si©ratal-fraxxnu, il-©enista safra, uwkoll ir-ri˙an. Dawn flimkien mal-

flora l-o˙ra li issa tista’ tikber a˙jarf’dan il-mas©ar, ji©bdu lejhomg˙add ta’ fawna, fosthom na˙altal-g˙asel. Aktar mas-si©ar Maltinjikbru u jie˙du posthom fil-mas©ar,il-fawna li tidher fil-mas©ar tikberaktar.

Dan il-ktejjeb huwa m˙ejji bil-g˙an li jg˙in lil dawk li jmorruf’dan il-mas©ar ˙alli jkunu jistg˙ujag˙rfu a˙jar ftit mill-ispeçi lijaraw, u jkunu jafu xi ftit tag˙rifdwarhom.

Nafu li w˙ud mill-qarrejja jinter-essahom ikunu jafu dwar affarijietb˙al dawn li wie˙ed isib Malta,ghalhekk min jixtrieqk ikun hafaktar dwar dan il-ktejjeb jista’jikkuntattja lill-Kunsill Lokali tal-Imtarfa fuq il-pa©na tal-facebook:https://www.facebook.com/MtarfaLC/?fref=ts

JienaIntiHuwaHijaAhna Intom Huma

PERFETT

Mixja fil-mas©ar (A walk in the wood)

Ag˙tini xortija u itfag˙ni l-ba˙arAlla ma j˙allasx bin-nhar ta’ ÓaddAkbar m’int akbar hemmhekkAlla jag˙laq bieb u jifta˙ mijaBin is-seng˙a ghandu nofshaIl-fsied i˙assar l-uliedIl-flus imorru u ji©uIt-tfal jikxfu l-g˙awarBniedem avΩat nofsu armatIl-˙uta minn rasha tintenDak li tiΩra’ ta˙sadIΩ-Ωejjed ˙u n-nieqesMis-saba’ jie˙u l-idMal-mag˙mul mhemmx kunsillKelb li jinba˙ ma jigdimxIx-xog˙ol salmura tal-©isemEbda warda bla xewkaSkont id-daqqa niΩfnuSkont iz-zokk il-ferg˙aTg˙oddx il-flieles qabel ifaqqsuG˙al kull g˙adma hawn mitt kelbL-ilbies jag˙mlek niesL-ikbar trux min ma jridx jisma’

Qwiel popolarifost il-Maltin

Verbi Dg˙ajfin

WIÛEN QAM GHEX ÌERA GÓELAMOD IMPERATIV

MOD INDIKATIV

IMPERFETT

iΩen qum g˙ix i©ri ag˙li

Id-direzzjoni ta’ The Voicet˙e©©e© lill-qarrejja li j˙ossu li, jewg˙andhom talent g˙all-kitba, l-aktarbl-Ilsien Malti, imma mhux biss,inkella li ja˙sbu li bi ftit g˙ajnunajistg˙u jrabbu l-kunfidenza g˙all-kitba, biex jekk u meta iridu, jew ji-tolbu l-g˙ajnuna tag˙na, inkellasempliçement jibag˙tu x-xog˙oltag˙hom lil: The Voice of the Maltesebiex narawh. Email address:[email protected] Jekk tkunu tridu wara nippublikawil-kitbiet tag˙kom.

Stedina lil minihobb jikteb -


Maltese Radio ProgrammesMELBOURNE, on 3ZZZ 92.3FM or onwww.3zzz.com.au. Mondays 5pm, Fri-days 5pm, Saturdays 10am.; LastWednesday each month at 1pm.

MELBOURNE on 98.9 North West FM,each Friday 6.00 - 7.00p.m. Presenter Em-manuel Brincat.

MELBOURNE: STEREO 974(93180930): 97.4FM Wed (Maltese Mag-azine) & Thursday (Mer˙ba): 6.00pm to8.00 pm Co-ordinator – Ray Anastasi

In SYDNEY, listen to the MCC radioprogrammes on 2GLF FM 89.3. Satur-days 6 to 8 a.m. Martese Caruana presentsNostalgia Music; Sundays from 10.00 -11.00 am: Il na Maltin. Both available ondemand. Follow same procedure as forMCC programmes, except select programein reference.

In BRISBANE listen to the Maltese Pro-gram on 4EB on Tuesdays 6.00 -8.15am;Sundays 4.15pm to 5.15pm

UNCLE SAM DJ (Maltese Radio) tunein to link: www.unclesamdj.com

Listen to John Borg & Glenn Cassar every Sat-urday at 1.00 p.m. on RADIO 2RRR 88.5FM oron the Internet - www2rrr.org.au ON DeMAND

The SBS MALTESE NEWS L-A˙barijiet on SBS TV twice a week nationwide Sunday at8.00 am on SBS2 (Chan. 32); Thursdays at 8.00 am on SBS2

Isma’ l-programm tar-radjubil-Malti mill-Kunsill Maltita’ NSW minn fuq l-istaz-

zjon 2GLF 89.3FM.Jista’ wkoll jinstema’ On De-

mand minn fuq l-Internetwww.893fm.com.au

(On Demand >Ethnic >Maltese Council 11am)

Il-programm ta’ sieg˙a nhar ta’ Óadd fil-11.00 a.m. ikun fih l-a˙˙ar a˙barijietminn Malta, muΩika, tag˙rif, kultura,avviΩi u su©©etti ta’ interess g˙all-Maltin

On SBS Radio

Day Time Analogue and Digital

Friday: 12:00-13:00 97.7fm SBS Radio 2Saturday: 14:00-15:00: 97.7fm SBS Radio 2

To tune into digital radio you need a re-ceiver or device with a DAB+ chip. Tuningin is by station name not frequency. Digitalradio can also be heard via digital TV.

SBS Radio 2 is on Channel 38.The radio programmes can be accessed on-line (live or catch up) at sbs.com.au/mal-tese and via mobile phone, using the SBSRadio app. For television news fromMalta - SBS 2 TV on Thursdays andSundays at 8am.

VIVA MALTAVIVA MALTA on COAST FM 96.3Community Radio in Gosford CentralNSW. Aired on Thursdays every fort-

night from 6 pm -7 pm. (Next on Febru-ary 25). Presenter: Nathalie Gatt.

Web streaming on: www.coastfm.org.au.

Tune In to Radio and Television

Community NewsCommunity News

Meetings of DayCare MalteseGroups in NSW

Fairfield Active Maltese SeniorsMeets 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, Fair-field Heights.

Maltese Seniors Central CoastYou need to contact our Welfare

Officer for an appointment.For all information and referral

matters one should call Censina Cefai:Tel: 02 439 000 12 or 0414 267 652

*(All Groups are Sponsored by The Maltese Community Council of NSW) with theassistance of Multicultural NSW. Please contact the MCC Welfare Officer: MarisaPrevitera JP on 0414 863 123. The MCC offices are at 59b Franklin Street (cornerwith Young St) Parramatta West NSW (next to West Parramatta Primary School).

Daceyville Maltese SeniorsMeets on the last Wednesday of the

month in the Meeting Room One, No. 3General Bridges Crescent, Daceyville.Note: The Groups also arrange regular Bus TripsCome and join us and make new friends.Merrylands Social Maltese SeniorsMeets every second Friday of the

month; Miller Room, Memorial AvenueMerrylands from 10.30am to 12.30 am

Llandilo Maltese SeniorsMeets on the first Wednesday of each

month at the Llandilo Community Hall,Seventh Avenue, from 11am to 1 pm.

Greystanes Maltese SeniorsMeets on the second Monday of each

month at the George Preca Centre ofOLQP Church, 198 Old Prospect Road,Greystanes from 10 am to 12 noon

The Sutherland & St GeorgeMaltese GroupOngoing: We meet every First Wednesdayof the Month from 10:00am-1:00pm

Our Meetings/Get Togethers are inter-esting, informative & entertaining. Come Join us and make new FriendsFor more information contact our Coor-dinator: Charles Mifsud J.P.Phone (02)9501 5525 – mobile 0421 662 298.

THE AUSTRALIAN GENIES(We grant wishes for handicap children)

FUND RAISING NIGHTNhar is-Sibt 12 ta' Marzu fis-6pmfil-Balmoral Hall Function CentreBalmoral Street Blacktown NSW.Divertiment mir-ROC A TAC Band,

DJ Albert uKathlyn Vella u hutha.Donazzjoni ta’ $60.

Tfal ta˙t 12 il-sena nofs prezz.G˙all iktar tag˙rif çemplu lilSam Axiaq: 0425 844 203.John Zarb: 9679 8851.

Saint Nicholas FestaCommittee Events 2016

Sunday March 13: FeteSunday July 3: Lejla Fil-BuskettSunday October 16: FeteSunday December 4: Festa

Maltese of Bankstown NSW

First Meeting of the year:

WEDNESDAY, February 17.

Meeting starts at 10am sharp

at the NEW BCRG office,

15 Kitchener Pde, Bankstown NSW

(opposite the Bankstown RSL Club)

Bring a plate of food to

share.

For enquiries/apologies call:

Sam on 9534 2357


Wednesday, March 16 at 7.30pmat the Annunciation Hall171 Walters Road

Blacktown NSW

Awards are given to our Elderly Maltese fromNSW as nominated by the Maltese Community

Guest Artists for this yearMaltese Cultural Association Choir

All invited – Entrance Free – Refreshments served

In response to a number of inquiries, TheVoice of the Maltese wishes to advice that

we can now supply hard copies in colourof our magazine to our readers at a price.So anybody interested in acquiring copiesof the magazine can communicate with uspersonally or by email to:[email protected].

The magazine can also be delivered bypost. As the cost of postage varies one iskindly requested to get in touch with us towork out the details.

Readers can also request a printedcopy of The Voice of The Maltese

magazine by post


L-g˙aqdiet tal-Maltin, u jew min irid jag˙mel xi reklamfuq The Voice of the Maltese huwa m˙e©©e© biex jg˙arraflill-diri©enza, inkella jibg˙at il-materjal li jrid li ji©i ip-pubbikat mil-inqas ©img˙a qabel il-pubblikazzjoni tal-magazine. Dan ji©i pubblikat it-Tlieta kull ©imag˙tejn.

MALTESE LANGUAGE SCHOOL OF NSW

Classes are available for students from 6 years toadults 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 the island.

Classes at: HORSLEY PARK - SEVEN HILLS - LUDDENHAM

For more information and enquiries Phone 0433 091 788Or 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 ofMaltese 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.

Serata ta’ GhanaSe ti©i organizzata:

Óamrun Association Ltd ABN: 22 080 314 156

The Voice of the Maltese on-line magazine is by far the

most widely read publicationamong the Maltese Diaspora,with subscribers from Aus-tralia, Canada, the UK Eng-land, Scotland, Wales andNorthern Ieland), Ireland Rep.,Belgium, France, Italy, India,the Caribbean island of StKitts & Nevis. But not only. Itis also gaining popularity inMalta and it keeps growingwith every issue.

The Voice: The Voice: the mostthe mostpopularpopular by farby far

Maltese Welfare (NSW) Inc.The 16th Annual - Quiet

Achievers Night of Recognition(Part of NSW Seniors Week)

The Cittadini

Iz-Zija ta’ KarluSunday April 10 at 2.00 p.m.at Wentworth Leagues Club

For tickets call:Monica: 9896 0712 or 0414 859 386Doris: 9636 2295Joe Borg: 9624 2280 or 0490 053 512

Donations: $12 Kids: $6,00

Special Guests:

Joe Galea and Ronnie Borg and Tony Fenech

Direct from MaltaNovember 2016:

Marie Rose Mallia and RenatoBrisbane Nov. 5; Melbourne Nov. 11, 12, 13

Sydney Nov. 20 (La Valette Blacktown)

Present

Learn

Maltese!A Division of the Maltese Community Council of NSW Inc.

Il-Óadd 6 ta’ Marzu fl-4.00 p.m. fil-klabb stess li fiha se jie˙du sehem, minn Malta:

Frans Mifsud (ta’ Vestru) u t-tifel tieg˙u (daqqaq prim)flimkien mal-aqwa g˙annejja, kittaristi u

daqqaqa ta’ SydneyQed isir appell lid-delettanti u l-pubbliku ©enerali biex ma jitilfux din is-serata tradizzjonali Maltija.

Il-klabb ikun miftu˙ mit-3.00 p.m.Mil-kcina wie˙ed ikun jista’ jsib ikel u xorb Malti.G˙al tag˙rif çemplu lil: George: 0407 434 651, Krist: 0431 457 868

jew il-klabb: 9838 1111

-


The Maltese Language Schoolof NSW invites applications

for Maltese language classesat the Alfred Fenech MalteseResource Centre located at59b Franklin Street (corner

with Young Street) Mays Hill(next to Parramatta West

Public School). Both young and adult stu-

dents may apply.

For more information contact MaryPace-Feraud on 9601 2189 or email:

[email protected]

The Maltese Language School of NSW

The Maltese Community Coun-cil of NSW is conducting a com-puter class at Maltese Resource

Centre 59b Franklin Street,Mays Hill 2145 NSW every Fri-day between 10.00 am-12.00For more information contactEm. Camilleri: 0409 744 376

Lejla M©arrija

Għall-iMġarrin u l-Ħbieb

Nhar is-Sibt 27 ta’ Frar, 2016 f’Mandavilla Events Centre

Horsley Drive, Horsley Park

Divertiment ipprovdut minn: Tony Fenech, Charlie Muscat u Joe Xuereb

$65.00 kull persuna. Tinkludi antipasto Malti, ikla ta’ tliet korsi,birra, inbid, soft drinks te` u kafe`. Ikun hemm: “Lucky Door

Prize”, “Raffle”, wirja ta’ ritratti u ħafna iktar.

Biex tibbukkja ċempel lil: Theresa Quattromani 0402-178-781jew lil Josephine Borg 0402-040-954

Ejjew niltaqgħu u niddervertu flimkien.

Il-qlieg˙ imur g˙all-Cancer Council

organizzata minn Horsley Park CommunitySocial Group, Horsley Park

G˙alkemm il-PBS ta’ Malta tfornilill-SBS fl-Awstralja bis-servizz

tag˙ha, il-qarrejja huma m˙e©©a biex x’˙in iridu jid˙lu fil-website:www.tvm.com.mt u jsegwu l-a˙barijiet ta’ Malta minn hemmhekk. Il-web-site tkun a©©ornata l-˙in kollu bi stejjer li jkunu qed ise˙˙u.

L-a˙barijiet tal-PBS (Malta)

The Malta Community Chest Fund

MALTESE CHARITY DINNER DANCESaturday July 23, 2016

6.30 p.m. - 11.30 p.m.Grand star receptions

499 Grieve Parade, Altona North. vic 3025

Tickets: Adults $65 Children $40includes 4-coure meal, soft drinks, beer & wine

maltese music - maltese brass band - raffle ticketssilent auctions & major grand auction

enquiries & tickets: contact daniel 0404 096 560; lourdes 0402

813 179; joe 0420 547 696. email: [email protected]

(donations also welcome)

Proudly sponsored by:


METD OUTINGS - 201617th April – Apple Picking – Bilpin

$25/pp - $15/child including morning tea

14th August – St Maria Festa – Central Coast$35/pp including morning tea5

11th September – Il-Festa tal-Vitorja – City $25/pp

5th October - 23rd Anniversary Luncheon

Please support the Maltese Elderly Thanksgiving DayCommittee by attending our fund-raising activitiesoutlined above. For more info, call one of the mem-

bers: Lina: 9629 4046; Doris: 0419 420 915; Maggie:9621 3125; Maria:0431 800 720

email: [email protected] PO Box 93, Kellyville 2155

THE MALTESE GUILD OF SA INC.Cordially Invites You to...

Lunch menu will be announced later on.Donaton: Members $7,00; Non-Members $10.00; Children $5.00

The 2016 Long Weekend Adelaide Cup Luncheon

to be held at the MALTESE MULTICULTURAL COMMUNITY CENTREat 6 Jeanes St Beverley on Monday March 14.

Lunche served at 12.15 p.m.

Bookingsare available from: The Guild office in person or phone the office on Tuesday’s onlyfrom 8.30am to 3pm on 8243 0868; the President Joe Briffa:8254 6988 or 0421 791 327; v/President Mary Craus: 82812923or 0420 699 617; the Secretary Rita Bornhoeft: 8248 1008 or0401 860. One can also phone Tuesdays only at our office on8243 0868 (9 a.m.-3.00 p.m.) or see anyone fro the committee.


Spor ts 1 Spor ts 1

Mario Fenech, 54 years the son ofMaltese immigrants who im-migrated to Australia in the

late 1960s and a former rugby leagueplayer in New South Wales, was re-cently the subject of a leading story onThe Sydney Morning Herald titled“After a brutal career in Rugby LeagueMario Fenech has brain damage” inwhich he opened up about the braindamage he suffered during his 15 sea-sons as a first grade rugby player, play-ing mostly for Souths and then NorthSydney.

Mario, born in Valletta on November11, 1961, who was known in rugby cir-cles as the “Maltese Falcon” confirmedto the Fairfax Media newspaper’s chiefsports writer Andrew Webster that hewasn’t in a good way, and that thebrain damage he suffered during a bru-tal rugby league career was starting toreally take hold.

Fenech, a favourite with rugby fans,particularly Maltese, took part in 274games, having played for Souths,Norths and South Queensland. He toldthe Sunday weekly: "Yes, I have noworries saying that I've had some prob-lems in years gone by.

“I suffered significant head knocks asa player. I would've been knocked outeight or nine times a season. I knew thatI was going to pay a price one day. Butthankfully I have great people aroundme now." In March 2014, he had admitted to The

Daily Telegraph that he had sufferedthe brain damage. He admitted thatplaying rugby league gave him braindamage.At the time, despite being an NRL am-

bassador for One Community, he can-didly spoke about concussion, saying

Malta-born Mario Fenech admits to braindamage suffered in Rugby League career

that over 15 seasonshe had plenty of headknocks. He hadadded: “I was advisedto have a scan and itshowed there wassome damage. I had

in the Botany region of Sydney at thetime of his childhood. His family be-lieved he would become a great foot-baller and they thought that BotanyRams Junior Team would not get him towhere they wanted him to be, they thenmoved him into the Mascot Juniorsteam.

Fenech's career spanned 1981 to 1995.He played 181 games for the South Syd-ney Rabbitohs (1981-1990), the last fouras captain. But in 1991, after failing tosecure an adequate contract with SouthSydney he moved to the North SydneyBears where he played for 81 games,until 1994. His departure from Southscaused significant controversy withinthe club with many ordinary membersof the club extremely disappointed withthe decision to release him.

Mario Fenech ended his career withthe South Queensland Crushers in 1955where he played 11 matches. Since re-tiring he also represented Malta in arugby league sevens tournament.Since retiring from football Fenech has

been involved in the entertainment in-dustry and in 2001 published his bookWhat's Doing?

He has been a regular contributor onThe Footy Show, appeared on numer-ous other TV shows, including Pizza,and made a brief cameo in the rugbyleague-based film Footy Legends.

The Maltese community in NSW hastwo more very well known personsbearing the name of Fenech. They are,Jeff Fenech the former three-weightworld boxing champion, and PaulFenech of Fat Pizza TV fame.

some memory loss and thought I betterget it checked out.

“The damage wasn’t that bad but Ihave been told to have another set ofscans. In my day, I was knocked sense-less eight or nine times. That’s the waythe game was back then.

Since then, and especially in the pastfew months, there has been speculationabout his heath, but he told the Herald:“I'm a lot better now. I've travelledsome hard roads, but I'm optimisticabout the way my brain functions. Ba-sically, I take a tablet every evening be-fore I go to bed. What that does isprovide my brain with subliminal fluid,to settle it down.

“The problem I have is irritation be-cause of the brain injuries. Brains reactin different ways. Mine gets irritated, sothis settles my brain down like an anti-inflammatory. My memory is better. Ifeel blessed. Because you get worried,mate."Fenech’s specialists tell him his physi-

cal health is fundamental to improvinghis brain function."All I want to do is function properly,"

he says. "I've got a lot of life to live. I'm54 years old. That's what I was con-cerned about. I have a family – my sonis 21 and my daughter is 19. It's impor-tant that I'm here for them.

Mario did not so much love the gameof rugby but as a son of a migrantneeded to gain acceptance. However, hesaid: “If you had told me to change a

thing, I would-n't. It was agreat honourfor me to playfor Souths, andto lead myteam, and Iwouldn't chan-ge any of it.”

He pointedout that “it'simportant thenext generationof players donot have to suf-fer the brain in-juries that Ihave.”

Mario Fenechhad been living

Mario Fenech at an NRLcoaching clinic two yeras ago

The two sporting Fenechs, Mario (on left)with former world champions boxer Jeff

For the first time since 2008,neither Hibernians nor Val-letta will figure in the final of

the FA Trophy. Both have beeneliminated early in this year’scompetition, In fact when thequarter-final draw was maderecently, none of themwere in the hat, that in-cluded a Division I sidein the line-up, Pieta Hot-spurs who are drawn toplay Pembroke Athleta.Both Hibernians and Valletta were

eliminated in the previous round,Valletta by Birkirkara, who beatthem 1-0, and Hibernians by Pem-broke Athleta who were 2-1 victors.

Valletta, who have won the com-petition 13 times, were Trophy fi-

nalists on four occasions since2009, winning it twice, by beatingQormi (2010) and Sliema (2014).They were on the losing side in

two other finals, losing out toSliema Wanderers in 2009, and

Floriana (2011).Hibernians, 10 times win-ners of the competitionwere in three finals since2012. They won the Tro-phy two years running,in 2012 and 2013, on both

occasions beating Qormi by anidentical 3-1 score.

The match of the round could beBirkirkara v Floriana, while theBalzan v Tarxien meeting could alsoprove to be a balanced affair.

The full draw matches April 19/20:Balzan v TarxienSliema Wanderers v St Andrew'sPembroke Athleta v Pieta HotspursBirkirkara v FlorianaValletta end stage 2 in front;

start third a point ahead of Hibernians

Valletta and Hibernians wrapped uptheir commitments at the end of theSecond stage of the Premier League

programme in the top two places. ThereforeValletta will kick off the third and decidinground just a two points ahead of Hibernianswhen the total number of points gained inthe previous two rounds are halved.

After two wins against Mosta and QormiValletta start with 27 points, while followingtheir 2-1 win over Birkirkara. Hiberniansstart with 25. Nextcome Balzan twopoints furtherdown, on 23.They kept up theirrecent good formin which they wonsix mat-ches onthe trot, beatingBirkirkara andFloriana in theirlast two.

Despite alot of chan-ges, Sliemakeep disap-po in t ing .They suf-fered theirfifth suc-cessive de-feat.

St. And-rews fin-

ally registered a win by beating Naxxar andalso finished the last three games of thestage on a high, unbeaten, also gettingpoints in draws against defending champi-ons Hibernians and Tarxien. Though finish-ing bottom they start the decisive final stagetwo points behind Qormi.


Spor ts 2 Spor t s 2

Malta’s Premier League Football

VallettaHiberniansBalzanBirkirkaraFlorianaTarxien R.MostaPembrokeSliema WNaxxarQormiSt Andrews

22 17 2 3 53 2722 15 5 2 50 2522 14 3 5 45 2322 12 6 4 42 2122 12 3 7 39 1922 10 7 5 37 1922 8 5 8 30 1522 7 4 11 25 1322 7 3 12 24 1222 4 2 16 14 722 2 3 17 9 522 1 2 19 5 3

Standing P W D L Pts Rd 3

Valletta v MostaHibernians v Sliema W. Balzan v BirkirkaraFloriana v Pembroke Tarxien v Qormi St Andrews v Naxxar L

RESULTS: Round 22

3-02-11-04-24-01-0

Valletta v QormiHibernians v Birkirkara Balzan v FlorianaMosta v Pembroke Tarxien v St AndrewsNaxxar L v Sliema W.

2-02-01-03-31-12-1

Round 21

Nobody was surprised that members of theAquatic Sport Association scooped the top

honours at the Sport Malta Awards GħazlietSportivi Nazzjonali 2015 at the presentation nightat the weekend. Four of the awards, namelySportsman of the Year, Coach of the Year, Teamof the Year and Young Sportsman of the Year wentto waterpolo. Charlotte Wingfield (track and fieldsprinter) broke waterpolo’s dominance as she wasvoted Sportswoman of the Year. AWARD WINNERSSportsman of the Year: Steve Camilleri (Waterpolo)Sportswoman of the Year: Charlotte Wingfield(Athletics)Team of the Year: Waterpolo national teamBest coach: Karl Izzo (Waterpolo)Official of the Year: Clayton Pisani (Football referee)Young sportsman: Ben Plumpton (Waterpolo)Young sportswoman: Sarah Xuereb (Bowling)Special Olympics: Shanaia Xuereb, WarrenSchembri.People’s Choice: Matthew Zammit (Waterpolo)

Waterpolo dominatesMalta Sports Awards

Australia A-League Melbourne derby ends

All-square

Results of trial matches played by Parramatta Eagles’ teams

U18: Parramatta E. v Blacktown 1-1U18: Parramatta E. v Rockdale 0-1U20: Parramatta E. v Blacktown 1-4U20: Parramatta E. v Rockdale 5-0First Grade: Parramatta E. v Blacktown 2-1Parramatta E. v Rockdale City 1-1NEXT TRIAL GAMES at Melita Stadium-21/2/16: U18 (3.00 p.m.) U20 (5.00pm);First Grade 7.00pm v Hakoah H

Birkirkara v Floriana Birkirkara v Floriana tops Quarter-final drawtops Quarter-final draw

At the end of an electric, dramatic and spicy Melbournederby, cross-town rivals Melbourne City and defending

champions Melbourne Victory shared the spoils that keep thetwo sides level on points but seven

WSW fined $50,000

Football Federation Australia(FFA) has found Western Syd-

ney Wanderers guilty of bringingthe game into disrepute, fined them$50,000 and suspended them threecompetition points.

The sanction is in response tocrowd behaviour during the Wan-derers clash with Melbo-urne Vic-tory at Etihad stadium on SaturdayFebruary 7, where several flareswere lit in the active supporter bay.

The three suspended competitionpoints will be deducted if a seriousincident occurs that the FFA deter-mines should trigger the suspendedsanction and will apply through toFebruary 6, 2017.

adrift of leaders BrisbaneRoar who dropped twopoints in front of their ownfans following a 2-2 withNewcastle Jets. More problems for West-

ern Sydney Wanderers.They were involved in theupset of the season on Day19 going down 2-5 toWellington at the PirtekStadium. So remain a poi-nt behind leaders Roar.

Blake Powell notchedfour goals, including a hat-rtick in the first 33 minuteswhen Wellington scoredwith their only three shotson target.

It isthe first time in 11games Phoenix has scoredmore than one goal in an

away fixture, dating backto October last year,

Noteworthy was PerthGlory’s crucial 2-1 awayvictory at Allianz Stadiumagainst Sydney FC Thanksto it, their charge towardsthe A-League top six hasgained further momentum.

Perth are now seventh,three behind Sydney FC.

Brisbane R. v Newcastle JWest. Sydney v Wellington P.Melbourne C. v Melbourne V.Sydney FC v Perth GloryCentral Coast v Adelaide

Day 18Brisbane R. v Central CoastMelbourne V. v West. SydneyNewcastle J.v Melbourne C.Adelaide U. v Sydney FCWellington v Perth Glory

Latest results Day 19

2-22-52-21-22-3

4-01-12-12-20-1

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The Voice of the Maltese No. 121

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