The Voice of the Maltese No. 225

Issue 225

The Voice of the Maltese (driven by the voice of its readers )

Fo rtnightly magazine for the Diaspora Fortnightly Diasp ora

April 7, 2020

Castille Square in Valletta Malta, which in recent years had become so alive and active has been turned by coronavirus into an almost Ghost island. Pictures show three of what normally are among the island’s busiest venues void of people and/or vehicles as the people are sticking to the advice to stay safe and stay home.

See others on page 9

Portes des Bombes in Floriana

St George’s Square, Valletta

2 The Voice of the Maltese

Tuesday April 7, 2020

Il-COVID-19: Il-veri eroj ta’ żmienna fil-Gżejjer Maltin

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ekk xejn, f’dan iż-żmien Malta wkoll, flimkien ma’ xi 180 pajjiż ieħor fid-dinja, qed tħoss l-effett tal-COVID-19, il-coronavirus u tgħaddi mit-tbatija, l-ansjetá u d-dwejjaq li qed iġib miegħu.

Imma kif jgħid il-Malti, mix-xewk joħroġ il-ward, u f’dan il-każ, il-ward hu li l-poplu qed jiġi eqreb lejn xulxin moralment u qed jaħseb ħafna aktar minn qatt qabel għall-proxxmu u fejn meħtieġ jagħtih l-għajnuna biex tittaffa t-tbatija kaġun tal-virus.

Fid-dinja l-coronavirus qed ukoll iqajjem mill-ġdid in-nostalġija għall-affarijiet li konna nsejna: oġġetti tal-ikel bir-razzjon, fruntieri bejn il-pajjiżi, ħin li wieħed iqatta’ mal-għeżież tiegħu, eżerċizzji fiżiċi, u filmati ta’ tagħrif dwar x’hemm bżonn li wieħed jagħmel ħalli jevita l-imxijja, bħall-ħasil tal-idejn, eċċ.

F’Malta qed naraw ukoll jieħu ċ-ċans li wieħed ikun kreattiv u jesprimi talenti li qabel kienu moħbija, f’ħiliet artistiċi, bħal pittura u mużika, u dawk organizzattivi. Qed naraw nies fl-istess toroq li lanqas biss kienu jafu b’xuxlin imma permezz ta’ attivitajiet mittwieqi jew il-gallariji qed isiru midħla.

F’għadd ta’ rħula u bliet, nibtu wkoll għaqdiet filantropiċi u parroċċi li permezz tal-voluntiera jiġbru l-ikel u jqassmuh lil xi familji li ġew kostretti jibqgħu f’darhom, inkella għax b’nuqqasijiet bażiċi minħabba waqfien mix-xogħol, isibu ħajjiethom aktar iebsa.

Nibet ukoll grupp ta’ koki, Maltin u Għawdxin, li kuljum qed jiltaqgħu biex isajjru ikel u jqassmuh lil dawk it-tobba, l-infermiera, u oħrajn li jaħdmu siegħat twal fl-isptar iduru ‘bil-morda’ u li ftit ikollhom ċans jaħsbu fl-ikel.

Huma ħafna dawk li ma jistgħux jieqfu milli jagħtu s-servizz

Jissajjar l-ikel għal min jinħtieġu bħalissa

tagħhom lill-poplu, u li qed imorru oltre’ d-dmirijiet tagħhom, u jagħmlu s-sagrifiċċi. Mhumiex biss dawk ta’ kull kategorija fl-isptarijiet li qed jagħtu servizz tant meħtieġ biex il-pajjiż isegwi l-miżuri maħsuba biex jtaffu l-effetti ta’ COVID-19.

Ma’ dawn hemm ukoll il-pulizija, is-suldati, gwardjani lokali li qed jagħmlu xogħol anke differenti minn dak li inizjalment daħlu għalih, pustiera, ix-xufiera fuq il-karozzi tal-linja, u oħrajn li kull lejl jiffumigaw l-istess karozzi tal-linja, il-vapuri t’Għaw-dex u postijiet frekwentati u xi oħrajn, fosthom l-għalliema li minkejja li l-iskejjel mhux se jerġgħu jiftħu qabel sena skolastika oħra, f’Settembru, qed isegwu lill-istudenti b’lezzjonijiet online.

Kollha, flimkien mal-ministri tal-gvern, li qed jagħtu ħafna biex finalment din l-jekk imsejħa gwerra kontra għadu mhux magħruf, ħlief bl-isem, qed jagħtu s-sehem tagħhom.

Dawn qed jitqiseu bħala l-veri eroj ta’ żmienna fil-Gżejjer Maltin.

The future of 5th The Vigarju’s ‘slap in the face’ for emigrants’ Convention for wishes for Maltese priests Maltese Living Abroad in doubt T

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here is a strong possibility that the fifth Convention for Maltese Living Abroad that was scheduled to be held in Malta in early October this year is to be cancelled.

In truth, the Convention never really got off the ground. It generated very little interest amongst the Maltese abroad due to the poor and selective publicity and changes.

Few registered their attendance.

The organising committee made up of all Malta-based bureaucrats and not including members from the active communities abroad, or even members of the CMLA did not help.

The fact that not only the Minister was changed mid-

stream, but also the role of the Ministry for Foreign Affairs was altered had an impact.

At the moment there is a flurry of emails going around advocating cancellation while others are insisting that a Convention in October 2020 would have assisted in a small way towards the recovery in Malta’s tourist activities as by then the coronavirus would have been controlled.

The fifth Convention took too much time to kick off.

Procrastination and changes have confused, and even prevented possible attendees from planning ahead.

Whatever the reason, one hopes that the final decision is taken in consultation with the Maltese communities abroad.

he "KUMMENTARJU" on page 5 of the March 10 issue of The Voice was such a truthful and factual one which is “right on the ball”, that it prompted me to react.

On the converse, I was totally flabbergasted by the pitiful attempt by the ‘Vigarju Episcopal Għall-Kleru u l-Parroċċi" for supposedly seeking priests to come to our aid in Australia!

(An excerpt from the Vigarju Episcopali to his priests reads: Ilproblema ta’ dawn il-komunitajiet hija, li baqa’ numru ta’ emigranti li ma jifhmux bil-lingwa Ingliża.

It was obviously a very half-hearted effort, and what a ‘slap in the face’ it was to read that the reason for the need for priests in Australia was that a number of emigrants do not comprehend the English language!

What a show of ignorance about our real needs by the Vigarju, if he erroneously thinks that this is the primary reason for the need of the Maltese pastoral care in Australia!

Why doesn’t he make the effort to talk to some of the former Maltese chaplains that have returned to Malta? Perhaps they will enlighten him about out situation, and correct his distorted ideas.

It certainly shows that some of the Maltese hierarchy are totally oblivious of the needs of the Australian emigrants!

No wonder that there is this apathy by any priests that may wish to make the effort to come amongst us when their leaders are so obviously misinformed and have such a careless attitude towards our plight!

Perhaps the real reason is that we are "Out of sight, and out of mind!"

RonBorg (Adelaide)

The Voice of the Maltese 3

Pope Francis invites all to join him in prayer amid coronavirus pandemic

Tuesday April 7, 2020

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oined by Orthodox, Anglican and Protestant leaders and faithful from around the world, Pope Francis invited pastors and faithful of all Christian communities and denominations to “gather spiritually” to pray for an end to the coronavirus pandemic.

“As trusting sons and daughters, we turn to the Lord.

We do it every day, several times a day, but at this moment we want to implore mercy for all of humanity so harshly tried by the coronavirus pandemic,” the Pope said as he introduced the prayer.

“We will do so together, Christians of every church and community, of every age, language and nation,” he said.

“We pray for the sick and their families, for health workers and those who help them, for civic leaders, police and volunteers and for the ministers of our communities,” the Pope said.

Holding the prayer on the feast of the Annunciation, when the angel told Mary she would bear God’s son, Pope Francis said, “With full confidence we, too, place ourselves in God’s hands, and with one heart and soul, we pray.”

The Church of England asked Anglicans to join Archbishop Justin Welby of Canterbury in praying with Pope Francis, He tweeted: “Please join us wherever you are. Prayer unites us in testing times.”

The Rev. Dr. Olav Fykse Tveit, general secretary of the World Council of Churches, encouraged all members to take advantage of the opportunity for a global prayer in the face of a global pandemic.

“As people across the globe are in their scattered working places at home, we will have the opportunity to unite our voices in praying to God with the words that our Lord Jesus Christ taught us,” Dr Tveit said.

“At this challenging time, prayerful activities that unite us are a reminder that we are one human family.”

Earlier in the day, at the end of his live streamed general audience, Pope Francis told viewers, “We will unite our voices of pleading to the Lord in these days of suffering when the world is harshly tried by the pandemic.

“May the good and merciful Lord hear the united prayer of his sons and daughters, who call on his omnipotence with trusting hope.”

Coronavirus: 'Nature is sending us a message’, UN environment chief says

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ccording to the UN’s environment chief, Inger Andersen, with the coronavirus pandemic and the ongoing climate crisis, nature is sending us a message.

She said that humanity was placing too many pressures on the natural world with damaging consequences, and warned that failing to take care of the planet meant not taking care of ourselves.

Leading scientists also said the COVID19 outbreak was a “clear warning shot”, given that far more deadly diseases existed in wildlife, and that today’s civilisation was “playing with fire”.

They said it was almost always human behaviour that caused diseases to spill over into humans.

The experts said that to prevent further outbreaks, both global heating and the destruction of the natural world for farming, mining and housing have to end, as both drive wildlife into contact with people.

They also urged authorities to put an end to live animal markets – which they called an “ideal mixing bowl” for disease – and the illegal global animal trade.

Inger Andersen said that the immediate priority was to protect people from the coronavirus and prevent its spread. “But

our long-term response must tackle habitat and biodiversity loss,” she added.

Talking to The Guardian newspaper, she said, “Never before have so many opportunities existed for pathogens to pass from wild and domestic animals to people.” She further explained that 75% of all emerging infectious diseases come from wildlife.

“Our continued erosion of wild spaces has brought us uncomfortably close to animals and plants that harbour diseases that can jump to humans.”

She also noted other environmental impacts, such as the Australian bushfires, broken heat records and the worst locust invasion in Kenya for 70 years. “At the end of the day, [with] all of these events, nature is sending us a message,” Anderson said.

“There are too many pressures at the same time on our natural systems and something has to give,” she added.

“We are intimately interconnected with nature, whether we like it or not.

If we don’t take care of nature, we can’t take care of ourselves. And as we

hurtle towards a population of 10 billion people on this planet, we need to go into this future armed with nature as our strongest ally.”

Human infectious disease outbreaks are rising and in recent years there have been Ebola, bird flu, Middle East respiratory syndrome (Mers), Rift Valley fever, sudden acute respiratory syndrome (Sars), West Nile virus and Zika virus all cross from animals to humans.

Prof Andrew Cunningham, of the Zoological Society of London said that the emergence and spread of Covid-19 was not only predictable, it was predicted [in the sense that] there would be another viral emergence from wildlife that would be a public health threat.”

Demonstration for biodiversity in Paris last year

4 The Voice of the Maltese

Upper Barrakka Gardens and the Perth Connections

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by Paul Calleja

nyone who has visited the Upper Barrakka in Valletta, Malta, would be aware of tablets, honouring a number of people, on the faces of pillars supporting the stone arched wall.

At least two of these have connections with Perth, Western Australia, Sir Thomas Fremantle and Sir Gerald Strickland.

The first tablet that caught my eye honoured Thomas Fremantle, the First Baron of Cottesloe, because of references made to iconic locations in the Perth metropolitan area – Cottesloe and Fremantle.

The Whudjuck Nyungar people occupied the land on which the beach suburb of Cottesloe is situated, for centuries before Capitan Stirling “claimed” (perhaps stole) the land for the British crown Colony of Western Australia in 1829.

The Nyungar people used to frequent the area called Mudurup (Pronounced Moodoorup), which we now know as the Cottesloe coastal strip. The term Mudurup or Moodoorup simply means “place of the yellow-finned whiting”.

The name Cottesloe was chosen by Sir Frederick Napier Broome (Western Australia's governor – 1883-1890) in 1886. The name Sir Gerald Strickland’s monument

Tuesday April 7, 2020

The Upper Barrakka Gardens in Valletta

change did not include consultation with the traditional owners of the land. Broome had guns and the indigenous had spears and boomerangs. It was colonial arrogance at its worst? Might was obviously right.

Sir Thomas Fremantle So why did Broome choose to name the area after Thomas Fremantle who never did anything for Western Australia and probably never had any interest in it?

Cynics would argue Broome expected his ambitions would benefit from bestowing such an honour on someone who had significant political influence in Britain. Such sycophantic behaviour was popular then as it is now.

Consider the names Victoria, Queensland, Melbourne, Sydney, Hobart, Princess Margaret Hospital and Elizabeth Quay.

What did any of these do for any of the states in which their names are found?

Fremantle is the maritime gateway for Western Australia. The city rests on land that is part of the coastal strip between Yanchep and South Fremantle. The Mooro indigenous people occupied the land centuries before it was “claimed” by Captain Stirling for the British Crown in 1829.

They were a hunter/gatherer/fisher group who maintained a small, environmentally sustainable population that consequently were able to sustain a continuous this lifestyle for 1,000’s of years.

The settlement of Fremantle was named after Captain Charles Howe Fremantle RN, the brother of Thomas Fremantle. He captained the leading boat of a flotilla carrying the first groups of “settlers” (invaders?) to Western Australia.

In April 1826 – three years prior to arriving at the Swan River Colony – Charles Fremantle was charged with raping a 15year-old girl. According to Graeme Henderson, former director of the Western Australian Maritime Museum, his family paid off witnesses and leant on the judiciary to avoid a scandal.

In August 1826 Charles Fremantle was promoted to captain, and, in 1828, was given command of the 26-gun frigate HMS Challenger, and sent to claim the west coast

of Australia for t h e United Kingdom. It is always

Above: The tablet honouring Sir Thomas Fremantle (pictured below)

nice to know people in high places.

Not only has this accused rapist and paedophile a city named after him, but a statue of him was later built and is today found on the corner of Stirling Highway & McCabe Street.

The naming of Perth’s beach suburb of Swanbourne (established in 1892) was a trifecta for the Fremantle family. Swanbourne is the name of the Fremantle family seat in the County of Buckingham, England. Such an appropriate name for a settlement 14,650 km from England and inhabited by aboriginal people?

The second tablet that caught my eye honoured Sir Gerald Strickland who served as Governor of Western Australia from 1909 to 1913. Unlike Thomas Fremantle, Strickland was born in Malta in 1861 of a Royal Navy captain and a Maltese heiress, Maria Aloysia (Louisa), née Bonnici, niece and heiress of Sir Nicholas Sciberras.

Sir Gerald Strickland Strickland’s favourite holiday destination was Rottnest Island 18 km west of Fremantle where three locations are named after Strickland himself (Strickland Bay) and his two daughters, Mabel (Maple Cove) and Mary (Mary Cove).

The Voice of the Maltese 5

Tuesday April 7, 2020

Another service offered by The Voice of the Maltese providing legal information to our readers

The Government shut down my business - What happens to my shop lease?

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by PaulSant

n the evening of March 24 2020, the Federal Government made the first of multiple announcements that would result in the almost immediate suspension in trade of businesses that involve the gathering of people.

Some of the businesses most severely affected include: 1. Cafés and Food Courts (except in relation to takeaway services).

2. Auction houses, and real estate auctions and open house inspections.

3. Outdoor and indoor markets (except for food markets) 4. Beauty therapy, tanning, waxing, nail salons, tattoo parlours, massage parlours.

5. Almost all entertainment venues (such as cinemas, concert venues, play centres, etc.)

6. Recreation centres, such as swimming pools, community centres, health clubs/gyms, etc.

7. Hotels, hostels, bed and breakfasts, campsites, caravan parks, and boarding houses will be a decision for each state and territory; 8. Galleries, museums, national institutions and historic sites.

If you own any of the above businesses, you may be struggling to pay the rent for the shop premises, at a time when little or no income is coming in. Fortunately, some businesses have been able to adapt and offer new and varied services to keep their cash flow viable.

However, a nifty solution is not always possible. If you own one of those businesses that simply cannot afford to keep your doors open then we suggest that you pay close attention to this article.

What should you do?

First and foremost, dig out a copy of your lease This is crucial. There may be a clause in your lease which: 1. Sets out the circumstances under which the lease will ordinarily be able to be terminated; and further 2. Entitles you to either terminate the lease or temporarily stop payment of rent, due to unforeseen and significant circumstances. This is particularly the case if it has become impossible for the lessor to provide you with functional premises.

3. Interpretation and enforcement of complex lease provisions can be tricky, and we recommend that you obtain legal representation to ensure that you attain the outcome desired.

Approach your landlord There has been a broad policy statement announced by the government regarding a reprieve period of about 6 months, during which commercial tenants cannot be evicted from their premises for non-payment of rent. It is likely that this will apply to both retail and commercial leases.

The strongest point to emerge from the Prime Minister’s recent address was the recognition that a solution to this crisis will involve three-way cooperation between commercial tenants, landlords and financial institutions.

In the Prime Minister’s words, all three stakeholders have been encouraged to “sit down together to find a way through to ensure that businesses can survive and be there on the other side”.

The following guidelines were also of-

PAUL SANT (SOLICITOR)

PARTNER AT LONGTON LEGAL For All Your Legal Needs

Now at: 21 George Street

Parramatta Phone: 8599 8877

Also at: Level 4, 370 Pitt Street, Sydney. Ph: 8355 9999 Email: paul.sant@longtonlegal.com.au Maltese Spoken

fered by the Prime Minister to set the boundaries for lease negations (and also foreshadow further regulation): 1. The 6-month moratorium on eviction for non-payment of rent should only be available if the tenant is impacted by severe rental distress due to coronavirus; 2. The 6-month moratorium on eviction will not protect tenants who have breached the lease in other ways, outside of the non-payment of rent and outgoings.

3. Tenants and landlords are encouraged to agree on rent relief or temporary amendments to the lease; 4. Commercial property owners should ensure that any benefits received in respect of their properties should also benefit their tenants in proportion to the economic impact caused by coronavirus; and 5. Landlords and tenants not significantly affected by coronavirus are expected to honour their lease and rental agreements.

There are further announcements that will be made in this topic, and this is by no means the end of this page. If you are concerned about the future of your commercial premises, we strongly urge you to contact one of our experienced solicitors to get urgent legal advice on the issue.

Try and negotiate a deferral The current COVID-19 government support measures are wide and far reaching. Your landlords may themselves be eligible for small business relief or mortgage relief. It does not hurt to open the dialogue with your landlord, and see if you can negotiate a deferral of rental for a fixed period.

See a solicitor Leases can be complex documents. It is not always easy to understand and enforce your legal rights. If you are experiencing any issues at the moment, we strongly recommend that you contact one of our solicitors for advice on your individual circumstances.

The next few months ahead will be difficult for all, however there is no reason that one party to a commercial lease should carry the full effect of the financial distress.

We have provided you with an overview of the topic above but you should consult a professional for advice specific to your circumstances.

6 The Voice of the Maltese

Give us a much needed smile!!

It was a quiet Monday morning in September 2053, when John awoke with a need to go to the bathroom. To John, this wasn’t just an ordinary Day! This was the day he would open the last package of toilet paper his parents bought in the year 2020.

Tuesday April 7, 2020

L-Innu Malti, is it time for a revision?

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he Malta National Anthem, l-Innu Malti was penned in 1922 by Dun Karm Psaila and adopted as Malta national anthem in 1941. The music of Dr Robert Samut inspired it.

It was performed for the first time on December 27, 1922 at the Manoel Theatre. It was given the official recognition by the Council of Government on February 27, 1941 and officially adopted in the Independence Constitution of Malta in 1964.

The anthem is still expressing the most salient aspect of Malta’s cultural Lil din l-art ħelwa, l-omm li tatna isimha, identity, namely the belief Ħares, Mulej, kif dejjem int ħarist: in God, and an uninterFtakar li lilha bl-oħla dawl libbist. rupted tradition of some seven thousand years.

The basic story behind the Agħti kbir Alla, id-dehen lil min jaħkimha.

Innu Malti is generally Rodd il-ħniena lis-sid, saħħa ‘l-ħaddiem: known. Towards the end of Seddaq il-għaqda fil-Maltin u s-sliem.

1922, director of education Albert Laferla was given a tune by his brother-in-law Robert Samut. This was then passed on to Dun Karm so he could write some lyrics in Maltese, for a hymn to be sung by schoolchildren.

According to Prof Oliver Friggieri, a leading poet, novelist, philosopher and critic, the anthem is made up of Semitic words, whereas its poetic form is Latin, namely Italian. Indeed, l-Innu gives poetic shape to the Maltese people’s urge to maintain democracy.

However, there are questions about the verse: Agħti kbir Alla, id-dehen lil min jaħkimha. When asked whether Malta's national anthem is outdated and still relevant to Malta Repubblika today, Mrs. Mary Pace-Feraud seen conacademics differ. ducting a Maltese language class Prof Friggieri is keen to dispel this notion as he insists that, contrary to what some think, the word “hakkiem” does not carry explicit colonial connotations.

He explains that the verb “ħakem” from which “jaħkimha” is derived, occupies a wide semantic range that includes the notion of administering, governing, leading, ruling. It has no colonial s a result of the spread of the Coronavirus pandemic, connotation at all. for the safety of all students and teachers, the Maltese Dun Karm is Malta’s most eminent voice of Maltese statehood – Language School of NSW had to cease its classes effecthe awareness of being on the road toward independence permetive from Saturday March 28. ates his work, even the one written in Italian.

All in one location, at Horsley Park Public School, and Profs Friggieri also claims that basic terms in local political set in three classes, lessons continued in Term one until, phraseology can be traced back to Dun Karm. Some of these regrettably, all levels had to be suspended terms frequently occurred in the 19th-century poetry, and have until further notice. Students in all three mainly survived thanks to Dun Karm. grades total up to 49, aged from six to 80 These include words like ġensna, art years. ħelwa, ommna Malta, Malta tagħna, Mrs. Mary Pace-Feraud, who has been ilkoll, flimkien, ‘aħna. teaching Maltese for the last 13 years con“The universality of the INNU can be secutively, has announced her resignation found in the way it expressed the concern for personal reasons. of a whole country, the basic needs of a Mrs Pace-Feraud is devoted to her lancommunity which far transcend time and guage teaching and is highly regarded for change. Poetry itself is attained when uniher teaching skills and her knowledge of versality it attained, and when the limitathe Maltese language, culture and history. tions of time and place are superseded.”

After the Easter vacations and if the curThese are the thoughts of Professor Frigrent situation continues, classes will be ofgieri, do you agree with them? Is “dehen fered online for as long as it is needed. lil min jaħkima” still appropriate?

The Maltese Language School is adminDr Adrian Grima, Dun Karm’s younger istered by the Maltese Community Council colleague believes that Dun Karm's Innu of NSW and has been operating successMalti is a product of its time, and must fully since 1999. The current teachers are not be read uncritically or with a closed Prof Oliver Friggieri Maria De Carlo, Mark Caruana, Frances mind.

Innis and Marthese Caruana.

Maltese language classes at Horsley Park are put on hold

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L-INNU MALTI

Tuesday April 7, 2020

The Voice of the Maltese 7

Il-Kurċifiss ‘Mirakoluż’ f’Ta’ Ġieżu l-belt Valletta

Il-Kurċifiss Mirakoluż tal-Knisja Ta’ Ġieżu l-Belt

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urċifissi f’Malta hawn bl-eluf. Il-ħabib tiegħi u skultur Anton Agius (illum mejjet) ma kienx jaf kemmil kurċifiss ħadem, l-aktar fl-injam. Kien ipoġġi lilu nnifsu fix-xogħol tiegħu tal-kurċifiss.

Anton kien dejjem jgħidli li l-aħjar kurċifiss tiegħu jinsab għand il-Kerygma li għandhom is-sede tagħhom għand idDumnikani fir-Rabat, Malta. Kien jgħidli wkoll li ma kienx jaf fejn spiċċa dan il-kurċifiss.

Jaħasra Anton miet b’dan il-ħsieb għax kieku llum kont ngħidlu li dan il-kurċifiss tant għal qalbu jinsab f’kappella żgħira li għandhom il-Kerygma fil-post fejn jiltaqgħu.

Iżda m’hemmx dubju li l-aktar Kurċifiss magħruf f’Malta hu dak li hemm fil-Knisja Ta’ Ġieżu fil-belt Valletta, ilknisja tal-Patrijiet Franġiskani Minuri li kienu ġabuh Malta mill-Art Imqaddsa.

Dan jixhed id-devozzjoni kbira lejn il-Passjoni ta’ Sidna Ġesù Kristu, li qed infakkru bħalissa, din is-sena b’mod aktar kajman mis-soltu, meta minħabba l-imxija tal-coronavirus, il-purċissjonijiet tal-Ġimgħa Kbira mhux se jsiru.

Il-Kurċifiss ‘Ta’ Ġieżu’ li hu meqjus bħala “Mirakoluż”. huwa tas-seklu 17. Ftit ilu sarlu xi restawr tajjeb ħafna blappoġġ tal-Bank of Valletta. Ħafna li forsi ma kienux jafu dwaru, ta’ kull jum, il-ġimgħa l-oħra, fil-ġimgħa tad-Duluri, kellhom kull ċans jarawh minħabba li l-quddiesa ta’ kuljum li f’dan iż-żmien qed tiġi trasmessa diretta, minn fuq it-televiżjoni, saret appuntu mill-knisja Ta’ Ġiezu.

Il-Monsinjur Charles Vella (studjuż dwar l-arti sagra) jgħid li l-artist ta’ dan il-Kurċifiss huwa Frate Innocenzo de Petralia. Jgħid ukoll, li biex joħloq l-impressjoni ta’ demm naturali magħqud ħiereġ frisk mill-ġrieħi tal-korp, l-artist uża reżina naturali msejħa ‘ceralacca’.

Artistikament dan il-Kurċifiss huwa sabiħ ħafna, movimentat u meta tħares lejh tħoss sewwa fik it-tbatija kbira tal-Mulej fl-aħħar sigħat tal-agunija Tiegħu.

Ma’ dan il-Kurċifiss hemm ukoll marbuta leġġenda popolari ħafna fil-Gżejjer Maltin. Fiha jingħad li l-artist Fra Innocenzo qam darba filgħodu u sab ir-ras tal-istatwa lesta.

PeterPaulCiantar

Issa ngħiduha kif inhi, ma teżisti l-ebda xhieda li tikkonferma din il-leġġenda.

L-analiżi xjentifika ta’ dan il-Kurċfiss tikkonferma li r-ras hija separata mill-bqija tal-ġisem u hija mwaħħla b’kavilji tal-ħadid. Is-sider tal-imsallab huwa wkoll vojt, probabilment biex inaqqas il-piż tal-korp meta dan jitwaħħal massalib.

Minħabba li huwa magħruf bħala ‘l-Kurċifiss Mirakoluż’ f’Malta hawn devozzjoni kbira lejh. Dan jaqa’ taħt ir-responsabbiltà tal-Arċikonfraternità tal-Kurċifiss li hemm flistess Knisja Ta’ Ġieżu fil-belt. Din l-Arċikonfraternità tiffoka l-aktar fuq it-tixrid tad-devozzjoni lejn dan il-Kurċifiss.

Dil-Fratellanza twaqqfet fl-1646 u l-Gran Mastru Manuel Pinto de Fonseca jingħad li matul nofs is-seklu 18 kien wieħed mir-retturi tagħha.

Fl-antik dan il-Kurċifiss kien jiġbed diversi pellegrini lejh.

Quddiemu kienet tintalab b’devozzjoni kbira kull grazzja li wieħed kien jixtieq li jaqala’, l-aktar fejqan ta’ xi mard serju. Illum għadu f’qalb il-Maltin li jżuruh u jitolbu quddiemu. Fil-jiem tal-Ġimgħa Mqaddsa jkun ċentrali mhux biss fil-Belt Valetta iżda f’Malta kollha.

Biex nerġa’ lura lejn l-artist li għamlu, irrid ngħid li Fra Innocenz kien għamel kurċifiss ieħor interessanti f’Malta.

Dan jinsab fil-Katidral tal-Imdina. Meta San Ġorġ Preca (ilqaddis Malti u l-Fundatur tas-Soċjetà tad-Dutrina talMużew) kien għadu student is-Seminarju li f’dawk iż-żminijiet kien biswit il-Katidral fejn illum hemm ilMużew tal-Katidral, kien ta’ spiss imur jitlob quddiemu.

Have your say/Xi trid tghid?

8 The Voice of the Maltese

Tuesday April 7, 2020

Your letters/ L-ittri tagħkom ...

The Voice of the Maltese for fortnightly magazine fortnightly tnightly magazine

is is a bi-lingual (in English and Maltese) fortnightly magazine that specifically targets all Maltese living abroad with emphasis on the Australian and Maltese scenes. e magazine can also be read in flipbook format online. A pdf copy is also sent via email on request.

If you require a printed copy we can also oblige.

Editors: Malta: Joseph Cutajar Australia: Lawrence Dimech: MOM, OAM, JP email address: maltesevoice@gmail.com Letters for publication in The Voice magazine, either in Maltese or English should include name, e-mail address and residence of the writer, and be emailed to: maltesevoice@gmail.com.

Now you can also join us on facebook: https://www.facebook. com/groups/thevoiceofthemaltese

Thank you for helping us to enrich our knowledge

S

Doris Cannataci from Sliema writes: taying indoors all the time, today I had the privilege of reading The Voice of the Maltese at my leisure and pleasure.

I must confess that I came to know about the Hypogeum VR; about the first Maltese free settler to arrive in Australia and about the new acquisition by Malta Heritage of Melchiorre Cafá’s statuette (although I visited MUZA last month); all this and more, thanks to you!

I must add that in spite of the many times that I went through Giacomo Bosio books at the National Library in Valletta during my

An Egyptian as the new member on the CMLA

George Portelli from Keilor Downs Vic. writes: refer to the news (page 19) of the last issue of The Voice magazine regarding the appointment of an Egyptian-born as the new member on the CMLA. I fail to understand how an individual who, on the face of it, would appear to have little or no connection with Malta becomes a member of the Council of the Maltese Living Abroad.

When appointed to such a body, I would have thought that one is expected to be able to contribute and strengthen the relationship between the Maltese living abroad and their home country, namely, Malta.

If my assumptions are correct how could Prime Minister Abela, in his wisdom justify appointing Mr. Kanavate whose roots are ostensibly more Egyptian than anything else?

I

Dr Hugh McDermott MP State Member for Prospect For issues concerning:

Ageing and disability - community services -education - environment - health - housing - planning - Police - transport - water

P: (02) 9756 4766 E: prospect@parliament.nsw.gov.au

2/679 The Horsley Dr, Smithfield NSW 2164

research years I never read the prophecy when the first stone of Valletta was laid.

This is in spite of the fact, that I have shown and pointed out the exact place where the first stone was laid to thousands of tourists when I took them around Valletta during my work as a tourist guide for over 35 years.

Thanks once again for all your great and good efforts to keep enriching our knowledge both in Malta and overseas.

Worrying decisions

I

Vince Bartolo from St Albans, Vic.writes: was very disappointed to read (The Voice of the Maltese issue 224), that the Prime Minister of Malta appointed a nonMaltese from Egypt to replace Prof S. Gatt on the Council of Maltese Living Abroad (CMLA. It is the Council of Maltese Living Abroad; is it not?

Was the decision taken in consultation with the community or the representatives of the Malta Government abroad?

I am also worried that the position of Director and staff of the Directorate of the CMLA was virtually abolished and the responsibility moved to the already busy Consular Corp Section. The position of secretary was given to a very competent person but on a part-time basis.

It is not known if the present members of the CMLA are satisfied with these changes. The local community is concerned about these changes, which is the reason for this letter.

So much needed

W

Alexia Vella from Perth W.A. writes:

hat a pity that a publication such as The Voice is not at least a weekly, especially now that we have been advised to stay home in order to avoid getting contaminated with the dreaded coronavirus?

I just don’t have the words to thank you enough for the news, the information, and the features you keep publishing in this magazine.

Even the way you reported the information about CONVID-19 was more interesting than how some of the media has been reporting it.

Finally, I just cannot understand the reason why Morrison decided that schools should remain open until the end of term. We need to safeguard our kids not put them at risk.

The Voice of the Maltese 9

W i l l re a l re p o r t i n g s u r v i v e ?

Tuesday April 7, 2020

I

f you are interested in the future of newspapers, you may be interested in an editorial published recently in the Sunday Telegraph. The comments should concern all those who still prefer to read printed newspapers.

The Sunday Telegraph writes that buying a newspaper, or by paying to subscribe online, you’ve done your bit to ensure that real reporting will survive. We are in an age of increasing pressure on “legacy media” – the established, trusted brands and newsrooms.

The Sunday Telegraph insists that the audience of newspapers is bigger than it’s ever been. Still, there is an enormous threat to their survival from giant global tech companies such as Facebook and Google.

These two giants are actively and deliberately attacking the newspapers revenue stream, including from the advertising that want to reach their audiences and the customers who are willing to pay for their journalism.

How? By stealing their journalism and putting it on their own platforms so competitors can give it away for free. Facebook and Google, along with other tech giants, make no investment in journalism, but provide a platform for misinformation, hate speech and conspiracy theories.

They deliberately direct users away from any journalist content that is behind a paywall. They ensure that newspaper content won’t appear in users’ Facebook timelines, for example, but will

A German published the world’s first newspaper

Some history:

instead prioritise the stolen “free” version of the same stories from publishers who don’t ask readers to pay.

The Sunday Telegraph concludes that Facebook and the like have the luxury, because they do not have to pay reporters, photographers, producers and editors.

Australian publishers and broadcasters have been begging the Federal Government to bring Facebook and Google to heel by limiting their anti-competitive influence on digital advertising markets and by forcing them to pay for content posted on their platform.

A

German publisher by the name of Johann Carolus (1575−1634) is recognised as having been the publisher of the world’s first newspaper. It was called Relation aller Fürnemmen und gedenckwürdigen Historien (Account of all distinguished and commemorable stories).

The Relation is recognised by the World Association of Newspapers, as well as many authors, as the world's first newspaper in 1605.

Carolus published the German-language newspaper in Strasbourg, which had the status of a free imperial city in the Holy Roman Empire of the German Nation.

He was born in 1575 in Muhlbach-sur-Munster in Germany. He was the son of a priest. He made an apprenticeship as a bookbinder and later worked as a bookseller, a scribe for a newspaper and as a printshop owner.

Because of these professions, especially his job as scribe, he held good relationships to postmen and traders,. This is what helped him later to create The Relation.

It was in 2005 that the World Association of Newspapers accepted evidence that the Carolus pamphlet was first printed at the beginning of 1605, and not 1609 as previously thought. A Carolus petition discovered in the Strasbourg Municipal Archive during the 1980s was regarded as the birth certificate of the newspaper.

^The title page of the 'Relation' published

by Johann Carolus, recognised as the world's first newspaper.

The Tritoni Fountain Square in Floriana

Entrance to the Malta International Airport

Bugibba, close to the Aquarium (right)

10 The Voice of the Maltese

Perspettiva

Tuesday April 7, 2020

A version of this series in kitba ta’ English may be found in IVAN the author's blog at: CAUCHI https://ivancauchi. blogspot.com

Futur qabel iż-żmienu D

awn huma żminijiet straordinarji, fejn l-abitanti umani talpjaneta tagħna ġew iffaċċjati bi kriżi mhux mistennija, tort ta' marda infettiva ħafna li qabżet mill-annimali għall-bniedem, għalkemm għad hemm dibattitu dwar id-dettalji.

Il-COVID-19 mhix l-ewwel marda li affettwat lill-bniedem bilkbir, u s-sitwazzjoni għadha tiżvolġi. Mard ikrah bħall-MERS u SARS f'dawn l-aħħar snin kellu ħafna mwiet bħal ma ktibt filħarġa li għaddiet, madankollu ma kellhomx impatt fuq l-ekonomija u l-ħajja ta' tant pajjiżi madwar id-dinja.

Jien qatt ma ffaċċjajt restrizzjonijiet ta' dan it-tip, fejn ma tistax tiltaqa' man-nies, ma tistax toħroġ mid-dar ħlief għal raġunijiet stretti, eluf kbar ta' nies jitilfu xogħolhom mil-lejl għan-nar, nies joqogħdu attenti li jitbiegħdu tant metri minn ħaddieħor, eċċ. Ġibt għajnejja wara widnejja nara gvernijiet ekonomikament konservattivi jħossuhom kostretti li jroxxu flejjes astronomiċi fuq ilpopolazzjoni f'tentattiv iddisprat biex imewtu kemm jista' jkun il-kollass totali tas-sistema ekonomika tal-pajjiż.

Minn fejn ġejjin il-flus għadna ma nafux, u x'se jkun l-impatt fuq l-inflazzjoni, li ddgħajjef dak li tista' tixtri bil-munita, għad irridu naraw.

L-esperjenza tal-ħajja bħalissa hija waħda ta' iżolament kbir, għallinqas fi NSW fejn ngħix jien. Kulħadd xi ftit jew wisq magħluq ġo daru.

Kuntatt esterjuri limitati għall-essenzjali, bħal xiri ta' ikel, fejn xi argument jew ġlieda bejn ix-xerrejja qisha saret xi ħaġa komuni.

Nies jaħtfu lil xulxin, tarahom iħarsu lejk b'suspett, timmaġinahom jgħidu bejnhom u bejn ruħhom “min jaf jekk hux dan l-ikrah se jinfettani?”

Tmur f'xi riżerva ċkejkna qrib tad-dar biex tiċċaqlaq ftit, u tinduna li l-post kważi baħħ għal kollox. Kif inbidled id-dinja hux?

Qed jiġini f'rasi spiss illi forsi qed induqu llum xi ftit minn dak li l-ħajja għad toffrilna fil-futur mhux daqshekk imbiegħed.

Dik li ma tantx tara nies barra, forsi hekk se jkun rakkomandat lill-poplu, jekk it-temperaturi fis-sajf u l-indiċi UV jibqgħu jogħlew tant li jkunu ħażin għas-saħħa li tkun barra f'xi ħinijiet.

Diġà f'ċerti jiem, huwa rakkomandat li wieħed jevita li jkun barra fl-eqqel tax-xemx, forsi din ir-rakkomandazzjoni ssir iktar komuni u testendi għal-ħinijiet twal ta' binhar.

Bħalissa qiegħdin jiffjorixxu s-servizzi ta' twassil ta' prodotti fiżiċi fid-djar minflok li wieħed imur għalihom fil-ħwienet jew iċċentri tax-xiri.

Apparti l-użu tal-pakketti tal-posta li ilu jsir minn żmien żemżem, hemm servizzi ġodda li qiegħdin isiru minn Samaritani tajba (individwi jew komunitajiet) li jieħdu ħsieb persuni vulnerabbli fis-soċjetà, oħrajn huma sħab ġodda bħal tal-posta mas-supermarkits li jwasslu l-ħxejjex friski fid-djar, imbagħad hemm kumpanniji kummerċjali bħal Uber Eats li twassal prodotti mir-ristoranti fid-djar.

Nistenna li fil-ġejjieni, li wieħed jistenna l-prodott id-dar ikun ir-

regola u mhux l-eċċezzjoni, bl-użu tad-drowns li ilhom jiġu ttestjati f'diversi oqsma, mhux biss ta' prodotti ta' ġod-dar imma wkoll prodotti farmaċewtiċi u anke mediċi.

Bħalissa hawn ukoll lgħajta li jekk wieħed jista' jaħdem mid-dar, għandu jagħmel dan. It-tekonoloġija biex isir dan hi pjuttost magħrufa, u sal-lum din il-ħaġa ħafna drabi kienet għażla li forsi ma tantx kienet issir.

F'dan iż-żmien, il-gvernijiet tal-pajjiżi qiegħdin jeĠlieda bejn ix-xerrejja siġu li n-nies jaħdmu midf’supermarkit fi NSW dar jekk possibbli, inkluż l-amministrazzjoni tal-gvern innifsu, u kellhom jittieħdu passi ta' malajr biex ikattru l-investiment fit-tekonoloġija, u n-netwerk talinternet bħalissa għaddej test tal-kapaċità u r-reżiljenza tiegħu.

Jidhirli li dan ukoll huwa sinjal taż-żminijiet li ġejjin. Jekk l-isfidi tal-immaniġġjar ta' nies meta ma jkunux kontinwament taħt għajnejn il-maniġer jiġu megħluba, u x-xogħol isir xorta, ħafna kumpanniji jispiċċaw jistaqsu lilhom infushom għalfejn qiegħdin jonfqu daqshekk għall-uffiċċji fiċ-ċentri tal-kummerċ tal-pajjiż, u li wieħed jaħdem mid-dar issir karatteristika mandatorja iktar milli għażla.

Kif wieħed iqassam il-ħin tiegħu stess bejn xogħol u l-ħajja privata, fejn iktar ma jgħaddi ż-żmien ikun hemm it-tendenza li organizzazzjoni tassumi li l-impjegati tagħha huma dejjem preżenti l-ġurnata kollha, din hija sfida li rridu niffaċċjaw.

Fl-aħħar ma rridx ninsa kif jibdew u jseħħu r-relazzjonijiet personali u soċjali llum bejn nies li mhumiex parti minn familja. Li toħroġ ma xi ħadd fiżikament li mhux familjari llum huwa xi ftit jew wisq ipprojbit.

Illum jeżistu viżibilju ta' apps soċjali u programmi multimedjali ta' komunikazzjoni, li xogħolhom hu li jlaqqgħu, jew jiffaċilitaw lil nies b'interessi komuni li jikkomunikaw flimkien b'mod virtwali, talinqas fil-bidu.

Diġà huwa stmat li madwar nofs ir-relazzjonijiet ġodda jibdew b'dawn l-apps soċjali, u r-rapporti huma li ħadu spinta kbira 'l quddiem fi żmien il-koronavirus.

Nistenna li fil-futur dan se jkun il-metodu predominanti fejn jiżvolġu r-relazzjonijiet umani, għalkemm żgur li l-laqgħat wiċċ imb'wiċċ u l-kuntatt fiżiku ma' jiżbqu xejn.

Tieqa fuq il-ġejjieni?

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The Voice of the Maltese 11

Tuesday April 7, 2020

A little Ray of Sunshine

by RonBorg

A

midst the present COVID-19 dark cloud of doom and gloom, there seem to be little rays of sunshine to cheer our lives in Adelaide at the moment: • During the recent weeks the weather has been very kind to us, hovering between 12deg to give us all ideal weather for a cool night’s sleep and some beautiful daytime sunshine reaching up to 30deg, making it ideal for the kids to enjoy frolicking and playing in their backyards, while their parents have grabbed the opportunity to catch up on some gardening.

• It is obvious by the diminishing packets of seeds and seedlings at the local gardening suppliers that the general public ‘green fingers’ are hard at work, taking this opportunity that has been imposed upon them by the virus restrictions, and by the ideal weather to enjoy a bit of gardening which in many cases has been long overdue!

• Catholics in Adelaide have welcomed the good news that Pope Francis has appointed Bishop Patrick O'Regan as the twelfth Archbishop of Adelaide.

Bishop O'Regan is currently in charge of the Diocese of Sale in Victoria and succeeds Archbishop Philip Wilson who resigned from the position in July 2018.

It has been a long-awaited event, but much to the pleasure of the Adelaide Catholic congregation, it has happened at last!

• To top it all off, the good news has hit us at the petrol pumps! Yes, much to the South Australian motorists’ delight the petrol prices have been dropping continually, to levels that we have not seen for many years.

Can you imagine the surprise I got when I pulled up at the Servo and noticed that the petrol price was 88.9c per Litre? Wow! It’s not all doom and gloom after all!!

CatholicCare Home Care Services

Fix your clocks as DST ends M

ost Australians got an extra hour of sleep last Sunday morning as Daylight Savings Time (DST) came to an end in New South Wales, Victoria, South Australia, Tasmania and the Australian Capital Territory. Clocks were turned back an hour at 3am.

However, DST is not observed in Western Australia, Queensland and the Northern Territory DST will begin again on the first Sunday of October, which is October 4, 2020, and will end on the first Sunday of April, which is April 4, 2021.

Also note, that DST (also known as Summer Time) in Malta, as in most other European countries started on Sunday, March 29, that is when clocks were set forward one hour. Clocks will be set back one hour to standard time on Sunday, October 25.

Local time for the change is different in each time zone.

Stay safe...Stay home...and don’t panic

Laughter the best medicine

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Laughter is the best medicine, especially during this time of austerity and much anxiety all over caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. Nothing can beat a good laugh, which we all agree is far more valuable than cash or booze. This picture of a man coming out from a supermarket with loads of toilet paper rolls was taken in a street in a city in Europe. It was humorously captioned: “Never had diarrhoea this bad before”.

12 The Voice of the Maltese

Tuesday April 7, 2020

Roundup of News About Malta

A third package of financial aid in consultation with social partners

I

n order to help soften the blow to the employment sector that has been adversely affected by the COVID 19 outbreak in Malta, Prime Minister Robert Abela recently announced a packet of measures that will cost €70 million a month.

The measures decided after consultation with the social partners, the employers’ associations and unions within the MCESD. It was greatly welcomed by all the sectors.

These measures are in addition to the first €1.8 billion rescue package announced earlier by the Government.

Announcing the measures, PM Abela said that, like the rest of the world, Malta is at war, not a war with weapons but against this virus, so that the country will emerge from this situation.

The Government would be giving €800 a month to 60,000 workers in sectors most affected by the coronavirus, including the tourism, and the industries that have been forced to close temporarily as a result of decisions taken to safeguard the public.

This would benefit employees as well as the self-employed in the sectors of accommodation, restaurants, car hire, travel agents, security, cleaning, transport, entertainment and personal services such as barbers, hairdressers, and beauticians.

He said that full-timers would be receiving €800 per month, and part-timers €500

per month. This measure alone will cost the Government €44 million a month.

The measure also applies to another 50,000 employees working in the manufacturing and warehousing industries and also Gozitans. The Government will be giving one day’s pay a week, based on €800 per month, with the possibility of this going up to two days. amounting to a further €17 million.

Dr Abela said that this is being done so that once the country emerges from this crisis, businesses will not need to start from scratch to try and find employees.

Meanwhile, while the social partners all welcomed the package, in its reaction the PN described it as evidence that the Government acted late, and had dragged its feet in the face of a situation that required immediate action.

It said that a number of employees and professionals who work in different sectors will not be covered by the measures and that the Government has chosen to only help 60,000 out of the 164,000 employees in the private sector.

It was also expecting the government to reduce water and electricity bills.

ollowing a meeting with media organisations, the government informed them that it would be giving them aid, including some form of financial assistance to ensure that TV and radio stations, newspapers and news portals can continue to operate.

In a statement, government said it believes that the communication sector is an integral

part of the country’s democracy and is an important tool in the strengthening of the freedom of expression. It noted, especially in this particular time their importance in conveying the public health messages for people to stay indoors.

The Institute of Maltese Journalists has welcomed this news.

arliament has approved two motions and a bill enabling the maximum amount of the Government’s debt to increase from €300 million to €400 million.

Finance Minister Edward Scicluna said

this was necessary in order for the government to face the current situation resulting from the Covid-19 pandemic. The Opposition went against tradition and voted in favour of the motion.

taining the age limit The motion of Mark Chetcuti’s appointment that found widespread support in Parliament is symbolic since current constitutional arrangements do not require

parliamentary approval for the appointment of the chief justice.

It also forms part of a wider package on judicial changes agreed between the government and the Opposition.

Prime Minister Robert Abela expressed satisfaction at the agreement. He said, “One of the most divisive issues of the past years is today uniting us. I am proud of this historic moment.”

He added that as prime minister he could have adopted the practice of all his predecessors and appointed a new chief justice without the need to consult with the Opposition, however, he wanted to do things differently and listed the criteria, which he felt were suitable for a chief justice, that is, integrity, honesty, discipline, hard-working and legal know-how.

President George Vella who presides the Constitutional Reform Commission noted with satisfaction the cross-party agreement.

Opposition leader Adrian Delia said that unlike what was happening elsewhere, at a time of crisis, Malta was strengthening its democratic credentials.

Government promises aid to local media

F

Parliament approves increase in Govt’s debt

P

Govt, Opposition agree on appointment of new Chief Justice

A

unanimous agreement by both Government and Opposition, described as unprecedented, resulted in the appointment of a new Chief Justice to replace Joseph Azzopardi, who will retire April 8 on at-

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“Let Our Family Help You Through”

–

Ħalli l-familja tagħna tgħin lillfamilja tiegħek

The Voice of the Maltese 13

Tuesday April 7, 2020

Roundup of News About Malta

How to contain COVID-19: WHO director says Malta on right track and is an example to follow

T

he World Health Organisation (WHO) European Regional Director Dr Hans Kluge used twitter to congratulate Malta for the public health measures it has taken to combat coronavirus. He even said that Malta was on the right track and is an example to follow.

Dr Kluge followed that up with an appeal to the Maltese public to not relax, but to re-

Chinese company donates surgical face masks to Malta

F

oreign and European Affairs Minister Evarist Bartolo thanked Chinese filmmaking company Hongyi (Beijing) Culture Development Co. Ltd one hundred thousand protective facemasks to the Maltese government.

Minister Bartolo also praised the ongoing efforts between Maltese and Chinese experts to exchange best practices and lessons learnt on the containment of COVID-19.

The Minister Bartolo also thanked Malta's Ambassador to China John Aquilina, as well as John Debono for their instrumental role in Malta receiving such a donation, and praised Malta's diplomatic corps, which continue to be instrumental in assisting local authorities to secure, nurture and maintain important supply chains of medical equipment that are vital for the fight against this modern-day war against the virus.

Parliamentary Secretary for Consumer Protection and Public Cleansing Deo Debattista explained that these masks are being distributed to several entities engaged in the fight against the spread of COVID-19. They include the Armed Forces, the Police Force, the Correctional Services, and the Cleansing and Maintenance Division.

Closure of schools extended – to reopen in September

T

he closure of Schools and educational institutions in Malta has been extended to the end June, which is the end of the current scholastic year and reopen for the next scholastic year in September.

The government had initially announced the closure of schools and educational institutions until the 17th of April.

Online teaching will, continue, and students, rrespective of whether they are kids or young people, have been encouraged to continue with their learning and studies.

main vigilant. “Everyone can do something to win this fight against Covid-19”, he said in an interview on TVM. He once again expressed his opinion that Malta could be an example for other countries in the way it has planned its strategy against the outbreak.

He said, ”What WHO strongly advocates is based on the experience of previous epidemics in China and other countries. You need a blended approach.

“And that is what Malta has been doing: Public Health, meaning a lot of efforts on early identification of suspects, isolating, testing and treating with dignity; but at the same time doing mitigation, meaning to beef up the critical hospital capacity including for intensive care, which I know is not easy for a small country and that can be an example for the small countries and needs to be praised.”

Dr Kluge added that while everything indicates that the situation in Malta is under control, the country should not become complacent. but it should remain vigilant.

Dr Hans Kluge

Then he passed on a message to the Maltese people, who, he said, are very close to his heart, to “not let the guard down”.

He said that everyone can do something to win this war against Covid-19, not to be infected and not to infect others.

“Mentally it is tough. It is a stress test for psychological resilience but is not alone.

We are united in this battle. Reach out to each other and act with kindness and solidarity to each other,” he said.

New robotic machine for fast Covid-19 testing

M

alta has become one of the first countries in Europe to acquire and start using a new specialised robotic machine capable of processing tests for COVID-19 in record time.

Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Health Chris Fearne explained that the new addition to the Mater Dei Hospital equipment is capable of performing about 800 tests every day and process them within minutes, thus enabling the medical authorities to get the results the same day they are carried out.

The Minister (below examining the robotic machine) explained that Malta has managed to acquire this advanced apparatus because it took immediate action and made an early investment in order to contain the wave of infections that could hit Malta.

14 The Voice of the Maltese Forsi qatt daqs illum mhu qed insibha diffiċli biex nikteb lartiklu tiegħi tas-soltu, għax nifhem li ħafna bħali bdew kważi jiddejqu jiftħu l-ġurnali, jaraw it-televiżjoni jew jisimgħu r-radju għax ħlief fuq dan l-imbierek virus ma tismax... ma taqrax. L-agħar hu li aktar tisma’ u taqra aħbarijiet koroh milli sbieħ.

Imma fis-sitwazzjoni li ninsabu fiha wieħed diffiċli biex isib dwar jikkummenta li b’xi mod jew ieħor dan ma jkollux x’jaqsam mal-Coronavirus.

Tuesday April 7, 2020

Dak l-imbierek, jew misħut coronavirus

Ripatrijazzjoni X

’aktarx li ftit huma l-qarrejja li jgħaddilhom minn moħħhom kemm din l-imxija ħolqot xogħol għall-Ministeru tal-Affarijiet Barranin u Ewropej, Ministeru li ħafna drabi huwa aktar assoċjat ma’ ħidma diplomatika.

Sintendi, minħabba din l-imxija l-kuntatti diplomatiċi żdiedu mhux ħażin, imma forsi l-ikbar xogħol li dan il-Ministeru kellu u għandu f’idejh hija tar-ripatriazzjoni ta’ Maltin u oħrajn li jgħixu f’Malta u li meta faqqgħet il-marda kienu barra minn Malta.

Sfortunatament kellna wkoll dawk li anke meta l-coronavirus qorbot lejna u bdiet taħkem sew fl-Italja xorta ssugraw u siefru, min fuq xogħol u saħansitra kien hemm min mar fuq btala. Attwalment hu minn nies bħal dawn li dan il-virus x’aktarx daħal Malta.Malli s-sitwazzjoni bdiet tmur għal-agħar, uħud dabbru rashom u rritornaw Malta.

Imma għal xi wħud is-sitwazzjoni ma kienetx daqshekk faċli, għax xi pajjiżi għalqu l-ajruporti tagħhom u/jew waqqfu t-titjiriet minn u lejn pajjiżi oħra. U l-problema għal dawk li kienu barra u riedu jirritorna lejn pajjiżhom kien meta l-Gvern Malti għalaq lajruport Malti u sintendi l-linji tal-ajru waqqfu s-servizz tagħhom..

Dan żied sew il-ħidma ta’ ripatriazzjoni min-naħa tal-Ministeru tal-Affarijiet Barranin u Ewropew billi sar arranġament mal-AirMalta ħalli minkejja li t-titjiriet minn u għall-ajruport ta’ Malta twaqqfu – ħlief fil-każ ta’ ġarr ta’ merkanzija, dawn jibqgħu joffru xi servizzi lejn dawk l-ajruporti barranin li aċċettaw li jħallu l-ajruplani Maltin li jinżlu fihom, biex dawn iġibu lura ċ-ċittadini Maltin u oħrajn residenti f’Malta.

Dawn it-titjiriet kienu u għadhom qed jiġu organizzati u mħallsa mill-Gvern Malti.

Sadanittant ġie anke stabbilit numru tat-telefon biex dawn iċ-ċittadini setgħu jitolbu li jirritornaw Malta biex imbagħad isiru l-arranġamenti billi jintbagħtu ajruplani tal-AirMalta għalihom.

Sintendi f’din il-ħidma ġew involuti sewwa l-Ambaxxati u l-Konsulati Maltin.

Fl-istess ħin il-Ministeru kien ukoll qed jgħin biex ċittadini barranin li nqabdu Malta jkunu jistgħu jużaw l-istess ajruplani biex huma wkoll jirritornaw lejn pajjiżhom.

Stampa ċara tas-sitwazzjoni taha l-Ministru Evarist Bartolo lil ġurnal online iNews fejn qal li l-Gvern kien irċieva mad-9,000 talba ta’ ripatrijazzjoni, kemm minn Maltin li jaħdmu barra, kif ukoll dawk ta’ residenti barranin li jaħdmu f’Malta u xtaqu jmorru lura lejn pajjiżhom.

Il-Ministru Bartolo saħaq li aktar ma jgħaddi ż-żmien dan lgħadd seta’ jitla’ u fisser iż-żminijiet ta’ bħal-issa “bħala l-iktar perjodu diffiċli li pajjiżna qed jiffaċċja minn żmien il-Gwerra lil hawn.”

“Huwa sorprendenti l-fatt li lMaltin jmorru Il-Ministru Evarist Bartolo jaħdmu u jaqilgħu l-għajxien tagħhom minn pajjiżi mxerrda mad-dinja kolllha, anke dawk minn barra l-konfini tal-Unjoni Ewropeja. Irċevejna telefonati minn Maltin fit-Tajlandja. Irċevejna sejħa wkoll anke mill-Gżira ta’ Santa Luċija fil-Karibew.”

Bartolo ikkonferma li l-Ministeru tiegħu kien f’kuntatt kontinwu ma’ dawn il-persuni. “Iktar ma tmur, is-sitwazzjoni qegħda ssir iktar diffiċli, hekk kif iktar pajjiżi qegħdin jagħlqu l-konfini u lajruporti tagħhom.”

“Pereżempju, għal dawk il-persuni li jinsabu fil-kontinent Asjatiku, qed isiru l-arranġamenti biex kemm jista’ jkun jiġu lura pajjiżna tramite l-Ġermanja, hekk kif ilħaqna ftehim mal-Awtoritajiet Ġermaniżi u l-kumpanija Lufthansa biex dawn ikunu jistgħu jirritornaw l-kontinent Ewropew.”

Kien hawnhekk li l-Ministru Bartolo saħaq kif il-Gvern Malti kien qiegħed jikkopera bil-qrib ma’ Ministeri oħra tal-Istati Membri tal-UE. Tenna li għadd ta’ ħaddiema u residenti Maltin li huma ċittadini ta’ dawn il-pajjiżi kienu qed jintbagħtu lura pajjiżhom fuq titjiriet tal-Air Malta, u l-Gvern Malti kien dispost li jagħti l-appoġġ finanzjarju biex dan iseħħ.

“Ta’ dan, aħna bħala Gvern irċevejna ringrazzjament minn numru ta’ pajjiżi differenti, fosthom ar-Renju Unit, il-Ġermanja, Franza, l-Italja u anke pajjiżi mhux Ewropej bħall-Eġittu. U dan kollu għamilnieh, għax aħna bħala pajjiż nemmnu li biex niġġieldu din il-gwerra dinjija tant qalila, hemm bżonn is-solidarjetà bejnietna.”

The Voice of the Maltese 15

Tuesday April 7, 2020

Jum il-Ħelsien 2020 Messaġġi simili

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ħall-kuntrarju ta’ li kien seħħ 41 sena ilu, Jum il-Ħelsien, il-31 ta’ Marzu, din is-sena kien nieqes għal kollox miċ-ċelebrazzjonijiet...u x’aktarx għadda bi ftit nies jagħtu wisq każ tiegħu.

L-unika ċelebrazzjoni uffiċjali, jekk tista’ ssejħilha hekk kien li mingħajr il-baned, mingħajr ebda parata, u mingħajr ebda miġemgħa ta’ nies, il-Prim Ministru Robert Abela, waħdu, telgħa fuq l-għolja talĦelsien fil-Birgu biex xegħel il-fjakkola (stampa lemin) u poġġa bukkett fjuri f’riġlejn il-figuri li hemm fuq dan il-monument.

Imma dan il-jum ġab ukoll xi ħaġa pożittiva, għax il-Kap tal-Oppożizzjoni, Dr Adrian Delia wkoll ħass li kellu jfakkru b’messaġġ li xandar għall-poplu, u fil-messaġġ tiegħu qabel ħafna ma dak li qal ilPrim Ministru għall-okkażjoni.

Fil-messaġġ tiegħu l-Prim Ministru qal li, “bħal ma wieħed u erbgħin sena ilu, ilpoplu Malti u Għawdxi qam għall-okkażjoni u ġab l-aħna qabel il-jiena, hekk ukoll illum qed jissielet biex jikseb il-ħelsien mill-pandemija tal-coronavirus ħalli wkoll

joħroġ rebbieħ bħala poplu wieħed, magħqud u solidali.”

Saħaq li dan hu l-mument meta l-poplu jrid jagħti prijorità lill-valuri tal-onestà, l-integrità, l-għożża tal-familja, l-irġulija u l-altruwiżmu. Hu kompla jgħid li dan mhux mument tal-firda u l-kuluri, u li f’dan iż-żmien ta’ prova rridu nibqgħu magħqudin aktar minn qatt qabel.

“Dan huwa l-ħelsien modern li bħalissa qed nissieltu għalih. Il-ħelsien minn pandemija li malli niksbuh, inkunu nistgħu nkomplu niksbu, inwettqu u noħolmu aktar għal pajjiżna. Rebħa li għad trid tiġi mfakkra bħala rebħa kbira ta’ poplu Malti u Għawdxi wieħed.”

Il-Prim Ministru appella għall-kuraġġ, u

Kummenti pożittivi S

intendi l-ikbar ħidma, fiċ-ċirkustanzi li ninsabu fihom illum, waqgħet fi ħdan il-Ministeru tas-Saħħa li qed jagħmel minn kollox biex kemm jista’ jkun jikkontrolla s-sitwazzjoni u joffri l-aqwa servizzi kemm lil dawk milqutin minn din l-imxija, kif ukoll lil dawk li mhumiex billi joħroġ direttivi u pariri ħalli dawn kemm jista’ jkun jevitaw li jkunu nfettati.

U jidher li l-ħidma ta’ dan il-Ministeri bilko-operazzjoni, ta’ Ministeri u awtoritajiet oħra huma ta’ livell mill-aqwa.

Dan jixhdu l-fatt li d-Direttur Reġjonali tal-Għaqda Dinjija għas-Saħħa għallEwropa Hans Kluge kiteb fuq Twitter jawgura lid-Deputat Prim Ministru u Ministru għas-Saħħa Chris Fearne għall-miżuri li ġew introdotti f'Malta bil-għan li tkun ikkontrollata l-imxija tal-Covid-19.

Hans Kluge saħaq li “Malta tinsab fit-triq it-tajba”. Kompla jinsisti li pajjiżi oħra għandhom isegwu l-eżempji ta' Malta.

Nistgħu ngħidu li, għalkemm ma setax jonqos li jkun hemm xi kritika u xi kummenti negattivi (uħud għax sfortunatament anke waqt din il-kriżi taħkimhom il-passjoni politika), ir-reazzjoni tal-maġġoranza tan-nies qed tilqa’ tajjeb il-ħidma tal-qasam tassaħħa, immexxi mill-Aġent prim Ministru u Ministru tas-Saħħa Chris Fearne.

Minkejja li ma naqsitx li tikkritika xi

miżuri li ħa lGvern, jew ilmod taf kif ħadhom, ilmaġġoranza tal-midja, qed tqis li l-Gvern miexi sewwa f’din is-sitwazzjoni.

Dal li kitbet The Malta Independent “Slowly but Il-Ministru Chris Fearne surely, the right decisions are being taken.

Measures to protect jobs and salaries have been introduced, even if some might think they are not enough, public gatherings have been banned and the authorities have also taken steps to ensure that there is no construction frenzy over the next few months.

We have to accept this new reality which has come upon us and stop playing the political game. Once again, we appeal to the authorities, who are doing a sterling job when it comes to fighting off the Coronavirus, to communicate better with the public, and to the public to be more understanding and have some patience.

We must all work together, because we are all in this together.”

Robert Abela f’Jum il-Ħelsien qal li jemmen bis-sħiħ fil-poplu Malti saħaq li hu wkoll konvint li minn dan ilmument ta’ sagrifiċċju kollettiv se noħorġu rebbieħa. Radd ħajr lil kull min ġenwinament qed jaħdem biex negħlbu l-isfidi, u tenna li l-pajjiż grat lejhom. Temm jgħid, “Kemm jien kburi bil-poplu Malti u Għawdxi kollu.”

Min-naħa ta’ Delia, b’referenza għall-pandemija qal li llum għandna quddiemna sfida ġdida u gwerra, battalja kontra għadu li din id-darba ma jidhirx, li huwa inviżibbli u allura iżjed perikoluż. Saħaq li l-isfida llum hi li għal darb’oħra nsibu s-saħħa li għandna bħala poplu, li niġġieldu meta jkollna l-ikbar għawġ.

Sostna li “se nirbħu din il-gwerra flimkien”, u qal li nifhmu li m’hemmx kuluri, u distinzjonijiet, u li jrid ikollna l-abbiltà li min għandu ħafna jgħin lil min għandu ftit jew m’għandu xejn, li nġibu l-interess nazzjonali l-ewwel u qabel kollox, imma liktar ħaġa importanti li nagħmlu din il-ġlieda flimkien.”

Delia wera ruhu fiduċjuż mir-reżiljenza tal-poplu Malti li jwiegeb għal din l-isfida billi jħalli ftit libertajiet tal-ħajja normali u jifhem li din il-ġlieda hemm bżonn li nkunu flimkien biex nirbħuha. “Jekk niċċaħdu ftit issa, u nagħmlu s-sagrifiċċji issa, se nkunu kapaċi nirbħu din il-ġlieda flimkien,” qal.

Fil-messaġġ tiegħu indirizza lit-tfal u ħeġġiġhom biex ikomplu l-edukazzjoni tagħhom, lill-anzjani biex b’dan il-mument isibu l-għajnuna tat-teknoloġija, u sostenn għall-ħaddiema u n-negozji, waqt li stqarr li l-iktar importanti hi li nħarsu lejn xulxin bħala aħwa Maltin u Għawdxin.

Temm jgħid, “Ejja niġġieldu din il-ġlieda flimkien, nerġgħu nirbħu l-ħelsien tagħna flimkien bħala poplu wieħed, magħqudin.”

16 The Voice of the Maltese

Tuesday April 7, 2020

Social distancing is a must S

ystems academic and pandemic modelling researcher, Professor Mikhail Prokopenko, said that the data found that a high level of compliance with social distancing was required to limit the spread.

Speaking to SBS News, he said: “If we want to control the spread of COVID-19 – rather than letting the disease control us – at least 80 per cent of the Australian population must comply with strict social distancing measures for at least four months. However, if 90 per cent of the population complies, then the duration could be as short as 13 to 14 weeks – meaning if we

new COVID-19 rules. Depending on the State, (the states apply different rules), individuals face $1,000$13,345 fines and businesses can be fined up to $66,672.50 Rights groups have called for Australians to understand their rights as social distancing restrictions ramp up and new penalties are introduced to enforce them. Breaking the rules will now carry stiff financial penalties across state jurisdictions as police warn they are not afraid to enforce the measures.

They said police are well within their rights to question people about their reasons for leaving home. Civil Liberties Australia vice president Rajan Venkataraman said it’s vital the measures are not in place "any longer than is absolutely necessary".

Mr Venkataraman said increased restrictions can lead to heightened public anxiety despite being designed for public safety.

“There is always that risk and again with extraordinary new powers there is absolutely the potential that people may feel intimidated by an increased police presence or questioning It shouldn't be a revenue-raising exercise for the government,” he said.

began tomorrow, we could expect control of COVID-19 by July."

Prime Minister Scott Morrison has told Australians to stay home unless it's "absolutely necessary" to go out; however, a range of non-essential services are BS has launched the SBS Multilingual Coronavirus continuing to operate. A Portal with news and information in more than 60 number of Australian States languages, to further support multicultural Australia. The announced they were issuing on-the-spot fines for individMaltese language is included.

More than five million Australians speak a language uals and businesses flouting other than English, and given the complexity of COVID19, these communities need to have access to, and a clear understanding of vital health information.

Trusted and accurate news in many languages is of particular importance with misinformation and opinion around COVID-19 providing further challenges for Ausatholic schools across Australia will extend school fee relief for famtralians whose first language is not English. ilies facing financial hardship due to the COVID-19 pandemic. “We SBS says that it remains committed to protecting the health and wellbeing of our people, while also continu- saw recently through the bushfire season and ongoing drought, that some ing to keep audiences informed. SBS continues to de- families are more affected than others, so we need to ensure that the right liver its essential and comprehensive news and current support and assistance goes to where it is most needed,” the National Catholic Education Executive Director Jacinta Collins said. affairs coverage, amid challenging circumstances.

She said that Catholic schools have a long tradition of offering school fee relief and assistance to families facing financial difficulties.

“If families are affected by job losses, business closures or other impacts of the Shadow Minister for Communications COVID-19 pandemic, we urge them to Federal Member for Greenway speak to their school as quickly as possible, to get immediate relief and determine the level of assistance needed.”

Ms Collins said “subject to government advice, and we anticipate that, by term two, Catholic schools will be offering a combination of onsite schooling for the children of essential service workers and Level 1. Suite 101C, 130 Main Street, Blacktown remote learning for students at home.”

PO Box 8525, Blacktown NSW 2148 Nationally, Catholic schools educate more than 764,000 students – or one in aph.gov.au Michelle.Rowland.MP@ (02) 9671 4780 five Australian students – in 1,746 www.michellerowland. com.au MRowlandMP schools, the vast majority of which are low-fee schools.

SBS Multilingual Coronavirus portal

S

Catholic Schools offer relief to families hit by COVID-19 C

Michelle Rowland MP

The Voice of the Maltese 17

Tuesday April 7, 2020

When will we have a vaccine?

W

orld health officials have said the task to deliver a COVID-19 vaccine is an international effort, with scientists and experts sharing information. The collective of research is being carried out in China, the US, and 18 European countries which are currently fast-tracking the vaccine development. In Singapore, a potential COVID-19 vaccine is reportedly days away from being tested.

Deputy director of Emerging Infectious Diseases, Ooi Eng Eong, says his team is fast-tracking the process at an unbelievable rate.

Australia is playing a leading role in the race to produce a vaccine, in fact, Aus-

What one must do to stay safe

tralian scientists are among researchers working together from nearly 50 universities, biotech firms and pharmaceutical companies around the world.

They say they will have the system set up for vaccine producers to use by next month.

Professor Paul Young's team is on the frontline of the movement to develop a COVID-19 vaccine. As the head of the University of Queensland’s School of Chemistry and Molecular Biosciences, he says he is feeling the weight of the world on his shoulders.

Capt Cook 250 anniversary voyage suspended

n order to stay safe and also avoid Iavirus, the spread of COVID-19, coronone must stay at least 1.5 metres away from others; and gatherings are limited to two people unless you are with your family or household.

If you believe you may have contracted the virus, call your doctor (don’t visit) or contact the national Coronavirus Health Information Hotline on 1800 020 080.

If you are struggling to breathe or experiencing a medical emergency, you are adviced to call 000.

News and information is available in Maltese and 62 other languages at: sbs.com.au/coronavirus

A

multimillion-dollar circumnavigation of Australia by a replica of Captain James Cook's ship Endeavour to mark the 250th anniversary of his arrival has been suspended due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Prime Minister Scott Morrison announced the project in 2019 as part of a $48.7 million package to mark Captain Cook’s arrival. It was due to launch in Sydney's Botany Bay in April, with the replica Endeavour then sailing up the east coast before making a circumnavigation of the continent.

The Federal Government gave $6.7 million to the Australian National Maritime Museum for the project, which has been criticised by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander groups for celebrating the dispossession of their land and by academics for being historically inaccurate.

“This decision to cancel was not taken lightly. After four years of planning, this is disappointing, but it is necessary at this time," museum director Kevin Sumption said in a statement. "I trust the Police surveiling the beaches

public will understand and hope they engage with our digital resources instead.”

The museum has also put on hold the associated touring exhibition, Looking Back, Looking Forward, and is weighing up its options to mark the anniversary.

The rules keep changing

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s the situation regarding the COVID-19 in Australia is continuously changing, readers are advised to keep abreast of the news.

Meanwhile Prime Minister Scott Morrison and state and territory leaders agreed to further tighten the rule around indoor and outdoor public gatherings from 10 to two.

It will be up to the individual states and territories whether police strictly enforces it. Public gatherings will be limited to two people in a bid to slow the spread of COVID-19. He discouraged people aged over 70, those over 60

with chronic illness and Indigenous Australians over 50 with chronic illness from leaving home “to the maximum extent practicable”.

Mr Morrison said the measure was for the protection of the individuals - who could face more severe effects from the virus - rather than the general public. “They should limit contact with others as much as possible,” he said. The limit on gatherings at weddings remains at five people. For funerals, the maximum is still 10.

"These arrangements should also apply to those with chronic illness, over 60, and Indigenous persons over the age of 50.”

18 The Voice of the Maltese

Tuesday April 7, 2020

Tagħrif dwar il-kitba Maltija u dawk li matul is-sekli ħadmu għall-iżvilupp tal-ilsien Malti

Il-ħarsa tagħna llum tmur lejn il-poetessa Għawdxija, Mary Meilak, imfissra bħala li kienet l-uniku leħen femminili fost il-poeti Romantiċi Maltin tal-ewwel nofs tas-

seklu għoxrin u li t-tip ta’ poeżija tagħha kienet tixbaħ lil dik tal-għannejja u li kienet ferm qrib dik li ġeneralment joħolqu t-tfal.

MARY MEILAK- Għawdxija meqjusa bħala l-ewwel poetessa fil-Gzejjer Maltin

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l-poetessa Mary Meilak twieldet nhar id-9 ta’ Awwissu 1905 fir-Rabat Għawdex bint Ġorġ u Mananni u ħadet l-ewwel edkazzjoni tagħha fl-iskola tal-kapitali Għawdixja fejn twieldet. Tul ħajjitha dejjem ħadmet mal-Gvern, għal 17-il sena maċ-ċivil u wara, għal 20 sena sħaħ, mill-1942 sakemm irtirat, bħala għalliema, professjoni li kienet ferm għal qabha.

Minn dejjem kienet tħobb il-kitba, l-aktar il-poeżija, u fil-fatt mhux biss kienet waħda mil-ftit poeti nisa, iżda wkoll lewwel poetessa fil-Gżejjer Maltin. Għal ħafna snin kienet ukoll unika f’dan is-settur tan-nisa.

L-ewwel poeżija li kitbet u ġiet ippubblika kien fl-1956 fl-etá ta’ 25 sena bl-isem ta’ Faxx Nemel, filwaqt li ħames snin wara feġġ l-ewwel ktieb b’ġabra ta’ poeziji minn mara Maltija, Pleġġ il-Hena. Wara ssoktat b’oħrajn, fosthom Villa Meilaq, Dawra Misterjuża u Album.

L-akkademja tal-Malti tfisser lil Mary bħala mara sempliċi Għawdxija, li ma beżgħetx iġġarraf it-tabu soċjali li kien jorbot il-mara mal-maternità u l-kċina u minflok tatha għax-xogħol artistiku. Minħabba f’hekk u wkoll il-kreattività u ċerta elementi stilistiċi fil-poeżija tagħha, Meilak ħabtet fuq il-bieb ta’ dawk kollha li għandhom għal qalbhom il-qasam letterarju. Żewġ perunaġġi mill-aktar magħrufa filGżejjer Malti, il-Prof. Ġużè Aquilina u lProf. Peter Serracino Inglott (illum it-tnejn mejtin), kienu jgħidu dwar Meilak li kellha pinna ħafifa u teknikament interessanti, umli bla ma kienet taf hi stess, u li kienet toqrob ħafna l-metrika li wieħed isib filpoeżija Għarbija.

Min-naħa tal-Prof. Oliver Friggieri jgħid dwarha, li kienet, “tinqata’ għalkollox mill-poeti l-oħra mhux biss għaliex ma tagħti ebda ħjiel tal-ansjetà eżistenzjali u

Il-poetessa Għawdxija Mary Meilak

storika ta’ żmienha, iżda wkoll għaliex issib il-milja tal-espressjoni tagħha nnifisha fl-għoti ta’ sura fantastika liddinja ta’ madwarha.”

Jingħad ukoll li fost it-temi ewlenin assoċjati ma’ Meilak, hemm il-fantasija, innatura u r-reliġjon, u fi-fatt, għaliha n-natura kienet is-sors ta’ orizzonti bla limiti. Hi ma kinetx tara n-natura biss blgħajnejn viżivi imma tlibbes lin-natura b’kuluri fantastiċi u żżejjinhom bit-tixbih u l-figuri li joħloq il-moħħ.

Il-kitbiet tal-poeta huma minnhom infushom mezz ta’ kif jikkomunika mal-qarrej. Permezz ta’ xogħlu, il-poeta jesprimi dak li jħoss ġewwa fih u jikxef is-sigrieti tiegħu li ħadd ma jkun jaf bihom. B’hekk il-qarrej isir jaf lil sid ix-xogħol kemm bħala l-artist kif ukoll bħala l-bniedem normali. Hekk ġara fil-każ ta’ ħafna poeti magħrufa fil-letteratura Maltija u hekk isir

agħti ħajr minn qalbi lit-tmexxija ta’ dan il-magażin għall-ħsieb eċċellenti li N wassal biex tiġi maħluqa din il-paġna ta’ għarfien lill-kittieba Maltin li b’dak li għamlu u qed jagħmlu, żiedu jagħmlu l-ilisen Malti wieħed rikk fil-letteratura dinjija.

Ħajr li qed iżżommu ħaj l-ilsien Malti

Tagħrif bħal dan qed ukoll jgħin lill-qarrejja biex jgħożżu l-wirt li wħud mill-kittieba li m’għadhomx magħna ħallew warajhom u li jgħożżu dan il-wirt.

F’pubblikazzjoni bħal din li qed tgħin li jibqa’ ħaj u jitkattar l-ilsien Malti, jiżdied limportanza tagħha, u j’alla li dawk fost il-komunitá Maltija li għandhom il-qalbhom il-valuri Maltin, jifhmu s-siewi tal-ilsien Malti.

Carmel Barbara

ukoll fil-każ ta’ Mary Meilak.

Fi studju kritiku li kien għamel kittieb ieħor Għawdxi li llum m’għadux magħna, Kelinu Vella dwar il-ġabra ta’ poeżiji filktejjeb ta’ Meilak “Pleġġ il-Hena”, kien qal li l-hena l-aktar li tinstab hi fl-oriġinalità u s-sempliċità tal-ħsieb u ssaltan l-aktar fl-erwieħ ċkejknin li għandhom fantasija kollha kemm hi tagħhom u tagħhom biss, u li dan hu li jagħti valur artistiku kbir lillpoeżiji tagħha.

Fost ftit mill-ħafna poeżiji fejn titkellem dwar ħwejjeġ immaterjali u mwarrba li kulħadd iqishom ta’ “imbarazz” u jieħdu l-ħajja fil-poeżiji tagħha, insibu, “IlBexxiexa”, “In-Naxra”, “L-Istuta” u “Bott fit-Triq”.

Nistgħu nħidu li din l-Għawdxija kienet artista li jirnexxiela li mix-xejn toħroġ ilkbir, u mis-sempliċi tiftaħ l-orizzonti talkreattività.

Għalhekk mhux ta’ b’xejn li l-Prof.

Oliver Friggieri jqabbel lil Meilak ma’ “saħħara tal-ħsieb imsarraf fi kliem” .

Meilak għexet fi żmien il-gwerra li qanqalha tikteb poeżiji li juru l-kwadru tal-ħajja lokali fl-esperjenzi qarsa li għaddiet minnhom f’dawk is-snin. Hi kitbet ukoll għadd ta’ poeżiji patrijottiċi u oħrajn fejn tiftaħar b’dak li hu ta’ pajjiżha, allura iddedikathom lill-irħula u l-inħawi tipiċi Għawdxin.

Il-ftaħir tagħha lejn Għawdex ma kienx biss limitat għall-poeżija, imma kitbet ukoll storja fuq kull belt u raħal ta’ Malta u Għawdex.

Tema oħra ta’ min isemmi u li Meilak kienet turi biċ-ċar f’għadd ta’ poeziji tagħha, hemm l-ispiritwalità u l-imħabba li kellha għal Alla. Fi-fatt kitbet serje ta’ poeżiji marbutin mal-Passjoni ta’ Ġesù Kristu u li m’ilux kienu nnġabru fi ktieb mill-mibki Frank L. Mercieca bl-isem ta’ “L-Istrumenti tal-Passjoni”.

Mary Meilak mietet fl-isptar ġenerali t’Għawdex fl-etá ta’ 69 sena fl-1 ta’ Jannar 1975. Hija midfuna fiċ-ċimetrju ta’ Santa Marija fl-inħawi Tal-Barmil fil-qabar talfamilja Meilak.

F’2005 f’għeluq il-mitt sena minn twelidha ġiet imfakkra f’lapida li twaħħlet fi Pjazza San Ġorġ fil-belt Victoria (irRabat) biswit id-dar li għexet fiha fi Triq San Ġuzepp. Hija mfakkra wkoll f’waħda mit-toroq wara l-Kumpless Sportiv filkapitali Għawdxija int u sejjer lejn Marsalforn li ġiet imsemmija għaliha.

Ludwig Galea’s saga ... as he faced Tuesday April 7, 2020

The Voice of the Maltese 19

the coronavirus pandemic in Australia

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n invitation to perform for the Maltese living in Sydney Australia turned into a nightmare for one of the leading Maltese tenors/entertainers Ludwig Galea. His recent short stay in Sydney resulted in sleepless nights and uncertainty.

It wasn’t his first time in Sydney; he had visited and performed there on four other occasions, but the coronavirus was never around, and he was never hit by a lockdown, as he was this time around.

Talking to the Voice of the Maltese while he was still observing his quarantine in Malta, Ludwig recalls leaving Heathrow Airport on his way to Sydney on March 11 as normal, that is until his stopover in Singapore. He was shocked to see ambulances, doctors, people wearing “star wars” look-alike apparel, fever gadgets, and people fumigating the airport.

In Malta, Prime Minister Robert Abela was alerting people about the COVID-19 coronavirus. On arrival in Sydney on March 13, the situation appeared normal enough. The concerts he was scheduled to give were in focus and preparations started immediately. He was informed that both his concerts were sold out.

In Australia, being part of the rest of the

world, the news was out. The Ludwig performing durnumber of people infected ing one of his previous with the coronavirus was risvisits to Australia ing. It included ministers and entertainers. As the days went by, it was getting scary.

Comprehending and reading the theory behind “flattening the curve”, in Sydney Ludwig was confused why Prime Minister Abela was being criticised for using the same measures for Malta that Australia was using to deal with the pandemic. According to the Maltese tenor Australia, was and still is as one of the most responsible countries coping with the situation.

Away from his family, Ludwig entered into the dark place and panicking mode.

He refused to see or read any local social media, as everything was getting mind-boggling. Sleep was getting harder. “I could hardly bear look at home airport, Qantas was not very co-operative.

He described the situation as one of disbevideos of my kids and family,” he said.

Meanwhile, the preparation for the con- lief and desperate and he was crying like a certs had come child.

In the middle of the night, Ludwig reto a head. Wentw o r t h v i l l e ceived a call from a friend of his at Air Leagues Club Malta, and the flight back home was fithe main venue nally arranged. He recalled, “Suddenly became concern- from despair and desperation I had this ed and entered adrenaline rush since I was going home; he World Health Organization (WHO) declared the outbreak into discussion another night without sleep”. of COVID-19 a pandemic on March 11; on March 17 the On March 18 at 2 pm, Ludwig checked with the organisMaltese Community Council of Victoria’s Centre closed for the ers, the Maltese in at Sydney airport. The ground hostess safety of the staff and members of the Maltese community, who Cultural Associ- checked his passport and congratulated are some of the most vulnerable at this time. ation of NSW. Malta on how it was dealing with this panIn a message to The Voice of the Maltese, the MCCV said: The club insisted demic. His first stop was at the Istanbul Our Social support service continued with staff and volunteers that Ludwig co- airport, one of the world’s busiest; it was phoning people who attended our service. Our team have been uld not perform a ghost town. checking in on them, by making a phone call every second day Finally, after five days of excitement, ununless cleared by to ensure they have someone to talk during this most difficult and a doctor that he certainty, and confusion Ludwig was back isolating time for all. was free of the to sweet home and immediately went into The MCCV wants to continue to support the older Maltese peovirus. After len- quarantine away from his loved ones, esple by expanding this service to the broader community throughgthy delibera- pecially Benjamin and Kristina. out Victoria. We want to assist people in the community who may After his experience, Ludwig had nothing tions, the concert be feeling unsure, lonely or isolated due to the strict stay at home was eventually but praise for the people he associated restrictions. with, in Sydney. “They are beautiful souls cancelled.

For anyone that registers, particularly those who live alone or Ludwig wanted starting from my Uncle Sam and the Malare caring for someone at home, our team will call them every to return home to tese Cultural Association of New South few days to check in on them to see how they are doing and to Malta before fur- Wales. They never left me alone.” have a chat. From the people who have been accessing this servHis final message to them was, “Thanks ther restrictions ice, we know it is making their very long day at home, more tolon airport move- Charles Mifsud, Miriam Friggieri, from erable. ments came into the MCA, and George Vella from BreakOur team will also assist by referring those in need of other serveffect. At Sydney away Travel. I love you, guys”. ices to the appropriate organisation. The government and other welfare agencies are offering services people can access.

The Voice is not just a news portal; If you, or someone you know could benefit from this telephone We comment, we fight for your rights. contact service, contact us at the Maltese Community Council of We believe in freedom of expression; Victoria on 9387 8922 and leave your name and telephone number.

We are read in the right places.

Our team will get back to all callers within a few days.

Message from MCCV to the Maltese community

T

20 The Voice of the Maltese

Ġieħ lill-artist pittur Esprit Barthet

Tuesday April 7, 2020

F

tit taż-żmien ilu f’għeluq il-mitt sena mit-twelid tal-pittur u għalliem Esprit Barthet (1919 – 1999), b'kollaborazzjoni mal-Kunsill Malti tal-Arti u Heritage Malta, fil-Parlament Malti ġiet organizzata lejla kommemorattivaf’ġieħu. kienet ippreseduta mid-Deputat Speaker tal-Kamra tad-Deputati Claudette Buttigieg. Il-wirja saret b'kollaborazzjoni malKunsill Malti tal-Arti u Heritage Malta.

Dan l-artist u għalliem li twieled il-Belt Valletta fis-6 ta' Ottubru 1919, iben Camillo u Ġużeppina Grixti, studja l-arti fl-Iskola tal-Arti tal-Gvern fil-Belt Valletta, taħt id-direzzjoni ta' tnejn mill-aqwa artisti Maltin, Edward u Robert Caruana Dingli, u kompla l-istudji tiegħu f'Reggia Accademia di Belle Arte u aktar tard fl-Ingilterra, fl-Academy of Arts ta' Bath.

Barthet, li għal żmien twil kien jgħix ilBelt, mequs bħala artist prolifiku u versatili. Ix-xogħlijiet tiegħu juru l-ħila strasordinarja tiegħu, partikolarment, f'potraits, fin-natura morta, fir-romantiku u filkubiżmu. Hu jitqies ukoll bħala interpretu 'per eċċellenza' tal-arti astratta.

Fis-snin bikrin tal-1950, Barthet beda jesperimenta bil-kubiżmu u l-atratt.

E

Ħafna mill-opri ta' Esprit Barthet jinsabu f'Malta, fosthom fil-Palazz tal-President ta' Malta fil-Belt Valletta, fl-Uffiċċju tal-Prim Ministru fil-Berġa ta' Kastilja u f'kollezzjonijiet għand Heritage Malta. Hemm xogħlijiet oħra f'kollezzjonijiet privati u mużewijiet, kif ukoll f'pajjiżi oħra, fosthom fl-Uffizi fil-belt ta’ Firenze fl-Italja.

Fil-kelmtejn li għamlet qabel il-ftuħ talesebizzjoni, id-deputat speaker tal-Parla-

Ikun li trid int

aster is fast approaching - except this time it all feels a little different. With so much going on in the world around us, and religious services being one of the many things that have been shut down in many countries, we do not have the opportunity to celebrate Easter week with our usual traditions. Ikun li trid int is one possible way to reconnect with our Maltese culture and heritage alongside a piece of figolla!

Ikun li trid int – Thy Will Be Done – is an amateur musical production that was produced in 2015 by Simone Cremona, the director of musicworx. The music and lyrics were originally composed by Therese Cassar and Prof. Manwel Mifsud in 1976 for the YTC, and continue to be widely performed to this day around Malta and Gozo during the Lenten Period.

ment, Claudette Buttiġieġ faħħret il-kwalitajiet sbieħ ta' Esprit Barthet, b'mod partikolari i-perseveranza tiegħu fl-istudju u t-taħriġ, l-impenn u l-ħeġġa għall-arti, u lpassjoni u s-sagrifiċċju bħala l-mezz biex jilħaq il-milja ta' ħajtu, kif ukoll il-maturità artistika u spiritwali tiegħu.

Issemma wkoll u ġie mfaħħar, il-ħsieb ħieles ta' Barthet u l-fedeltà tiegħu lejn issewwa u l-verità. Ġie mfisser bħala fost leroj u esponenti kbar tal-arti f'Malta.

L-espressjoni tal-arti tiegħu hija l-legat li ħalla warajh dan l-artist li quddiemu poġġew mexxejja prominenti Maltin li lkwadri tagħhom għadhom jitgawdew sal-lum.

Katya Micallef, il-kuratur ewlieni tal-Arti Moderna u Kontemporanja ta’ Heritage Malta, tiddeskrivi lil Barthet bħala għalliem li ħalla influwenza kbira fuq l-istudenti li għallem u fuq l-artisti li għexu fi żmienu. Qalet li kien magħruf l-aktar għall-iżvilupp modern tal-arti tiegħu.

Fl-1944 Esprit Barthet iżżewweġ lil Tereża Borg u kellhom sitt itfal. Huwa miet fl-4 ta’ Lulju 1999 fl-etá ta’ 79 sena.

Fis-Swieqi hemm triq li ġiet imsemmija għalih

Ikun Li Trid Int is a musical reflection based on the 14 Stations of the Cross.

This video recording of the live performance was held in Melbourne, Australia and is sung in Maltese.

It includes English reflections, written in verse by one of the group’s choir members, so that the lyrics can be understood even by those who are not fluent in the Maltese language.

Visit https://vimeo.com/ondemand/ikunlitridint/ to watch the trailer and to obtain details on how to rent or buy the production online from anywhere around the world.

One can also contact musicworx on info@musicworx.org for more information about the production, and assistance on how to watch the show online, or to order a DVD. Profit made will go towards musicworx's next musical production.

- Online streaming now available

The Gozitans’ devotion to Saint Ursula to the fore Tuesday April 7, 2020

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he Cathedral authorities in Victoria have placed the bust of Saint Ursula, patron of Gozo, on the Cathedral’s main altar to invoke her intercession against the COVID-19 pandemic.

Devotion to the saint in Gozo began in 1614, when Eugenio-Romirez Maldonado, a Knight from Salamanca and Governor of Gozo, donated a bust of the saint with her

arm-bone to the Matrice, currently the Victoria Cathedral. Then on September 6, 1620, Saint Ursula was declared patron saint of Gozo.

Throughout the centuries, three votive processions, in which the civil authorities also took part, were held throughout the year as thanksgiving for deliverance from calamities.

Head of school in Victoria in constant contact with his pupils

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yjama Day had to be celebrated at the Happy School in Victoria on March 16. However, due to the schools’ shutdown, the event took a different format when the head of school, Lelio Spiteri took to the social media to encourage the students to put on their pyjamas, dance to music and post the video on the school’s Facebook page.

This is one of a series of video clips posted by the head of school while children are away from school due to the coronaivrus pandemic. He is posting one clip per day in which he shares fun facts, sends happy birthday wishes to students who celebrate their birthday on the day and also gives the pupils a task to accomplish at home with the help of their parents.

Students from the school have created drawings of butterflies, rainbows and fish.They have sent messages of love and hope and eagerly look forward to the video clip coming up next.

Through this medium, the school head wishes to maintain a constant link with the students and helping them to be positive and happy.

The video clips are uploaded daily on the school’s Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/GozoCollege-Rabat-Primary-The-Happy-School1325469510893883/

The Voice of the Maltese 21

Gozo

round and about

by Charles Spiteri

On February 18, 1814, a bubonic p l a g u e broke out in Xagħra. Communications between Gozo and Malta were cut off and the military were sent to Gozo to form a double cordon around Xagħra to avoid people spilling out. Trespassers risked being gunned down by snipers.

On that occasion St Ursula’s bust was taken out of the church to the gardjola or watchtower on the St John Demi-Bastion inside the Ċittadella and raised on a plinth facing the plague-stricken village so that villagers could invoke the intercession of Saint Ursula from their homes.

Special prayers by Cathedral Archpriest Mgr. Joseph Sultana are being said in front of the saint twice daily, at 8am and 6pm.

Right: The head of the Happy School in Victoria, Lelio Spiteri conducting one of his popular videos online

Pupils from the Victoria school in their pyjamas (above and left) join in the fun by showing off their paintings, that also conyed the message of peace, safety and love not only to their fellow students, but also to the people in this hour of need

22 The Voice of the Maltese

Tuesday April 7, 2020

C Co om mm mu un ni it ty y N Ne ew ws s

Suspension of in-person appointments at High Commission in Canberra and Consulate Generals in Melbourne, Sydney

In line with precautionary measures in relation to COVID-19, the High Commission in Canberra advises that until further notice, in-person appointments from the three offices in Australia have been suspended. They include: the High Commission in Canberra, and the Consulate Generals in Melbourne and Sydney.

This suspension of services impacts passport, citizenship applications, witnessing of signatures and identity. Until further notice Visa applications will no longer be accepted.

The three offices will still be contactable over the phone and via email. Malta High Commission Canberra: (02) 6290 1724; 0433 799 746; email: highcommission.canberra@gov.mt.

Consulate General Melbourne: Malta Consulate Melbourne: (03) 9670 8427; 0430 378 407 email: maltaconsulate.melbourne@gov.mt Consulate General Sydney: (02) 9262 9500; 0430 402 177; email: maltaconsulate.sydney@gov.mt Any inconvenience caused is regretted. The public will be informed once services are reinstated.

Għall-attenzjoni tal-qarrejja

Qarrejja li jixtiequ juru l-fehmiet tagħhom dwar xi suġġett huma mħeġġa ma jħallux għall-aħħar. Indirizzaw l-emails lil: maltesevoice@gmail.com. L-ittri għall-pubblikazzjoni in-dikawhom: Letters to the editor.

Rigal lin-Nannu Present a brilliant comedy

Special guest

When: Sunday May 17 at 2 p.m.

Where: Wentworthville Leagues Club

FOR TICKETS PHONE: Monica Ledger: 98 96 0712 / 0414 859 386 Joe Mifsud: 0412 357 695 Julie Farrugia: 1423 644 227 Donation Adults $12 Kids $ 6.00

Events for 2020

Sunday July 5 Lejla fil-Buskett Sunday October 18 Fete Saturday November 14 Dinner Dance Sunday December 6 Festa San Nikola

Please Note: If interested in advertising on The Voice of the Maltese magazine in order to reach the widest audience possible, partcularly among the Maltese diaspora is requested to write for details to: Maltesevoice@gmail.com

We offer legal services in Melbourne (Lt Collins Street) and Werribee.

Family law is our specialty.

• wills, powers of attorney, • manage deceased estates, and provide • purchase and sell property • purchase and sell businesses.

Marlene Ebejer (speaks Maltese) an accredited family law specialist • divorce, children, property, • child support, intervention orders.

• Maltese Wills, Powers of Attorney • Maltese Property matters.

Phone: 03 9741 1722 www.ebejerlawyers.com.au) email reception@ebejerlawyers.com.au

We get to the point, provide the right advice and get the work done at a reasonable price.

Important Notice

If you are unable to buy the next issues of The Voice from the usual sources, you can inquire about our subscription at: maltesevoice@gmail.com We will deliver The Voice by mail to your address anywhere in Australia.

Avviż lill-qarrejja

Tixtieq li jkollok kopja f’idejk ta’ The Voice?

I

nfakkru lill-qarrejja li The Voice of the Maltese, mhux biss magazine online, iżda wkoll l-uniku tax-xorta tiegħu fl-Awstralja li wkoll jiġi ippubblikat. Huma ħafna dawk li ilhom li approfittaw ruħhom minn dan u abbonaw biex anke jibdew jirċevu kopja pprintjata bil-posta d-dar bi ħlas.

Minħabba l-bogħod li hawn fil-kontinent Awstraljan, il-ħlas tal-posta minn stat għall-ieħor tvarja, għalhekk dawk kollha li jixtiequ li jibdew jirċevu kopja pprintjata tal-magazine kull darba li joħroġ biex ikunu jistgħu jżommuha f’idejhom, huma mħeġġa biex jabbonaw għal sena ħalli jagħmlu żgur mill-kopja Biex dan isir wieħed l-ewwel jibgħat email lil maltesevoice@gmail.com fejn jitlob tagħrif dwar il-ħlas ta’ abbonament għal sena fl-istat fejn jgħix. Imbagħad jekk ikun irid jissieħeb ma’ dawk kollha li mhumiex kuntenti biss li jaqraw il-magazine online, imma wkoll li jkollhom kopja tiegħu, jgħarrafna.

Maltese Community Council of Victoria Inc.

L-MCCV qed jilqa’ applikazzjonijiet għall-pożizzjoni ta’ għalliem/a part-time tal-ilsien Malti fil-binja tagħhom f’14 Watt Street, Sunshine, Victoria.

L-applikanti jrid jkollhom għarfien sew tal-Malti kemm miktub kif ukoll mitkellem. Ibgħat applikazzjoni bid-dettalji akkademiċi lill: admin@mccv.org.au. Għal tagħrif ieħor ċempel fuq: 0412 115 919. Ħalli n-numru tat-telefon u nċemplulek lura.

The Voice of the Maltese 23

Tuesday April 7, 2020

C Co om mm mu un ni it ty y N Ne ew ws s

Tu n e i n t o Ra d i o a n d Te l e v i s i o n

MELBOURNE: on 3ZZZ 92.3FM or on www.3zzz.com.au. Mondays 5-6 pm, Fridays 5-6 pm and Saturdays 10-11am.

MELBOURNE: on 98.9 North West FM, every Friday 6.00 - 7.00p.m. and Mondays 7.00 to 8.00pm. Presenter: Emmanuel Brincat.

On SBS Radio Day Time Analogue and Digital Tuesdays and Fridays: 12:00-13:00 97.7fm SBS 2.

To tune into digital radio you need a receiver or device with a DAB+ chip.

Tuning in is by station name not frequency. Digital radio can also be heard via digital TV.

For television news from Malta SBS2 TV 32 ( (Viceland) on Thursdays and Sundays at 8am.

SYDNEY: listen to the MCC radio programmes on 2GLF FM 89.3.

Isma’ l-programm tar-radju bil-Malti mill-Kunsill Malti ta’ NSW minn fuq listazzjon 2GLF 89.3FM. (Jista’ wkoll jinstema’ On Demand minn fuq l-Internet: www.893fm.com.au)

On Demand: Ethnic Maltese Council 11am)

Il-Ħadd 11.00 am: l-aħħar aħbarijiet minn Malta, mużika, tagħrif, kultura, avviżi u suġġetti ta’ interess.

SBS Radio 2 on Channel 38.

Programmes can be accessed online (live or catch up) at: sbs.com.au/maltese and via mobile phone, using the SBS Radio app.

Maltese Seniors Social Welfare Day Groups

Fairfield Active Maltese Seniors month at the Llandilo Community Hall, Meets on the last Tuesday of the Month. Seventh Avenue, from 11am to 1 pm.

Group meets in Parish Hall, cnr of Stella Street & The Boulevard, Fairfield Heights at Maltese of Bankstown 10 am.

Group meets 3rd Wednesday of month in the Bankstown CBD area.

Maltese Seniors Central Coast Every other 3rd Thursday an outing.

Have to contact our Welfare Officer for an Enquiries call: Sam 9534 2357 appointment. For all information and referral matters call Censina Cefai: 02 439 Greystanes Maltese Seniors 000 12 or 0414 267 652 Meets on the second Monday of each month at the George Preca Centre of Daceyville Maltese Seniors OLQP Church, 198 Old Prospect Road, Meets the last Wednesday of the mon-th Greystanes from 10 am to 12 noon in the Meeting Room One, No. 3 General Bridges Crescent, Daceyville.

The Sutherland & St George Note: The Groups also arrange regular Bus Trips Maltese Group Join us and make new friends.

Meets every First Wednesday of the Month from 10:00am-1:00pm.

Merrylands Social Maltese Seniors Meetings/Get Togethers are interestMeets every second Friday of the ing, informative & entertaining, so come month: Miller Room, Memorial Avenue Join us and make new Friends Merrylands from 10.30am to 12.30 am

Many of the activit have b es een ca ncelle Phone d. first

Llandilo Maltese Seniors Meets on the first Wednesday of each

For more info contact our Coordinator: Charles Mifsud J.P.Phone (02) 9501 5525 – mobile 0421 662 298.

*(All Groups are co-ordinated by The Maltese Community Council of NSW) with a sponsorship from Multicultural NSW. Please contact the MCC Welfare Officer: Marisa Previtera JP on 0414 863 123. The MCC offices are at 59b Franklin Street (corner with Young St) Parramatta West NSW (next to West Parramatta Primary School).

VIVA MALTA on COAST FM 96.3 Community Radio in Gosford Central Coast NSW. Aired on Thursdays every fortnight from 6 pm -7 pm.

Presenter: Nathalie Gatt.

Web streaming: www.coastfm.org.au SBS MALTESE NEWS: L-Aħbarijiet are now on SBSTV Viceland HD Channel 31 every Sunday at 8.00 a.m. and on Thursday at 8.00 a.m.

BRISBANE listen to the Maltese Programme on 4EB on Tuesdays 6.00 -8.15am; Sundays 4.15pm to 5.15pm.

Maltese Community Radio Adelaide: Maltese Programmes on 5EBI 103.1fm: Sunday: 7.30am; Monday: 8.00 am; Monday: 6.00pm Contact: Bernadette Buhagiar: 0420 944 205. Email bernadettebuhagiar@gmail.com Ron Borg: 0418 843 850. Email ronborg@mac.com

Easter Services on TV across Australia

The Seven Network will stream The Lord’s Passion on Good Friday and Easter Sunday Mass from 10.30am across Australia on Channel 7 and on Prime 7 in regional areas, and livestreamed on 7plus.

Both liturgies will be broadcast commercial-free and in their entirety.

Maltese Community Council of Victoria Inc.

L-MCCV qed jilqa’ applikazzjonijiet għall-pożizzjoni ta’ għalliem/a part-time tal-ilsien Malti fil-binja tagħhom f’14 Watt Street, Sunshine, Victoria.

L-applikanti għandu jkollhom għarfien sew tal-Malti kemm miktub kif ukoll mitkellem.

Ibgħat applikazzjoni bid-dettalji akkademiċi lill: admin@mccv.org.au Għal tagħrif ieħor ċempel fuq: 0412 115 919. Ħalli n-numru tattelefon u nċemplulek lura.

24 The Voice of the Maltese

Sports

Tuesday April 7, 2020

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The impact of Coronavirus on sport – a list of the major cancellations The Olympic rings are seen in front of Tokyo's iconic Rainbow Bridge and Tokyo Tower at Odaiba Marine Park

F

rom major club and international football to Formula 1, and the golf and tennis tours, Covid-19 has decimated the world’s sporting calendar.

This is an updated list of the major sporting events that have been affected so far as a result of the coronavirus crisis.

• Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games have been postponed to 2021 as a result of the coronavirus crisis.

• Word Football Federations have postponed all continental tournaments, and domestic leagues. Euro 2020 has been postponed to 2021. UEFA’s club competitions, the Champions League and Europa League fixtures have also been postponed indefinitely. FIFA has also postponed all the continental competitions. They include the 2020 Copa América that has been moved to 2021.

• In Tennis, the French Open, has been moved from May to September, and the Wimbledon Championships have been cancelled. The ATP Tour has suspended all events for six weeks and for the WTA Tours there will be no tournaments until May 2 • All horse racing has been suspended until the end of April, after the Grand National meeting at Aintree was cancelled.

• England’s Premier League season has been suspended until it is safe to resume play, and announced players may have 30% of their salary cut.

• Women’s Super League, Scottish football and European leagues also suspended • European Rugby union’s games and Rugby union’s Heineken European Champions Cup and Challenge Cup suspended • For the first time since 1945, the Masters, golf’s first major of the year, at Augusta, USA has been postponed, so too, the US PGA Championship.

• The World Snooker Championship which

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Championship season as soon as it is safe to do so after May and will continue to regularly monitor the ongoing COVID-19 situation.

• The 88th edition of the 24 Hours of Le Mans Automobile race originally scheduled for 13/14th June. The new date will be September 19/20.

• England cricket tour of Sri Lanka abandoned, IPL pushed back.

• After the Mooloolaba World Cup in Australia was completed. World Triathlon has announced the suspension of all races and activities until the end of April.

• Following the suspension of several other sports in the US, including Major League Soccer, the National Hockey League, Major League Baseball, National Basketball Association and the XFL, the Boston Marathon has been moved to September.

• The organisers of the Oxford vs. Cambridge Boat Race in London cancelled the event that had been scheduled for March 29 last.

was scheduled to take place from April 18 to May 4 has been postponed and it is now hoped it may be rescheduled for July or August.

• After the Ausn light of the evolving situation concerning COVID-19, and in tralian Formula 1 line with the directives of the Maltese health authorities, the Grand Prix was Malta Football Association has extended the suspension of all its dramatically post- domestic football and futsal competitions indefinitely. Competiponed, the FIA tions had initially been uspended until April 5. quickly confirmed The MFA is maintaining regular contact with the local and interthat the postpone- national stakeholders, especially UEFA and FIFA, as it continues ment of eight oth- to monitor this evolving situation closely. ers. They are, the Government promises financial aid to sports Dutch, Spanish, Monaco, Canadian, Meanwhile, the MFA and the ASA have expressed their gratitude Bahrain, Vietnam, and appreciation to the Government for extending the financial aid and Azerbaijan measures announced recently also to the sports sector.

Grands Prix.

During these difficult times for everyone, the Government has lisThe FIA and For- tened to the appeals made by various sports associations to increase mula 1 expect to the level of financial assistance for the sports sector that has also begin the 2020 been adversely affected by the COVID-19 pandemic.

MFA activities suspended indefinitely

I