The Voice of the Maltese No. 130

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

Issue 130

o on nlliin ne e m ma ag ga az ziin ne e

June 21, 2016

VoM Exclusive

President of Malta visit to Australia confirmed - see page 2

Sunrise at Gozo’s picturesque MŠarr Harbour photo courtesy of Joanne Mohr Photography

2 The Voice of the Maltese

Tuesday June 21, 2016

President of Malta visit to Australia now confirmed T

he Voice of the Maltese can now officially confirm the news that it exclusively reported in Issue No. 128 a month ago, that the President of Malta, H.E. Marie Louise Coleiro Preca will be visiting Australia next month. She would first be delivering the opening address at the Inaugural SWAPv Conference July 13-15 – at the Flinders University Tonsley campus in Adelaide, and later also visit the Maltese communities of NSW – July 16-17 – and Melbourne – July 18-19.

The SWAPv inaugural conference titled Enhancing child and adolescent well-being and preventing violence in school and early childhood settings is being organised by the University, in partnership with Flinders Educational Futures Research Institute, Office of Indigenous Strategy & Engagement, The Wellbeing and Resilience Centre (SAHMRI), headspace, Relationships Australia (SA), Flinders University is commemorating its 50th anniversary.

The event be bring together national and international researchers in the field of promoting student wellbeing, positive mental health, preventing violence and aggression, bullying and cyber bullying, and other related fields. Important foci include Indigenous conceptions and understandings of wellbeing and violence prevention and a focus on youth voice involving members of headspace.

Asked to comment about her visit, the President told The Voice of the Maltese that she is so looking forward to her visit among the Maltese in Australia.

“I look forward with enthusiasm to my visit and to meet with our brothers and sisters, and their families living there. So many Maltese and Gozitans have made Australia their home, yet they are still an integral part of our nation.”

H.E. went on to say that during her stay she wishes to meet with the Maltese Community wherever she will visit, and to meet with the Maltese Associations there.

She pointed out in particular, that she wishes to meet young people, descendents of Maltese, in order to discuss with them their aspirations for themselves and for the country of their fathers.

In her a message to the Maltese living in Australia, she said: ‘As your President, I am proud of all of you, and of your achievements and successes. My visit among you will strengthen the bond that exists between the Maltese, whether living in Australia, or living in Malta, sharing common history, culture and values.”

The President has been consistently trying to drive home these messages to the Maltese living abroad and in another message she sent earlier on the occasion marking the Sette Giugno (June 7) commemoration at Civic Park Pendle Hill NSW. that was cancelled due to inclement weather, she called on the Maltese to continue to be good ambassadors for Malta, to retain the strong links between Australia and Malta and to pass

the e f o e Voic Exclusiv on to their children and grandchildren their love e h T ltese for Malta.

Ma

In that message she also expressed her satisfaction that such an important milestone in Malta's development towards nationhood continues to be commemorated outside of Malta and that the patriotic feelings expressed by Maltese in on June 7, 1919, demonstrated how strong was the desire for Malta to be free, to follow its own destiny and to proclaim its unique identity.

She added that from this milestone of Sette Giugno, “Malta moved towards self-government in 1921, its own national anthem in 1922, independence in 1964, becoming a Republic in 1974, the departure of the last British soldier in 1979 and joining the European Union in 2004.”

Meanwhile, at the SWAPv inaugural conference, H.E. Marie-Louise Coleiro Preca will be in the company of Professor Carmel Cefai, (Director, Centre for Resilience and Socio-Emotional Health, and Head of the Department of Psychology, and Associate Professor Malta University). He will be a keynote speaker.

Mr. Chris Tanti, of Maltese descent, an experienced clinician and health executive and currently CEO of headspace, that was founded in 2006 to help struggling young people find someone else to talk to is another keynote speaker.

Others speakers include Professor Catherine Blaya (The University of Nice Sophia Antipolis, France).

Mr Agio Pereira (Minister of State and of the Presidency of the Council of Ministers, Timor-Leste).

Mr David Kelly (SAHMRI Resilience & Wellbeing Centre, Adelaide), Dr Jamie Lee, (Principal Researcher, Relationships Australia, South Australia, and Dr John Halsey (Professor of Rural Education and Communities, School of Education, Flinders University).

The programme at the conference that links research with translation, dissemination and implementation, comprises more than 50 papers, posters, round table discussions, workshops and symposia.

The Voice of the Maltese 3

Tuesday June 21, 2016

The value of diversity in music and dance O

ne of the commitments I made to myself when I took up the role of President of the Folk Federation was, regardless of the controversy that this may generate, to attempt to open a dialogue on diversity and why it is of importance to us not only within this State but nationally.

I think the issue is far beyond one of music and dance presentation. I sincerely believe it to be about national politics and about the national psyche.

It’s no secret that I have tended in the past to be a rather strident critic of events, and in particular festivals, where I believed diversity was being reduced and a disproportionate exposure to music that could be roughly defined as Anglo/Celtic was, in fact, increasing to the detriment of other genres.

I have, on numerous occasions, discussed the reasons behind this lack of diversity and they are valid to an extent. However, I must also say that, regardless of the points discussed during these conversations, my discomfort continued and in fact amplified and contributed to my decision to write this as my ‘President’s report’.

This is intended as a discussion point and not as a point of attack and I sincerely hope that the readership sees it this way.

The final precipitating event that drove me to write on this topic was a talk I attended recently given by Paul Keating.

In that talk he raised the issue of the failure of Australia to take on the mantle of the Republic, as I too believe it should have, and its continuing deference and allegiance to the Crown and Great Britain and this nation's ties to its legacy.

He referred to our 'horse and buggy' constitution. The Constitution begins with the words: “Whereas the people of New South Wales, Victoria, South Australia, Queensland and Tasmania, humbly relying on the blessing of Almighty God, have agreed to unite in one indissoluble Federal Commonwealth under the Crown of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland and under the Constitution hereby established.”

The Flags Act of 1953 that also fixed in law the design of the nation’s flag, was to contain in the top left hand corner the Union Jack, and further strengthened this nation’s allegiance to the Crown. This has now been further emphasised by the Queen taking centre panel on the new $5 note.

All of this is clearly understandable and acceptable given the historical connection that Australia has to the motherland. However, surely this thinking is now somewhat out-dated and Australia has moved far beyond this unilat-

eral connection to the motherland alone.

This change has been demanded by at least a couple of facts: that we have close to 200 immigrant cultures here in Australia, and 300 Indigenous by AndyBusuttil l a n g u a g e groups. Beyond these substantial and impressive figures, this nation has clearly demonstrated the remarkable capacity to not only tolerate but to embrace those cultures that emerge from backgrounds so significantly different to that which is the nation’s ‘dominant’ culture.

This embracing of these other cultures has resulted in both a deep appreciation amongst many Australians of the gifts that they bring and a new phenomenon, the merging with these cultures in the expression of a culture that is uniquely Australian.

Transcultural This clearly demonstrates a willingness to first accept these other cultures into our own and then join with them to produce things of beauty that are greater than the mere sum of the parts.

This is my reasoning behind my de-emphasis of the term ‘multi-cultural’ or ‘multi-ethnic’ and my pushing of the term ‘transcultural’.

It is this transculturalism that reflects the true diversity of this nation. It is what we do when we take people in and then become, with them, members of a broader and more diverse society and celebrate both their gifts and our unity.

It is also what tends to diminish when we are exposed to a culture of fear of others from non-English speaking countries and a reactionary drive to close our borders in the way that we have, and especially in relation to asylum seekers and refugees. Even though some would consider this to be a ‘long bow’ I do believe that these are all related.

At the National Folk Festival, for example, this embracing of transculturalism was so clearly demonstrated by the standing ovation that a wonderful and appreciative audience gave to Horse and Wood at the Trocadero, the transcultural act with which I performed as a guest. This response gave a clear indication that, while there needs to be a clear emphasis given to presentations that reflect the dominant language of this nation, there is also a hunger for representation of other things.

It is this ‘crossing of boundaries’ which I believe to be a truly Australian characteristic. It does not singularly define the term ‘Australian’ because to claim that it does would also negate the many other reflections that exist of this notion and nation. ‘Australiana’ has to be a reflection of many elements of this nation’s history both past and in its current formation of what will be regarded as history in the future.

The clear dominance of the defining language group certainly needs to remain. However, the beauty of what we do when we all get together as a nation of people from such an enormous range of backgrounds is the foreground of our national character. It is what defines us.

It is what we are extremely good at, perhaps best at, in the global politic.

Transculturalism of our music and dance has always been one of our exceptional capacities. In fact we express this not only in merging with our brothers and sisters who come from non-English speaking backgrounds but we have also done it with respect to our English, Celtic and Gaelic brothers and sisters.

We have crossed these boundaries with them too and we play stunning derivations and representations of what they gave many of our musicians as legacy.

Very little of what Australians play as folk music in this country can ever be regarded as purely that of its source. It is Australian music and I believe strongly that it needs to be represented as such with respect to the source.

To conclude, I believe that any event here in Australia, while perhaps not ‘beholden’ to take on any act or genre of acts, may in fact have a responsibility to, wherever possible, reflect the demographic makeup of this nation. I believe it goes far beyond mere economics. It goes to the very heart of what this nation is, what it ought to be and what it needs to avoid being.

Every element of folk music and dance carries with it a political message. The emphases carried may not only reflect a national psyche, but may also drive it.

I wonder whether that thought alone may require us to think deeply about the challenge of bringing about a reasonable representation of national diversity in our events.

I write about this as current President of the Folk Federation in the hope that you, the reader, take these comments as analytical rather than critical, as seeking a solution to a challenge rather than merely a hollow criticism. These are my views that I bring into this position and not necessarily the views of the committee of the Federation or individual committee members.

4 The Voice of the Maltese

Isle o off MTV Malta Spe Special cial Photo by: Rene Rossignaud

Tuesday June 21, 2016

C ALEND AR CALENDAR OF EVENTS 2016 2016

Joseph Calleja Calleja in Concert Concert Photo by: Paul Zammit Cutajar

W WWW.VISITMALTA.COM/EVENTS W W.VISITMAL VISITMALT TA . C OM / EVENTS 28/06 29/06 10/07-03/08 10/07-03/08 15-17/07 15-17/07 22-24/07 22-24/07 25/07-05/08 25/07-05/08 28/07 06-30/08 15/08 22/08 27-29/08 27-29/08 07/09 16-18/09 17/09

Isle o off MTV Malta Spe Special cial Feast of of St St.. Peter Peter & St. St. Paul; Paul; L-Imnarja L -Imnarja Summer Folk Festival Malta Ar Arts ts Festival Sliema Ar Arts ts Festival Marsovin Marso vin Summer Wine Festival Malta Int International ernational Jazz Festival Sunscape Festival The Farsons Great Be Beer er Festival Calleja Joseph C alleja in cconcert oncert feat.

Antonello Venditti feat. Ant onello V enditti Delicata Wine Festival The Feast ooff the Assumption o off Our LLady ady Gianna Nannini in cconcert oncert Malta Medit Mediterranean Literature erranean Lit erature Festival Commemoration off the Great Sie Siege Commemoration o ge Qala Int International ernational Folk Festival Eros R Ramazzotti amazzotti in cconcert oncert

21/09 27/09 01/10 01-02/10 08-09/10 08-09/10 08-09/10 09-11/10 09-16/10 22/10 08-10/11 08/12 09/1203/01/17 13/12 25/12 31/12

in GUARDIA

Extra shows on July 3, 10 Grand Master’s Palace,Valletta (Neptune’s Courtyard)

for more information: tel: 2291 5440/1/2 info@visitmalta.com www.visitmalta.com

Adults €7.00 – Children (6-12): €3.00 Starts at 11.00hrs finishes at 11.45hrs

Independence Independenc e Day World W orld Tourism Tourism Day Notte Nott e Bianca BirguFest Prix Mdina Grand P rix Festubru Tattoo Malta Military T Tatt attoo Tattoo The Malta T attoo Expo 2016 Cats World orld Championships Thunder C ats W Rolex Race The R olex Middle Sea R ace Darts Malta Dar ts Open off the Immaculat Immaculate Feast o e Conception Conception Bethlehem f’Ghajnsielem f’Ghajnsielem Updated Events Republic R epublic Day Calendar Christmas Day New Year’s Ne wY ear’s Eve Eve Celebrations Celebrations

The Voice of the Maltese 5

Tuesday June 21, 2016

Brittany proudly shares an emotional moment with her “Nanna” at the Azure Window at Dwejra in Gozo

Why the Maltese islands have a special place in my heart by BrittanyCordina

T

he things I could say about Malta, I could be here for days! A small little country that doesn’t make an impact on a map has the biggest place in my heart. I am proud to have Maltese heritage and proud to say that Malta is the country where my grandparents are from.

The first time I visited Malta was in the summer of 2013. The only reason I embarked on this travel was due to the tragic loss in my family the month before. I was happy to completely lose myself in Malta; that is exactly what I did. I had travelled for two weeks before I arrived in Malta. My stay was only for a week but it proved that a week is not long enough for the glorious Maltese islands.

I remember walking out of customs and greeted by my family members at the gate filled with happiness and excitement. We set off for home. I was in awe. I had my head out the window of the car most of our drive taking in everything my greedy eyes were seeing.

We reached Cirkewwa and set off for

Gozo. You can still ask me to this day, which do I prefer, Malta or Gozo? I will say Gozo any time, because for me, now it’s like home.

Throughout that week I was taken everywhere that I could imagine. I saw all the magnificent sites Malta and Gozo have to offer.

I spent my days all over the Maltese islands but began to fall in love with a special place in San Lawrenz, Dwejra, in Gozo.

I spent my sunsets at Dwejra, watching the sun disappear off into the ocean. I also managed to fall in love with one of the forgotten little islands amongst them all, Kemmuna. Its beauty is out of this world.

After this trip I went home dreaming of Malta and spreading my excitement and passion. I managed to convince my beautiful Nanna to make a trip to Malta after not returning for the last 40 years.

Being there with her was an experience in itself.

Losing my mother when I was young, I was raised by my Dad and my Nanna and Nannu. Travelling to Malta with

Nanna was like taking a trip with my Mother.

We explored the country together and shared these moments that I will never forget. When I was a little girl she would always tell me stories about Malta and how life was when she was young. To finally be there with her and hear the stories and see the places was magical.

I then became a part of a group of people who shared the same passion and excitement for everything Malta as I did. We all embarked on this journey together and explored.

I travelled around with these friends and we had the greatest times with some funny memories: Memories of the Maltese living abroad convention, family dinners, day trips, endless nights in Paceville and simply walking the beautiful streets of our motherland.

Three years on, I have now travelled to Malta six times and every time is as good as the last, if not better. Each time was special for me as they weren’t all the same.

I can’t wait for my next trip.

6 The Voice of the Maltese

Tuesday June 21, 2016

ÌUNJU: Xahar marbut mad-drawwiet Maltin

Il-Malta Suite ta’ Charles Camilleri

Ì

unju huwa xahar sabi˙ li jag˙ti bidu lill-ista©un tas-sajf (li fil-fatt jibda llum fil-21) f’pajjiΩna ….. xahar li jressaqna lejn ix-xtut u l-bajjiet tag˙na, li j˙ajjarna g˙al xi BBQ u dak li jifta˙ l-ista©un talfesti tant popolari fil-gΩejjer Maltin.

Dan huwa wkoll ix-xahar li jdewwaqna mill-benna tal-frotta Maltija.

B˙al ˙afna jien norbot dan ix-xahar ma’ dak li ˙allewlna l-Kavallieri tul il˙akma tag˙hom f’pajjiΩna, fosthom iΩΩew© festi folkoristiçi marbutin ma’ Ìunju, ji©ifieri l-festa ta’ San Ìwann ilBattista il-Patrun talKavallieri (24 ta’ Ìunju), u l-famuΩa festa tal-Imnarja, ilfesta tal-Appostli San Pietru u San Pawl (29 ta’ Ìunju).

Il-festa tal-Imnarja g˙adha ˙ajja u ti©i ffeste©jata l-aktar firRabat, fil-Buskett u lImdina, filwaqt li dik ta’ San Ìwann g˙oddha sparixxiet millkalendarju.

Niftakar Ωmien meta l-Kumitat tal-Folklor kien xtaq jag˙tiha l-˙ajja mill-©did u g˙aldaqstant kien organizza xi attivitajiet fil-Barrakka ta’ Fuq u quddiem ilKonkatidral ta’ San Ìwann.

IΩda mal-mewt ta’ Dr. Ìor© Mifsud Chircop li kien wie˙ed mill-organizzatur, mietet ukoll din ilfesta folkoristika Maltija li l-Maltin ta’ dari kienu tant jg˙oΩΩuha ˙afna.

Ta’ min wie˙ed i˙ares sewwa lejn din il-festa antika Maltija mill-©did u jer©a’ jdewwaqna l-ispettaklu tal-˙u©©ie©a u Ω-Ωfin madwarha. Wara kollox, f’pajjiΩi barranin dawn il-festi folkloristiçi jqajmuhom qeg˙din u jag˙mluhom ‘tieqa’ ta’ prodott turistiku f’pajjiΩhom.

Hawn se nitratta l-aktar dwar ilmuΩika marbuta mal-folklor jew drawwiet Maltin, u nibda biex insemmi l-g˙ana Malti, li l-aktar li jispikka f’dan ix-xahar ta’ Ìunju. Ma nistax ma nsemmix lil Manuel Cilia, Ûebbu©i u wie˙ed mill-aqwa g˙annejja tal-img˙oddi, li kien anke rre©istra ˙afna mill-g˙ana tieg˙u fuq diski.

Insellem ukoll lil sie˙bi l-Budaj (Frans Baldacchino), g˙annej u poeta talpoplu, li wkoll ˙alliena. Il-Budaj g˙olla l-g˙ana Malti fuq pedestall g˙oli kemm f’Malta u barra. Niftakar li darba f’Marsilja, fi Franza, il-Budaj kien g˙anna bil-

PeterPaulCiantar ©odda fil-kompoΩizzjoni muΩikali.

Malli Charles Camilleri rifes mill-©did art twelidu beda jindiehes u jibni l-kuntatti mal-midja u x-xog˙lijiet muΩikali tieg˙u bdew isiru aktar mag˙rufa.

Jiena b˙ala xandar ng˙id li qatt ma kienet problema biex itini xi intervista. Niftakarni nitkellem mieg˙u dwar din il-‘Malta Suite’, li g˙al dak iΩ-Ωmien kienet ©dida. Kien qalli li lmuΩika folkloristika ta’ pajjiΩna kien i˙ossha laktar meta kien ikunbog˙od minn art twelidu, Malta Charles kien qalli li filfatt kien dan li nebb˙u.

G˙aldaqstant l-g˙eruq ta’ din il-kompoΩizzjoni muΩikali tieg˙u huma mwa˙˙lin mal-muΩika folkloristika ta’ pajjiΩna li jidhru fil‘Malta Suite’. Niftakru jg˙idli li g˙attielet moviment tas-suite muΩikali tieg˙u, in-Nocturne, jag˙mel uΩu minn g˙annej g˙addej bl-g˙ana Malti fil©onna tal-Buskett lejlet l-Imnarja.

L-ewwel intervisti tieg˙i ma’ Charles Camilleri, bniedem li kellu karattru li ji©bdek, tefg˙uni f’polemika mas-Surmast Carmelo Pace li dak iΩ-Ωmien kien is-surmast tieg˙i tal-armonija muΩikali.

Ir-ra©uni kienet li fl-intervisti Charles Camilleri kien qal li kien l-ewwel kompoΩitur Malti li g˙amel uΩu minn muΩika folkloristika Maltija.

Carmelo Pace kien ˙a fastidju u darba minnhom sibtu jistennieni g˙al-lezzjoni muΩikali m˙ejji sa snienu biex jg˙idli li fis-snin tletin hu kien di©a’ ikkompona lMaltesina li fiha kien uΩa muΩika folkloristika ta’ pajjiΩna. Qalli wkoll li f’dawk iΩ-Ωminijiet il-Maltesina kienet indaqqet minn banda tas-Servizzi IngliΩi.

Il-mibki kompoΩitur Charles Camilleri, li jibqa’ msemmi fost kollox, g˙all-Malta Suit

Malti, filwaqt li l-kompoΩitur Malti Charles Camilleri kien jag˙ti t-tifsira u jispjega lil dawk preΩenti dwar l-g˙ana Malti. Il-Budaj tg˙idx kemm kien qala’ çapçip u ntg˙o©ob. Qed ng˙id dan g˙ax kont preΩenti. Tbella˙t nara lFrançiΩi japprezzaw l-g˙ana Malti.

La semmejt lil Charles Camilleri nfakkar meta introduça f’pajjiΩna l-famuΩa ‘Malta Suite’ tieg˙u li llum saret sinonima mal-muΩika serja Maltija.

Camilleri kien jintroduçi din il-muΩika mal-Orkestra tat-Teatru Manoel li dak iΩ-Ωmien b˙ala direttur kellha lis-Surmast Joseph Sammut. Kien lejn l-a˙˙ar tas-snin sittin meta Charles Camilleri ˙asad lil kul˙add g˙aliex dak iΩ-Ωmien il-popolarità tieg˙u kienet aktar marbuta mal-fatt li kien akkordjonista tajjeb milli kompoΩitur.

Kien g˙ix g˙al Ωmien il-Kanada u hemm t˙abbeb sewwa mal-andament tal-kitba tal-kompoΩizzjoni muΩikali.

Meta ©ie Malta ©ab mieg˙u il-‘Malta Suite’ flimkien ma’ ˙sibijiet u ideat

*g˙al pa©na 7

The Voice of the Maltese 7

Tuesday June 21, 2016

NSW Federation of Community Language Schools holds well attended annual social gathering

T

Mary Pace-Feraud with Minister John Ajaka at the dinner

Il-famuΩa Mnarja *minn pa©na 6 Charles Camilleri dam xi ftit ma kkore©a l-kumment tieg˙u imma maΩΩmien beda jg˙id li l-muΩika folkloristika Maltija kienet tispirah fix-xog˙lijiet muΩikali tieg˙u, g˙ax wara kollox hu kien Malti u g˙amel uΩu bis-s˙i˙ minnha, iΩda qablu kien biss Carmelo Pace li ˙addem il-muΩika Maltija f’wa˙da mill-kompoΩizzjonijiet.

IΩda fil-fehma tieg˙i Carmelo Pace ukoll ta kontribut kbir lill-festi folkloristiçi Maltin u l-famuΩa Imnarja tieg˙u kompoΩizzjoni korali qasira iΩda millisba˙ - impressjonat mhux biss lillMaltin iΩda wkoll lill-barranin u ©iet minn ta’ quddiem meta l-Kor Melitensis interpretaha f’kompetizzjoni korali f’Wales.

Irrid ng˙id li Pace g˙andu xog˙lijiet korali o˙ra sbie˙ b˙al ‘Lapsi’, ‘Ta˙t ittieqa tal-Fanal’ u o˙rajn li fihom jag˙ti stampa kkulurita lil dawn il-festi u drawwiet Maltin.

Wara li Charles Camilleri introduça l-‘Malta Suite’, kienu ˙afna l-kompoΩituri Maltin li rabtu l-˙sieb muΩikali tag˙hom mal-g˙eruq tal-muΩika Maltija.

Camilleri nnifsu xtaq li jag˙mel xi ˙a©a simili f’kompoΩizzjonijiet o˙ra tieg˙u, iΩda na˙seb li l-‘Malta Suite’ tispikka u tpaxxi bil-kbir il-qalb Maltija.

Sa˙ansitra l-barranin japprezzawha.

Jekk wie˙ed i˙ares lejn l-uçu˙ tal-barranin meta tkun qed tindaqq kompoΩizzjoni ta’ Charles Camilleri jinnota kemm tog˙©obhom.

he NSW Federation of Community Language Schools held its Annual Dinner at the Cyprus Club in Stanmore in the presence of over 400 representatives from forty-four ethnic schools and organisations.

A number of dignitaries and members of parliament also attended, with the Hon. John Ajaka MLC, Minister for Multiculturalism as the guest of honour.

Mr Albert Vella OAM President of the Federation welcomed the attendees and encouraged all present to keep on working hard. He reminded all that over the last number of years the Federation and the community language schools in NSW have been recognised for the wonderful service they provide to the communities of NSW and have a strong working relationship with the NSW Government as well as with the Department of Education.

The Hon. John Ajaka MLC and other dignitaries delivered speeches during which they encouraged all present to keep on working hard and to continue with their good work.

Various schools entertained the participants and looked very colourful in their traditional costumes as they presented folklore dancing.

At this function Mary Pace-Feraud the Principal of the school represented the Maltese Language School NSW. Mr Michael Christodoulou AM A/Executive Officer was the MC for the night.

Anybody wanting to learn Maltese is requested to contact the Maltese Language School of NSW on 0433 091 788.

Join us on The Voice of the Maltese facebook page:

Find us on: facebook.com/groups/thev oiceofthemaltese/

Anthony Vella 1953-2016

W

e are saddened to announce the passing away of Anthony Vella born in Malta on 12 August 1953, passed away on 2 June 2016, late of St Clair NSW at age 62. Tony was very involved with Maltese community radio and also served on the committee of the Parramatta Melita Eagles FC for many years, a former musician; Tony was the President of Our Lady Queen of Peace Maltese Band from 1993-1997. May he rest in peace.

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8 The Voice of the Maltese

Tuesday June 21, 2016

Have your say/Xi trid tghid?

Your letters/ L-ittri tag˙kom ...

Welcoming Malta’s President among us

Helen Mallia, from Geelong, Victoria writes:

The Voice of the Maltese on nlliin ne e m ma ag ga az ziin ne e o

is is a bi-lingual (in English and Maltese) fortnightly online publication specifically targeting all Maltese living abroad with emphasis on the Australian scene. is online magazine is sent via email by request.

Subscription is free.

Editors: Malta: Joseph Cutajar Australia: Lawrence Dimech: MOM, OAM, JP email address: maltesevoice@gmail.com Letters for publication in The Voice either in Maltese or English should be e-mailed to: maltesevoice@gmail.com.

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

I

wish to congratulate The Voice for being the first media to exclusively publish the news of the visit, soon, by the President of Malta, Marie-Louise Coleiro Preca to Australia where she would be able to meet with the Maltese community that has been longing to greet her in our midst since her appointment.

Thanks to the Voice we manage to follow

Il-Voice issa bil-provi stabbilit b˙ala t-tarka tal-Maltin fl-Awstralja Joe Cauchi minn St Andrews, NSW jikteb:

-a˙bar esklussiva li xandar il-magazine L The Voice of the Maltese li l-President ta’ Malta dalwaqt se tag˙mel Ωjara fl-Awstralja qajjment mhux biss interess iΩda g˙al darb’o˙ra stabbilit lil The Voice b˙ala lle˙en tal-komunita` Maltija fl-Awstralja.

Ir-reazzjoni kienet qawwija u kul˙add induna kemm tassew jinqara dan il-magazine.

Il-Maltin fl-Awstralja ma jg˙ixux biss binnostal©ija jew b’˙afna esa©erazzjonijiet u fta˙ir iΩda jridu jkunu nfurmati, edukati u fuq kollox iridu li jkollhom tarka li tiddefendilhom id-drittijiet tag˙hom meta jinqalg˙u l-problemi b˙al ma ©ara dan l-a˙˙ar dwar il-pensjoni jew ix-xiri tal-propjeta` f’Malta.

Ner©a’ ntenni li The Voice huwa fuq quddiem b˙ala l-uniku tarka li tiddefendi l-emigranti Maltin fl-Awstralja.

While visiting Malta Stay at: The Diplomat Hotel, 173 Tower Road Sliema

Email: sales@diplomat.com.mt Tel: (00356) 23497000

most of Her Excellency’s contribution to the Maltese society in Malta and despite our distance we have learned to appreciate what she is doing in order to bring unity to the country, that I am so sorry to say is showing cracks of political disunity.

Though most of us have left our country of birth many years ago, some perhaps forced to, because of the political divide and lack of work opportunities, we still treasure all that is Malta and we are saddened when we learn that despite the fact that the island has become so successful in the international arena, there are still those, who for political or ulterior motives try to belittle its achievements.

President Coleiro-Preca’s efforts should be appreciated by all of us and I really hope that the Maltese community in Australia will give her the welcome she so deserves.

Maltese organisations that so readily celebrate anything that is Maltese should be on the forefront of this welcome. By the reaction of the Maltese-Australians I know, and from what I have already read in The Voice from readers of this magazine, I am sure they will. Even the anticipation itself of the President’s visit is generating a lot of excitement.

We are all so looking forward to this visit, therefore the Australian Maltese groups should do everything possible to enable the greatest number of Maltese possible to meet her.

Go out and vote July 2

ithout wanting to be political, I feel W that I should urge the Maltese Australians to shoulder their responsibility and after weighing up the pros and cons go out to vote to the party that they believe would best serve them as Austalian citizens in the next general election on July 2. It is our duty.

Il-komunita` Maltija altru minn attiva

Frank Muscat minn Seven Hills, NSW jikteb: ˙andi g˙ax nifhem li l-Imnarja hi bla dubju l-akbar festa li ti©i ççellebrata millMaltin fi NSW. Fil-pa©ni nteressanti tal-a˙barijiet tal-komunita` fil-magazine The Voice of the Maltese innutajt tliet attivitajiet differenti minn tliet g˙aqdiet Maltin biex ifakkru din il-festa kbira.

It-tlieta li huma fi spazju ta’ ftit jiem bejniethom.

Viva San Pietru u San Pawl, ng˙id jien. Min qal li l-komunita` Maltija fl-Awstralja qed tmajna? Altru minhekk!

G

Tuesday June 21, 2016

This is a paid advert

The Voice of the Maltese 9

10 The Voice of the Maltese

Perspettiva

Tuesday June 21, 2016 A version of this series in English may be found in the author's blog at: http://ivancauchi.blogs pot.com

kitba ta’

IVAN CAUCHI

Il-Partiti Politiçi Ûg˙ar fl-Awstralja

K

ien hemm diversi aspetti li kienu laqtuni dwar is-sitwazzjoni politika t'hawnhekk (tal-Awstralja) meta rfist l-g˙atba ta' dan il-pajjiΩ meraviljuΩ aktar minn g˙axar snin ilu. Lewwelnett, kienet ironika li lkap tal-pajjiΩ hija r-re©ina EliΩabbetta, fatt li mallewwel ˙adni lura fiΩ-Ωmien, peress li kont ©ej minn Malta fejn l-indipendenza mir-Renju Brittanniku kienet ilha li ˙aditha ˙amsin sena.

Kont innutajt ukoll il-gvernijiet statali u federali, li f'Malta bi stat wie˙ed dan ma jeΩistix. Ukoll, hemm il-qasma fil-le©islattiv bejn il-kamra tar-rappreΩentanti u dik tas-Senat, li teΩisti fil-livell federali u l-istati kollha ˙lief Queensland.

Jien f'Malta kont nie˙u interess fil-politika tal-pajjiΩ, u ma nqastx li nag˙mel dan fl-Awstralja. Dan jg˙odd ukoll g˙all-elezzjonjiet diversi li g˙addejt minnhom, kemm fil-livell lokali, statali u federali.

Nista' ng˙id li fiΩ-Ωmien qasir li ilni l-Awstralja, l-elezzjoni Federali ta' din is-sena tidher li hija l-iktar wa˙da interessanti g˙alija.

L-ewwel ra©uni hi li g˙all-ewwel darba qed ikolli esperjenza talelezzjoni g˙all-membri kollha tas-Senat, mentri s-soltu ji©u eletti biss nofs il-membri tas-Senat.

Ra©uni o˙ra hi l-appo©© li dejjem jidher li qed jikber fil-partiti Ωg˙ar u l-indipendenti min-na˙a tal-eletturi. Fl-elezzjoni tal-2013, kien hemm diversi kummenti dwar senaturi li ©ew eletti wara li ng˙ataw inqas minn 1% tal-ewwel vot, u spiççaw telg˙u min˙abba preferenzi tal-vot li ˙afna nies ma kinux jafu fejn se jispiççaw.

Il-gvern Liberali bidel ir-regolamenti, bl-g˙ajnuna tal-Partit talÓodor, bl-g˙ajta li r-riΩultat ikun iktar qrib tar-rieda tal-poplu.

Mhux mistqarra kienet ir-rieda tal-koalizzjoni tal-Gvern li tonqos is-sitwazzjoni fejn l-a©enda parlamentari tieg˙u ti©i sfrattata millpartiti Ω-Ωg˙ar u l-indipendenti.

Bla dubju wkoll din kienet ir-ra©uni g˙aliex il-gvern iddeçieda li jxolji s-Senat kollu, sabiex jer©a j˙allat il-karti, u jispera li jirriΩulta f'Senat iktar mane©©evoli (ji©ifieri b'inqas membri mhux tal-gvern). Imma filfatt, jista' jkun li l-gvern ta' Turnbull se jibqa’ b'xiber imnie˙er.

Qg˙adt in˙ares ftit lejn l-istatistika elettorali ma˙ru©a mill-Parlament Federali Awstraljan1, u ˙ri©t ftit grafika biex nifhem a˙jar ixxejriet f'dan il-qasam, li tistg˙u taraw ma' dan l-artiklu. Óarist lejn l-elezzjonijiet mill-1983 sal-2013, kemm tas-Senat kif ukoll tal-Kamra tar-RappreΩentanti. Ìbart ir-riΩultati tal-Partiti flimkien hekk: il-partit Laburista, Liberali, Liberali Nazzjonali, Nazzjonali u Liberali tal-Kampanja (Country Liberals) mi©bura b˙ala Partiti Kbar (PK), u l-bqija nkluΩi l-indipendenti b˙ala Partiti Ωg˙ar (PÛ). Sibt diversi punti ta' interess.

Bdejt bis-Senat, fejn l-iktar li jissemma l-impatt tal-PÛ. Jidher li dawn g˙andhom appo©© konsiderevoli, li mill-1983 'l hawn kien dejjem iktar minn 13% tal-voti li jg˙oddu (formal votes), u fl-elezzjoni tal-a˙˙ar, fil-2013, din anke telg˙et g˙al 33%! Madankollu, il-persenta©© ta' Senaturi li tellg˙u kien dejjem inqas mill-voti li qalg˙u.

Mill-banda l-o˙ra, il-PK kellhom is-sitwazzjoni l-opposta, ji©ifieri li l-persenta©© ta' Senaturi li tellg˙u kien dejjem iktar mill-voti li qalg˙u. G˙alhekk, persenta©© pjuttost konsistenti ta' voti li

ng˙ataw lill-PÛ in˙lew. Dan ilpersenta©© kien bejn 2-12%.

Fil-Kamra tar-RappreΩentanti, kellna storja simili, fejn il-PÛ dejjem tellg˙u inqas si©©ijiet b˙ala proporzjon, u l-PK dejjem tellg˙u iktar. Li kien notevoli kien kemm kienu l-voti mo˙lija f'dan il-Parlament: bejn 6-20%.

Dan huwa g˙add enormi ta' voti mo˙lija, u huwa r-riΩultat tas-sistema li tintuΩa fid-distretti talKamra tar-RappreΩentanti, fejn ikun hemm rebbie˙ wie˙ed (first past the post) f'kull distrett, sistema IngliΩa.

Hemm inqas ˙ela fis-Senat min˙abba s-sistema proporzjonali fil-vot, b'iktar minn membru wie˙ed ji©i elett f’kull stat u territorju.

L-appo©© tal-PÛ fl-elezzjonijiet tal-Kamra tar-RappreΩentanti dejjem kien imdaqqas, anke sa 20%, u f'dawn l-a˙˙ar tliet elezzjonijiet dejjem Ωdied, imma f'kull elezzjoni dejjem kien inqas millappo©© fis-Senat b'bejn 3-12%.

Dan ninterpretah b˙ala li ˙afna eletturi li jappo©©jaw lill-PÛ jafu li l-voti mo˙lija huma g˙olja ˙afna, u g˙alhekk i˙ossuhom kostretti li jivvutaw lil xi kandidat ta' PK. Din is-sistema hija fil-fehma tieg˙i travestija tad-demokrazija. Óafna mill-PK jg˙idu li huwa a˙jar hekk g˙all-istabbiltà politika, imma mhux hekk jaqblilhom jg˙idu? Is-sistema b˙alissa tivvanta©©ja lill-kbir, u l-kbar m'g˙andhom ebda interess li jnaqqsu l-influenza tag˙hom stess.

Iktar kmieni dan ix-xahar, il-partiti Liberali u Laburisti ˙abbru li se jag˙tu preferenzi lil xulxin, sabiex jnaqqsu l-possibiltà li l-Partit talÓodor itellg˙u membri tal-parlament fil-Kamra tar-RappreΩentanti.

Jidher çar li din hija preokkupazzjoni kbira tal-PK, li qed jibΩg˙u mill-PÛ u o˙rajn indipendenti. L-Awstralja, g˙alkemm iΩolata ©eografikament, mhix iΩolata mix-xejra globali fejn in-nies xebg˙u sal-ponta ta' mne˙irhom mill-partiti tradizzjonali, li ma j˙ossuhomx jirrappreΩentawhom iktar, u lesti li jippruvaw il-©did anke jekk dan fih ir-riskji tieg˙u.

Jien l-istabbiltà na˙seb li hi importanti, imma ma jidhirlix li l-PÛ neçessarjament iwassal g˙al nuqqas tag˙ha. Irrid ng˙id ukoll li g˙alija hu iktar importanti li jkollok deçiΩjonijiet li jittie˙du li jkunu ta' fejda g˙all-poplu kollu minflok g˙all-ftit ipprivile©©jati, milli jkollok stabbiltà.

F'dan il-pajjiΩ, jidher li ˙afna nies m'g˙adhomx ji©u daqshekk affettwati mill-biΩa' li jippruvaw ixerrdu l-PK. Din fil-prinçpju hi ˙a©a tajba, fil-fehma tieg˙i, u l-g˙aΩla ˙ielsa fl-elezzjoni hija lquççata tad-demokrazija.

Madankollu, b˙al mal-PK m'g˙andhomx il-monopolju fuq politika bis-sens f'kull qasam, il-PÛ u l-indipendenti wkoll m'g˙andhomx dan il-monopolju. Min jag˙mel sens f'qasam, min f'ie˙or, u min flebda wie˙ed!

L-g˙aΩla dejjem tibqa f'idejna! Ma ninsewx li poplu jkollu l-gvern li jist˙oqqlu!

Imma kura©©, nivvutaw bil-qawwa tal-konvinzjoni f'min nemmnu li jirrappreΩentana fis-s˙i˙.

Referenzi 1. http://www.aph.gov.au/About_Parliament/Parliamentary_Deparments/Parliamentary_Library/pubs/rp/rp1415/FedElect, retrieved 13/6/2016

The Voice of the Maltese 11

Tuesday June 21, 2016

Il-purçissjoni bilvara ta’ San Ìor© Preca akkumpanjata mill-banda OLQP

Iççelebrata l-Festa ta’ San Ìor© Preca fil-La Valette SC

I

l-Óadd 29 ta’ Mejju ©iet organizzata millkumitat taç-Çentru La Valette fi Blacktown, il-festa presti©©juΩa talqaddis Malti San Ìor© Preca, li bdiet b’film dokumentarju dwar il˙ajja ta’ Dun Ìor©, kif nafuh a˙na l-Maltin.

Wara li membru talMuseum qara kummentarju dwar il-manswetudni u wkoll ©rajja qasira lejliet il mewt ta’ Dun Ìor© moqrija minn Joyce Dicelis, saret il-quddiesa kkonçelebrata minn Fr Noel Bianco blakkumpanjament tal-kor ta’ La Vallette, u li fiha ˙adu sehem ukoll, fil-qari Brian u Lorraine Dicelis u John Caruana, kollha Maltin tat-tieni generazzjoni.

Fi tmiem il-quddiesa saret ilpurçissjoni bl-istatwa tal-qaddis blakkumpanjament tal-banda

Parti mill-folla li attendiet g˙aç-çerimonja qabel ilpurçissjoni Maltija Our Lady Queen of Peace.

Kienet ferm apprezzata l-preΩenza tal-President tal-MCC is-Sur Manwel Camilleri u g˙add kbir ta’ g˙aqdiet Maltin. Imma l-aktar li spikka s-sehem ta’ g˙add ta’ Maltin tat-tieni ©enerazzjoni bittfal tag˙hom u anke l-fatt li l-istatwa intrefg˙et mit-tfal tal-Maltin.

G˙add kbir ta’ Maltin o˙ra mlew is-sala fejn saret iç-çeremonja li kienet organizzata ferm tajjeb. Il-

Importanti li tkun taf...

L

-g˙aqdiet tal-Maltin, u/jew organizzazzjonijiet o˙ra li jixtiequ jirreklamaw f’The Voice of the Maltese huma m˙e©©a jg˙arrfu lit-tmexxija ta’ The Voice minn kmeni bil-˙sieb tag˙hom. Materjal g˙all-pubblikazzjoni, g˙andu jintbag˙at mill-inqas ©img˙a qabel il-pubblikazzjoni.

The Voice ji©i ippubblikat online kull ©imag˙tejn, fil-jum tat-Tlieta.

Barraminhekk jekk hemm min mhux jirçevi l-magazine b’mod regolari, inkella g˙ad mhux qed jircevih u jixtieq jirçevih, jista’ jibg˙at email bittalba lil: maltesevoice@gmail.com

kumitat jixtieq jirringrazzja lillg˙aqdiet Maltin u lil kull min g˙in biex din il-festa fost il-Maltin ta’ NSW, tkun success.

GregCaruana

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12 The Voice of the Maltese

Tuesday June 21, 2016

Roundup of News About Malta

Russia wants to increase trade relations with Malta A lexey Ulyukaev, the Russian Minister for Economic Development declared to Maltese Prime Minister Dr. Joseph Muscat at a bilateral meeting in St Petersburg that Russia wanted to increase its trade relations, and is also very interested in global investment with Malta.

During the meeting the Russian minister said that Russia was prepared to work on a technical analysis to identify sectors where it can open collaboration and new opportunities.

On his part, Dr. Muscat, who earlier had a planned meeting with the Russian Deputy PM Arkady Dvorkovich, said that Malta’s relations with Russia have not developed along the same lines as those with other countries, for example China with whom Malta has strengthened its ties in the past three years, so, he added Russia’s interest in increasing

IIP applicants have purchased €25m of property

y the end of April this year, from a B total of 143 individuals that successfully completed Malta’s “citizenship by investment” scheme (IIP) spent more than €25.5 million in property acquisitions in Malta, while others have rented properties in Malta amounting to a total investment of €12.2 million over five-year period.

Replying to a Parliamentary question, Minister Owen Bonnici said that this would have a positive impact on our economy.

A number of applicants of the IIP (23) have set up companies in Malta. The total number of companies set up amounts to 27, and there might have been other companies that the agency is not informed of.

The Minister added that ever since the Individual Investors Programme started, 68 non-governmental organisations and philanthropic organisations have benefitted from a prerequisite for IIP applicants to make donations to NGOs and philanthropic associations. The donations totalled €791,900. He did not exclude further contributions that Identity Malta was not informed about.

Since its introduction in 2014, there have been 1,208 applications for residency in Malta; 667 have applied for citizenship and some 320 applications are still being evaluated.

its commercial ties with M a l t a m a k e s m o r e sense.

The two politician’s meeting was held on the sidelines of the twoday Inter- Dr. Joseph Muscat dring his n a t i o n a l interview on Bloomberg TV Economic Forum in St Petersburg that the Maltese PM attended along with a number of leaders, including United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki moon who also addressed the plenary session, EU Commission President Jean Claude Junker and the only other Prime Minister from a European country, Italy’s Prime Minister Matteo Renzi.

Dr. Muscat was one of the speakers at the Forum that dealt with the distribution of economic wealth in order to reduce inequality.

The Forum, an annual event, which was celebrating its 20th anniversary, brings together about 1,000 top names made up of heads of state and governments, political leaders, leading experts and global company executives. During it a number of agreements are concluded between multinational companies and Governments.

Malta PM interviewed about Brexit on Bloomberg TV hile Dr. Joseph Muscat was in St PeW tersburg, he was interviewed by the prestigious Bloomberg Television about the possibility that Britain votes to leave the EU. He said that the practical changes that would ensue should Britain choose to leave the EU are not being discussed properly within Britain itself, and that whatever happens, the changes need to be made.

He believed that the campaign was being written-off way too early. “What is definite is that the debate in the UK has not really focused on what happens if the UK decides to leave the EU,” he said.

Whatever the result may be following the referendum, Dr Muscat said that “most EU member state Cabinets will host meetings, results will be discussed and we will be preparing for the EU Council meeting on Tuesday. Whatever happens some changes need to take place.

Asked about what will happen to the Council Presidency, seeing as Britain is scheduled to take over following Malta in June 2017, Dr Muscat said that was a minor detail, and that another country can takeover beforehand.

“That’s not the issue – what relationship does the UK want to have with the EU? Does it want access to the single market? If so, that comes with certain obligations. What happens if this generation wants out and the next wants in? They would not have the same deal on the table,” Dr. Muscat said.

NYT names Malta third best place US citizens should visit T

he New York Times named Malta in third place among the “52 Places to go in 2016” list in its Sunday Travel Section, describing Malta as, “An affordable Mediterranean playground with a superb climate, sublime beaches, megalithic temples and a distinctive crossroads culture.”

Among Malta’s attractions it named three UNESCO World Heritage Sites and also stated the island’s capital, Valletta, has been named the European Capital of Culture 2018.

It further described the Maltese Archipelago as being made up of three inhabited islands that visitors should explore, they being, Malta, “home to buzzing Valletta, a UNESCO World Heritage city of stunning limestone buildings; Gozo, more tranquil and with a dramatic coastline filled with great spots for diving; and idyllic, car-free Comino, which has one hotel and few residents.”

Since re-establishing a Malta Tourism Authority presence in the US two years ago, the Malta Tourism Authority has seen an increase in the number of Americans visiting Malta, and this article in such a prestigious newspaper, Malta is bound to lure even more visitors from the US to discover the ‘hidden gem’ of the Mediterranean.

Meanwhile, according to NSO, total inbound visitors to Malta from January to April amounted to 446,226, an increase of 11.1 per cent over the same period in 2015. Total nights spent by inbound tourists went up by 9.3 per cent, surpassing 3.1 million nights.

Total tourism expenditure during the same period was estimated at €332.5 million, that is, 7.0 per cent higher than that recorded for 2015. Total expenditure per capita stood at €745, a decrease of 3.7 per cent when compared to 2015

The Voice of the Maltese 13

Tuesday June 21, 2016

Roundup of News About Malta Govt. signs agreement for VGH to takeover management of new hospitals

T

he transition of management process at the Gozo, St Luke’s and Karen Grech Rehabilitation hospitals from the government to Vitals Global Healthcare is under-

an artist’s impression of the projected Gozo Hospital

way with the complete management takeover expected to take between 30 and 60 days.

Vitals who have a medical services agreement with Harvard University’s Partners Healthcare giving assurances of the provision of better medical services to patients and along with the government, also pledging that such services given to the Maltese citizens would remain free of charge.

Employees will remain government‘s with current government wages. There will also be an investment of €40 million in new equipment while a further €180 million would be invested in the hospitls’ infrastructure with work commencing in the coming days.

At the signing of the agreement with Vitals Group Healthcare director Ram Tumuluri, Health Minister by Dr Chris Fearne said that the €220 million project that Vitals have taken up for a 30-year period means that all current employees would be retained, while an addition 1,000 new employment opportunities would also be created. A radical push towards medical tourism will also be given.

Speaking on behalf of Vitals Group, Mr Tumuluri said that the whole project on the three hospitals is due for completion by July 2018.

Gozo Hospital which will be linked to Barts medical school will start engaging international students as of September next year.

Action plan to give new life to Valletta

T

he government has launched a new document that includes an action plan aimed at the regeneration of Malta’s capital, Valletta that is also targeted at attracting more people to take up residence in the city. Unveiling the document, permanent Secretary Mario Cutajar and Planning Authority Chairman CEO Johan Buttigieg said that the new document would be open for public consultation.

Mr Cutajar said that the strategy started off as a master plan, but then collated into an action plan. The drafting of the document included consultation with various entities.

“Valletta is a UNESCO world heritage site, but that does not mean that we can look at the city as a museum, and the plan seeks to regenerate the city beyond 2018, when it will be the EU’s capital of culture,” Cutajar said, adding that the plan sought to reinstate it as an entertainment hub.

He pointed out that the city currently has an ageing population with many of the residents in the 60+ category, so the aim of the strategy is to give Valletta a new lease of life in its culture, residential, commercial and administrative sectors. He said that one of the foremost plans is that of making the city more attractive for new residents by offering them incentives, and for this to happen Valletta has to become more accessible to new residents from different spheres to make it a more habitable environment.

Currently 75% of Valletta’s properties are hired out on a rental basis, so the plan includes urban planning to encourage more residents to move to the city.

Mr Buttigieg said, “We want to give Valletta a new life, and to spread the idea that it is not just a city where people go to work, but a place where people can live.”

He added that it was important for the re-

generation plan to look at all the city’s diversities and therefore should be an all-encompassing plan taking into account the information gathered, and should be a flexible plan adapted to change

According to the Planning Authority, the next step is that of introducing the city to better management. The strategic plan is expected to commence with a pilot project.

Dr. Chris Cardona elected Labour’s Deputy leader for party affairs hris Cardona, the Minister for the Cardona C Economy, Investment and Small Busi- said the ness in the current Labour government in PL must

Malta (pictured right), has been elected LP’s deputy leader for party affairs with 389 votes, winning a three-horse race with Justice Minister Owen Bonnici and Dr Stefan Zrinzo Azzopardi in a run off.

Cardona, 44, and Bonnici managed most votes on the first day of voting but none had gained the required 51%, therefore Zrinzo Azzopardi was eliminated and the other two faced-off on the next day. Cardona eventually won by garnering 389 votes, that is, 53.4% of the votes cast, to Bonnici’s 339.

In his first comments to the media, Dr

n o w focus on building bridges both internally and externally, and that the enthusiasm shown during the election campaign would be used to ensure both a strong party and strong government.

14 The Voice of the Maltese

Tuesday June 21, 2016

Is-Sette Giugno Aktar kmieni f’dan ix-xahar ta’ Ìunju ©iet iççelebrata t-tifkira tal-irvellijiet Maltin tas-7 ta’ Ìunju 1919, mag˙ruf blisem Taljan tas-Sette Giugno. Attwalment kien hemm min irrimarka g˙aliex din hija l-unika festa Nazzjonali li g˙andha isimha bit-Taljan u g˙ax ma niktbuhiex bil-Malti u nsejj˙ulha sSebg˙a ta’ Ìunju.

Attwalment l-isem ta’ fuq il-monument li hemm il-Belt insibuh bil-Malti, g˙alkemm imbag˙ad dak li hemm fiççimiterju huwa bit-Taljan. Hemm min ©ab ra©unijiet storiçi g˙al dan g˙ax sostna li dan l-inçident kien ing˙ata lisem bit-Taljan g˙ax dakinhar dan l-ilsien kien ilsien dominanti fil-GΩejjer Maltin, kif ukoll dan huwa isem tradizzjonali.

Sintendi kien hemm o˙rajn ma qablux.

Fil-fehma tieg˙i huwa diffiçli li tibdel tradizzjoni, u probabbli, anke jekk jing˙ata l-isem bil-Malti, irid jg˙addi ΩΩmien qabel il-poplu jibda juΩa l-verΩjoni Maltija. EΩempju çar: Triq ir-Repubblika ˙adet post l-isem Kingsway... imma, minkejja li g˙addew daqshekk snin, xorta ˙afna Maltin g˙adhom isejj˙u din it-triq ewlenija fil-belt Valletta ‘strada rjali’ Diskussjoni o˙ra li g˙adha g˙addejja b˙alissa hija propju dwar il-Monument li jfakkar l-avveniment tas-7 ta’ Ìunju.

Ftit tas-snin ilu dan kien tne˙˙a minnPjazza San Ìor© (quddiem il-Palazz talPresident) u wara xhur mitluq f’garaxx tal-Gvern ittie˙ed (forsi wie˙ed jista’ jg˙id ‘indifen’) fil-Ìnien Hastings (ma nafx kif g˙adu ˙add ma lmenta g˙aliex dan il-©nien baqa’ msemmi g˙al Gvernatur IngliΩ).

Issa nfet˙et kampanja qawwija biex dan ilMonument jitne˙˙a minn dan il-©nien u jitpo©©a f’post aktar prominenti u xieraq.

Sintendi malli nfet˙et din il-kampanja bdew jissemmew diversi postijiet fil-Belt bl-awtoritajiet jift˙u konsultazzjoni dwar dan. Il-©urnal ta’ kull nhar ta’ Óadd, Illum ©abar l-aktar postijiet imsemmijja u g˙amel speçi ta’ st˙arri© dwar x’jixtieq il-poplu.

Wara l-©urnal ippubblika r-riΩultat tal-mistoqsija, li kienet: Fejn ta˙seb li g˙andu jkun ilpost il-©did g˙all-monument li jikkommemora s-Sette Giugno?

B˙alissa r-riΩultat ta’ dan l-ist˙arri© hu hekk: Pjazza Kastilja: 7.49% Faççata tal-Bibljoteka minflok il-monument tar-Re©ina Vittoria: 16.18% Pjazza San Ìor© 28.07% Quddiem il-Parlament 36.36% Jibqa’ fejn hu f’Hastings 11.9% Huwa çar li l-aktar postijiet msemmijja huma Pjazza San Ìor© u Quddiem ilParlament.

Fil-fehma tieg˙i dawn huma l-aktar postijiet addattati g˙al dan il-Monument, billi jekk wie˙ed i˙ares lejn l-istorja ta’ pajjiΩna, dan l-avveniment - il-qawmien

tal-Maltin fl-1919 - kellu kontribut qawwi biex Malta ng˙atat Kostituzzjoni li permezz tag˙ha l-GΩejjer Maltin kisbu s-Self Government u g˙alhekk l-ewwel Gvern u Parlament Malti.

G˙alhekk hu xieraq li dan il-Monument ikun qrib il-post fejn jiltaqa’ l-Paralment Malti.

Personalment nippreferi l-Pjazza quddiem fejn jiltaqa’ l-Parlament illum.... f’ri©lejn wie˙ed mit-tur©ien li hemm fidd˙ul tal-Belt, g˙alkemm hemm min jg˙id li dan g˙andu jsir fin-na˙a ta’ fuq tat-tara© li mid-d˙ul tal-belt jag˙ti g˙all-Kastilja.

Ma tantx naqbel ghax hemm xorta jitlef mill-prominenza tieg˙u

Iç-çittadinanza Maltija u l-Unjoni Ewropea l-2014 f’Malta ng˙ataw 314-il çittadiIç-çittadinanza Maltija mog˙tija lil residenti tal-UE u o˙rajn mhux residenti tal-UE F nanza lil persuni ta’ nazzjonalita` barranija, u kienu l-IngliΩi l-iktar li kisbuha.

Fil-fatt 29.6% minn dawn kienu ©ejjin mir-Renju Unit, segwiti mit-Taljani b’10.2% u r-Russi 7%. B’kollox, 52% ta’ dawk li kisbu ç-çittadinanza Maltija kienu ©ejjin minn pajjiΩi tal-Unjoni Ewropea, filwaqt li 47% le.

Fl-Unjoni Ewropea kollha ng˙ataw 889,000 çittadinanza b’10.4% jkunu g˙al çittadini mill-Marokk, 4.6% mill-Albanija u 4.2% g˙al çittadini mit-Turkija.

Forsi l-aktar li nkiteb dwar iç-çittadinanza kien fl-2014 meta l-Gvern introduça l-iskema mag˙rufa b˙ala l-IIP, ji©ifieri dik li barrani seta’ jikseb iç-çittadinanza billi j˙allas somma ta’ flus u josserva g˙add ta’ kundizjonijiet o˙ra, fosthom li jinvesti f’Malta.

Madankollu, dik is-sena kienet wa˙da

mill-inqas snin li persuni ta’ nazzjonalita’ barranija ng˙ataw iç-çittadinanza. L-akbar

g˙add kien fl-2009 meta ng˙ataw aktar minn 800 çittadinanza.

The Voice of the Maltese 15

Tuesday June 21, 2016

G˙al darb’o˙ra ... e nikkwota lill-Isqof ta’ G˙awdex, S Mons Mario Grech (fl-istampa xellug): "B˙ala regola, dawk li huma divorzjati u

miΩΩew©a mill-©did ma jistg˙ux jirçievu ssagramenti; imma l-Papa jg˙id li “min˙abba l-kundizzjonamenti u l-fatturi attenwanti, hu possibbli li, f’sitwazzjoni o©©ettiva ta’ dnub – li mhijiex su©©ettivament ˙atja jew mhijiex ˙atja b’mod s˙i˙ – wie˙ed jista’ jg˙ix fil-grazzja ta’ Alla, jista’ j˙obb, u jista’ anki jikber fil-˙ajja tal-grazzja u tal-im˙abba, huwa u jirçievi l-g˙ajnuna tal-Knisja g˙al dan il-g˙an” (305).

“F’çeri kaΩi, din l-g˙ajnuna tista’ tkun anki l-g˙ajnuna tas-sagramenti. G˙aldaqstant infakkar lis-saçerdoti li l-konfessjonarju m’g˙andux ikun sala tat-tortura imma l-post tal-miΩerikordja tal-Mulej.

“Bl-istess mod, nirrimarka li l-Ewkaristija mhijiex il-premju tal-perfetti, imma hi dduwa b’sa˙˙itha u ikel g˙ad-dg˙ajfin” (305, nota 351). G˙al dawk li g˙andhom dubju jekk din l-EΩortazzjoni bidlitx iddixxiplina li tirregola ç-çelebrazzjoni tassagramenti u l-persuni divorzjati u miΩΩew©a mill-©did, infakkar li g˙al mistoqsija li saritlu dwar dan is-su©©ett fil-konferenza stampa waqt li kien qed jirritorna minn Lesvos g˙al Ruma, il-Papa Fran©isku wiegeb: “Iva”.

Awtogowl politiku?

˙alissa f’Malta, b˙al f’˙afna pajjiΩi o˙ra B tal-Ewropa, qed ja˙kem id-deni talKampjonat Ewro 2016 li qed jintlag˙ab fi

Franza, u biex nibqa’ bit-tema tal-futbol, hawn min qed ibassar li fil-poltika Maltija, jista’ jkollna awto-gowl.

Infatti bdew jidhru kitbiet minn esponenti tal-Partit Nazzjonalista jsejj˙u lit-tmexxija tal-Partit ma jissoktawx jindehsu ΩΩejjed ma

Ìenitur wie˙ed

G

˙andna t-tendenza li nsemmu s-single mother, imma rari tisma’ min jg˙id single father. Imma mill-a˙˙ar statistika li ˙ar©et sar mag˙ruf li kwaΩi wie˙ed minn kull ©enitur single f'pajjiΩna rre©istrat mad-Dipartiment tas-Sigurtà Soçjali huwa ra©el. Minn 10,913 ©enitur irre©istrat b˙ala single parent,

... u fuq nota tajba:

Marlene Farrugia li ˙abbret it-twaqqif talPartit Demokratiku.

Qed isostnu li fuq kollox Farrugia qed aktar tattira voti li jistg˙u jintreb˙u mill-Partit Nazzjonalista milli dak Laburista.

Ma nafx jekk il-floaters li fl-a˙˙ar elezzjoni vvutaw lill-Partit Laburista u qed jer©a’ jibdielhom jiddeçiedu li jivvutaw g˙all-Partit il-©did, imma jekk ikun hekk, in-Nazzjonalisti g˙andhom g˙ax jit˙assbu g˙ax jonqsilhom iç-çans li jirb˙u l-elezzjoni li jmiss.

2,574 huwa ra©el u 8,339 huma nisa, ji©ifieri ftit iktar minn 76%.

L-aktar lokalità li fiha persuni meqjusa b˙ala ©enitur wie˙ed hija San Pawl il-Ba˙ar b'680 ©enitur (212-il missier u 468 omm). Ittieni lokalità hija Birkirkara b'total ta' 619 li jinkludu 113-il missier u 506 ommijiet.

Dawn l-10,913 kollha jirçievu l-allowance tat-tfal mill-istess Dipartiment.

Aktar l-isfel irrakkomanda lill-kleru: “Nirrakkomanda li ˙add ma ja˙rab minn din ir-responsabbiltà u li ˙add ma jittratta dawn il-persuni b’mod le©©er. La huwa lkaΩ li nkeççu dawn il-persuni mill-konfessjonarju u lanqas huwa kaΩ li na˙arqu t-tappi tal-proçess tad-dixxerniment u nibag˙tu l-messa©© li xejn mhu xejn. Ma rridux inkunu ri©idi imma lanqas no˙olqu morali doppja.”

Ara ftit x’kien jing˙ad li kieku dan il-kliem intqal xi snin ilu..... g˙akemm ejja ng˙iduha kif inhi xorta na˙seb li kien hemm xi tradizzjonalisti, forsi mhux daqshekk fil-miftu˙, li ma tanrx g˙addew kummenti sbie˙ dwar dak li ntqal mill-Isqof.

Mannekin X

’kummenti tg˙adduli kieku kelli nikteb li kultant lill-Isqof inxebb˙u ma mannekin?

Na˙seb li jkun hemm ˙afna li jaqbΩu fuqi u jg˙idu li qed naqbeΩ il-limiti ©urnalistiçi, li jien anti-klerikali, eçç, eçç.

IΩda kien l-Isqof Grech innifsu li stqarr li kultant meta kien ikun mistieden biex jag˙mel il-pani©irku tal-festa kien i˙ossu donnu mannekin.

“Jien kultant in˙ossni qisni mannekin.

Ilibbsuni ˙afna imbarazz (ilbies litur©iku li fis-sajf joqtlok) u jkunu jriduni b˙ala parti mit-tiΩjin tal-festa u jien g˙edtilhom li m’iniex lest inkun parti mit-tiΩjin tal-festa.”

Ta min jg˙id li l-Isqof Grech g˙al dawn la˙˙ar tmien snin ma baqax jaççetta stediniet biex jag˙mel il-pani©ierki fil-festi.

Waqaf g˙ax kien i˙ossu mannekin?

“Le, waqaft g˙ax jien ippruvajt nag˙ti l˙obΩ u w˙ud mill-komunitajiet qaluli li l˙obΩ tieg˙i ma jriduhx. Kemm se ddum tisma’ li ma jridux minn dan it-tip ta’ ˙obΩ?

Kien jiswieli sajf ta’ sagrifiççju u kien hemm min g˙adu jippreferi ˙afna g˙ajjat u kliem vojt milli ˙a©a aktar sostanzjali u waqaft wara tmien snin...”

U na˙seb li fihmtu x’ried jg˙id bil-kliem “˙obΩ”... u na˙seb li ma kienux jaççettaw dan il-‘˙obΩ’ g˙ax lil çerti nies kien jolqothom fil-la˙am il-˙aj.

Malta bl-akbar tkabbir fl-impjiegi fl-UE

• Statistika ma˙ru©a mill-Eurostat tindika li l-©id nazzjonali ras g˙al ras ta’ Malta la˙aq id-89% tal-medja Ewropea. Dan huwa l-og˙la livell g˙al pajjiΩna osservat kemm ilha ssir din l-analiΩi mill-a©enzija Ewropea tal-istatistika. Bejn l-2010 u l-2012 il-ġid nazzjonali ras g˙al ras ta’ Malta kien waqa’ minn 86% tal-medja Ewropea g˙al 84%.

• Fl-ewwel kwart tal-2016 l-impjiegi f’Malta kienu 3.7% og˙la mill-istess perjodu ta’ sen’ilu. B’hekk, g˙al darb’o˙ra, pajjiΩna kellu l-aqwa tkabbir fl-impjiegi fl-Unjoni Ewropea. Din Ωieda impressjonanti meta wie˙ed iqis li fost il-pajjiΩi membri tal-Unjoni

Ewropea t-tkabbir fl-impjiegi kien ila˙˙aq il-1.4%.

• Issa li l-ista©un tat-turiΩmu dalwaqt ikun fl-aqwa tieg˙u, l-Uffiççju tal-Affarraijiet Barranin IngliΩ, ˙are© iwissi liç-çittadini IngliΩi biex joqog˙du attenti ˙afna meta ji©u biex jag˙Ωlu il-pajjiΩ fejn se jmorru jqattg˙u l-btajjel tag˙hom. IΩda din it-twissija g˙al Malta swiet ˙afna biex t˙ajjar aktar turisti IngliΩi li jΩuru l-GΩejjer Maltin. Dan min˙abba li skont dan l-Uffiçcju Malta “is one of the safest places to visit on holiday during summer.”

IΩ-Ωew© pajjiΩi Ewropej l-o˙ra msemmijja ma’ Malta huma l-Islanda u s-Slovenja.

16 The Voice of the Maltese

Tuesday June 21, 2016

A quick glimpse at Australia

Australia decides on July 2 A s we go to press, the Federal election in Australia is only days away.

An election to determine all 226 members of the 45th Parliament of Australia will take place on Saturday July 2 after an extended eight-week official campaign period. It is the first double dissolution since the 1987 election; 15.6 million are ready to vote Elections in Australia use a full-preferential system in one vote, one value single-member seats for the 150-member House of Representatives (lower house) and is changing from full-preferential group voting tickets to an optional-preferential single transferable vote system of proportional representation in the 76member Senate (upper house). Voting is compulsory.

By Westminster convention, but subject to constitutional constraints, the decision as to the type of election and its date is for the Prime Minister, who advises the governor-general to set the process in motion by dissolving the lower or both house(s) and issuing writs for election.

The Coalition (Liberal & National Parties) won the 2013 federal election with 90 of the 150 seats in the House of Representatives, on a swing of 17 seats or 3.6 points on a two-party basis, defeating the six-year Labor government. Labor holds 55 seats,

Incumbent Malcolm Turnbull (left) and Bill Shorten vying for Aussie power

and crossbenchers hold the remaining five.

The Abbott government was sworn in to office on September 18 2013. Kevin Rudd resigned as Labor's leader following the defeat of the party. Chris Bowen became the interim leader in the approach to a leadership election. Two candidates, Anthony Albanese and Bill Shorten, declared their candidacy; Shorten was declared the winner on October 13 2013.

The Voice of the Maltese is not making

any predictions but it is likely that we could have a repeat of the 1998 result in which Kim Beazley (Labor) won the popular vote but failed to gain enough seats to form a government. Labor is chasing a 4.4 per cent swing to win the 21 seats it needs for the required 76-seat majority.

We urge all our readers to go and vote on July 2. Let us all exercise our democratic right by electing the government we deserve.

At odds with the Immigration Minister

T

he Baird government will offer refugees a priority pathway to public service jobs in a new commitment that puts it at odds with recent comments by federal Immigration Minister Peter Dutton.

At least 100 public sector jobs will be created for refugees over the next 12 months. Although the scheme has been designed to assist the additional intake of refugees fleeing conflict in Syria and Iraq, all refugees who arrived after December 2015 are eligible.

The NSW Co-ordinator General for Refugee Resettlement, Peter Shergold said, “No refugee comes here wanting to live off welfare. They all want to build new lives for their family.”

The move stands in contrast to comments made by Immigration Minister Mr. Dutton, who said "illiterate and innumerate" refugees "would be taking Australian jobs" or "languish" on the dole.

Professor Shergold said the NSW govern-

ment was the single largest employer in the state, and wanted to lead the way in offering jobs to newly arrived refugees.

The NSW public sector's workforce diversity rules have been changed to categorise humanitarian visa holders in the same way as disabled or Indigenous job candidates.

“It will be open to anyone who arrives as a refugee, from December last year, and they can apply during their first five years here,” Professor Shergold said.

NSW settles 4,000-5,000 refugees a year, and will additionally resettle half of the 12,000 Syrian intake pledged by former Prime Minister Tony Abbott.

Shergold said most of the 6,000 Syrians and Iraqis to be settled in NSW will be children, with only 15,00 adults expected, of which 800 were likely to be looking for work.

“Although there will be refugees who arrive that do not have English language skills or do not have trade skills, there will be significant numbers who do,” he said.

“Refugees in Australia are given good support in their first few months, but what they really want most of all for their children is education and what they want for themselves and their older children is to find a way to get jobs. The more they pay their taxes, the more they contribute to Australian society.”

The Voice of the Maltese 17

Tuesday June 21, 2016

A quick glimpse at Australia

Honoured on the Queen’s birthday

T

Frank Alfred Galea

“Australia is in danger”

I

he Australian Honours are awarded twice yearly, on Australia Day and for the Queen’s birthday. This year it coincided with the Queen’s 90th and the June long weekend.

The Queen’s list celebrates the efforts and achievements of 771 Australians. There was an overwhelming dominance of male nominees. Of the nation’s 13 most eminent honourees, three are women, reflecting a gender imbalance in leadership and community roles in Australia’s public life.

The Voice has managed to note at least one recipient of Maltese descent.

He is Frank Alfred Galea from Douglas Park NSW for services to youth.

Australian air force Cadets commanding officer Frank Galea has spent the last 15 years giving young people their wings, and now he’s been awarded the Medal of the Order of Australia (OAM).

The Douglas Park resident has been a reserve in the Royal Australian Air Force since 1978, and a commanding officer of cadet squadron 303 since 2001. He said he felt very proud to be awarded the accolade as part of the Queen’s birthday honours for service to youth, “It’s a big surprise and I am very humbled,” he said.

“For guys that are in the air force these things mean a lot to us; I’m just ecstatic.

“It’s a very high privilege to know that people think of you that way.”

n a warning against economic complacency, the Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull said in an interview with Peter Hartcher of Fairfax Media: “you only have to look at some of the resource-dependent countries, the oil states to see that having an enormous resource isn't always a blessing."

Australia is in danger of being left behind. Most oil states are economically backward dictatorships.

The comment is reminiscent of Paul Keating's 1986 warning that Australia risked becoming a “banana republic” unless it could rid itself of a resource dependency “cargo cult"”mentality.

Turnbull said that we don't have, post-mining boom, a unique comparative advantage in some sort of physical asset, so have to make our greatest asset ourselves. It means focussing on enabling Australia's enterprise.

He has warned of dark times without reforms. “This is a time in which we could very easily be left behind. Clearly you have to be on the frontier of innovation, got to be more productive, more competitive, more open to the big new markets, you've got to be able to take advantage of them.”

Technology and the submarines

ormer Labor leader and onetime defence minister Kim Beazley has cautioned that dramatic changes in military F technology over the next decade could have an impact on Australia's $50 bn submarine replacement programme, given the rapid development of unmanned submersible platforms that are better able to detect conventional submarines.

Mr Beazley told Fairfax Media from Singapore where he was attending the Shangri-La regional defence summit, he was not arguing for the abandonment of the plan to acquire 12 new submarines, which was the centrepiece of the government's recently-released defence white paper.

But he said: “Technologies in the military sphere are about to change dramatically, and the comfort that we have with [contemporary capabilities] … could very well become an obsolete one, well short of the time limit” He said the key questions around defence equipment were “not so much will the money be there, but will the technologies be right … it's a warning flag.”

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18 The Voice of the Maltese

Tuesday June 21, 2016

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Teaching of the Maltese language in Australia

Maltese community again being warned

T

he Board of Studies Teaching and Education Standards has again warned the Maltese community that the Maltese language is at risk of suspension due to its very small candidature in 2014 and 2015.

The Board of Studies and curriculum and assessment authorities across Australia have decided that three criteria need to be met to ensure that continued provision of a language at HSC level.

One of these criteria states that where the national candidature of a nationally assessed language falls below a total of 15 students, for each of three consecutive years, the language subject will be suspended until such time as there is evidence that projected student numbers have risen significantly.

According to CCAFL, Maltese has been identified as a subject that is at risk of suspension. Should the final 2016 candidature in Maltese also fall below 15 students nationally, Maltese will be suspended following the 2016 HSC examination.

The suspension of a language allows students to complete studies currently undertaken in the HSC. If the Maltese were suspended, it would not be offered as a language subject from January 2019, and the following would apply: 2017 – last year for Year 11 enrolments in Maltese 2018 – Maltese not offered at Year 11. Last year for Year 12 enrolments and Year 12 examination for Maltese.

2019 – Maltese not available as a (insert certificate) course. Students will not be able to repeat Maltese at year 12.

If Maltese is suspended through this process, at some time later the syllabus for Maltese may be reactivated if documented evidence can be provided to BOSTES of its sustainability and viability.

The Board of Studies, Teaching and Education Standards NSW (BOSTES) participates with other curriculum and assessment authorities across Australia in the delivery and assessment of many language subject through the Collaborative Curriculum and assessment Framework for Language (CCAFL) Project.

This collaboration enables the national provision of small candidature language subjects for study at year 11 and Year 12 that can be accredited towards the Higher School Certificate (HSC).

We are hopeful that with the co-operation of all Maltese language schools in Australia, sufficient students to meet the stipulated criteria will be sitting for their HCS at year 12 this year.

The Voice of the Maltese 19

Tuesday June 21, 2016

Three ANZACS from Malta A

A true story of friendship, love and loss

mong the thousands that enlisted with the Australian Imperial Force during the First World War, a number of them were actually migrants who answered the call to defend their country of adoption. Although at the time, the number of Maltese in Australia only amounted to a few hundred, about 53 of them joined their Australian and New Zealand mates to fight for ‘King and Country’.

Their story is told in a book soon to be published this year titled Three Anzacs from Malta, by Dr Giaconda S. Schembri from Melbourne. The book is further illustrated with photographs, extracts from a war diary and original letters.

Dr Schembri told The Voice of the Maltese that the book “is a true story of friendship, love and loss”. It recounts the A true journey of Charles Bonavia, Waldemar Beck and Anthony Xuereb, three young Maltese men, who left their small island for Australia, hoping for a better future on the other side of the world.

They soon settled in their adopted home, securing good jobs, forging new friendships, and finding love.

Their carefree days did not last as the sombre clouds of a global war darken their world. All three would be thrust in one of the deadliest conflicts humankind had ever seen,

By Gioconda S. Schembri

Three Anzacs from Malta About the author

G story of friendship, love and loss

Gioconda Schembri

which would destroy a whole generation of youth.

From the tiny Mediterranean island of Malta to the vast Australian continent, to the unforgiving slopes of Gallipoli, and all the way to the muddy trenThe three Maltese ANZACS found themches in Flanselves in the muddy trenches in Flanders ders, ´Three Anzacs from Malta´ follows these young men as they carve out their destinies.

It is a timeless story about migration, the heartache of separated families, war and loss, out of which no one emerges unscathed. But it is mainly a

ioconda S. Schembri née Mifsud (above) was born in Malta. After graduating as a Doctor of Laws from the University of Malta, she joined the public service and for three years served at the Malta High Commission in Canberra as First Secretary, and also as Acting High Commissioner for several months.

She migrated to Australia in 2002, and worked with the Maltese Community Council of Victoria, the Australian Public Service, and the Consulate of Malta.

She also worked as a freelance translator of the Maltese language.

Her interests are varied. They include history, the theatre, music, literature, international politics, travel and craft.

She lives in Melbourne with her husband Darren and son Thomas. tribute to the tenacity of the human spirit, even in the face of enormous adversity, and a celebration of the virtues that transcend borders and time: courage, friendship and love.

Dr Schembri told The Voice that she was inspired to write the book after reading John Mizzi: Gallipoli –The Malta Connection. She consulted the national Archives of Australia in Canberra and tracked down family members of the men, who provided memories.

There are 202 members of the Australian Imperial Force and 72 members of the New Zealand expeditionary Force buried in Malta.

The book can be acquired by ordering it directly by phone: 0405 534 303 or by contacting the author herself by email: giocondaschembri@yahoo.com.

20 The Voice of the Maltese

Tuesday June 21, 2016

Tag˙rif dwar il-kitba Maltija

A

ktar regoli u tag˙rif uffiçjali dwar kif wie˙ed g˙andu jikteb il-Malti ma˙ru© mill-Kummissjoni fi ˙dan l-Akkademja tal-Malti. Illum nissoktaw aktar regoli.

IT-TNAX-IL REGOLA L-ewwelnett nissoktaw bl-a˙˙ar parti tat-12-il regola: (1) Jekk fuq l-ewwel le˙en tal-kelma jin˙ass l-aççent, bejn u vokali u w konsonanti, g˙al dak il-le˙en ag˙Ωel l-ittra u. EΩ. ûsa’, û©a’, u.

(2) Jekk fuq l-ewwel le˙en tal-kelma ma jin˙assx aççent, g˙al dak lewwel le˙en bejn u vokali u w konsonanti ag˙Ωel w. EΩ. waddab, werwer, we©g˙a, wasal, w˙ûd, wçû˙, wkòll. Biss jekk dan lewwel le˙en jin˙ass qieg˙ed bejn Ωew© konsonanti iktbu u: mort lura, intom ukoll, kif uqafna, rajt uçu˙.

(3) Dan il-le˙en jinkiteb bl-ittra konsonanti w meta qabel ta˙bat vokali.

EΩ. ˙afna wçu˙, ˙afna wlied, a˙na wkoll, konna waqafna, ©ejna we˙idna, malli wasalna.

l-ittra konsonanti dg˙ajfa a u g˙alhekk f’taqsima ta’ kelma jidhru wkoll wara vokali, jaqa’ jew ma jaqax laççent fuqhom.

Tinteressak il-kitba?

L-ERBATAX-IL REGOLA

Q

arrejja li j˙ossu li, jew g˙andhom Il-kelma ma jistax ikollha ˙lief talent g˙all-kitba, l-aktar bl-Ilsien aççent wie˙ed; u meta tiΩdied b’xi Malti, imma mhux biss, u jkunu jridu li sillaba jew b’xi sillabi kitbiet tag˙hom ji©u ppublikati f’The o˙ra, l-aççent ji©i li jmur fuq is-sillVoice of the Maltese, huma m˙e©©a aba ta’ wara u ji©i li jibqa’ floku. jibag˙tuhomlna f’dan l-indirizz talG˙alhekk mill-kelma Màlta, blemail: maltesevoice@gmail.com aççent fuq l-ewwel vokali a, g˙andna Maltîn bl-aççent fuq ilvokali i tas-sillaba miΩjuda. Hekk hom. (EΩempji ta’ dan wie˙ed jista ukoll minn òrbot g˙andna orbòtna, jsibhom fejn ittratat ”Tiswir il-kelma”). minn tálab, talàbna, minn salîb, Aktar regoli fil-˙ar©a ta’ wara salìbkom, dejjem b’aççent wie˙ed.

T.ç. Nistg˙u nfissru wkoll illi “minbarra minn f’kelmiet ta’ sillaba llum se nissoktaw dwar il-kas akkuΩativ u lwa˙da b˙al îd IT-TLETTAX-IL REGOLA kas dattiv. L-ewwelnett ng˙addu g˙al regola u f’kelmiet li o˙r u wara naraw xi mudelli.

L-ittra a tas-sura fil-bidu tal-kelma g ˙ a n d h o m toqg˙od flok il-konsonanti tal-istess laççent fuq itIt-8 regola: L tad-Dattiv ma ti˙ux Vokali sillaba le˙en (fl-G˙arbi alif) u tie˙u wkoll tieni tal-Le˙en meta ta˙bat bejn il-Pronom b˙al salîb, lil-le˙nijiet ta’ e, i jew o. hom u l-Pronomi ha, na, kom, hom.

Dawn il-le˙nijiet flok a (konso- aççent jibqa’ nanti dg˙ajfa), jaqa’ jew ma jaqax floku jekk malEΩ.: ˙adhomlha, ˙adhomlna, ˙adhomlkom, ti©i fuqhom l-aççent, f’taqsima ta’ kelma ˙adhomlhom. kelma, jistg˙u joqog˙du wara tmiss vokali u fuq vokali o˙ra. G˙alhekk niktbu: kunu jaqbeΩ MUDELLI TA; KAS DATTIV jekk âfu, morru èrfg˙u, we©ag˙ni àbti, lo˙ra (verbi li jispiççaw b’konsonanti) ˙adtlu a˙bar, kienu a˙jar, lewnu mal-kelma ti©i li tmiss konsoà˙dar, ˙wej©i èqdem, oqog˙du òrbtu, MIET RABAT QATA’ BAGÓAT QIEGÓED RABAT iktar u ìktar, sema u àrt, ag˙ma ìΩraq, nanti”.

EΩ.

(1) minn ir-ru˙ u Alla. Ter©a’ wkoll: ejja i©bìdqatag˙li mietli qeg˙edli bag˙tli rabatli hom, morru oqòg˙du, oqog˙du qábad g˙anqatag˙lek mietlek qeg˙edlek bag˙atlek rabatlek dna qàbdu, isimg˙úhom. qatag˙lu mietlu qeg˙edlu bag˙atlu rabatlu T.ç. L-ittri vokali ta’ bidu l-kelmiet: qàbdek; minn qatg˙alha mitilha qeg˙dilha bag˙tilha rabtilha ísem g˙andna afu, erfg˙u, orbtu, i©bidhom, isimqatg˙alna mitilna qeg˙dilna bag˙tilna rabtilna ìsmek, g˙uhom, abti, a˙bar, a˙jar, a˙dar, ìsmi, qatg˙alkom bag˙tilkom qeg˙dilkom mitilkom rabtilkom ìsmu. eqdem, iktar, art, iΩraq, Alla, biçça qatg˙alhom bag˙tilhom qeg˙dilhom mitilhom rabtilhom tridhom il-grammatika biex juru s- (2) minn sura lill-verb u biçça huma ittri li- qábad g˙an(verbi li jispiççaw b’konsonanti) jsarrfu daqs l-ittri konsonanti l-o˙ra dna qabàdni, li fuqhom tinbena l-kelma; kollha qabàdkom, qaQATGÓU BAGÓTU QIEGÓDU MIETU RABTU kemm huma mbag˙ad qeg˙din bàdha, qabàdrabtuli qatg˙uli qeg˙duli bag˙tuli mietuli flok qatg˙ulek bag˙atulek qeg˙dulek mietulek rabtulek Ag˙mel uΩu mid-dizzjunarju Malti rabtulu qatg˙ulu qeg˙dulu bag˙atulu mietulu rabtulha qatg˙ulha qeg˙dulha bag˙tulha mitulha *Jekk trid tiççekja l-kitba, it-tifsir tal-kliem Malti u rabtulna qatg˙ulna qeg˙dulna bag˙tulna mitulna t-traduzzjoni g˙all-IngliΩ issa tista’ tid˙ol fuq idmitulkom rabtulkom qatg˙ulkom bag˙tulkom qeg˙dulkom dizzjunarju tal-Maltin online. mitulhom rabtulhom qatg˙ulhom bag˙tulhom qeg˙dulhom Is-sit huwa: www.maltesedictionary.org.mt

Biex tikteb Malti tajjeb Il-kas akkuΩativ u l-kas dattiv

I

The Voice of the Maltese 21

Tuesday June 21, 2016

C Co om mm mu un ni it ty y N Ne ew ws s Readers can also request a printed copy of The Voice of The Maltese magazine by post

n response to a number of inquiries, Iadvice The Voice of the Maltese wishes to that we can now supply hard

copies in colour of our magazine to our readers at a price. So anybody interested in acquiring copies of the magazine can communicate with us personally or by email to: maltesevoice@gmail.com.

The magazine can also be delivered by post at a price to any state. As the cost of postage varies from state to state, one is kindly requested to get in touch with us to work out the details.

Tajjeb li tkun taf

-g˙aqdiet tal-Maltin, u/jew min ixtieq L jirreklamaw f’The Voice of the Maltese huma m˙e©©a jg˙arrfu lit-tmexxija ta’ The Voice minn kmeni. Jekk iridu jibag˙tu xi materjal g˙all-pubblikazzjoni, jag˙mlu dan mil-inqas ©img˙a qabel il-pubblikazzjoni.

IL-GRUPP SANTA MARIJA TA SYDNEY B˙as-soltu qed jorganizzaw l-Ballu ta’ Santa Marija Nhar is-Sibt, 6 ta’ Awissu fis-7.00 p.m. fil-Balmoral Centre, Balmoral Street, Blacktown Ikun hemm ikla ta’ erba’ platti u xorb b˙al birra, inbid, soft drinks, cassata ice-cream, te u kafe.

Jie˙du sehem il-Falcons Band u l-mistednin speçjali Kathlyn Vella u Carmen Cauchi Donazzjoni ta: $60.00; Tfal ta˙t it-12 il-sena: $30.00 Ikun hemm ukoll marci mill-Banda Maltija O.L.Q.P. G˙al aktar tag˙rif u xiri ta biljetti çemplu lil Agnes fuq: 9626 6756, Mobile: 0432 714 735 Theresa: 9604 3679, Mob: 0432 646 960

MALTESE LANGUAGE SCHOOL OF NSW

A Division of the Maltese Community Council of NSW Inc.

Learn Maltese!

Classes are available for students from 6 years to adults at all levels of ability in the Maltese language. We have trained and experienced teachers qualified in language teaching and with Maltese study credentials.

Learn the Maltese language, the culture, lifestyle, cuisine, traditions and about the amazing history of the island.

Classes at: HORSLEY PARK - SEVEN HILLS - LUDDENHAM For more information and enquiries Phone 0433 091 788 Or email: malteselanguageschoolnsw@hotmail.com

Supported by the Minister of Education and Training and the NSW Community Languages Schools Programme.

Member of the NSW Federation of Community Language Schools of NSW; Member of the Federation of Maltese Language Schools of Australia; Supported by 16 Maltese associations affiliated with the MCC of NSW. The Maltese Language School of NSW is a Not-For-Profit organisation.

IL-MALTESE BOWLERS SOCIAL GROUP TA’ NSW • Jistiednu nisa u r©iel Maltin li j˙obbu l-lawn bowls biex jing˙aqdu mag˙hom, jie˙du sehem fil-log˙ob u jag˙mlu ˙bieb ©odda.

• Jilqg˙u wkoll lil dawk li jixtiequ jitg˙allmu jilag˙bu dan l-isport. Dawn jing˙ataw lezzjonijiet b’xejn.

• Jilag˙bu log˙ba lawn bowls darba fixxahar fir-Rosehill Bowling Club u klabbs o˙ra.

• G˙al aktar tag˙rif çemplu lis-segretarju, Tony Pace-Feraud (0400 376 607) jew email lil: maltesebowlersnsw@hotmail.com Il-log˙ba li jmiss nhar il-Óadd 10 ta’ Luljufis-1.00 p.m. fir-Rosehill Bowling Club.

Sunday on the Hawkesbury River Cruise

On June 26. Adults $70; Children (4-14yrs) $40 9:00 am: Pick-up – Outside Blacktown Workers Club then travel to Greystanes for the second pick up at 9.15am, before heading to Brooklyn.

11 am: Join us for a 3-hour cruise of the spectacular Hawkesbury River!

Enjoy morning tea on arrival and a delicious local fish'n'chip lunch on board as you sit back and see the grand old Hawkesbury at its lazy best.

3:00 pm: Stop for Afternoon tea if time permits then board the coach to head back home.

Contact: Lina: 9629 4046; Doris: 0419 420 915; Maggie: 9621 3125; Maria: 0431 800 720. Email - metd@live.com.au. PO Box 93, Kellyville 2155

The Voice: the most popular by far

he Voice of the Maltese online T magazine is by far the most widely read publication among the Maltese Diaspora, with subscribers from Australia, Canada, the UK England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ieland), Ireland Rep., Belgium, France, Italy, India, the Caribbean island of St Kitts & Nevis. But not only. It is also gaining popularity in Malta and it keeps growing with every issue.

22 The Voice of the Maltese

Tuesday June 21, 2016

Community News Tune In to Radio and Television

Maltese Radio Programmes MELBOURNE, on 3ZZZ 92.3FM or on www.3zzz.com.au. Mondays 5pm, Fridays 5pm, Saturdays 10am.; Last Wednesday each month at 1pm.

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

MELBOURNE: STEREO 974 (93180930): 97.4FM Wed (Maltese Magazine) & Thursday (Mer˙ba): 6.00pm to 8.00 pm Co-ordinator – Ray Anastasi In SYDNEY, listen to the MCC radio programmes on 2GLF FM 89.3. every Thursday 2p.m. to 4p.m. Martese Caruana presents Golden Mix. Available on demand. Follow same procedure as for MCC programmes, except select programe in reference.

In BRISBANE listen to the Maltese Programme on 4EB on Tuesdays 6.00 8.15am; Sundays 4.15pm to 5.15pm UNCLE SAM DJ (Maltese Radio) tune in to link: www.unclesamdj.com Listen to John Borg & Ronnie Borg every Saturday at 1.00 p.m. on RADIO 2RRR 88.5FM or on the Internet www2rrr.org.au ON DeMAND

The SBS MALTESE NEWS

Isma’ l-programm tar-radju bil-Malti mill-Kunsill Malti ta’ NSW minn fuq l-istazzjon 2GLF 89.3FM. Jista’ wkoll jinstema’ On Demand minn fuq l-Internet www.893fm.com.au (On Demand >Ethnic >Maltese Council 11am) Il-programm ta’ sieg˙a nhar ta’ Óadd fil11.00 a.m. ikun fih l-a˙˙ar a˙barijiet minn Malta, muΩika, tag˙rif, kultura, avviΩi u su©©etti ta’ interess g˙all-Maltin On SBS Radio Day Time Analogue and Digital Friday: 12:00-13:00 97.7fm SBS Radio 2 Saturday: 14:00-15:00: 97.7fm SBS Radio 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. SBS Radio 2 is on Channel 38.

The radio programmes can be accessed online (live or catch up) at sbs.com.au/maltese and via mobile phone, using the SBS Radio app. For television news from Malta - SBS 2 TV on Thursdays and Sundays at 8am.

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

Presenter: Nathalie Gatt.

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

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

Day Care Maltese Groups meetings in NSW

Fairfield Active Maltese Seniors Meets on the first Tuesday of the Month.

Group meets in Parish Hall, cnr of Stella Street & The Boulevard, Fairfield Heights.

Maltese Seniors Central Coast

Have to contact our Welfare Officer for an appointment. For all information and referral matters call Censina Cefai: 02 439 000 12 or 0414 267 652

Daceyville Maltese Seniors

Meets on the last Wednesday of the month in the Meeting Room One, No. 3 General Bridges Crescent, Daceyville.

Note: The Groups also arrange regular Bus Trips Join us and make new friends.

Merrylands Social Maltese Seniors Meets every second Friday of the month; Miller Room, Memorial Avenue Merrylands from 10.30am to 12.30 am

Llandilo Maltese Seniors Meets on the first Wednesday of each month at the Llandilo Community Hall, Seventh Avenue, from 11am to 1 pm.

Maltese of Bankstown

Group meet 3rd Wednesday of the month at New BCRG offices 15 Kitchner Parade, Bankstown NSW (opposite RSL Club).

Every other 3rd Thursday they have an outing. For enquiries call Sam 9534 2357

L-a˙barijiet tal-PBS (Malta)

kemm bil-Malti u wkoll bl-IngliΩ

G˙alkemm il-PBS ta’ Malta tforni lillSBS fl-Awstralja bis-servizz tag˙ha, ilqarrejja huma m˙e©©a wkoll biex x’˙in iridu jid˙lu fil-website:www.tvm.com.mt u jsegwu l-a˙barijiet ta’ Malta, kemm bil-Malti u Il-website tkun a©©ornata l-˙in kollu bl-istejjer u l-©rajjiet li jkunu qed ise˙˙u f’dak il-˙in.

Share it with the readers of The Voice If you have a story to tell that you believe could make interesting reading and you would like to share it with The Voice of the Maltese readership, get in touch with us by email at: maltesevoice@gmail.com

Kull qalb trid o˙ra iex tipproduçi magazine b˙al dan, li B wara kollox hu frott tal-passjoni li g˙andna biex inwasslu t-tag˙rif lill-

Maltin barra minn art twelidhom, ma jin˙tie©x biss xog˙ol u ˙in, imma wkoll spejjeΩ. Biex jittaffew u˙ud mill-ispejjeΩ nippruvaw insibu sponsors ˙alli jg˙inuna.

G˙ad m’g˙andniex biΩΩejjed minnhom, imma bdejna, u ta’ min jag˙tihom ˙ajr.

Kull qalb trid o˙ra, g˙alhekk in˙e©©u lill-qarrejja biex i©ibu dan quddiem g˙ajnejhom u kemm jista’ jkun juΩaw is-servizzi u/jew jixtru l-prodotti ta’ dawk li qed jirrek-lamaw/jisponsorjaw fil-magazine.

Greystanes Maltese Seniors Meets on the second Monday of each month at the George Preca Centre of OLQP Church, 198 Old Prospect Road, Greystanes from 10 am to 12 noon

The Sutherland & St George Maltese Group Meets every First Wednesday of the Month from 10:00am-1:00pm. Meetings/Get Togethers are interesting, informative & entertaining, so come Join us and make new Friends For more information contact our Coordinator: Charles Mifsud J.P.Phone (02) 9501 5525 – mobile 0421 662 298.

*(All Groups are Sponsored by The Maltese Community Council of NSW) with the assistance of 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).

The Voice of the Maltese 23

Tuesday June 21, 2016

C mmunity N ews Co ommunity ew s La Valette Social Centre Inc.

Saint Nicholas Festa Committee Presents the Feast of Saints Peter and Paul

Feast of St Peter and St Paul (L-Imnarja) 175 Walters Road, Blacktown. Tel. 9622 5847

Email: lavalett@bigpond.net.au. Website: http://www.lavaletteclub.net The feast is to be celebrated at the Centre on Sunday June 26 starting with Mass at 11am in the main hall.

Entertainment to be provided

by Sam Mifsud, traditional Maltese folklore music (g˙ana), and the participation of OLQP Band. There will be Jumping Castle for the kids.

Bar and kitchen will be open for one’s convenience There will also be an arts and crafts exhibition, farm animals and fresh produce.

Those wishing to exhibit, hold stalls or seek other information should contact the Centre on 9622 5847 or Joe Abela on 0425206472.

Festa L’Imnarja and Lejla fil-Buskett at The Good Shepherd Parish Hall 130-136 Hyatts Rd Plumpton NSW on Sunday July 3 Starting at 12.00 Noon: with Classic Cars & Bikes Display; 1.30pm-6.00pm: Arts & Crafts, Entertainment & Agriculture Displays Also Music and Singing featuring Ron Borg, Joe Xuereb & Tony Fenech. and the Maltese Cultural Association of NSW More information from President: Joe Fenech – 0412 009 957 or PRO: Emmanuel Vella-045 677 064

The Maltese Community Council of NSW is conducting a computer class at Maltese Resource Centre 59b Franklin Street, Mays Hill 2145 NSW every Friday between 10.00 am-12.00 For more information contact Em. Camilleri: 0409 744 376 The Malta Community Chest Fund

MALTESE CHARITY DINNER DANCE Saturday July 23, 2016 6.30 p.m. - 11.30 p.m.

Grand star receptions 499 Grieve Parade, Altona North. vic 3025

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

maltese music - maltese brass band - raffle tickets silent auctions & major grand auction enquiries & tickets: contact daniel 0404 096 560; lourdes 0402 813 179; joe 0420 547 696. email: lordan.co@hotmail.com (donations also welcome) Proudly sponsored by:

The Maltese Cultural Ass. of NSW Inc. presents...

Festa tal-Imnarja - Saturday June 25

and Quddiesa bil-Ghana Malti at 1.00pm (accompanied by the MCA Choir) Our Lady of Mount Carmel Catholic Church 4 Bennet Street, Wentworthville Followed by entertainment provided by the Cittadini in the Church Hall Special Guest Appearances by Joe Apap and Alee

*Art & Craft Exhibition in the Hall from 12 noon

Raffles, Chocolate Wheel, Traditional Maltese food & more Entrance is Free – All welcome For more information: Jim Borg 9636 7767

ST HELENA MALTESE/AUSTRALIAN S.C. Events 2016 AUG. 26, 28 (FRI & SUN): Feast masses at Croatian Church, Ardeer.

AUG. 27 – SAT.: Dinner Dance at Melrose, Tullamarine SEPT. 17 – SAT.: Get together St Albans.

OCT. 23 - SUN.: General meeting at Parkville.

OCT. 29 - SAT.: Get together St Albans at Avondale Heights.

NOV. 12, 13 (SAT & SUN): Concerts with Renato & Mary Rose Mallia (Also featuring the Cittadini from Sydney) DEC. 17 – SAT.: Xmas function at Melrose, Tullamarine.

METD OUTINGS - 2016 14th August – St Maria Festa (Central Coast) $35/pp including morning tea 11th September – Il-Festa tal-Vitorja (City) $25/pp 5th October - 23rd Anniversary Luncheon Please support the Maltese Elderly Thanksgiving Day Committee by attending our fund-raising activities outlined above. For more info, call one of the members: Lina: 9629 4046; Doris: 0419 420 915; Maggie: 9621 3125; Maria:0431 800 720 email: metd@live.com.au PO Box 93, Kellyville 2155

24 The Voice of the Maltese

Tuesday June 21, 2016

Sports Impressive away result for the Eagles against old rivals

A

fter the round 13 washouts it was back to business in the PlayStation 4 NPL NSW Men’s competition for Parramatta Eagles and the other teams with the Eagles disappointingly suffering a heavy 2-5 home defeat at the Melita Stadium, but then showing great character to return to their best to beat league perennial “enemy” and league runners-up Blacktown City away by 1-0.

On a day of plenty of action and a fair share of goals and excitement in Round 14, Parramatta Eagles figured in the match of that round that unluckily ended in great disappointment as they lost 2-5 to Manly United.

Despite an evenly contested first half, Parramatta had no answer to an inspired second

Three wins in a row for George Cross

I

n the PS4 NPL2, after a very disappointing start to the season, West Sunshine George Cross’ amazing revival continues by managing three successive wins.

In Round 16 they defeated Nunawading City 3-0 that lifted them off the bottom spot, and then consolidated their standing with Sunday’s victory at Murray United by 2-0. They however are still a point behind Werribee in bottom but one place.

Green Gully SC obtained an important 3-2 away victory over Avondale in Round 16 to stay in contention for a good challenge for league honours in the the PS4 NPL championship in Victoria. But then lost their Round 17 away tie against Heidelberg United last Sunday by 1-0.

They are still well placed to challenge for the top positions however as they share foruth position in the standing with 29 points.

RESULTS - DAY 15 Blacktown C v Parramatta 0-1 Blackown S. v Wollongong 0-0 Sydney O. v Sutherland 1-2 Sydney U v Rockdale 3-2 APIA v Hakoah C 2-3 Manly U v Bonnyrigg 3-3 DAY 14 2-5 Parramatta v Manly U 2-2 Sutherland v Sydney U 3-5 Bonnyrigg v APIA 3-2 Hakoah v Blacktown S Wollongong v Rockdale 0-3 Sydney O. v Blacktown C 0-0

half performance by Manly whose ferocious attacking style proved much for them.

A volatile challenge from Ibrahim Haydar began a downward slide for Parramatta as Manly scored four straight to secure the win.

Gosue Sama’s late strike was mere consolation for Parramatta who also scored courtesy of Andreas Vais.

Then last Sunday at the Lily Homes Sta-

Standing Sydney U. 58 Blacktown C. Rockdale Manly U. Bonnyrigg Parramatta Hakoah SCE. Sydney O. Sutherland Wollongong APIA LTFC Blacktown S.

P 14 15 14 15 15 14 16 15 15 14 14 15

W 11 10 8 6 6 6 6 4 4 3 3 2

D 2 1 3 6 4 1 1 6 2 4 3 3

L 1 4 3 3 5 7 7 5 9 7 8 10

Pts 35 31 27 24 22 19 19 18 14 13 12 9

dium against their oldest rivals, Blacktown City FC, and at the end of a very balanced match, Parramatta got all three points thanks to a goal by their captain, Josh Symons on 78 minutes. It helped them climb to a more respectable position, in sixth, in the table.

Eagles’ captain Josh Symons - He is proud of his Maltese heritage eading Parramatta Eagles from capL tain in the victory over Blacktown City and even scoring the winning goal was Josh Symons (right), the natural successor this season to the captaincy after the departure of Patrick Gatt.

Josh, a Sydney FC junior before joining Parramatta, told The Voice of the Maltese that he is proud of his Maltese heritage. In fact he has acquired Maltese citizenship.

“I hold a Maltese passport and I am looking forward to one day perhaps play in Malta” Josh said.

Josh is hopeful that come September, that is the end of the season, Parramatta Eagles would manage a top five placing.

His grandmother, Iris Buhagiar immigrated to Australia from Birkirkara when she was very young.

Josh has been playing for Paramatta Eagles for the last three seasons and is very confident that this current season could see the Eagles fly much higher than last year.

Josh Symons

Borg and Cini win European Teams Snooker title for Malta or the fourth time, F Malta has won the European Teams Snooker

Brian Cini (left) and Alex Borg

Championship recently held at the Compensa concert hall in Vilnius, Lithuania.

The team composed of Alex Borg and Brian Cini won the title by defeating Ireland in the final by 5-3.

Malta had previously won the championships in Latvia in 2004, the follow-

ing year in Malta, and then again nine years later, in 2014 in Romania.

Alex Borg has the distinction of having formed part of every winning team, while for Cini this was his first international success.

Malta’s participation was made possible thanks to the Malta Billiards and Snooker Association, and the help ofSport Malta and the MOC.