The Voice of the Maltese No.196

Issue 196

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

Fortnightly magazine for the Diaspora

Commemorating Australia Day 2019

January 29, 2019

Read more about the celebrations on pages 4, 5 and 6

Ferries are seen racing during the Ferrython on Sydney Harbour during Australia Day celebrations

Street parade in Melbourne

Street parade in Adelaide where more than 4000 people took part Aussies of all ages hit the beach at Bronte.

Passing on the leadership of the Maltese/Australian community to the next generations (1)

2 The Voice of the Maltese

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was most interested to read the article by Maurice Cauchi (The Voice of the Maltese, October 2) in which he discussed the apparent loss of interest of young subsequent generation Maltese in matters to do with the Maltese community. He is not alone in his views. I have spoken to a number of community leaders, including our Lawrence Dimech and Emanuel Camilleri who have expressed the same concern.

Cauchi also mentions in his article the increased interest amongst younger generations of other cultural groups in their home culture and this is a phenomenon I have also observed. The question needs to be asked: why is this the case in other cultures but apparently so lacking in our own community?

I believe there are a number of answers to this question and I also think that some of these may be unpalatable to the reader but I’ll take the chance and articulate them in the hope that they may make a difference and somehow generate the interest that is being sought.

Perhaps one of the strongest influences in the detachment of youngsters from our national background has to do with the fact that I believe that the older generation of Maltese, in the main, has not been sufficiently proud of its background. I believe that many of us shied away from our roots when we came to this country in our desire to assimilate into the new culture and environment. We had, in many instances, a Euro-centrism that tended to pull us away from our central reality.

Malta is unique in that, while it is a member of the European Union it is the pillar of the bridge between Europe and the African continent. It is a Mediterranean nation with a language that has a Semitic base with many influences from nations to the North such as Sicily and Italy and further to the West including Spain, Portugal, France and Britain, to the East including The Balkans and Asia Minor.

Nations to the South have also had a significant influence on the Islands. While we have tended to shy away from our common heritage with many Middle Eastern nations we have ironically celebrated our Phoenician herDancers wearing the Maltese traditional costume

Tuesday January 29, 2019

itage. Phoenicia, of course, AndyBusuttil was a nation occupying what is currently Lebanon and parts of Israel.

Much of our language has been strongly influenced by the neoPhoenician Punic language. We have a powerful connection with the Middle East, both historical and cultural.

By far the majority of the villages and towns on the Islands have names that are Arabic in origin. The ancient capital of Malta, Mdina, shares its name with the holy city of Medina yet we cringe away from these connections.

Our genetic base has been infiltrated by all of the nationalities mentioned above.

Perhaps it has been this continual infiltration into our physical and cultural genome that has contributed to our loss of identification with our nationality.

Malta has richness in its diversity that places it above many other nations when it comes to the extraordinary tapestry that is our Islands’ background. While these influences, often imposed by oppressive regimes taking over our homeland, have been powerful, the Maltese people have still managed to retain an identity of our own that is strong and outstanding.

The history of our Islands is full of demonstrations of stoicism, strength, capacity, enduring family ties, sacrifice, devotion and passion as well as the ability to stand strong and firm in the defence of our homeland.

There is so much to be proud of but we haven’t passed this on, in the main, to our younger generations. I don’t believe that we have tended to walk amongst others with our heads held high.

When you look at the other cultures alluded to by Maurice Cauchi, you will likely find that they have a rich folk history and cultural base with music and dance being deeply loved and often practised.

If one is to look at national groups such as the Greeks, Macedonians, Hungarians, Serbs, Croatians, Turks, Kurds, Bretons, Celts, those from the many Middle Eastern countries etc. you will see that they have strong music and dance traditions that are passed on from parent to child and are often the cornerstone of their gatherings and consequently a strong glue that binds them together.

I have been extremely fortunate in my background as a musician to be invited into many of these cultural functions and it is inevitable that the youngsters will join in with the dance and do so with dignity and pride. They will wear national costume proudly to these events and not shy away from declaring that they belong to their national group. (to be continued)

Tuesday January 29, 2019

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The Voice of the Maltese 3

his is a monthly service offered by The Voice of Q. My wife and I are self-funded retirees. We are selling our house the Maltese in which Marie Louise Muscat from and moving into a retirement village. We will need to add around $250,000 to the proceeds from the sale of our house to move into this the Fiducian Financial Services helps our readers complex. We are using funds from our term deposits. We believe that understand the complexities associated with finanonce this amount is paid we will be under the Centrelink asset test cial planning. If you need more advice send an email limit. If this is the case, are we still able to apply for an age pension? to Marie Louise via: maltesevoice@gmail.com.

Centrelink does not treat A. Once you have paid the money to move into the retirement village you should visit the funeral bond as an a Centrelink Office and provide them with asset if you invested up to all the details of your assets. They will $12,500. Once you have need to see the sale contract of the house reached the $12,500 do and the contract to move into the Retire- not add any more to this ment Village as this will show what money bond but let it grow was paid out. They will then inform you slowly on its own. By on how much pension you will both be en- adding to your funeral titled to and any other benefits that will bond, if you are on an age come with your pension card. You should pension, you may see do this once contracts are signed and pay- your age pension entitlement increase slightly. ments are settled.

Q. I have a funeral bond valued around Q. My mother passed away a few losses. If you have a capital gain then $4500. I took it out about three years ago months ago and I received a portfolio half of the gain will need to be added to and never added anything to it. I have of Australian shares valued approxi- your taxable income, and you will pay tax been advised that a funeral is quite ex- mately $250,000. I have never owned at your marginal tax rate.

If you only sell small parcels at times pensive and this amount will not cover any shares myself and my concern is it. I would like to increase the amount to how much tax I am going to pay on when you need to, say for some liquidity, this bond. Is this allowable and what these shares and when am I going to you may find that you will pay very little tax, if any. Tax is only triggered when you have to pay the tax? amount should I be thinking of? sell the shares and not when you receive A. A funeral these days could cost any- A. Once these shares are transferred to them through an inheritance. CGT will thing between $4,000 and $15,000 your name you will not have to pay any depend upon when your mother purTherefore I believe you would be wise to tax. If you decide to hold onto these secu- chased the shares. add to your existing bond. You could do rities indefinitely you will receive divithis in two ways. You can ask the com- dends every six months. If you decide to Q. I am fifty years old and last year I pany with whom you have your bond to sell the shares you will potentially trigger came into some money and I invested add an amount of say $100 per month capital gains and/or capital losses. Your $220,000 into superannuation as a nonuntil you reach an amount of say $12,000 cost base would be that of when your concessional contribution. How much money am I able to contribute into suor you could add a lump sum to your ex- mother actually bought the shares.

You could offset any gains with any perannuation this year as I was told isting bond. that the amount these days is limited?

A. Every individual while under the age of 65 is able to make $100,000 every year as a non-concessional contribution into superannuation. If one invests a higher amount than $100,000 he would be using his “Bring forward cap� which is being able to make a non-concessional contribution of up to $300,000 in the one year but not able to make any other contributions for the following two years.

In your case you contributed $220,000 last year, therefore the maximum amount of contributions that you are allowed to make this year is $80,000 and you will not be able to any other contributions in the next financial year. You are still able however to make a concessional contribution into superannuation of $25,000 per annum, and this includes the employer contributions together with any salary sacrifice.

If you contribute above the $25,000 concessional contribution cap, you will need to pay marginal tax on this amount, less the 15% contribution tax paid by your superannuation fund.

Q&A

This document contains factual information only and is not intended to provide any recommendation or opinion in relation to the topic/s discussed.

Fiducian recommends that you seek advice from a professional to address any issues that may be raised by this article. Fiducian accepts no liability for any loss suffered by anyone who has acted on any information in this document

4 The Voice of the Maltese

Tuesday January 29, 2019

The Maltese community in NSW celebrates Australia Day in style

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he annual celebration of Australia Day by the Maltese Community Council of NSW was held successfully at the Warath Room, Holroyd Function Centre at Merrylands. It was the 19th such celebration that had its beginning at the Parramatta Town Hall under the leadership of Alfred Fenech where citizenship ceremonies in conjunction with the Department of Immigration were also held.

An enthusiastic gathering was entertained with appropriate music and clever short speeches. Fr Leonard Testa from Wollongong opened with a short prayer while Emanuel Camilleri the MCC President explained the functions of the Maltese Community Council and the initiatives taken to involve the young generation in order for the Maltese community to continue to prosper for many years to come.

Young student Rhys Sull i v a n spoke e l o Rhys Sullivan quently

Photos courtesy of Patrick Bartolo

Sections of the guests that attended the Australia Day celebration

about his ancestry. He said that Maltese presented the awardees of the Order of culture has been extremely relevant to his Australia to the gathering (see the photolife. Five of his eight great-grandparents graph of those attending on page 7).

Other politicians attending this function were born in Malta, and both grandparents on his mother’s side spent their entire child- were the Lord Mayor of Parramatta Anhood on the island before emigrating while drew Wilson, Dr Geoff Lee MP for Parramatta, Kevin Connolly MP for Riverstone in their teens.

“My grandfather attempted to teach me and Dr Hugh McDermott MP for Prospect.

The musical interlude included Natasha Maltese at a young age. Unfortunately, my mind could not grasp the words, and I only Tatarinoff and the choir of the Maltese Culhave limited knowledge of the tongue of tural Association.

George Bartolo OAM from Wollongong my ancestors. Furthermore, Maltese lingers around me at school - My best friend is a was the master of ceremonies.

A reception was afterward held at the spaCamilleri, the current school captain is a Xiberras and my year coordinator for Years cious entrance hall of the Centre. The MCC paid special thanks to the Cumber7 and 8 was a Borg” said Rhys.

The Maltese community in NSW is well land Council and the Multicultural NSW respected, as proven by the presence of for their support. many politicians from either side of the political arena. The High Commissioner of Malta HE Charles Muscat and the Consul General for NSW Lawrence Buhagiar and their wives were also present.

Hon Ray Williams MP Minister for Multiculturalism and Minister for Disability Services, the High Commissioner, and the Mayor of Cumberland Clr Greg Cummings all spoke highly of the community. Julia Finn MP for Granville The Maltese Cultural Ass. Choir with guests

The Voice of the Maltese 5

Tuesday January 29, 2019

Australia Day Awards

Prof Mary P. Galea only Maltese amongst 1400 in 2019 honours list

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rofessor Mary Pauline Galea from Parkville is the only Maltese among 1400 to be among the honourees in the Australia Day 2019 Honours List announced by the Governor-General and Chancellor of the Order of Australia, His Excellency General the Honourable Sir Peter Cosgrove AK MC (Retd).

The Voice of the Maltese was officially informed that only one of the 1400 awardees declared their ancestry as Maltese. That is Prof Galea who was awarded the AM for significant service to medical education in the field of clinical physiotherapy, and to professional associations.

Prof Galea was born in Rabat, Malta and emigrated to Australia with her parents in 1955 when she was still only three years old.

Other awards and recognitions include: Honouree, Victorian Honour Roll of Women, 2014.

Honoured with a Festschrift, 2013.

Recipient, Distinguished Scientist Award, Austin Health, 2010.

The Australia Day 2019 Honours List – the largest since the Order of Australia was established in 1975 – recognises the contributions and service by outstanding individuals from right across Australia and in many fields.

Included in the Australia Day Honours List are 1127 recipients of awards in the General Division of the Order of Australia and 273 meritorious and military awards. The list includes the most ever awards for outstanding service or achievement in the community (516) and the highest percentage and number of women recipients (422).

Overview

Professor Mary Galea is Professorial Fellow in the Department of Medicine at the University of Melbourne and Academic Director of Australian Rehabilitation Research Centre at the Royal Melbourne Hospital.

She conducts basic and clinical research investigating the control of movement and factors underlying recovery from nervous system injury. Most recently, she has been lead investigator on a large multi-site programme of research, SCIPA (Spinal Cord Injury and Physical Activity), investigating the effects of exercise after spinal cord injury from acute care to the community.

Her current research programme is concerned with investigating the health of peripheral nerves after spinal cord injury, the use of technology to drive recovery of upper limb function after stroke, Order of Australia recipients who attended the Australia Day celebration (see opposite page).

Back row (from left): Charles Mifsud, Dr George Boffa, Dr Stephen Gatt, Lino Vella. Front: George Bartolo, Lawrence Dimech and Nancy Serg-Borg

and wearable sensors to measure rehabilitation outcomes.

Prof Galea is a Board Member of the Spinal Injury Network, a member of the Scientific Advisory Committee of Spinal Cure Australia, and a Patron of the Stroke Association of Victoria. She is a member of the Disaster Rehabilitation Committee and the WHO Liaison Committee of the International Society of Physical and Rehabilitation Medicine (ISPRM).

She is a member of the Australian Rehabilitation Research Centre’s ‘Flying Faculty’, which is involved in delivering capacitybuilding programmes in rehabilitation for medical, nursing and allied health staff in low-to-middle income countries.

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6 The Voice of the Maltese

Tuesday January 29, 2019

Australia Day 2019 Celebrations

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ustralia Day 2019 on January 26 was celebrated across the nation with all the pomp one normally associates with such an important occasion and with thousands of people joining together in citizenship ceremonies in every state and in every city. The Maltese community in Australia also marked the day with special events (see page 4).

The day was also marked with the awarding of Australia Day Honours to the largest number of personalities in the history of the awards as Australians across a wide range of industries were recognised for their achievements with: Companion of the Order (AC); Officer of the Order (AO); Happy people celeMember of the Order (AM) and Medal of the Order brating Australia Day (OAM).

On this day ceremonies all over the country saw a Parkville (see page 5). record 16,212 people becoming citizen of Australia.

In Malta too, the Australian High Commissioner, Ms JuliAmong the awardees were stars of the stage and screen, enne Hince kept up the tradition by inviting a number of top athletes and dozens of local heroes including the only guests that included Malta’s President Marie-Louise Maltese on the list, Prof. Mary Pauline Galea from Coleiro Preca and Maltese Parliamentarians to a reception to celebrate the occasion.

Among the invitees were The Voice of the Maltese editor in Malta, Joseph Cutajar, representatives from the Maltese-Australian organisations, the business community on the island, and members of the Australian community residing in Malta.

Their excellences the High Commissioner and the President of Malta also delivered messages and toasted the occasion.

Others took to the streets to have their voices heard, rallying for a shift in the date of future Australia Day celebrations as they feel that this date is not inclusive of all Australians.

Gozitan schoolgirl wins Malta’s first X Factor ighteen-year-old GoziE tan schoolgirl Mechela Pace has won the first edition

Special guest HE Marie Louise Coleiro Preca, the President of Malta (left) listening to the Australian High Commissioner to Malta, HE Ms Julienne Hince delivering the Australia Day message at the reception at Targa Gap

of Malta’s X Factor TV programme that gives her the right to represent Malta as the singer of Malta’s song, yet to be chosen, at the forthcoming Eurovision Sing Contest to be held next May in Tel Aviv.

Michela became the darling of the Maltese as she stole the hearts of the Maltese audience at the live show and the Televiewers in the final held Saturday.

Winning the X Factor could also lay the foundation for her singing career, as among the prizes she won is a contract with the international recording company Sony.

During the show the Gozitan community got together to give Michela their whole-hearted support and at the announcement of her win they erupted into a frenzy of euphoria and celebration. Then on Sunday she was given a rousing welcome on her return home on Malta’s sister island.

New at the head of the MCC Victoria

Tuesday January 29, 2019

The Voice of the Maltese 7

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he personality for the month of January, Marlene Ebejer succeeded veteran leader Victor Borg LLB as the President of the Maltese Community Council of Victoria.

She welcomes the opportunity to meet other like-minded people who want to work together so that the Maltese community can be further strengthened.

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Marlene Ebejer

arlene Ebejer was born in Melbourne. Her parents, Carmen and Charles Ebejer migrated from Sliema, Malta in 1956.

Marlene herself grew up living with her parents, sister, brother and maternal grandmother (Nanna Nina).

As a child living in a bi-lingual home, Marlene was quick to learn Maltese. When she was nine years old her cousins came to live with her family from Sliema, for two years. Reading from Maltese children’s books and listening to her mother reading the Maltese newspaper or letters from relatives she became familiar with the Maltese language.

Keen on the language but she was not so keen on her culture not knowing whether she was Maltese or Australian. It was not until she travelled to Malta when she was 22 for a five-month period that she recognised that she was part of both cultures. Then she began to embrace her Maltese heritage.

In her late teens, she became involved with a youth group at the Maltese Community Council of Victoria and enjoyed going on camps, playing in the indoor cricket team and going on outings.

Marlene grew up in Broadmeadows and had friends Keen to work on her Maltese from all cultures. reading and writing skills she atShe currently lives tended some Maltese classes at the in Melbourne.

MCCV. After finishing In 2017/18 Marlene began volunhigh school Marlene began working for the Broadmeadtary work at the Maltese Community Council of Victoria ows and District Ethnic Communities Council and conin Parkville providing free legal advice to anyone in tinued to work in different community agencies before need. Through involvement she became aware as to what returning to study part time. a great asset and resource the MCCV was. She was then Her first degree was a Bachelor of Arts (Multicultural encouraged to increase her involvement.

Studies) from RMIT. It was followed by a Graduate CerIn October 2018 she was appointed as President of the tificate in Asian Studies from Victoria University.

MCCV. Just prior to her election she organised a successFor six years she ran the Meadow Heights Learning ful event – the Back to Island Malta Party that featured Centre and was awarded a Graduate Diploma in VocaNicky Bomba’s Bustamento. Over 200 people attended the tional Education and Training from Melbourne Univeractivity. There was a lot of dancing, Maltese food and a sity. sense of community and belonging.

Marlene then moved to a private training company, the Marlene told The Voice of the Maltese that she is working Australian Textile and Fashion Industries. During this with the executive to increase the programmes offered by time she studied for her Bachelor of Laws at Monash the MCCV and also to strengthen partnerships with the University. various Maltese associations across the state.

In November 2005 she was admitted as an Australian The goal is to grow the MCCV aged-care programmes Lawyer and first worked as a community lawyer at the and to get younger generations involved so that the MalBrimbank Melton Community Legal Centre followed by tese culture and community spirit in Victoria would conthe Wyndham Legal Service. tinue to flourish.

Two years later, in 2007, Marlene opened her own law This year Marlene will be taking over 50 people to firm in Werribee known as Ebejer & Associates Lawyers.

Malta to attend a Family Law Conference so that AusSince then she has gained her Masters in Applied Family tralian lawyers and other professionals working in the Law and became an accredited family law specialist and family law sphere can share experiences with their Mala family dispute resolution practitioner. tese counterparts.

PERSONALITY OF THE MONTH

Have your say/Xi trid tghid?

8 The Voice of the Maltese

Tuesday January 29, 2019

Your letters/ L-ittri tagħkom ...

The Voice of the Maltese for fortnightly tnightly magazine magazine

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

If you require a printed copy we can also oblige.

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

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

SBSTV: Where’s the balance?

–Insinuations against Malta

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Anthony Cassar from St Albans,Victoria writes:

s this what SBSTV is turning out to be?

How the heck could they insult the audience by airing an unbalanced political programme, that was supposed to have been about the Mediterranean but instead turned out to be political, not about the Australian scene, which televiewers would readily have accepted, but was full of false insinuations against Malta.

It turned out to be an attack against the current government of Malta the smallest island in the European Union that has become the envy of the whole of Europe for its economic success. SBS did the televiewers a

Malti kodard fuq l-SBSTV

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John Marks minn Botany NSW, jikteb:

a nixtieqx nikteb bl-Ingliz għar-raguni ovvja. Inħoss li hu dnub mejjet li tattakka lil pajjizek barra minn Malta. Imma hekk ghamel Manwel Delia magħruf f’Malta għal-fjaski enormi li ħalliet warajha lkumpanija tat-trasport pubbliku, l-Arriva qabel l-2013.

Dan indaħal fi programm li suppost kien dokumentarju dwar l-ivjaġġar fuq Malta trasmess mill-SBSTV (l-Awstralja) kmieni dax-xahar ta’ Jannar u minflok, dawwru f’attakk politiku kontra l-istess pajjizu u pajjiżna.

Delia, f’Malta, għamel li trid u igdeb, ħarref u esaġera kemm tiflaħ, dak f’pajjiżek ma’ niesek, imma meta tmaqdar lil Malta barra pajjizek turi biss li int kodard u bla fibra politika. Li għamilt fl-Awstralja weġġa’ lill-komunita`Maltija u ħati ta’ tradiment.

U kemm se ddum tisserva bil-qtil ta’ DCG u biex forsi tieħu ftit popolarita`?

disservice, in particular to an important ethnic group by allowing a half-baked activist from the party in opposition in Malta to insult and cock up unfounded accusations of corruption against Maltese politicians in government.

This guy by the name of Manwel Delia, in league with another disgraced politician, the former Nationalist Party leader who suffered a historic election defeat with the biggest margin ever, has an axe to grid against the current administration that is achieving a success after success, and the only way he can do that is to sound off his grievances and tell lies on a podium where he cannot be contradicted, away from Malta.

Shame on SBS for allowing itself to be used this way and for letting this guy, who has no credibility whatsoever, push his lies down the throats of those who might not be that knowledgeable about the Malta scene.

Yes of course a large percentage of the Maltese community in Australia is hurt and angry for letting itself be used in this way. A one-sided debate by somebody who in his time was guilty, and is best known, for his disastrous plan that misfired from the outset at the expense of the Maltese taxpayer to improve public transport in Malta.

If SBS wanted to be fair they should also have invited somebody from the government’s side to give his version of the facts.

Having said that, I also wonder why nobody from the Maltese government representatives in Malta (at least as far as I know) has protested against SBS TV and Simon Reeve, the man responsible for the programme.

No Balance or fairness

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Joe Sultana from Rose Bay NSW writes: lease allow me to vent my anger at SBSTV for the viewing of a programme on January 8 that was advertised as the Mediterranean with Simon Reeve and allowing it to generate in an unfounded attack against Malta.

The programme was supposed to be a travel talk; instead, Reeve with the help of a failed Maltese NP politician accused the Malta Government of corruption and money laundering. These are accusations based on misinformation and half-truths exaggerated to harm our country overseas.

There was no balance or fairness in this programme. Nobody from the side of the Maltese Government was given the right of reply.

SBSTV should know better. Malta must demand equal time to correct the damaged done.

Fourth generation boss-lady The Cordina T Chicken story

Tuesday January 29, 2019

he Cordina Chicken is a food conglomerate that turns over $400 million a year and employs 820 people. It is Sydney’s longest running chicken processing business and supplies fresh chicken to Coles, Harris Farms, Costco, IGA and Hello Fresh, as well as popular food outlets Oporto, Nados, Grill’d and Mad Mex. In 1930, Rosario Cordina bought a small plot of land in Botany, New South Louise Cordina Wales, a tin shed and few pigs started the business. His teenage son Joe, then around 13 quickly recognised an opportunity to provide fresh, ready-touse chickens to the local restaurant scene and this led to the birth of Cordina Farms in 1945. It has since evolved to become a leader in the Australian market with operations still echoing the family values instilled in those early days.

Joe’s job was to pick up food scraps from restaurants for the pigs but started buying chicken from the markets and selling chicken meat to chefs. The business has progressed and radically changed from those early days.

Joe Cordina died aged 91 in December 2015.

In an interview with Jennifer Sexton from Inside Sydney (The Daily Telegraph), fourth generation, 39-yearold Louise Cordina who leads the business today together with her father John, explained the old adage

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The Voice of the Maltese 9

that the first generation makes the money, the second generation spends it and the third generation blows it.

It fact she says with pride that the fourth generation has modernised and radically changed the business. Louise started shadowing her dad John Cordina at the family’s factory in Pendle Hill/Girraween (Sydney West) the moment she was big enough to walk. She had a passion for the business from the beginning.

The family lived in a modest little fibro house next door to the factory in Girraween.

Louise Cordina, a workaholic who thrives on as little as four hours’ sleep a night is presiding over this huge conglomerate providing most Aussies the Cordina brand every week whether that be in a meal on an airline or at the favourite fast food outlet or in a product they’ve picked up at a retailer.

Louise told The Daily Telegraph that several years ago she convinced her conservative family to invest tens of millions on a new manufacturing plant on the Central Coast, expanding into making everything from “pulled pork to tofu and organic chicken nuggets”.

The development team is constantly coming up with “new fandangled” products that they bring to Cordina for tasting. Louise said she does eat chicken a lot and stated that no meat chicken in Australia are in cages and no meat chickens in are given hormones.

10 The Voice of the Maltese

Perspettiva

Tamiet imxejna B

Tuesday January 29, 2019

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

kitba ta’

IVAN CAUCHI

ħal dawn iż-żminijiet ta’ kull sena, fl-Awstralja jkun hawn spettaklu tal-isport, bil-kompetizzjoni tat-tennis magħrufa bħala l-Australian Open, meqjusa waħda mill-akbar erba’ kompetizzjonijiet tat-tennis fid-dinja matul is-sena (Grand Slam). Ikun hawn trasmissjoni fuq it-televiżjoni ta’ ħafna mil-logħbiet talirġiel u tan-nisa, mill-ewwel rawnd sal-finali (għadu kif intemm nhar il-Ħadd li għadda).

Fl-Australian Open, ikun hawn l-ikbar ismijiet kurrenti Nick Kyrgios tat-tennis jitqatlu għal kull punt, bit-tama li jgħaddu għarrawnd li jmiss, flimkien ma’ ħafna mill-ismijiet tal-passat jużi tagħhom. It-tnejn ġew ikkrijew isegwu bħala spettaturi, kowċis jew jikkummentaw tikati bl-aħrax meta qishom ma minn wara l-kwinti. Għal min hu dilettant ta’ dan l-isport, kinux qed jippruvaw jilagħbu u kemm jekk spettatur jew li kultant, bħali jaqbad irkellhom seba’ mitt sena biex jiBernard Tomic rakketta, dan hu ż-żmien tas-sena fejn l-għajn u l-widna tilqu mill-kort. tpaxxi, u sigħat jingħaddew quddiem l-iskrin tat-teleTomic forsi l-ikbar stqarrija kontroversjali tiegħu saret bħal-lum viżjoni.

Dis-sena, bħala Malti-Awstraljan, kont kburi ħafna bil-bravi kom- sena. Wara li ma kkwalifikax għall-Australian Open, wieġeb petituri Maltin, it-tnejn tfajliet, li ħadu sehem fil-kompetizzjoni sarkastikament lil ġurnalista li staqsieh x’se jagħmel fil-karriera .1 taż-żgħażagħ (Juniors). Qed nirreferi għal Francesca Curmi u He- tiegħu, qallu li kull ma jagħmel kien li ‘jgħodd il-miljuni’ Min-naħa tiegħu, nibqa’ niftakar lil Kyrgios waqt logħba ma’ Stan lene Pellicano. Dawn it-tnejn inqalgħu fl-ewwel rawnd tal-kompetizzjoni ta’ waħedhom (singles), imma fil-kompetizzjoni Wawrinka (rebbieħ ukoll ta’ żewġ Grand Slams), li biex jittikah tad-doppji (doubles), Pellicano, ma’ seħbitha Loudmilla Bencheikh qallu li plejer ieħor Awstraljan kien mar mat-tfajla tiegħu. Dan kien mill-mikrominn Franza, waslet sal-kwarti finali, filwaqt li ma’ Marta Custic insult u pastażata mill-kbar. Kien kumment li nqabad 2 minn Spanja, Francesca Curmi waslet sas-semi-finali. Il-koppja foni u għalhekk ġie mxandar mad-dinja kollha.

Issa qabdu wkoll qatta bla ħabel mal-kaptan tat-tim Awstraljan nqalgħu wara tliet sets minn Kawaguchi u Nagya Min-naħa Awstraljana kellna wkoll stejjer pożittivi għal diversi tat-tazza Davis Lleyton Hewitt. Din l-istorja mhi se tispiċċa qatt?

X’tista’ tgħid għal buffunati bħal dawn, u ħafna oħrajn? Aġir talplejers lokali, bħal Alex Bolt, Alexei Popyrin u Alex de Minaur li waslu sat-tielet rawnd tal-irġiel, u speċjalment Ashleigh Barty li vavi, li wieħed ma jistenniex minn Tomic ta’ 26 sena u Kyrgios ta’ waslet sal-kwarti tal-finali tan-nisa wara li rebħet saħansitra lil 23. It-tnejn għadhom żgħar biżżejjed li jekk iridu jerġgħu jsibu lil Maria Sharapova (rebbieħa ta’ ħames Grand Slams). Hi tilfet biss rashom u jqiegħduha fejn suppost, jagħmlu isem kbir fit-tennis, u ma’ Petra Kvitova mir-Repubblika Ċeka (għal darbtejn rebbieħa għar-raġunijiet it-tajba, u mhux għall-ħżiena.

Jien nixtieq li għandi wieħed fil-mija mill-ħila tagħhom fl-isport, u ta’ Wimbledon). Dawn ferrħu lil kull min rahom jilagħbu għaddeterminazzjoni tagħhom anke meta ma kinux favoriti li jirbħu l- nibqa’ mmeraviljat meta nara l-backhand ta’ Tomic, tant sempliċi u ċatt jimmira l-ballun ma-linja lejn ir-rokna tal-kort, jew nosserva llogħbiet tagħhom.

Imbagħad fl-aħħarnett, irrid insemmi lid-diżappunti. Fil-kompe- ewwel service ta’ Kyrgios, 'qawwi u preċiż,'wieħed mill-aħjar li hawn.

Ix-xewqa tiegħi, u ta’ dawk li jħobbu dan l-isport spettakolari, hi tizzjoni tan-nisa, Samantha Stosur u Daria Gavrilova it-tnejn inqalgħu fl-ewwel rawnd, u f’tal-irġiel, Bernard Tomic u Nick li dawn il-buffi jaċċettaw xi kelma għaqlija minn xi leġġenda tattennis, u fl-aħħar isibu post rispettat u mhux taż-żufjett fl-annali Kyrgios ukoll inqalgħu fl-istess stadju bikri.

Dawn it-tnejn tal-aħħar ħafna drabi jħalluni nxengel rasi, nistaqsi tat-tennis. lili nnifsi “x’iż-żikk jaħsbu li qed jagħmlu?” It-tnejn għandhom tal- Referenzi ent inkredibbli u indiskutibbli, u speċjalment Kyrgios jiġi mitkellem 1. https://www.abc.net.au/news/2018-01-15/tennis-world-reacts-tobħala kandidat għall-post numru wieħed fil-lista ta’ plejers pro- bernard-tomic-millions-remark/9329070, retrieved 22/1/2019 fessjonali tat-tennis. Fil-fatt diġà rebaħ mill-inqas logħba waħda lill- 2. https://www.smh.com.au/sport/tennis/nick-kyrgios-sledges-stanaħjar erba’ plejers tad-dinja (Federer, Nadal, Djokovic u Murray). wawrinka-by-claiming-thanasi-kokkinakis-banged-your-girlfriendIt-talent tagħhom hu sfortunatament imxejjen mill-attitudni dub- 20150813-giya2y.html, 22/1/2019

Ħaż-Żebbuġ raħal twelidi: Ħjiel dwar ġrajjietu J

Tuesday January 29, 2019

The Voice of the Maltese 11

ien dejjem stqarrejt li biex tkun taf sew ir-raħal ta’ Ħaż-Żebbuġ (raħal twelidi) trid tibda millbidu tiegħu …. jew kważi, għax diffiċli fl-istorja tiġbed sinjal dritt. Dan ħassejtu meta jien, flimkien ma’ oħrajn fil-kumitat taħt il-Presidenza tal-Ministru tal-Edukazzjoni ta’ dak iż-żmien, itTabib Philip Muscat li bħalna huwa Żebbuġi, ħdimna biex f’Diċembru tal-1980fakkarna s-600 sena mit-twaqqif tar-raħal tagħna.

Qatt f’ħajti ma ħassejtni Żebbuġi daqs dakinhar, PeterPaulCiantar aktar u aktar meta fil-jiem taċ-ċelebrazzjonijiet kellna fostna f’urna tal-injam, il-fdalijiet ta’ San Filep. Kienet ġiet minn Aġġira flimkien ma’ delkienet il-ħsieb li f’dan il-lokal jinbena wkoll sptar. egazzjoni minn dik il-belt li tant għandna rabtiet magħha.

Fil-fatt l-isptar li ssemma fit-talba biex ir-raħal isir belt sar u Dakinhar kienu ħafna ż-Żebbuġin li staqsew, għaliex? Irraġuni hi li fl-1380, missirijietna kienu qablu li jibnu knisja nfetaħ fid-19 ta’ Marzu tal-1794 u ssemma għal San Ġużepp. li fiha setgħu jinġabru bla ma jkollhom għalfejn imorru Ħal- L-għan kien li jinġabru fih xjuħ u nies konvalexxenti. Illum Qormi. Kitbiet antiki bħal tal-istoriċi Abela u Ciantar dak li fadal minnu hu, ‘Misraħ l-Isptar’ għalkemm il-bini vojt, għadu hemm u allaħares le. jitkellmu dwar dan.

Min-naħa tiegħu, il-Gran Mastru de Rohan għoġbu jgħolli Sa dak iż-żmien ir-raħal kien magħmul minn tliet irħula żgħar mhux bogħod minn xulxin, Ħal-Muxi, Ħal-Dwin u r-raħal għad-dinjità ta’ belt, billi fil-21 ta’ Ġunju, 1777 amar Ħal-Mula. Ġara li fl-1372, Filippu l-Kataniż (li kien joqgħod li Ħaż-Żebbuġ jibda jissejjaħ għal ismu, Belt de Rohan.

Minħabba dan l-ispeċi ta’ pjaċir iż-Żebbuġin minn dejjem f’Ħal-Mula) offra biċċa art bejn it-tliet irħula biex fuqha tinbena knisja li kellha sservi għan-nies tat-tliet irħula żgħar. ħabbewh lil De Rohan, u fil-fatt, fl-1798 waqqfu għalih Ark Aki ż-żmien il-knisja kienet tfisser għaqda ta’ komunità Trijonfali fid-dħul tal-lvant tar-raħal, magħruf bħala ‘Bieb il-Ġdid’. Dan iżżanżan nhar San Filep fit-12 ta’ Mejju 1798, għalhekk din tagħti wkoll identità.

L-art li Filippu l-Kataniż offra kienet magħrufa bħala ‘Taż- meta l-Gran Mastru de Rohan kien ilu kważi sena mejjet. Żebbuġ’. Kien minn hawn li twieled l-isem ta’ Ħaż-Żebbuġ. Għall-bidu kien hemm il-ħsieb li jsiru żewġ ‘Arki Trijonfali’ Filippu kellu qima speċjali lejn San Filippu t’Aġġira, allura waħda fuq kull naħa tar-raħal .

Hemm ukoll triq imsemmija għal de Rohan, u hu mfakkar xtaq li l-knisja tkun taħt il-ħarsien ta’ dan il-qaddis. Skont listoriku Castagna, il-Knisja ta’ San Filippu t’Aġġira tlestiet ukoll fl-isem tal-banda li tieħu ħsieb il-festa sekondarja tarfl-1412 u l-arkitett tagħha kien Mattew Dingli. Saret parroċċa raħal, il- Banda De Rohan li fl-arma tagħha ġġib ukoll dik ta’ tal-Gran Mastru. Fl-imgħoddi fir-raħal kien hemm ukoll fl-1436 mill-Isqof ta’ Malta, Senatore De Mello.

Minħabba li Ħaż-Żebbuġ beda jikber, inħasset il-ħtieġa ta’ gazzetta Żebbuġija li kienet toħrog bejn l-1965-1976, ‘Leħen knisja parrokkjali akbar, u fl-istess post, u fl-l599 bdiet tinbena il-Belt De Rohan’. Anke bħala arma tal-Kunsill Żebbuġi l-knisja li hemm illum, għamla ta’ salib, minflok il-qadima. hemm ukoll parti sewwa mill-arma ta; de Rohan.

Tlestiet fl-1632. Id-disinn kien tal-famuż Tumas Dingli. Aktar Ta’ min isemmi wkol li l-motto ta’ Ħaż-Żebbuġ huwa ‘Sem’il quddiem tkabbar il-kor bi prospettiva stil klassiku minn per virens’, ‘Dejjem iħaddar’.

Ir-raħal ta’ Ħaż-Żebbuġ minn dejjem kien magħruf bħala Lorenzo Gafà, ħu l-iskultur magħruf Melkjore.

L-aħħar bini kien dak tan-navi. Niftakar lis-Sur Ġanni Cilia, raħal kbir, tant li fis-seklu 16 l-istoriku Ġio Anton Vassallo jsemmih bħala wieħed mill-akħu l-Monsinjur Anton Cilia ta’ bar ħames irħula ta’ Malta.

‘Malta Missjunarja’, jirrakkonIl-Knisja parrokFiċ-ċensiment tal-1530, is-sena tali dwar il-bini tan-navi talkjal ta’ Ħaż-Żebtal-miġja f’Malta tal-Ordni talknisja kważi fil-bidu tas-seklu buġ dedikata lil Kavallieri ta’ San Ġwann, f’Ħażl-ieħor.

Din l-intervista San Filippu ta’ Żebbuġ kien hemm 400 dar u għadha għandi.

Aġġira 2,000 ruħ. Fil-fatt kien hemm djar Fi żmien l-Ordni kienet u nies daqskemm kien hemm firdrawwa tal-Maltin li jagħmlu Rabat u l-Imdina, il-kapitali ta’ petizzjoni quddiem il-Gran dak iż-żmien. Dan nu kkonferMastru biex dan ikun il-pamat mill-ktibiet ta’ Abela. trun tar-raħal fejn jgħixu. Bi Ta’ min isemmi wkoll l-għadd ftehim mal-kappillan ta’ djar qodma li bihom hu tagħhom Dun Feliċ Borg, iżmogħni dan ir-raħal. Ħafna Żebbuġin, għamlu t-talba minnhom huma djar ta’ valur tagħhom lill-Gran Mastru storiku minħabba l-arkitettura Manoel de Rohan. tagħhom, imma hemm ukoll Fost ir-raġunijiet li taw iż-Żeboħrajn li huma marbuta ma’ xi buġin ta’ dak iż-żmien kien nies importanti li taw kontribut hemm li l-popolazzjoni tarkbir lil Malta. raħal kienet tilħaq ’il fuq minn Ir-raħal ta’ Ħaż-Żebbuġ huwa ħamest elef ruħ (fil-fatt fl-1782 mogħni b’nies kbar u importanti il-popolazzjoni kienet ftit f’kull qasam tas-soċjetà Maltija. iżgħar, ta’ 4,300), u li kienu fost Ħafna minnhom jinsabu huma l-aħjar nies f’Malta, minħabba midfuna fiċ-ċimiterju tal-Qalb ta’ l-arja tar-raħal kienet fost lĠesù ta’ ħdejn l-iskola. aqwa fil-gżira. Raġuni oħra

12 The Voice of the Maltese

Tuesday January 29, 2019

Roundup of News About Malta Joseph Muscat, India’s PM Modi discuss possibility of enhancing commercial ties

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uring talks with the Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on the sidelines of the three-day Vibrant Gujarat Summit held recently in Gandhinagar, India on investment and commercial fairs, Malta’s Prime Minister Dr Joseph Muscat spoke about heightened Indian investment in Malta in IT and pharmaceuticals. He also brought up the possibility of Malta’s national carrier, Air Malta commencing flights to various cities as part of the airline’s expansion plans.

The event, an investors meeting bringing together over 42,000 international delegates, investors and entrepreneurs from different countries for informal discussions India and Malta discussed the possibility of enhancing trade and commercial ties between the two countries This is Dr Muscat’s first visit to India. It is a continuation aimed at building on visits last summer to Japan and China. Such is intended, not only to strengthen political ties in the Asian region but also to promote further investment and employment opportunities from the Asian continent.

Addressing a country seminar on Malta, the Maltese PM said that a number of Indian companies are finding Malta as an ideal alternative to have an operational base in Europe in the case of Brexit, He described Malta as an ideal location for Indian companies to access the North African markets.

He told the Indian Prime Minister that despite Libya ‘s current instability, once the situation there is normalised, Malta’s con-

nection with Libya would be valuable for Indian companies.

Modi explained that Indian pharmaceutical companies operating in the EU were being obstructed to carry their business in Europe, and suggested areas of collaboration between the two countries.

Realising the importance of renewable energy for sustainable and low carbon-imprint growth, the two leaders committed full co-

Minister Cardona: “Malta is a fantastic place to build a business and innovate”

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n India, Prime Minister Joseph Muscat was accompanied by the Minister for the Economy, Investment and Small Businesses Chris Cardona who led a trade delegation made up of business leaders from various industries aimed at exploring business and investment opportunities between the two countries In a keynote address during the Summit Minister Cardona outlined Malta’s most recent economic successes describing it as being one of the best performing countries in the Eurozone, while its pro-business environment and strategic location as a Minister Chris Cardona Mediterranean hub. He said that Malta is a fantastic place to build a business and innovate Since the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries in 1965 India and Malta have held strong ties not only bilaterally but also through their cooperation and involvement in international organisations such as the Commonwealth of Nations.

Last year imported from India €130.6 million worth of goods and in turn exported to India €10.3 million.

Minister Cardona described bilateral investment between the two countries as strong and trade is growing, especially in the pharmaceutical industry. He mentioned the pharmaceutical company Aurobindo that has been operating in Malta for 15 years. Recently it announced a further investment of €3 million in oncology research.

The minister also held a number of meetings with potential investors interested in bringing their business to Malta.

The two Prime Ministers, Malta’s Joseph Muscat (left) and India’s Narendra Modi

operation to upscale solar technologies and harness the full potential of solar energy.

The aviation discussions centred on the fact that Malta may be a destination for Indian citizens in areas where there is a lack of connectivity flights for them to travel to other European or North African countries, with Dr Muscat saying that Air Malta’s proposals for such flights to provide connectivity did not involve major cities like Mumbai or New Delhi but would be aimed at smaller localities.

He said such flights could be possible because in the smaller cities no provision is currently available for long-distance flights. They could also make Malta more competitive. Sustainability of such a system is being investigated. However, a partner would be needed to operate the venture.

Muscat said that if all goes well, there should be no difficulty for the Indian Government to find the right partner.

Modi assured Dr Muscat that India would work with Air Malta on establishing connections with tier II and tier III cities.

Joseph Muscat also invited India to cooperate with the country on advanced technologies such as artificial intelligence, blockchain, and financial technologies.

Malta has brought in formal legislation on blockchain technology and sees the role of Indian IT companies as system monitors.

Fifteen countries took part in the 9th edition of the investor summit that also saw 11 international organisations participating in the event considered as “a platform for brainstorming on agendas of global socioeconomic development”.

The Voice of the Maltese 13

Tuesday January 29, 2019

Roundup of News About Malta

Malta records largest surplus, highest decrease in debt in EU n the third quarter of 2018, Malta Iplusrecorded the highest fiscal sur(3.8%), and the largest decrease in its debt-to-GDP ratio (-3.1 p.p.) amongst the 28 EU member states.

According to the NSO, the government recorded a surplus of €128 million in the third quarter of 2018, as total revenue increased to €1,235 million, while total expenditure amounted to €1,107 million.

The increase in revenue was boosted by significant growth in revenue from both direct and indirect taxes reflecting the record increases in employment and the robust growth in private consumption.

As a result of these developments, the general government debt for the third quarter of last year decreased both in absolute terms and in per cent of GDP. Indeed, the debt-toGDP ratio fell to 45.9 per cent, reflecting a €326 million decrease in national debt. This is well below the 60 per cent benchmark set by the EU. Finance Minister Edward Scicluna welcomed Eurostat’s latest public finance statistics. He said that such records continue to “keep Malta at the top of the EU’s fiscal ranking, thanks to the number of structural reforms undertaken by this government during the last six years.”

Minister Carmleo Abela chairing the 5+5 meeting

5+5 discuss challenges faced in the Med

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alta hosted the 15th Meeting of the Ministers of Foreign Affairs of the 5+5 Western Dialogue.

This ministerial meeting held over two days, was co-chaired by the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade Promotion Carmelo Abela and Minister of Foreign Affairs of the People’s Democratic Republic of Algeria Abdelkader Messahel, as current co-presidents of the 5+5 foreign ministers.

At the end of the summit the Foreign ministers adopted the Valletta Declaration on ‘Working Together: A Sustainable Future for the Western Mediterranean’ having three overarching themes – sustainable development, youth, migration and mobility.

They exchanged views on the challenges being faced in the Mediterranean region and discussed important regional matters of mutual concern such as the situation in Libya the Middle East Peace Process and the Sahel.

Migration, climate change and the fight against terrorism and radicalisation were also among the topics of discussion. Minister Abela underscored Malta’s conviction

that dialogue leads to the creation of joint initiatives to further “our pursuit of sustainable development and achieving stability, security and prosperity in our region”.

This meeting was preceded by the 8th High-level Meeting of the National Parliaments of the Member States of the 5+5 Dialogue, hosted by the Speaker of the House of Representatives Angelo Farrugia. At the end of it the participants reached a number of conclusions that reflect the discussions that took place during the event.

They also reaffirm that dialogue and the establishment of cooperation networks between elected representatives form the basis for the development of a peaceful and prosperous Western Mediterranean region. *In the next issue we will report about the exchange of views between the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade Promotion Carmelo Abela with a number of young leaders participants of a youth leadership seminar that was organised in Malta as a part of the Young Mediterranean Voices (YMV).

President of Malta MLCPhonoured by University of Leicester

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he University of Leicester has conferred on Malta President Marie-Louise Coleiro Preca the honorary degree of Doctor of Laws. In her acceptance speech at the graduation ceremony held at the De Montfort Hall in Leicester, en emotional President thanked the University for the honour and described the occasion as “a truly memorable moment in my life that I will treasure forever.”

The President also

commended the University of Leicester for being inclusive that promotes the most important values of humanity, such as human dignity, values, that she said, she treasures a lot.

“Through this, I truly feel connected with this wonderful university, and, in fact, I feel so honoured to have been chosen to be connected to this university. I am also proud of you, as the University of Leicester is an example of what our human family should stand for. I truly look forward to an even better connection

by exploring further collaboration with the University of Malta,” the Presiddent said.

MLCP dedicated this honour to all the children in Malta and the United Kingdom, and all over the world, but in particular, and especially, to the 264 million children around the world who, as yet, do not have access to education, one of the very fundamental human rights, and also another fundamental children’s right that emanates from the UN Convention on the Rights of Child.

14 The Voice of the Maltese

Tuesday January 29, 2019

Il-fliegu bejn Malta u Għawdex

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ak id-daqsxejn baħar li jifred lil Malta minn Għawde, dak l-imbierek fliegu li dejjem ħoloq problemi għal min ried jaqsam minn gżira għall-oħra.

Għalhekk minn dejjem kien hemm min ħolom li xi darba jkun hemm mezz li jaqsam bejn il-Gżejjer bla l-ħtieġa li jirkeb mezz ta’ trasport bil-baħar, imma jkun jista’ jaqsam b’xi vettura, jekk mhux ukoll bil-mixi.

L-ewwel ħsibijiet kienu li forsi jinbena pont (bridge), attwalment tnejn: wieħed bejn Għawdex u Kemmuna u l-ieħor minn Kemmuna għal Malta ,u għalhekk attwalment jingħaqdu flimkien it-tliet Gżejjer ewlenin tal-arċipelagu Malti.

Fis-sittinijiet intraprenditur Malti li kien joqgħod Għawdex kien ħareġ bl-ideja ta’ causeway – triq bejn Malta u Għawdex - u saħansitra beda jipprova jikseb il-finanzi ħalli jagħmel dan il-proġett li ġie meqjus minn ħafna biss bħala ħolma u xejn aktar.

Madankollu dawk li joħolmu dejjem baqgħu jagħmlu minn kollox biex il-ħolma tagħhom issir aktar realta’... aktar u aktar meta mal-milja taż-żmien saħħew żvillupi fil-qasam tal-inġinerija fejn f’diversi pajjiżi tad-dinja nbnew pontijiet ta’ kobor enormi u fuq kollox, barra l-pontijiet tfaċċaw il-mini li jgħaqqdu pajjiżi ma xulxin, fosthom il-Flegu Ingliż li jgħaqqad l-Ingilterra ma’ Franza.

Fl-aħħar snin l-għajta għal mezz ta’ komunikazzjoni mhux bil-baħar bejn Malta u Għawdex bdiet tinteressa wkoll lill-partit politiċi Maltin, tant li wegħda li jsir studju dwar dan il-proġett, saħansitra, daħlet fil-programm elettorali taż-żewġ partiti ewlenini, il-Partit Laburista u dak Nazzjonalista.

Attwalment kien hemm min ra din ilwegħda bħala lixka politika biex il-partiti jiksbu l-vot ta’ dawk li kienu favur li ssir għaqda permezz ta’ pont jew mina bejn iżżewġ Gżejjer ... u li wara l-elezzjoni kollox kien ser jintnesa.

Iżda mhux hekk ġara, għax Gvern Laburista mill-ewwel beda ħidma biex l-ewwel u qabel kollox jiġi deċiż jekk isirx pont jew

mina (tunnel). Wara li Nadur Għawdex sar l-istudju nstab li jkun aktar jaqbel li minflok pont issir mina minn taħt il-baħar.

Kif ittieħdet id-deċiżjoni bdew studji ġeoloġiċi biex jiġi deċiż minn fejn tgħaddi l-mina.

L-affarijiet avvanzaw u f’Diċembru li għadda, tħabbar li lejn nofs is-sena, se toħroġ sejħa Malta biex isir id-disinn, ilManikata bini, l-immaniġġar, u ttmexxija tal-mina. Il-Prim Ministru wasal biex bassar li l-mina tibda tintuża fl-2024.

Il-mina

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kont l-aħħar tagħirf jidher li l-għażla waqgħet fuq mina li tkun twila 13-il kilometru b’dijametru ta’ 14-il metru.

Minna jgħaddu żewġ karreġġjati, waħda minn Malta għal Għawdex u l-oħra l-kontra, filwaqt li jkun hemm karreġġjata oħra ta’ emerġenza. Hu kkalkulat li minn din il-mina se jgħaddu 6,500 vettura kuljum.

Billi jrid ikun hemm nżul u tlugħ mhux wieqaf għal din il-mina l-bokka tagħha trid tkun xi ftit bogħod min xatt il-baħar u għalhekk ġie ppjanat li din tibda mill-Imbordin f’Malta u tispiċċa f’Ta’ Kenuna fin-Nadur Għawdex. (Ara l-mappa fuq).

Favur u kontra ...

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if jiġri kull meta jitħabbar xi proġett kbir, jibdew il-polemiċi. Għalkemm minn stħarriġ li sar meta deher li l-proġett ma kienx għadu ħolma imma jista’ jsir, ħareġ li l-maġġoranza tal-Maltin u lGħawdxin kienu favur il-proġett (63% favur u 24% kontra). L-aktar favur kienu lGħawdxin (66% favur u 9.5% kontra).

Wieħed jifhem li se jkun hemm aktar Għawdxin milli Maltin li jkunu favur, għax filwaqt li l-maġġoranza tal-Maltin imorru Għawdex għal xi dawra mal-gżira Għawdxija jew għal xi btala ta’ ftit jiem, mhux hekk l-Għawdxin li fil-maġġoranza kbira tagħhom jaqsmu l-fliegu fuq xogħol u għalhekk jridu jaqsmu bejn iż-żewġ gżejjer kważi kuljum, ikun xi jkun it-temp.

Oħrajn saħansitra jkollhom jaqsmu għal

Dr Hugh McDermott MP

State Member for Prospect For issues concerning:

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

P: (02) 9756 4766 E: prospect@parliament.nsw.gov.au 2/679 The Horsley Dr, Smithfield NSW 2164

Malta minħabba kwestjoni ta’ saħħa għal servizzi jew kura li mhix offruta Għawdex, inkella qadjiet oħra.

Iżda, minn dak li qed jidher fil-midja lokali, jidher li aktar ma qed joqrob iżżmien biex dil-ħolma ssir realta, dawk ta’ kontra l-proġett aktar qed jintensifikaw loppożżizzjoni tagħhom. Fost kollox dawn isostnu li permezz tal-mina Għawdex se jitlef ħafna mill-karatteristiċi tiegħu, filwaqt li jikber l-periklu għall-ambjent speċjalment bl-għadd kbir ta’ vetturi li jaqsmu gġal Għawdex.

Kemm l-Alternattiva Demokratika kif ukoll l-Partit Demokratiku wrew id-dubju dwar il-proġett. Min-naħa l-oħra, s’issa lPartit Nazzjonalista għad ma kkummentax għalkemm bil-mod kif il-midja Nazzjonalista qed tirraporta dwar il-proġett donna tidher li hi favur. Infatti propju f’dawn iljiem il-kamra tal-aħbarijiet tal-PN ħarġet bit-titlu: Appoġġ akbar għal-link permanenti bejn Malta u Għawdex

Ferrovija fil-mina?

Fl-aħħar jiem qamet polemika ġdida dwar dan il-proġett. Attwalment din mhix jekk il-mina ssirx jew le, imma jekk tkunx għallvetturi, jew jekk li sservi biex ikun hemm transport bejn iż-żewġ gżejjer permezz ta’ ferrovija li tgħaddi mill-mina... hekk barra li jiġi evitat il-periklu ta’ arja kkontaminata li joħolqu l-vetturi jiġi evitat ukoll ħafna traffiku fil-gżira Għawdxija. *Ikompli f’paġna 15

The Voice of the Maltese 15

Tuesday January 29, 2019

Mina oħra

(minn Tas-Sliema għall-Kottonera) d-diskussjoni dwar il-mina bejn Malta u wasslet għall-ftuħ mill-ġdid Ita’Għawdex diskussjoni dwar mina oħra, din id-

darba mhux taħt il-baħar, imma li tgħaqqad baħar ma’ ieħor, mina taħt il-belt Valletta.

B’dil-mina wieħed ikun jista’ jitlaq minn tas-Sliema permezz ta’ lanċa u jmur il-Kottonera bla ħtieġa li jinżel mil-lanċa.

Bħalissa s-servizz bil-baħar minn tasSliema jwassal għal Marsamxett u biex imur l-Kottonera trid timxi mixja - forsi tuża llift - biex taqbad il-lanċa mix-Xatt tal-Belt għall-Kottonera.

Meta fl-2015, il-Kumpanija AX group ippreżentat dan il-proġett, sid il-Kumpanija, Anġlu Xuereb, kien spjega kif is-servizz ta’ trasport bejn Tas-Sliema u l-Belt u bejn ilBelt u l-Kottonera se jibqa’ jeżisti iżda l-passiġġieri se jkunu jistgħu wkoll jaqsmu minn Tas-Sliema u l-Kottonera u viċi-versa billi jibqgħu fuq il-lanċa.

Spjega kif apparti dan, persuni li jkunu jridu jaqsmu minn Tas-Sliema għall-Belt, minflok jieqfu Marsamxett, ikunu jistgħu jieqfu l-Port il-Kbir u jitilgħu l-Belt permezz tal-lift talBarrakka u b’hekk jiffrankaw it-tlajja’ li lkapitali Maltija hija tant magħrufa għalihom.

Għalkemm minn dakinhar ftit li xejn dan il-proġett ftit issemma, jidher li l-ħidma fuqu baqa’ għaddej. Dan ġie kkonfermat minn Projects Malta u anke l-Ministeru għatTuriżmu li preżentament għadhom għaddejjin in-negozjati bejn il-Gvern.

Saħansitra f’Marzu tal-2017, il-UNESCO tat l-approvazzjoni tagħha għal dan ilproġett. Il-permess kien meħtieġ billi Valletta hi waħda mis-siti mħarsa minn din l-għaqda dinjija.

Tgħid liema mina se naraw lesta l-ewwel?

Kemmuna għall bejgħ?

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iġu issa għall-gżira ta’ Kemmuna.

F’nofs dan ix-xahar fuq sit ta’ aġenzija lokali li tbiegħ il-propjeta` deher reklam dwar bejgħ ta’ art fejn illum hemm il-lukanda ta’ Kemmuna (Comino Hotel) għal €100 miljun.

Dan qajjem furur u fuq is-siti soċjali ħarġu kundanni, fosthom lill-Gven, għal dan is-suppost att kontra l-ambjent u l-wirt nazzjonali ta’ pajjiżna.

Iżda meta l-qiegħa saħnet sew, kelliemi għall-kumpannija, li fuq is-sit tagħha deher dan ir-reklam, spjega li dak li seħħ kien biss żball waqt it-taħriġ ta' waħda mill-impjegati li kienet qiegħda titħarreġ dwar kif taħdem is-sistema tal-kumpannija u li mingħajr ħtija ta' xejn “ixxerjat ir-reklam maħdum biss għall-prattika” fuq is-sit tal-

kumpannija.

Mank ħaqq it-tgħajjir u kliem xejn kumplimentuż fuq il-paġni tal-midja soċjali!!!!

Mifsud. Imm’issa, dan ilMaġistrat dan sab ruħu flaħbarijiet mhux għal dak li qal, imma għal li għamel.

Dan kollu għax meta ġie biex jaqra sentenza minn tiegħu beda jdoqq kanzunetta. Uħud stennewh li se jwaqqafha għax ħasbu li forsi seta’ għafas xi buttuna b’oħra tal-apparat użat fl-Awli. Imma fil-fatt, bilmużika għaddejja l-maġistrat kompla jaqra s-sentenza tiegħu.

Mifsud kien qed jagħti sentenza fil-każ ta’ żewġ gruppi li spiċċaw fl-idejn dwar tfajla.

tikolarment fejn f’ħin minnhom il-kor ikanta, “fejn tħobb il-qalb jimxu rriġlejn”. Kien propju waqt li l-kor kien qed ikanta din is-silta, li l-Maġistrat beda jaqra s-sentenza.

Kien hemm dawk li skandlizzaw ruħhom għax sostnew li se jwaqqa’ d-dekor tal-ġudikatura, iżda fil-fehma tiegħi, u ta’ ħafna oħrajn, Mifsud m’għamel xejn ħażin meta għażel mod innovattiv kif iwassal il-messaġġ tiegħu dwar il-konsegwenzi li jista’ jkun hemm meta wieħed/waħda ma jaċċettawx li relazzjoni tkun intemmet.

Il-Maġistrat Mifsud fl-aħbarijiet hux darba jew tnejn Il-kanzunetta li daqq kieFavur u kontra Mikkwotajna minn sennet ta’ Mike Spiteri bl-isem * minn paġna 14 tenzi li jagħti l-maġistrat Joe ta’ Fejn tħobb il-qalb u par-

Favur il-ferrovija (monorail) tkellmu, fost l-oħrajn, il-Gozitan Tourism Agency u LAssoċjazzjoni tal-Ħaddiema Għawdxin f’Malta (AGEM). Din tal-ferrovija l-kumitat tal-proġett lanqas biss qed jikkunsidraha għax toħloq aktar problemi u aktar finanzi.

L-eks-Segretarju Parlamentari Għawdxi, u l-kelliemi tal-Gvern għall-proġett, Franco Mercieca, sostna li l-mina se tkun kif ippjanat, għall-veturi .

Naħseb, li għalkemm l-idea ta’ ferrovija taħt il-baħar hija tajba u li ssolvi parzjalment il-problema tal-ambjent u ta’ traffiku eseġerat f’Għawdex, x’aktarx li ħafna Maltin li jżuru Għawdex jippreferu li jagħmlu dan bil-vetturi tagħhom.

16 The Voice of the Maltese

Rich getting richer T

here has been a record rise in the number of billionaires in Australia - from 33 to 43 with their combined wealth climbing to almost $160 billion last year, while the poorest remain trapped in poverty, a new report from Oxfam shows.

Oxfam said this equates to an increase of $100 million a day, or a total increase of $36 billion, and is enough to cover half the Federal Government's total health budget this financial year.

Helen Szoke, chief executive of Oxfam Australia (picured right), said the paper showed that the most disadvantaged remained trapped in an entrenched cycle of poverty.

“The wealth of the bottom half of our community has not changed and ordinary workers' wage growth has remained stagnant,” Dr Szoke said.

“Australia is among the wealthiest nations in the world, yet the pervasive gap between the haves and the have-nots persists. This inequality simply cannot, and does not need to, continue.”

Dr Szoke called on the government

Tony Abbott says....

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ormer Liberal Prime Minister Tony Abbott is always good for a quote. His latest “if you want to be serious government don’t vote independent. It is better to vote for Labor than to vote for an independent

Tuesday January 29, 2019

to introduce tougher laws aimed at multinationals that still may be avoiding tax. Recent ATO data showed about one-third of Australian companies paid zero tax.

Dr Szoke also called on the government to reinstate a women's budget and pay greater attention to health and education outcomes for Indigenous people.

Australian women continued to face economic disadvantage – earning 85 cents for every dollar earned by men and dealt a gender pay gap that continues to favour men in every single industry, she said.

Substandard aged-care providers 80% of residents with dementia are on strong and enduring doses of drugs

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he largest aged-care providers in Australia have already self-reported incidents of “substandard care” at each of their services for the past five years.

Smaller providers have been given a deadline of February 8 to respond and were Suzanne Greenwood

Feast of St John Bosco (New South Wales) Sunday February 3 at Horsley Park Church at 9.30am

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

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

warned the commission could compel them to give information if it was not given up willingly.

Aged-care organisations and medical professionals are already preparing for the spotlight to be turned on clinical issues, the overuse of chemical restraints and who should take responsibility.

Anti-psychotics are sometimes necessary in an aged-care setting but some studies in Australia show as many as 80 percent of residents with dementia are on strong and enduring doses of drugs such as risperidone or olanzapine, which have sedative effects and are used to “manage” the behaviours of older people. The drugs have been linked to increases in strokes, falls and deaths.

Catholic Health Australia chief executive Suzanne Greenwood said it was not appropriate to put the spotlight on doctors specifically, but “it is the case that the use of chemical restraint and antipsychotics requires a prescription from a qualified medical professional”.

“It is important to include them in the opportunity to respond to the royal commission, as the use of chemical restraints and antipsychotics should be a last resort,” she said.

Ms Greenwood said CHA had been invited to submit a witness statement by January 31.

“We must respond in innovative ways to address the scourge of loneliness, experienced by loved ones in aged care, and its impact on physical and emotional wellbeing,” she said.

She also said a “national conversation” was needed about asking people to pay more for their care, but only where they received increased choice, control and quality.

The Voice of the Maltese 17

Tuesday January 29, 2019

Religious schools must be free to teach their doctrine F

r Frank Brennan (left) an eminent Jesuit said that religious schools should not be able to discriminate against students by their sexual orientation or gender identity. They should remain free to teach their doctrine respectfully and reasonably. And the law should make that perfectly clear.

“We all need to concede that some religious teachings can be confronting and upsetting. But it is not for the state to rewrite the Bible or Koran.

“Church schools have to remain free to teach their doctrine even to the wealthiest children privileged to attend private schools with high fees. This doctrine can be taught respectfully and reasonably even though it is in stark contrast to the lifestyle of many of these students and their families.

“Even when it comes to the teaching of Jesus about marriage and divorce.

“Yes, there are a large number of students from blended families who have experienced divorce, and there will be an increasing number of students from families with same-sex married parents. Jesus’ teaching on divorce has been countercultural for a long time; so now, his teaching on marriage.”

Brennan went on to say that a Christian school must be guaranteed the freedom to teach what Jesus taught, respectfully, rea-

sonably and counter-culturally – respectfully because the dignity of all persons must be affirmed, reasonably because a school has a fundamental educational purpose, and counter-culturally because many of the things Jesus taught will never appear in the political manifestos of the Liberal Party or the Labor Party.

Cabinet Minister quitting politics C

abinet minister Kelly O'Dwyer 42 years (above), Australia's Industrial Relations Minister is quitting politics to spend more time with her young family and give herself the best chance of being able to have a third child. Alongside Prime Minister Scott Morrison in a park in her Melbourne electorate of Higgins, Ms O'Dwyer said she would not recontest the seat at the next election.

Ms O’Dwyer is a former lawyer who was first elected in a byelection to replace former Treasurer Peter Castello in 2009 and held her seat by eight percent.

She told reporters, “I cannot commit to another three years and continue to deliver the quality of service that my country, my party sue the opportunities she wants, and I and my community are entitled to expect.” march for my son because I don't want him Over the Christmas break, she took time to grow up in a world where toxic mas- to reflect on her growing children Olivia culinity is acceptable.” and Edward, who will reach primary school Megan Daley, a youth and family worker, age during the next parliament. said she wanted to see a brighter future for “I no longer want to consistently miss out Indigenous women and children. on seeing my children when they wake up In Adelaide, people attended an event out- in the morning or go to bed at night and I side Parliament House to remember the 69 want to know that when I am around, my women murdered across Australia last year, time is not constantly disrupted,” she said. so 69 women stood on the building's steps Labor said that O'Dwyer's decision to quit holding placards representing the lives lost politics highlights the Liberal Party's failure as each victim's name was read out. to promote and support women in its ranks.

Marching in the hope of putting an end to violence against women housands of women and men marched through Australia's capital cities calling T for an end to violence against women. In

Sydney, about 3,000 people gathered at Hyde Park where Indigenous leaders, survivors of domestic violence and women's rights activists addressed the crowd before marching to Belmore Park.

Organisers said domestic violence was a key focus of this year's women's march, but many in the crowd carried signs referencing the alleged murder of Palestinian citizen of Israel Aiia Maasarwe in Melbourne's north earlier this week.

Representatives from domestic violence groups and women's organisations across the state addressed the crowd at Hyde Park.

Host Yumi Stynes said there was a crisis of violence against women in Australia.

“We have the right to be safe, to claim our space, to be respected and have our voices heard – so I want to hear your voice right now!” she said.

In Canberra, several hundred protesters chanted “women power” and held placards revealing why they chose to march. Samantha Nolan-Smith became emotional when revealing her reasons for attending.

“I'm marching for the women who can't,” she said. I'm thinking particularly of the death that happened this week and so many other women who have suffered from violence and who are dead.

“I don't want my daughter to grow up in a world where she's unsafe, or she can't pur-

18 The Voice of the Maltese

Tuesday January 29, 2019

Something magical happens each time you enter these city walls. Architectural excellence captivates your visual senses, as every step leads to a landmark of historical value. Walls and pavements that line the grid of narrow streets whisper secrets and mystics to passersby, whilst the air fills up with modern art, live music, and an array of celebrations. The Unesco World Heritage Site could perhaps best be described as a place where history meets the present; where every explorer can find something they love. How will your Valletta story unfold?

Tagħrif dwar il-kitba Maltija

Tuesday January 29, 2019

The Voice of the Maltese 19

ktar regoli u tagħrif uffiċjali dwar kif wieħed għandu jikteb il-Malti skont kif A maħruġ mill-Kummissjoni fi ħdan l-Akkademja tal-ilsien Malti f’Malta. Dan hu żoeda mat-tagħrif li diġa’ tajna f’għadd ta’ ħarġiet li għaddew. Jittratta dwar L-Or-

tografija ta’ Neoloġiżmi Anglo-Sassoni u Rumanzi fil-Malti. t-tagħrif, li nibdew mil-lum hu mqassam f’erba’sezzjonijiet: Preambolu, Regoli Fundamentali, Regoli Partikulari, u l-għeluq, fejn tingħata r-raġuni għaliex sar.

A. Preambolu

1. Il-Malti, bħall-ilsna ħajjin kollha, issellef u għadu jissellef kliem l-aktar minn dawk l- ilsna li jiġi f’kuntatt magħhom kulturalment, soċjalment, ekonomikament u kummerċjalment. Id-dħul ta’ kliem barrani li l-poplu jħoss il-bżonn tiegħu jġedded u jqawwi l-ilsien Malti, għalkemm il-Malti jibqa’ fundamentalment ilsien Semitiku. Ħafna mill-kliem missellef jingħata bixra fonetika, morfoloġika u grammatikali Maltin. Kliem ieħor, li jkun x’aktarx ġdid, ikun irid iż-żmien biex joqgħod u jaddatta ruħu għall-Malti.

2. Fl-1924, l-Akkademja tal-Malti fasslet alfabett u ortografija ġodda għall-Malti li saru l- alfabett u l-ortografija uffiċjali fl-1934. L-alfabett u l-ortografija tal-Għaqda huma, u għandhom jibqgħu, il-bażi tal-ortografija tal-Malti.

Il-biċċa l-kbira tal-kliem missellef joqgħod, jew qagħad,

Printed copies of The Voice of the Maltese available at your home by mail

għall-ortografija Maltija, u llum ma nagħtux kas, meta niktbu l- Malti, jekk kelma hix imnissla mill-ilsien Semitiku jew minn ilsna oħra.

3. L-ikbar interferenza fl-ilsien Malti daħlet mill-ilsien Ingliż, peress li dan la jitlissen u lanqas isegwi l-fonetika jew lortografija Maltija.

Terġa’, l-influwenza tal-Ingliż fuq ilMalti hi kbira u sa mit-tfulija. Minħabba dan spiss jinħolqu konflitti u diffikultajiet dwar kif għandna niktbu xi kliem li daħal fil-Malti minn dan l-ilsien sew għax dan il-kliem ma joqgħodx għall-fonetika jew l-ortografija Maltija, sew għax ikun għadu ġdid u ma ndarax fil-Malti.

Għalkemm kliem bħal dan iqajjem xi diffikultajiet fil-kittieba skont il-preferenzi tagħhom, jista’ u għad isir Malti bl-użu u l-prattika.

4. Hemm, imbagħad, xi elementi fit-“Tagħrif” li, minħabba l-progress tal-Malti f’kuntatt ma’ ilsna barranin taħt pressjoni ta’ mezzi ġodda ta’ komunikazzjoni u l-iżvilupp soċjokulturali, jidher li għandhom bżonn ta’ aġġornament.

Dawn, iżda, huma dettalji, u ma jiksrux regoli fundamentali tal-ortografija Maltija. Jidhrilna li nkunu qegħdin inżommu lura l-iżvilupp tal-Malti jekk ma ndaħħluhomx.

(Nota: Dan japplika, p.e., għar- regola li fil-Malti żewġ vokali f’sillaba waħda ma jistgħux joqogħdu.)

B. Regoli Fundamentali

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e are now in a position to arrange for you to receive a printed full-colour hard copy of The Voice of the Maltese at home every fortnight (24 publications) at the low cost of $120.

(Australia only, other countries by request).

A printed copy would be an ideal present for mum, dad or a relative who either do not have Internet access or are not computer literate.

Anybody interested should contact us on: maltesevoice@gmail.com for further information. We are not only an online publication, but also print on demand.

Ir-regoli fundamentali li fuqhom tfasslu l-aġgo ̇ rnamenti u l-forom tal-ortografija msemmija iktar ’l isfel huma dawn: 1. Il-kliem ta’ nisel barrani jieħu l-valur tiegħu bħala kliem Malti meta jkun aċcė ttat u użat mill-poplu. Minn dak il-ħin għandu jitqies li hu biċċa mill-ilsien Malti, u biex tiktbu la hemm il-ħtieġa li tmur għall-oriġini tiegħu fl-ilsien barrani, u lanqas ma hemm bżonn li tkun taf ilsna barranin.

Trid tkun taf biss kif il-kelma tingħad u tinħass fil-Malti.

Din turihielna l-fonetika – jiġifieri kif il-kelma tinħass filwidna għax hekk daħħalha l-poplu.

2. Kliem ta’ nisel barrani daħal fil-Malti separatament u indipendentement minn kliem tal-istess familja jew għeruq.

Għalhekk mhux bilfors, u m’għandux, fl-ortografija, isegwi regoli grammatikali li jgħoddu għall-ilsien minn fejn oriġinat il-kelma missellfa. Ħafna drabi, fil-Malti, indaħħlu kliem u tlissin li ma tantx juri r-realtàoriġinali tiegħu, (eż. magna u makkinarju, bandla u pendlu, fantażma u fantasija, sigurtà u żgur, eċċ.). Terġa’, bosta drabi, kliem li daħal sewwa fil-Malti, jieħu bixra għal kollox Maltija billi jdaħħal u joqgħod ukoll għar-regoli grammatikali tal-Malti – plurali, konjugazzjoni, eċċ.

3. Kliem barrani li fonetikament (u xi drabi ortografikament) ma joffri l-ebda diffikultàbiex jinkiteb bil-Malti skont ir-regoli tal-ortografija Maltija, ma joħloq l-ebda problema u għandu jinkiteb kif jinħass, ħafna drabi saħansitra bħalloriġinal (agonizzant, filament, spara). Ħafna kliem ieħor fih biss varjazzjonijiet żgħar fl-ortografija (konfużjoni, xelter, gandlier, edukazzjoni, ċans) u dawn rari, jekk qatt, ħolqu diffikultà. *Fil-ħarġa li jmiss nissoktaw b’aktar regoli

20 The Voice of the Maltese

Tuesday January 29, 2019

Broadcaster Mario Sammut gets Radio Gippsland FM award

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altese broadcaster Mario Sammut, who regularly travels all the way from Morwell to broadcast his Saturday programme on 3ZZZ in Melbourne, has been awarded a certificate and trophy by Gippsland 104.7 FM in recognition of his service by producing a breakfast show on this station.

Mario, who is also a vice-consular repThe award presented to Mario Sammut

An Appreciation

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resentative for the Latrobe Valley started broadcasting the three-hour English Breakfast Show on that station some 18 years ago. At the outset, he used to produce the show on a daily basis, and then cut it down to three times a week and currently is on the air twice a week.

Apart from that, Mario also broadcasts a Maltese programme every Tuesday evening on the same station.

Radio Gippsland 104.7 FM presented him with a Certificate and a trophy for being the longest breakfast presenter on the station and for his outstanding and dedicated service as a volunteer to the Gippsland Community Radio.

Mario has also been broadcasting his Maltese programme on 3ZZZ for 29 years, since the time it was using the basement of the Trades Hall building as its studio.

He also used to produce a programme some 34 years ago, soon after arriving in

Our community champion

ilian Taliana was indeed a true Community Champion! I first met her at the Maltese Greystanes Carers Support group, later the Greystanes Maltese Seniors Group that now has members from Greystanes and the surrounding areas.

Thanks to Lilian’s guiding hand it is now a large and well-established seniors group.

My first impression of Lilian was that of a quiet, gentle, and compassionate lady always ready and willing to help her friends.

As I learned more about her over the many years of friendship, my respect for her wisdom, fairness and willingness to help others grew stronger every day. Lilian approached everything she did with great thought and care, whether it was caring for her much-adored grandchildren and family, or helping out a friend in need. Nothing was too much trouble for her.

Lilian passed on her knowledge about the way to deal with the Maltese community

In Memoriam:

Doris Muscat (1940-2019)

D

In Memoriam:

oris Muscat nee Debono of Toongabbie NSW died on January 8 this year aged 79. She was born in Hamrun in 1940, wife of Charlie Muscat and mother of Karen and Joanne and grandma to Alana and Paul.

Doris migrated to Australia in 1965 and married Charlie, an active member of the Past Pupils and Friends of Don Bosco, the same year. She was a schoolteacher at Stanmore and for 35 years at the Catholic School at Marayong NSW.

Vincent Simiana (1934-2019)

T

Australia, on Radio 4eb Brisbane community radio.

he Maltese community of Sydney has lost another veteran stalwart with the death of Marsa –born Vincent Simiana who emigrated to Sydney in 1956. He worked as an electrician and was a keen photographer.

After the death of his mother, Vince moved from Croydon to Doonside. He married Ruth in September 2017.

Vince was a director of the La Valette centre from 2005 to 2018, and for many years was responsible for the Centre’s sound system. He worked closely with the Mifsud Brothers and established BMS recording studio in 1970.

Most of the Maltese artists visiting Sydney and others availed themselves of the facilities offered by his studio. Vince toured Australia with the Mifsud Brothers as their sound engineer.

His funeral was held on January 25 at St John Vianny Church Doonside. Rest in peace, dear Vince.

PaulVella

when organising events and getting the best deal!

She also spent many years on the La Valette Social Centre committee and in more recent years took her duties as Group Leader, of the Greystanes Maltese Seniors as well as the Assistant Treasurer of the Maltese Cultural Association of NSW, very seriously.

She worked hard to make sure they did well.

She was also a much-loved choir member of the MCA Choir and again always helped out by making many of the scarves the members wear for their different events through the year. She also loved cooking for family and friends.

A special moment for Lilian was when she made Maltese biscuits for the visit of HE Marie-Lou-ise Coleiro Preca, at the Maltese Resource Centre. The President enjoyed them so much that she asked Lilian for the recipe!

Lilian was also proud of her garden, especially her beloved ‘Lilies’. She cared for it in the same way as she did everything else, with lots of love and patience.

Lilian, you were indeed a true community champion of the Maltese community of Sydney and you will be greatly missed by all who knew you. VALE Lilian a true and good friend to all.

MarisaPrevitera

The Voice of the Maltese 21

Tuesday January 29, 2019

Book review:

Kunjom xbubit il-mara fiż-żwieġ sar importanti

Gender Equality & the Welfare State: The Social Construction of Dual Workers/Dual Carers Family Model Paperback – by Cyrus Vakili-Zad (Author) EquPaperback $20.00

G

Gender Equality & the Welfare State: o truly capture an unbiased and fair tions.

T account of gender inequality in Malta, In the I suppose a non-Maltese who knows Malta l a s t well, is best equipped to achieve this. My friend Cyrus Vakili-Zad, after nearly ten years of extensive and intensive research, has produced an in-depth study of this sensitive yet provocative topic; the status of women in Malta in a rigid male dominated society.

Cyrus and his wife, Forough Hessabi, lived in Malta for several years. They experienced daily Maltese life first hand and grew to love the Island Archipelago, so much so that Cyrus has since written several books and articles on various aspects of Maltese social policy.

My parents left Sliema, Malta in 1951; I was three at the time. However, since 1968 I have been back to the Islands over thirty times. Although I did not grow up on the Island I am able to offer a Maltese perspective on the subject of this book.

While editing his book I was able to relate and confirm many aspects that he has so studiously covered. In an impartial manner Cyrus has effectively written this book chronicling the “non-advancement” of Maltese women.

Women continue to be restricted to being housewives, mothers and care givers (to both their children and parents). Moreover, finding a female in a senior position in the civil service, business or in politics is an extreme rarity.

The first part of the book deals specifically with “Gender equality and the Welfare State” under sub-heading “Malta-I”.

Each chapter is extensively supported by Cyrus’ research, individuals he has referred or spoken to and institutions he has contacted.

He also studied “family friendly” European models to discern which would be the best to use in Malta. He found that Sweden and France have made the greatest headway in achieving gender equality.

Cyrus has further exposed the extent of gender inequality in Malta by showing how the Roman Catholic Church, the two main political parties and large domestic corporations have also effectively kept women “in their place”.

In “Malta II”, Cyrus provides specific examples of male dominance within the aforementioned institutions and organisa-

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f e w years some a d vancement has been made, however it will take many years before the inequality is balanced. This will depend on the seriousness and effectiveness of the Government (political party) and the importance it places on improving this situation.

One encouraging factor and glimmer of hope is when I met with Her Excellency Marie Louise Coleiro Preca, the President of the Republic of Malta. During our lengthy meeting in July 2014, Her Excellency exhibited a sincere interest in this topic and many other subjects related to the betterment of the general population.

It is the responsibility of those in power (i.e. the Church, political parties, big business, etc.) to stop offering superficial solutions and promises, as these will not rectify the situation.

Anyone who is serious about resolving this complex matter cannot find a better resource than this book. Malta is in the midst of its Third Great Siege - The Male Dominated Society; and this book would serve as a pivotal tool to overcoming this all-pervasive problem. ~ RichardSCumbo (Toronto)

Book Bookreview: revie No

N

ħal żmien twil li l-mara tieħu kunjom ir-raġel malli tiżżewweġ kienet xi ħaġa normali. Kien il-ftit li maż-żmien ma’ kunjom ir-raġel kienu jżidu dak talmara, insejħulhom double-barreled u mhux darba u tnejn kien hemm min iqishom bħala dawk li jppretenduha talelite. Fil-fatt uħud kienu jagħmlu dan minħabba li ċerti kunjomijiet kienu qed jisparixxu.

Iżd’issa f’Malta l-affarijiet inbidlu.

Mhux biss wara ż-żwieġ il-mara tista’ tibqa’ żżomm kunjomha, imma, saħansitra r-raġel ukoll jista’ jagħżel li jieħu kunjom il-mara.

Għalkemm ftit kienu jaħsbu li l-għażla għad issir, fil-fatt seħħet f’qasir żmien, tant li s-sena l-oħra kien hemm sitt koppji li għażlu li jżommu kunjom il-mara.

Is-sena l-oħra sar 2,536 żwieġ fejn filmaġġoranza żammew kunjom ir-raġel.

Barra s-sitta li semmejna, kien hemm 242 koppja li għażlu li jżommu ż-żewġ kunjomijiet, tar-raġel, u wkoll tal-mara.

Vantaġġ fil-possibilita’ tal-għażla talkunjom hu, li jista’ jsalva kunjomijiet ta’ familji bla wlied subien milli jispiċċaw.

Issa hemm raġuni oħra, il-midja soċjali. Ċerti nisa qed jibqgħu jżommu kunjom xbubithom, għax forsi rnexxielhom jagħmlu isem f’xi oqsma, bħan-negozju, divertiment u sports.

Ejja nieħdu l-Facebook, li hawn tant li jiddilettaw bih. Jekk ibiddlu l-kunjom u għandhom il-paġna tal-Facebook bil-kunjom li huma magħrufa bih, ikunu jridu jbiddlu l-paġna tal-Facebook u bħal donnhom iridu jibdew mill-ġdid għax ilħbieb (friends) li jkunu akkumulaw fuq ilpaġna jitilfuhom… u jkollhom biċċa xogħol biex jerġgħu jiksbuhom lura. Fost kollox ikollhom joqogħdu jikkuntattjaw il-ħbieb tal-paġna.

Man’s Land in Sydney

o man’s land landed in Sydney when one of its authors, Dr Marie Briguglio (below) visited the Maltese Resource Centre at Parramatta West to launch the 240 pages, easy to read and well researched tragi-comic exposition of people polluting public place.

The book contains many cartoons by Steve Bonello who was not in S y d n e y.

Dr Briguglio, a resi d e n t academic at the University of Malta with a PhD in Economics explained to a small gathering of invited guests that the

book contains three decades’ worth of environmental cartoons by Steve Bonello.

Dr Briguglio writes about Malta’s environmental pressures, status and responses. She reveals the compulsive construction, the love affair with cars, the suspicion of nature and the lacklustre law enforcement, in the context of a beautiful yet very densely populated little island.

If you require more information about this book contact: Kite Publications: Email: info@kite-group.com.mt. Mobile: 356 9993 2592.

22 The Voice of the Maltese

Visiting Melbourne

Tuesday January 29, 2019

M

y frequent pilgrimages to Melbourne always brings memories of the olden days. Thou I have settled in Sydney years ago I always look forward to visiting Melbourne in order to catch up with family and friends and pay my respects to my parent’s burial place at Altona Cemetery The opportunity to catch up with colleagues from the Maltese Community Council of Victoria and exchange notes on our community is always welcoming and as the president of the Maltese Community Council of NSW, I feel it is of utmost importance to keep personal contact with other Maltese Communities around Australia.

On my recent visit, I met with the newly elected president of the MCCV Marlene Ebejer.

As a member of the Council of the Maltese Living Abroad, I also took the opportunity to meet up with Victorian’s member on the CMLA Edwidge Borg who also happens to be Treasurer of the MCCV. Another tradition while in Melbourne is to pay a visit to Malta’s Consulate General there. It was my pleasure to meet up with the new resident at the consulate of Malta office in Melbourne Mr. Mario Farrugia Borg and the outgoing Consul Joanna Pisani.

EmanuelCamilleri

Emanuel Camilleri (second left) with his wife Theresa on his right, the new Consul General in Melboure, Mr Mario Farruiga Borg, and the outgoing Consul Joanna Pisani

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

La Valette Social Centre

La Valette Social Centre Inc. 175 Walters Road, Blacktown

CELEBRATING THE FEAST OF ST PAUL

The committee of the La Valette Social Centre is inviting you to join in the celebration of the annual feast of St Paul Apostle on Sunday February 10.

5.00 pm: Mass in the main hall, followed by the procession with the statute of St Paul accompanied by the Our Lady Queen Of Peace Band.

Afterward entertainment provided by The Mifsud Brothers (kitchen and Bar will be open)

Admission is FREE. For further information Phone the Centre on 9622 5847

Festa ta’ Generożita

organised by the Friends of Providence House NSW on Sunday 24 Februay 24 at 2.00pm at La Vallette Social Centre, Blacktown In aid of Id-Dar tal-Providenza, Malta.

Special Guest Performer: Joe Apap supported by Charlie Muscat, Alee, James Cassar, Martin Vella, Natasha Tatarinoff, Katelyn Vella & the MCA Choir Maltese food & drinks available from12 noon.

Entry by Donation: $10; Children/U15 Free.

Get your tickets early! (No tickets sold at door) Contact: Jim Borg 9636 7767 or Marisa 0414 863 123 Sponsored by: BREAKAWAY TRAVEL BLACKTOWN

MALTESE LANGUAGE SCHOOL OF NSW A Division of the Maltese Community Council of NSW Inc.

Learn Maltese!

Classes are available for students from six 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.

Teachers urgently needed - Paid positions

For more information and enquiries Phone 9601 2189 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.

The Voice of the Maltese 23

Tuesday January 29, 2019

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

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

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

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

MELBOURNE: STEREO 974 (93180930): 97.4FM Wed (Maltese Magazine) & Thursday (Merħba): 6.00pm to 8.00 pm Co-ordinator – Ray Anastasi On SBS Radio Day Time Analogue and Digital Tuesdays and Fridays: 12:00-13:00 97.7fm SBS 2.

On Demand: Ethnic Maltese Council 11am)

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

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

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 MALTESE NEWS: L-Aħbarijiet on SBSTV twice a week nationwide; Sunday 8.00 am on SBS2 (Chan. 32) Thursdays at 8.00 am on SBSTV32.

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

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

Maltese Seniors Social Welfare Day Groups

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

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

Group meets 3rd Wednesday of month

in the Bankstown CBD area.

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

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

Daceyville Maltese Seniors

Note: The Groups also arrange regular Bus Trips

Join us and make new friends.

Maltese Group

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

Merrylands Social Maltese Seniors Meetings/Get Togethers are interestMeets every second Friday of the ing, informative & entertaining, so month: Miller Room, Memorial Av- come Join us and make new Friends enue Merrylands from 10.30am to For more information contact our Co12.30 am ordinator: Llandilo Maltese Seniors

Meets on the first Wednesday of each

Charles Mifsud J.P.Phone (02) 9501 5525 – mobile 0421 662 298.

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

SBS Radio 2 on Channel 38.

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

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

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

Presenter: Nathalie Gatt.

Web streaming: www.coastfm.org.au BRISBANE listen to the Maltese Programme on 4EB on Tuesdays 6.00 -8.15am; Sundays 4.15pm to 5.15pm

L-MCCV qed jilqa’ applikazzjonijiet għal għalliem/a tal-ilsien Malti Min japplika jrid ikollu għarfien sew tal-Malti, miktub u mitkellem.

Dan xogħol volontarju (bla ħlas).

Min hu interessat jibgħat lapplikazzjoni bid-dettalji akkademiċi lil: edwigeborg@hotmail.com Għal tagħrif ieħor ċemplu fuq 0412 115 919. Ħalli nnumru tat-telefon u nċemplulek lura.

Saint Nicholas Festa Committee

Main events for 2019

Sunday March 10: Fete Sunday June 30: L-Imnarja Sunday October 20: Fete Saturday Nov. 9: Dinner Dance Sunday December 1: Feast

Events are held at the Good Shepherd parish hall, 130-136 Hyatts Road, Plumpton NSW

24 The Voice of the Maltese

Sports

Tuesday January 29, 2019

Valletta defeat Hibs to earn share of top place

M

George Cross FC’s new City Vista Sporting Complex taking shape

Enthusiasm returning to new look Caroline Springs George Cross FC

G

eorge Cross FC, the oldest football club founded by the Maltese migrants in the state of Victoria in March 1947, now known as Caroline Springs George Cross FC, is working hard to be in a position to return to the NPL I. As such, preparation is now well into pre-season training.

Great enthusiasm is being felt in the club coinciding with the move to Fraser Rise. Following a move from Chaplin Reserve, where the club spent 38 seasons, this year, George Cross will play for the first time at the City Vista Sporting Complex.

The team will be almost completely new with the exception of

defenders George Tsiakalakis and Lachlan Grech, goalkeeper Ryan Gauci and winger James Kemal.

To date new coach Corey Smith has signed 17 new players and there's a possibility of more signings if the right players become available.

Off the field the club is moving ahead in leaps and bounds with many new sponsors coming on board and great initiatives being planned to secure the club's future.

With the impending new stadium nearing completion the club will for the first time in its history have the infrastructure in place to aim and permanently stay at the highest level of Victorian football.

alta’s Premier League gave way to the fourth round stage of the FA Trophy the past weekend, therefore Valletta entered the second week Results - Day 15 2-1 sharing the top Valletta v Hibernians spot in the Gzira Utd v Ħamrun S. 1-1 1-1 League ladder Floriana v Sliema W 3-1 with Hiberni- Balzan v Qormi 3-0 ans after they Birkirkara v Pieta H. 3-0 defeated the Senglea v Mosta 2-1 Paolites 2-1 in Tarxien v St Andrews Round15 of the Championship.

Both teams stand on 34 points followed by Gzira a point behind after they missed the chance to join them by dropping two points in a 1-1 draw with Ħamrun Spartans.

Hundai A-League

Since the last issue of The Voice, teams in the A-League in Australia were involved in three progammes.

RESULTS Day 16

Perth Glory v Newcastle J Melbourne V v Sydney FC Wellington P. v Melbourne C Adelaide v CC Mariners Brisbane R v W. Sydney W

RESULTS Day 15

2-0 2-1 1-0 2-1 2-2

0-0 Perth Glory v Adelaide Brisbane R v Melbourne V 0-5 Wellington P. v Sydney FC 0-1 Melbourne C v W. Sydney W 4-3 Newcastle J v CC Mariners 1-0

Day 14

Melbourne C v Perth Glory 0-0 Melbourne V v Wellington P. 3-3 Sydney FC v Newcastle J 1-0 1-2 W. Sydney W v Adelaide CC Mariners v Brisbane R 1-1

FA Trophy Fourth Round:

Mosta surprise Sliema

Meanwhile, in the fourth round of the FA Trophy, the second most important competition in Maltese football, lowly placed Mosta surprsingly eliminated Sliema Wanderers by defeating them 2-1 to qualify to the quarters. As a result the Wanderers have sacked their coach John Buttiġieġ.

This was the only surprise result in this stage of the competition. The rest of the reFA Trophy Rd 4 Results sults all 7-1 went to Valletta v Lija A. 4-0 form with Hibernians v Fgura Birkirkara v Ħamrun S. 2-1 eight Pre2-1 mier LeaMosta v Sliema W. 4-2 gue sides Gzira U v Melita 6-1 qualifying Balzan v Xewkija T. 2-0 to the qtrPieta H v Zejtun C. Tarxien R v Żebbuġ R. 5-0 finals.

Athlete Usain Bolt gives up on his dream to play professional football

J

amaican sprinter Usain Bolt, The world’s fastest runner and eight-time Olympic gold medallist, has given up on his dream of becoming a professional footballer, saying in a statement that “the sports life is over” for him.

The 32-year-old eight-time Olympic gold medallist turned down an offer from Maltese Premier League club Valletta last year reportedly because the club could not afford his wage demands. He was also unable to agree a contract with Australian side Central Coast Mariners late last year after a trial.

He made his debut for the Mariners in September and scored twice in his second trial match. However, despite the goals and a clear improvement in his level of football fitness between those two games, serious questions remained over his general play and ability to turn into an elite athlete in a second sport.

Bolt, who retired from athletics in 2017 and still holds the 100m

and 200m world records, had also spent time training with Norwegian team Stromsgodset and German Bundesliga side Borussia Dortmund after expressing his wish to become a professional footballer. He said he does not regret trying to become a professional footballer.

“It was fun while it lasted,” he said. “I don’t want to say it wasn’t dealt with properly, but I think we went about it not the way we should …you live and you learn. It was a good experience, I really enjoyed just being in a team.”

The eight-time Olympic gold medallist who won his medals in three successive Olympic Games, in Beijing, London and Rio, said he would now focus on his business ventures. He is just doing many different things ... “the sports life is over, so I’m now moving into different businesses. I have a lot of things in the pipeline, so as I say, I’m just dabbling in everything and trying to be a business man now,” he said.