It is Carnival It is Carnival time in Malta time in Malta
- report page 11 - report page 11
The Maltese community in Melbourne is proud to announce that one of its active members, Charles Desira OAM (left) was honoured with the Order of Australia recently announced by the Australian Government
Charles, who is 87, was born in Bugibba, St Paul’s Bay and migrated to Australia in 1963 He is married with three children He is the founder and President of the St Albans South senior group, which has about 295 members who are provided with entertainment, lunch and coffee free of charge It meets every Tuesday
Charles is also the founder of the foodbank Loaves and Fishes with parish priest Fr Peter Curracan that operates from
Continuous rain for 35 hours during the Helios storm battered Malta for two days (February 9 and 10) with heavy rain and easterly gale force winds, with the island registering 140mm of rainfall, double that generally registered for the whole of February.
During the storm, countless huge waves slammed into several places in coastal areas, mainly the breakwater at the Grand Harbour in Valletta At times, its 30 ft lighthouse was entirely covered by waves (pictured right) as 85 mph winds rolled over in the storm that hit Malta It was the island's worst storm since October 1982. Given the rough seas that hampered docking at its Ċirkewwa terminal, the Gozo Channel had to curtail and suspend its services Several trips to the sister island had to be cancelled
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According to the 2021 census, since 2011, the Maltese population dropped by 17 3% In 2011, 95 1% of the population was Maltese In 2022, it dropped to 77 8% When it comes to foreigners living in the Maltese islands from 4 9% in 2011, it has increased to 22.2% of the population.
Up to 2021 the total poplation was 519,562 , which means that that over a 10-year period it has increased by over 100,000.
The worst has now passed, and for the remainder of F e b r u a r y , calm is settling during the month, usually known for most rainfall throughout the year M e t e o r o l ogists have assured us that we should not expect any more surprises weatherwise for the rest of the month.
In fact, since last Friday, Malta and Goza have been celebrating Carnival in several
Wednesday to Friday and has over 700 families registered for food aid It has been operating for the last 22 years with twentytwo volunteers from different nations such as Maltese, Australian and Vietnamese. It provides food to 280 families
Charles has thanked those who work with him for their volunteering and also for nominating him for such a prestigious award
Charles Desira, who thus joins two other Maltese-born gentlemean, Emmanuel (Bill) Borg, and Joseph Alexander Galea who have been awarded the OAM, is so impressed with The Voice of the Maltese magazine, that said he would be making sure that it is distributed amongst the Maltese of his senior group
towns and villages, under very fine weather that allowed the poeple to enjoy themselves the way they used to do before the Covid pandemic
Following an extensive process to select its entry
Malta has chosen The Busker (below) made up of David "Dav Jr" Grech, Jean Paul Borg and Sean Meachen to represent it in the Eurovision Song Contest 2023 in Liverpool
After five weeks of shows, the trio obtained the ticket for Liverpool at the end of the Malta Eurovision Song Contest with their song “Dance (Our Own Party)” written by David Meilak, that topped the evening that had 16 acts competing for the trophy in final
evening by obtaining with 121 votes - a 36point lead over runner-up Ryan Hili, with In The Silence - 81 from televoting and 41 from the jury The result was determined by a 50:50 split between a five-member jury and the public televote
Malta will perform in the first Semi-Final on 11 May at the 67th Eurovision Song Contest The oter semi-final would be on 11 May and the final on the 13th.
We forward to you every issue, always on time, but we find that some return back to us as undelivered for various reasons If you miss receiving The Voice, all you have to do is write to us at maltesevoice@gmail com and we will resend the missing issues
Thank you
The advancement and sophistication of technology have generated contentious debate about whether robots can displace humans' jobs. The legal system has a long history of tradition, and change often occurs at a slower pace in such institutions.
To modernise the current legal system, there have been ongoing efforts to incorporate enhanced technologies such as artificial intelligence.
An interesting question is how such an ancient legal system can adopt novel technologies like AI
U S Consultancy group, McKinsey, estimates that 22% of a lawyer ’s job and 25% of a law clerk’s job can be automated
AI can significantly streamline legal work, making it more efficient in practice management through document review and legal research
Widely used in legal research, services use a semantic search, whereby the AI
algorithms attempt to understand the meaning of the words rather than match keywords in the documents a user is searching for This means that with every search, the greater forces of AI are learning what these obscure legal terms mean
GPT-3, a programme created by OpenAI, and more recently ChatGPT (a programme built on top of GPT-3) are prophesied to impact the legal profession significantly These programmes can generate human-like text responses to given prompts
Whilst not a suitable substitute for lawyers, being prone to errors in legal conventions, the technology has the potential to provide rough drafts for lawyers However, the fundamental problem with these programmes is that they are not “trained” to be lawyers.
However, one US company, DoNotPay, is purportedly retraining AI to know the law by sending it to law school.
DoNotPay is testing two speeding ticket appeals cases scheduled to take place in February One is being conducted in person, and another is through a Zoom trial The AI programme runs on a smartphone, listens to arguments in the courtroom and then formulates responses for the defendant, which it communicates via a Bluetooth earpiece.
Although this experiment will not proceed after being threatened by the State Bar prosecutors, it is interesting to see the functionality of robots in the courtrooms.
Legal performance is often context-specific The law varies by jurisdiction, and the body of law is constantly changing Since AI uses pre-trained parameters, the programme risks amplifying bad, outdated legal work as much as good
Under the current NSW Court rules, this technology would not be permitted. Using audio recording devices in courtrooms and court premises is an offence Phones must also be switched off before entering courtrooms.
Replacing some forms of lawyers and making legal representation free seems a long way away
AI is far from perfect, so it is unlikely that it will completely replace lawyers
A great risk to AI is the illusion of objectivity when there are embedded biases in the algorithms Moreover, AI is weak in areas requiring emotional intelligence Where negotiating deals, mediating disputes and managing clients are involved, human judgement will always be more effective
Therefore, while AI can be utilised to facilitate the efficiency of legal processes, automate routine tasks, and provide better access to legal services, the legal profession still requires a human touch, specifically when it comes to interpersonal skills and emotional intelligence that cannot be trained or replaced by technology
Legal work frequently entails complex ethical and moral questions best addressed with human judgment
If you would like legal advice specific to your circumstances, please get in touch with Paul Sant of Longton Legal, and our team will be happy to assist
We have provided you with an overview of the topic above but you should consult a professional for advice specific to your circumstances
Thismonth's personality of the month covers an adventurous and hazardous journey across the seas told to The Voice of the Maltese in his own words in two parts, with minimal editing by Friar
Leonard M.Testa OFMCap.
He has already written and published a book, The Odyssey of Frank and Carmen Testa, their enduring dream and journey from Malta to Australia.
Iwas born on the 5th November 1940 in a hamlet in Qormi Village, known in Qormese as “Hora tal-Belgħa” named after some herb that once grew there The 'Hora' had one entrance from the Village Primary School that led to St Francis Square
It was notorious for its Kerrejja, one-room premises where some ten families, the poorest of the poor, lived in its precincts. It was infamous for the daily public squabbles where everything and everyone was aired, rendering it notorious for many years It was always overpopulated Misery has its companions
My Father lived in the Testa two-storey residence, with a shop, an entrance to the house in Barracks Street and a third entrance from the barn with a large shelter that was a very spacious building excavated below it
It was there that I was born At baptism I was given the name 'Carmelo', after my paternal grandmother passed away a year before My mother's name was Carmela Before marrying my father, Franġisk (Ċikku), her family lived in Ħamrun, Triq San Tumas, it-triq tal-pont. Initially, they lived in Sqaq Sant'Anna, Ħamrun, but later moved to Qormi to rear the family
Mum and Dad wanted a large family but only had thirteen children Eight were born in Malta, and the rest in Australia We had a general grocery and wine shop, where older men bided their time as they waited in God's waiting room
In their daily presence, often for many hours, they gossiped about everything and everyone. In a way, the winery through those postwar years was the predominant source of income Many clients were street beggars, both adults and children Poverty was rampant
When Australia opened its borders to migrants in 1950, dad embarked on the SS Cyrenia In Melbourne Port, where he disembarked, he still needed to learn where he was or where to go He was approached by a gentleman looking for workers for the BHP (AIS) factory at Port Kembla in the Illawarra region
Dad accepted his invitation and initially settled in factory workers' huts, later moving on to reside in the f o u n d a t i o n
section of the house, with no facilities other than a bed It was cheaper and more stoic He lived in this situation for nine months
In those nine months, my father was allowed by the factory bosses to work lots of overtime and to help himself from the industry's dump with worn-out material, burnt-out furnace bricks, galvanized iron, wood and train sleepers, all material for a three-room dwelling shed, to be our domicile for over a year
In the meantime, the rest of the family arrived in Sydney at the end of a forty-two-day trip from Malta on the SS Florentia.
*Continued on page 5
Eight of the thirteen kids of the Testa family that were born in Malta with mum in 1950. Five others were born in Australia
T h e l o n g, h a z a r d o u s a n d a d v e n t u r o u s j o u r n e y o f
t h e Te s t a f a m i l y
*Continued from page 4
We had no electricity and running water, which the house owner generously provided We did not even have a bathroom; fortunately, Mum had packed the large washing tubs she used in Malta, and on Saturday, these served as our bathroom to get washed in. That was easy to get used to.
The dunny took some time to get familiar with till we discovered through the property owner that we could cultivate a garden with the dunny's processed material used as fertilizer.
The potatoes grew in abundance, and so did other veggies It all reflected God's supreme providence in nature, with our daily processed food and homemade fertilizer providing us with the everyday green essentials No waste, no want!
Moving on
This primitive situation lasted over a year Dad worked extremely hard at the BHP (AIS) We hardly saw him as he worked three shifts in a department called the Spunpipe, the antechamber of hell
Few could resist it, but dad held onto the job as it provided a lot of overtime work. He worked eight hours a day, three shifts commencing with the day shift at 7 30 am, the afternoon shift at 3 30 pm, and the night shift at 11 03 pm based on a weekly roster
At every shift, a siren sounded. Mum used to panic when she heard, It reminded her of the war years in Malta, and therefore she would start praying, “Madonna eħlisna mill-Ġermaniżi! “(Blessed Virgin rid us of the Germans).
At the end of the week, the siren would become sweet music to her ears when dad would present her with his pay packet She would open the packet and give him ten
shillings as his spending money. The wages in the 50s were five pounds, ten shillings per week, without overtime
The government's child's monthly endowment and dad's wages provided us with enough money to buy a piece of land where we could build our house Every month mum and I would go on foot to the brick factory to buy the bricks needed for our future three-bedroom house Dad had some relatives arriving from Malta; they moved into the new house before we did It was dad's way of helping those in need, relatives and friends coming from Malta, even though the house still needed to be completed
Family passport photo issued to the mother, Carmela and her eight kids before emigrating to Australia in 1950
School was a huge problem The influx of Maltese families with numerous children put the church-run school in great difficulty. We needed to understand Australian English
A remedial was found not to disturb those who could follow classes Newcomers were send to clean the gardens around the Church or chopping wood for the nuns' laundry. We loved it, as we were not confined to a classroom all day At the end of school life, many of us who stayed at the nuns' school came out illiterate Parents aware of the situation pulled their children out and placed them at Cringila, Warrawong and Port Kembla Public schools
Those attending the Christian Brothers College were subjected to physical assault by the Brothers, who frequently used them to punish the kids I hated school!
*The second part of Fr Testa’s story will be published in the next issue of The Voice
Emperor Charles V granted the Maltese islands to the Order of St John (Hospitallers) in 1530 The Order ’s two primary purposes were: caring for sick people and fighting the Ottomans. Over the next two and a half centuries, the Hospitallers transformed “plain, bare, naked Malta” into a relatively prosperous principality
The transformation of Malta started after the Great Siege of 1565
The Hospitallers built a new fortified capital city (Valletta). They wanted Valletta to be an architectural gem as can be seen by the edifices in its neat grid of streets: the Conventual Church of St John, the G r a n d m a s t e r ’ s Palace, the churches, the auberges or residences of the Hospitallers, the Manoel Theatre, the Bibliotheca or National Library, la Sacra Imfermeria or main hospital
Mindful of Ottoman threats, the H o s p i t a l l e r s strengthened the island’s defences by building the Floriana and Cottonera fortifications, Fort Manoel, Fort Ricasoli and Fort Tigne and coastal watch towers They also built aqueducts to supply water to their new city and silos to store grain (il-fosos tal-Furjana).
In addition to military matters, the Hospitallers wanted to develop the economy Therefore they encouraged commerce, shipbuilding, cotton (the island’s main commodity), and agriculture
They also minted their coins, established
the Monte di Pieta` (a loan-making body), made laws (the De Rohan Code), set law courts, and founded a university of studies Maltese-grown cotton was spun and weaved into yarn for export to Spain and France In 1797 cotton exports were valued at 1,711,180 scudi
Despite the efforts of the Hospitallers to expand agricultural output, the Maltese islands depended on imported food, mainly from Sicily The Hospitallers were worried that this could lead to food shortages and social unrest.
They assumed control of the importation
had accumulated from donations, inheritance and acquisitions
The Hospitallers transferred surplus from working these estates to their Treasury in Malta Other sources of income were the dues collected on commerce, taxes and the spoils from corsairs against Ottoman shipping A reasonable estimate of their income would be around 1,600,000 scudi.
of essential food, which they tried to sell at constant prices to protect the population from inflation. This paternalistic policy worked, provided:
1 Relations between Malta and Sicily were cordial,
2 Sicily had good harvests, and
3, The Hospitallers had the money to pay for the grain imports.
During the realm of the Hospitallers, Malta's population increased from around 20,000 in 1530 to about 100,000 in 1798 The harbour cities (Valletta, Birgu and Senglea) attracted most people because of the availability of work Still, new villages and suburbs were set up, and existing ones were enlarged.
The Hospitallers had a small fleet and army, which needed to be improved to defend the Maltese islands against modern armies and navies
Judge Giovanni Bonello wrote: “Malta was generally perceived to be a relatively affluent country gracious, well-organised, civilised, with little if any discontent or aggressive poverty in whatever stratum of the population”.
How did the Hospitallers pay for all these things?
Their primary source of income was their estates (commanderies) in Europe. These estates included mines, woodlands, agricultural land, etc,which the Hospitallers
This state of affairs needed to be more sustainable The Hospitallers were despotic rulers, so the Maltese did not participate in decision-making Their military purpose was no longer relevant as the Ottoman power declined France, the Hospitallers' principal political and economic benefactor, had commercial ties with the Ottomans and did not want the Hospitallers to attack the Ottomans' shipping In 1789, the revolution broke out in France and on 19th September 1792, the French Government confiscated the Hospitallers’ possessions and declared the Order extinct
The Kings of Spain and Portugal took similar actions With the loss of revenue, the island’s finances plunged into a grave and irredeemable deficit, so the Hospitallers’ rule in Malta was no longer sustainable
Grandmaster De Rohan (1775 – 1797) attempted to plug these revenue losses by negotiating military-economic agreements with Britain and Russia His diplomatic efforts failed
Meanwhile, in Malta, a pro-French party comprising French knights and enlightened Maltese like Gian Mikiel Vassalli (1764 – 1829) was laying the ground for the French occupation of Malta Malta was considered a critical step in the French military strategy to conquer Egypt and launch an attack on British India
In June 1798, a prominent French fleet carrying some 40,000 soldiers led by Napoleon Bonaparte appeared off Malta and demanded its surrender.
Under Grandmaster Von Hompesch, the Hospitallers were too weak and divided to reject this demand and capitulated without hardly fighting a shoot The Hospitallers' rule had ended, but their legacy still lives on
Waħda mill-eqdem u l-akbar imtieħen f ’Malta, il-Mitħna tar- Riħ tal-Għaqba finNaxxar se terġa’ tingħata lħajja u tibda taħdem bħal qabel grazzi għal restawr li qed isir fuq il-makkinarju tagħha mill-ħaddiema Xogħlijiet Pubbliċi u l-Ippjanar
Skont il-Ministru Stefan Zrinzo Azzopardi, meta tkun lesta l-mitħna se sservi wkoll bħala ċentru kulturali fil-komunità u ta’ attrazzjoni turistika.
Zrinzo tenna li fost ix-xogħol li qed isir hemm r-rikostruzzjoni u l-installazzjoni ta’ rdieden ġodda,, u sostna li l-proġett huwa turija ċara tal-impenn tal-Awtorità tal-Ippjanar li tkompli tippromwovi u taħdem favur il-konservazzjoni u l-preservazzjoni tal-wirt u lpatrimonju arkitet- toniku Malti
Is-Sur Oliver Magro, iċChairperson Eżekuttiv tal-Awtorità tal-Ippjanar faħħar il-viżjoni tal-kunsill lokali tanNaxxar biex il-mitħna ma tibqax fi stat ta’ abbandun
The so-called Marina Curtain that forms part of Valletta’s original enceinte designed by Francesco Laparelli in 1566, and which covers around 3000m2 of bastions, is currently being restored under the supervision of the Restoration Directorate
Minister for the National Heritage, the Arts and Local Government Owen Bonnici stated that such initiatives are serving as an opportunity to protect the national heritage that shapes Malta’s identity and its people
He said that these restoration works fulfil the cultural strategy in a way that the country’s heritage is more accessible He added that in this way a historical site in Valletta is being brought back that could also be admired by the general public and tourists.
Senior Architect Chanelle Busuttil from the Restoration Directorate explained that the restoration works currently being carried out consist of cleaning, repointing and repair of the stone fabric and the upper parapet wall
She added that the consolidation works can be categorised in three main interventions: the replacement of the missing stone cladding, the repair of the remaining existing stone cladding and the rock consolidation through rock bolting and shotcrete
R e s t o r a t i o n w o r k underway on 3000m2 of bastions in Valletta
J. Briffa from Brunswick Victoria writes:
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 be read in flipbook or PDF format online. A pdf copy is sent via email on request. Hard copy subscription is also available at a cost.
Editors: Malta: Joseph Cutajar
Australia: Lawrence Dimech: MOM, OAM, JP Rt email address: maltesevoice@gmail.com
Published by The Voice of the Maltese Group Pty Ltd
Letters for publication in The Voice magazine, either in Maltese or English should include name, e-mail address and residence of the writer, and be emailed to: maltesevoice@gmail.com.
Now you can also join us on facebook:
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We have heard so much about the ”I want to connect” Maltese Language, Culture and Identity. It was indeed a major initiative of the new kids at the Ministry for Foreign and European Affairs and Trade in collaborating with Aġenzija Żgħażagħ, the first Virtual youth Forum for Maltese Living Abroad. We believe it was a costly affair with no expenses spared I believe that The Voice of the Maltese also gave it free publicity One must commend such initiatives, especially since our communities abroad are
Herbert Cachia from St Julian’s Malta writes:
Once again, thank you for sending me The Voice of Malta I enjoy reading it, and it keeps me in touch with Australia as I have lived there for many years I found the latest issue (No 292) most interesting Prosit!
I must mention Ivan Cauchi and his Australia Day speech. It was excellent! I wish I was there to congratulate him in person I agree with everything he said Raġel bravu ħafna
J Camenzuli from Casino NSW writes:
Thank you for giving us the feature Prime Ministers of Australia I have lived here for 40 years, and it has been educational for me. I had never heard of some of them. We live in this country now, and those stories make us proud Keep telling us about what is happening around us Your articles are well researched Thank you for putting in that extra effort and treading us readers with respect
struggling to attract the younger generation What happened at this specialised forum? What new knowledge did we discover? What are the new strategies and outcomes? It has been six months since it was launched I am sure that a proper analysis has been made; therefore it would be nice if the communities abroad knew about them They wanted to connect Did they?
Paul C. Farrell from Perth writes:
The last issue of The Voice of the Maltese (No 292 – 7 February) was indeed excellent. Most of the features were most interesting, very well written (both the ones in Maltese and those in English) I could sense that they were very well researched I have managed to get one my grandchild to take an interest in the publication.
As he is in an age when he can understand what St Valentine’s Day is all about, I invited him to read the feature titled ‘The real story behind St Valentine's Day’ He read it and scanned the feature to show to his friends
Not only that, but he also went on to also read the other features and made me promise him to forward him a copy of The Voice every time it is published.
I think it is very important that we, the older generation have The Voice
Paul Zammit minn St Kilda, Victoria jikteb:
Naħseb li jien wieħed mill-ftit Maltin ta’ barra li ninteressa ruħi ħafna fil-politika Maltija u kull moment li jkolli nsegwi wkoll l-istazzjonijiet tat-televiżjoni Maltin, politiċi jew le, li jkunu streamed Insegwi wkoll il-portals tal-gazzetti diġitali online Minkejja li kif wieħed jistenna, l-istazzjonijiet tal-partiti jiġbdu lejn in-naħiet tagħhom, xi portals li jsejħu lilhom infushom indipedenti, xejn ma juru li huma hekk. Hawnhekk ninkludi wkoll il-portal tar-radju tal-knisja Maltija
Ġeneralment, għadd sew minn dawn issuppost indipendenti m’huma indipendenti xejn, għax ħlief għal xi mumenti li ma jistgħux jaħirbu minnhom, jippruvaw ibenġlu l-affarijiet li jistgħu jitfgħu dawl ikreh fuq ilPN, u jtappnu t-tajjeb tal-gvern Laburista. Jekk tassew iridu jiksbu l-fiduċja tal-qarrejja għandhom jgħidu dak li hu abjad abjad u l-iswed iswed, ikun ta’ min ikun
Ituk l-impressjoni li f ’Malta hemm biss stampa partiġġjana mhux indipendenti
Indeed very interesting
Partiġġjani iva imma indpendenti żgur li le
Kif tidħol fil-binja ewlenija tal-PBS fi Triq San Mark Gwardamanġa u tgħaddi għall-kuriduri għandek tilmaħ tliet ritratti kbar imwaħħlin mal-ħajt tat-tliet kolonni li fuqhom ġie mibni ix-xandir f ’Malta, Charles Arrigo, Effie Ciantar u Victor Aquilina, personaġġi daqstant miftakra u rrispettati
L-aħħar wieħed minn dawn x-xandara li ħalla din iddinja kien Victor Aqulina li miet ftit ilu fil-belt ta’ Melbourne fl-Awstralja fejn kien ilu jgħix snin twal Kelli l-opportunitá li nintervistah għat-tieni ktieb tiegħi “Telqu għal għonq it-triq”
Ftit kont tistenna lil xi ħadd bħal Victor li kien filquċċatta tal-karriera, popolari u rispettat f ’Malta, kien se jikkontepla jemigraw lejn l-Awstralja
Kien qalli li lejn it-tmiem tas-snin sebgħajnijiet u lbidu tat-tmeninijiet kien beda jtella’ u jniżżel, u jaħseb serjament dwar il-futur tat-tlett itfal tiegħu Forsi wkoll fil-qasam tax-xandir f ’Malta, Victor kien laħaq il-quċċata U ma kienx baqagħlu fejn javvanza iktar
Kellu kuntatt mill-qrib mal-SBS Radio f ’Sydney għax fi Gwardamanġa kien responsabbli biex iħejji xandir għall-Awstralja Kienu kkonvinċewh li jekk jiddeċiedi li jmur l-Awstralja jkollu ċans kbir li jsib impjieg magħhom
Minħabba li ried jinqala’ mix-xandir aċċetta offerta mingħand Simons-Farsons-Cisk li jkun uffiċjal għarrelazzjonijiet pubbliċi (PRO) iżda l-ġibda lejn l-Awstralja baqgħet tredden u finalment, flimkien ma’ martu Rosalie, u uliedhom, żewġ subien u tifla, f ’Ottubru
1982 emigraw lejn Melbourne fejn Rosalie diġá kellha lil ħuha
Il-bidla minn Malta fejn Victor kien kwazi superstar, magħruf ma’ kulħadd għal ħajja f ’subburg f ’Melbourne kienet trawma li kidditu. Barra minhekk wara serje ta’ intervisti, l-SBS Radio offrewlu mpjieg u wara ħafna skużi u apoloġiji rtiraw l-offerta
Quddiem dan l-inkwiet kollu, wara biss sena, Victor Aquilina ddecieda li jmur lura Malta iżda martu Rosalie ma marritx lura miegħu għax ikkonkludiet li qatt ma jistgħu ikunu bħal ma kienu qabel f ’Malta Hi
sabet impjieg tajjeb mat-TAA u t-tfal bdew imorru l-iskola
Sena wara, Rosalie niżlet lura lejn Malta determinata li tikkonvinċi lil Victor jitla’ lura lejn Melbourne Irnexxiela, u lura f ’Melbourne Victor daħal jaħdem bhala skrivan mal-Gvern sakemm wara sentejn lSBS, laħħquh ko-ordinatur tal-programmi bil-Malti.
Taħt id-direzzjoni ta’ Victor, għal tliet snin, il-programmi Maltin fuq l-SBS Radio għamlu ħafna avvanzi u rebħu l-Australia Day Media Award,
Victor Aquilina twieled f ’Aldershot l-Ingilterra f ’April 1930 fejn missieru Joseph u ommu Pawlina (xebba Scortino) kienu ngaġġati mar-riġment Ingliz (RAMC). Ilfamilja spiċċat Gibilta fejn qattgħu tliet snin qabel ma missieru, wara 25 sena rtira mis-servizz Kienu sitt aħwa, erba’ subien u żewġt ibniet
Victor kien daħal jaħdem skrivan ma’ Wembley Stores u beda jirreċta malkumpanija Star of the Sea fejn iltaqa’ malmikbi Effie Ciantar u talbu jsiblu xogħol mar-Rediffusion għax Ciantar kien il-kap tal-programmi.
Fl-1950 Victor kien mar quddiem Charles Arrigo li għamillu prova Wara ġimagħtejn ir-Rediffusion bagħtu għalih biex jibda jitħarreġ bħala xandar Nieda ħafna programmi u bla ma jaf sar l-ewwel diskjockey f ’Malta Minn xandar sar producer u assistent kap tal-programmi
Għal xi żmien laħaq ukoll kap tal-mezzi kollha tax-Xandir u kien jaqra wkoll laħbarijiet fuq it-TV
F’Mejju 1966, Victor iżżewweġ li Rosalie (xebba Pace Ubaldini) Kellhom liet ulied li għamluhom ukoll nanniet
Wara karriera brillanti fix-xandir li qasmet l-ibħra ta’ żewġ gżejjer, fl-1995 fl-etá ta’ 65 sena, Victor irtira mix-xandir Kif kien xieraq, fl-istess sena l-Gvern Malti onorah fix-xirka Ġieh ir-Repubblika, biex sar lewwel persuna fl-Awstralja li rceviet dan lunur
Ħalliena ikona ieħor tal-komunitá Maltija fl-Awstralja Ħabib u kollega Għomor twil lill-familja tiegħu RIP
*Kitba ta’ LawrenceDIMECH
Clive Palmer's United Australia Party (UAP) spent more than $120 million to secure just one seat in parliament, despite a surge in support for minor parties and independents at the 2022 Australian federal election.
A company owned by Australia's third-richest person, Anthony Pratt, donated $1 5 million to the Labor Party within 24 hours of its election victory
The Australia Electoral Commission has released its annual disclosures for 2021-22, also showing Climate 200 spent $13 million to help drive a number of teal independents over the line in Liberal-held seats.
The disclosure log is an annual snapshot of how money pours into politics but excludes any donation under $14,500
Splintering support for the major parties at the May poll swept the largest crossbench in Australian history into parliament, but the biggest spender of all could not ride the wave
Relying on more than $117
million pumped in directly from Mr Palmer's company, including individual donations of $50 million and $30 million, the UAP spent more in a single year than any political party in Australian history.
Its $123.5 million splurge outstripped both of Australia's major parties - the Labor Party spent $113 6 million and the Liberal Party $100 5 millionand dwarfed that of minor parties, which performed significantly more strongly.
But despite claiming to be a viable alternative government and running candidates in each electorate, the UAP secured no seats in the lower house and just one in upper house, finishing sixth in the Victorian Senate race with 4 per cent of the primary vote
The party was voluntarily deregistered in September, though its sole parliamentary member, Senator Ralph Babet, insists it will be revived before the next election.
By contrast, the Greens produced their strongest resultfour lower house seats and 12
Senate spots - after spending $27 million, each seat costing the party roughly $1 7 million
Pauline Hanson's One Nation also won two upper house seats cost a similar amount, the party reporting $3 4 million in total payments over the year.
Climate 200, which backed a number of successful teal independents who toppled incumbent Liberal MPs, spent just under $13 million ahead of the campaign
The organisation, run by Simon Holmes a Court, was a major player in races traditionally blue-ribbon seats, which saw then-treasurer Josh Frydenberg headline a group of Liberal moderates booted from parliament
Independent senator for the ACT David Pocock was a major beneficiary, with more than $850,000 in donations sourced from Climate 200 The former Wallabies captain, who spent nearly $1.8 million to oust long-term Liberal incumbent Zed Seselja, now wields a significant vote over legislation in the Senate Pratt Holdings, owned by Australia's third-richest person Anthony Pratt, donated $1 5 million to the Labor Party the day after the election
The donation, its largest over the year, meant the company's overall spending was split equally between the major parties in 2021-22. That's a significant turnaround from the prior
year when it donated $1.3 million to the Coalition and just $10,000 to Labor
Tobacco manufacturer Philip Morris, which launched multiple lawsuits against the former Labor government's plain packaging laws, donated a total of $110,000, split evenly between the Nationals and the Liberal Democratic Party
FinnMcHUGH (Source: SBS News)Climate 200 is an Australian company that provides political funding It describes itself as a “community crowdfunding initiative” that supports community-backed independents to stand for election to advance climate policy, reduce greenhouse gas emissions by the country and limit climate change in Australia
According to its convener, the backed candidates “have a shared philosophy on climate change, integrity and gender equity ”
The candidates are colloquially grouped by the media as the teal independents, reflecting the campaign colour chosen by some (but not all) of its candidates The colour teal has been explained as indicating their policies are “a shade between blue Liberal and green ”
Ara tassew kif jingħad fil-qawl Malti, li wara l-maltemp jiġi l-bnazzi, għaliex wara ġimgħa ta’ maltempati bix-xita u rriħ u kesħa x-xoqq il-għadam, għall-jiem tal-Karnival ta’ Malta sa minn nhar il-Ġimgħa 17 ta’ Frar feġġ aktar minn xaqq dawl
Il-bnazzi, li kellu jżomm żgur sat-Tlieta, l-aħħar jum tal-Karnival, ippremja, l-ewwelnett lil dawk li kien ilhom ix-xhur – fosthom uħud li ħadmu wkoll fis-sentejn tal-pandemija li żammet milli tiġi ċċelebrata din il-festa – fuq il-karrijiet, u anke lil dawk f ’Malta u Għawdex dilettanti ta’ dan il-fenomenu tradizzjonali
Il-Karnival ta' Malta organizzat minn Festivals Malta, hu wieħed mill-eqdem festivals fil-Gżejjer Maltin li saħansitra jmur lura għal 500 sena ilu
Din is-sena fl-attivitajiet tal-Karnival, mifruxa fuq ħamest ijiem ikkompetew disa' kategoriji differenti li jikkonsistu f'karrijiet, żfin kompetittiv, stallazzjonijiet, u maskaruni
Mhemmx dubju li l-Karnival tal-2023 hu fost l-aqwa, jekk mhux l-aqwa li qatt sar s’issa
Kien għalhekk tassew xieraq li l-pubbliku ħa gost u apprezza dak kollu li ġie organizzat tul ħamest ijiem mimlijin attivitá, sa minn filgħodu, għax din id-darba l-kumitat ħaseb biex kuntrarjament għas-soltu, jimla wkoll in-nofstanhari ta’ filgħodu biex min ried, fosthom it-turisti, tassew igawdi l-jiem tal-Karnival.
Xi jiem qabel beda l-Karnival, waqt żjara li għamel fil-postijiet fejn l-artisti kienu qed iħejju għall-ispettaklu, il-Prim Ministru Robert Abel faħħar din il-ħidma tagħhom u sostna li permezz ta' dan it-talent qed jirnexxielhom iżommu ħaj it-tradizzjoni tal-Karnival, ħalli jkompli jitgawda mill-pubbliku kif ukoll mit-turisti
Huwa tenna li l-Gvern hu kommess li jkompli jinvesti fil-qasam tal-kultura kif diġá għamel, ħalli jkun hemm Karnival aktar sostenibbli u sigur, għall-parteċipanti u wkoll għall-udjenzi
M a l t a a n d U K
s i g n b i l a t e r a l
c o o p e r a t i o n a g r e e m e n t
Following a meeting with Malta’s Minister for Foreign and European Affairs and Trade, Ian Borg and the UK’s Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, Commonwealth, and Development of the United Kingdom, James Cleverly who was on an official visit to Malta, the two sides signed an agreement of bilateral cooperation on behalf of the two countries.
Afterwards, at a news conference, Minister Borg explained that the agreement is the result of work carried out over the last months and years by several diplomats Thanks to it, both peoples can enjoy stronger bilateral relations in a number of strategic sectors
Minister for Foreign and European Affairs and Trade Ian Borg presided over the Maltese Presidency’s main event at the United Nations Security Council during the debate dealing with the implications and effects on the security and peace of small islands such as Malta due to the increase that the world is experiencing in terms of sea level rise
During his speech on a subject that Malta chose to bring to the Security Council’s attention, Minister Ian Borg said that even though the Security Council was created due to several conflicts that existed and the need for peace to reign, science has shown that the world is facing new global challenges that cannot be disregarded, among them climate change, which is today’s reality, faced by everyone, in particular by small island states and coastal regions
He said that Malta was the first country in the world to bring this challenge to the UN years ago, and today it
has maintained the same commitment to see that this matter becomes an essential part of an international discussion.
Minister Borg claimed that due Minister Borg contended that the debate was significant due to the recognition of the implications and effects on the security and peace of islands such as Malta caused by the global increase in seawater
He said that in a few years, there is a strong possibility that several countries will end up under- water, severely threatening the peace and security of the respective peoples
He pointed out that as Malta pioneered to push forward the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) several years ago, it must now continue to be a strong voice for the countries and their peoples confronted
with this global threat
Minister Ian Borg claimed that the debate under review was a unique opportunity for countries to collectively listen to each other ’s best practices on how to fight this threat.
Among those present for the debate were the Secretary General of the United Nations, António Guterres, and the President of the General Assembly, Csaba Korosi
He said that the historic agreement, which is testimony to the strong relations existing between the two countries that will continue to be strengthened, focuses on foreign policy, security, defence, public administration, rule of law, trade, investment, research and innovation, energy, climate change, sustainability, education, health, and culture.
It was outlined how cooperation, even on a multilateral level, would continue to increase the commitment of both countries to contribute towards international peace and security
James Cleverly meanwhile, claimed that the United Kingdom aims to continue to strengthen the relationship with Malta. He said that the current agreement is just the beginning of more work between the two countries. He looks forward to even working with Malta on issues such as peace and security, even due to the fact that our country has always been an agent of peace.
As of 20 February, those who, from January 2022, bought their first property can apply for a grant of €1,000 per year for ten years, for a total of €10,000, from the Government
Announcing the scheme in the Labour Party’s electoral manifesto last year, Prime Minister Robert Abela said it aims to help those buying their first home, especially young people In its first year, 3,000 first-time buyers will benefit from this scheme Between them, they will be receiving €3 million
Dr Abela said that this scheme complements others that have been launched over the last few years, including the reduction of the stamp duty for first-time buyers and the system to buy property in urban conservation zones, which gives first-time buyers €15,000 and an exemption on VAT for works on the property for up to €50,000
Through this scheme, the Government will give direct financial aid to more young people who own their homes rather than stay caught up.
The gaming industry in Malta is flourishing, and according to a recent report by the Malta Gaming Authority, the sector has witnessed an increase in gaming companies operating in the Maltese islands, with a growth of nearly 8%.
Silvio Schembri, the Minister for the Economy, European Funds and Lands responsible for the sector, referred to these reports when he paid a visit to various leading gaming industry players operating in and from Malta during the wellrenowned and annual international gaming expo ICE London
The Minister said that it was vital that, as a government, it keeps strengthening its efforts to ensure that Malta remains an at-
The Parliamentary Secretary responsible for research and innovation, Keith Azzopardi Tanti participated in the World Government Summit in Dubai and took part in a panel discussion on how countries are looking at research and innovation, and explained the Maltese government’s work being carried out in these sectors.
Tanti explained that although Malta is a very small island and thus has limited resources, research and innovation are important for the country’s economic growth He said it started by identifying sectors in which the emphasis was more on research and innovation
The Parliamentary Secretary said that Malta is open to more dialogue with other countries that would lead to joint agreements for further collaboration
tractive jurisdiction, which, in turn, maintains a robust ecosystem and helps boost our economy
He pointed out that in the MGA, Malta has a reputable regulator and that Malta can boast of having a solid regulatory regime with the necessary safeguards in place for both operators and consumers.
The industry currently employs over 11,000 workers, and talent in this sector is constantly on the rise
He said, "We are also working to see that investment in other sectors that have emerged due to the gaming industry, like esports and video game development, continues."
Minister Schembri said that the participation of Maltese gaming companies in expos such as the one he was visiting was necessary as it reinforces Malta's home of gaming excellence credentials in the global gaming industry
Statistic provided by Jobsplus shows that in September last year, the workforce in Malta continued to register an increase in full-time and part-time employment
Over one year, full-time work reached 257,479, which is attributed to an increase of 15,447 (or 6 4 per cent) full-time employees and a reduction of 397 people registering for work
National Statistics Office (NSO) figures indicate that compared to September the previous year, the accommodation, catering and administrative sectors all contributed to the increased in jobs
Workers in the private sector increased by 15,606 to 205,279, and for the first time in several months, public sector employees were down by 159 to 51,245 There was an increase of 578 persons in the number of self-employed
Full-time employees upped by 6.4%
Gaming sector with a growth of 8%
Meta wieħed jaqra dak li jidher fl-istampa u jisma’ u jara l-aħbarijiet x’aktarx jieħu l-impressjoni li aktar ma jgħaddi ż-żmien aktar qed tiżdied ilkriminalità’ f ’Malta
Għadd ta’ kummentaturi, filwaqt li jsemmu xi inċidenti, uħud anke fatali, jsostnu li Malta ma baqgħetx post sigur Uħud jitfgħu parti mit-tort għal dan għall-fatt li l-popolazzjoni tal-pajjiż żdiedet bilkbir minħabba l- barranin li ġew jaħdmu f ’Malta.
Imma r-rapport annwali dwar il-kriminalità f ’Malta għall2022 li sar mill-kriminologu lProfessur Saviour Formosa juri xorta‘oħra.
Jgħid li r-rata tar-reati kriminali rrappurtati f ’pajjiżna naqset, tant li mqabbel mas-sena ta’ qabel, fl-2022 niżlet b’5 4%, jiġifieri tnaqqis ta’ 852 reat, li hu l-inqas rata ta’ reati kriminali f ’iżjed minn 15-il sena
Fl-ispjega tiegħu, il-Professur Formosa qal li din iċ-ċifra
tagħmel lil pajjiżna wieħed sigur anke fid-dawl tal-popolazzjoni kbira li jħaddan
Żied jinnota li filwaqt li lpopolazzjoni f ’Malta tul dawn is-snin żdiedet, minflok żdiedu, ir-reati fil-fatt naqsu Tenna wkoll li wieħed irid iżomm f ’moħħu li, għall-kuntrarju tarrapport tal-2022, fir-rapporti ta’ qabel ma kinux jitniżżlu reati bħal dawk ta’ ħasil ta’ flus, b’rabta mal-immigrazzjoni, u anke b’rabta mad-droga
Skont ir-rapport kien hemm tnaqqis fir-reati fejn jidħol isserq (li tnaqqas bin-nofs) Kien hemm ukoll tnaqqis firreati ta’ vjolenza bi ħsara fiżika, filwaqt li r-reati ta’ omiċidju baqgħu bejn wieħed u ieħor l-istess
Sadanitant, fil-Faċilità Korrettiva ta’ Kordin hemm b’kollox 589 priġunier L-ammont ta’ priġunieri barranin fl-aħħar sitt snin, kien hekk: 2017 –264; 2018 ¬– 283; fl-2019 –531; 2020
673; fl-2021 u 259; 2022 – 475
Għadna kif ħriġna millkuntest biex jintgħażel il-kantant/kantanta jew grupp biex jirrappreżenta lil Malta fil-Eurovision, fejn minkejja li ilna snin twal nieħdu sehem fih, u għalkemm ġieli konna qrib ħafna, imma qatt ma rnexxielna nirbħu.
Isvezja fejn id-diski tiegħu imorru tajjeb ħafna
Imma dan l-aħħar għamel suċċess doppju, għax mhux biss il-kanzunetta tiegħu telgħet filquċċata tal-klassifika f ’dak ilpajjiż, imma għax fejn is-soltu jkanta b’ilsien barrani, din iddarba kanta bil-Malti.
La semmejt irreati kriminali, tajjeb li wkoll nikteb xi ħaġa wkoll dwar in-nies li l-aktar ikunu involuti biex jaraw li kemm jista’ jkun, ir-reati fil-pajjiż ma jsirux, jiġifieri l-pulizija
Għal darb’oħra, jekk wieħed joqgħod fuq dak li jinkiteb f ’ċertu sezzjoni tal-istampa, ma tantx jieħu mpressjoni tajba tal-korp tal-pulizija Imma jidher li dak li jinkiteb dwar dawn xejn ma jirrifletti dak li jaħseb il-poplu
Qed ngħid hekk minħabba li skont stħarriġ li għamel l-Uffiċju Nazzjonali tal-Istatistika (NSO) fl-2022, il-maġġoranza assoluta tal-popolazzjoni Maltija, jiġifieri 90 fil-mija għandha fiduċja fil-Korp talPulizija
*Ikompli f ’paġna 15
Filwaqt li nawguraw lil The Busker (ara paġna 2) li se jirrappreżenta lil Malta u nittamaw li tal-inqas immorru tajjeb f ’dan il-festival, li fl-aħħar snin ma tantx kien hekk, nifirħu bissuċċess ta’ kantant Malti, Kevin Borg, li sab il-futur tiegħu fl-
Fil-fatt il-kanzunetta “Tlaqt Ħabib” ftit wara li nħarġet ikklassifikat fl-ewwel post fuq lItune Charts fl-Isvezja biex saret l-ewwel diska bil-Malti fl-istorja tad-diskografija Maltija li telgħet fil-quċċata tal-klassifika f ’xi pajjiż barra minn Malta.
Ħafna drabi meta nsemmu banda, ilħsieb tagħna jmur għal dawk il-baned li minn żemżem kellna fl-ibliet u l-irħula Maltin u li jkunu fl-aqwa tagħhom fil-festi tal-lokal
Iżda llum qed nikteb dwar kwalità’ ta’ banda oħra, bħal dawk li fl-okkażjoni ta’ xi karnival kienu żaru Malta li ħafna drabi nirreferu għalihom bħala big bands Dawn baned li ma’ jiffukawx fuq il-marċi li l-aktar jindaqqu lokali, imma kwalità’ oħra ta’ mużika
Fost dawn, il-banda li ġġib l-isem Big Friends Guggen Musik Malta A.D.2008 taħt id-direzzjoni tas-surmast lan Sammut u li hija magħmula minn 44 mużiċist Sa mit-twaqqif tagħha fl-2008 din ilbanda immirat li timraħ barra minn pajjiżna u fil-fatt irnexxielha tati dawk li huma magħrufa bħala music shows f ’parati kbar fl-Emirati Għarab Magħquda, il-Greċja, l-Italja u t-Tuniżeja. Din ilġimgħa l-banda se tkun il-Ġermanja
Bejn it-23 u s-27 ta’ Frar l-44 mużiċist se jagħmlu music show parade fi tlettt ibliet Ġermanizi differenti, f ’Essen, Münster u Köln.
Ta’ nota I-fatt li dan huwa l-akbar u laktar festival mużikali ta’ suċċess għallbaned li jsir ġewwa fil-Ġermanja u anke fl-Unjoni Ewropea, li għaliħ, kull sena jattendu mijiet ta’ eluf ta’ viżitaturi
Waqt dan il-festival prestiġjużi il-Big Friends Band se tipparteċipa flimkien ma’ baned oħra minn madwar id-dinja fosthom mill-Ġermanja stess, l-Istati Uniti, Franza, il-Belġju, l-Olanda, il-Messiku, u xi oħrajn
Jidher li l-aħħar stħarriġ tal-Malta today dwar is-sitwazzjoni politika kompliet tħalli l-effett tagħha fuq ilPartit Nazzjonalista.
Skont dan l-istħarriġ, li kellha ssir elezzjoni bħalissa, il-Partit Laburista jista’ jkollu maġġoranza li turi li l-PL qed igawdi vantaġġ ta’ 56,000 vot fuq il-PN Intant l-għadd ta’ dawk li qalu li mhux se jivvutaw tant kiber, li l-għadd jaqbeż innumru ta’ dawk li qalu li se jivvutaw lilPartit Nazzjonalista
L-istħarriġ juri wkoll li l-Mexxej tal-Partit Laburista, il-Prim Ministru Robert Abela jgawdi l-appoġġ ta’ 45 fil-mija ta’ dawk li ħadu sehem fl-istħarriġ, filwaqt li fejn għandu x’jaqsam il-Kap Nazzjonalista Bernard Grech l-għadd ta’ dawk li għandhom fiduċja fih huwa inqas minn 20 fil-mija tal-elettorat
Dan ifisser distakk ta’ aktar minn 25% bejn iż-żewġ mexxejja
Bla dubju dan id-distakk, f ’dan l-istħarriġ fetaħ il-bibien beraħ għal dak li kien qed jingħad qabel, jiġifieri l-possibbiltà’ li jista’ jerġá jkun hemm bidla fit-tmexxija tal-Partit Nazzjonalista
Din il-possibbiltà bdiet tidher li tista’ tkun aktar probabbli, meta ma baqgħux biss dawk is-sezzjonijiet tal-midja li huma meqjusa li jappoġġjaw direttament jew indirettament lill-Partit Laburista li kienu qed jgħidu dan, imma saħansitra anke The Times li ħarġet tgħid: “Bernard Grech mulls his future as Roberta Metsola keeps PN waiting ”
Fir-rapport intqal li Grech kien qed jaħsibha jekk jitlaqx minn mexxej tal-Partit Nazzjonalista, għalkemm dan x’aktarx li jiddependi fuq jekk Roberta Metsola meta jispiċċa ż-żmien tagħha bħala President tal-Parlament Ewropew, taċċettax li tieħu postu bħala kap tal-PN
Skont The Times “Grech acknowledges
his work has failed to make inroads into Labour ’ s powerful majority, and has no intention of putting up a fight [to] remain at the top- party source
L-istess sorsi
qalu li “Grech (fuq) jirrikonoxxi li falla filħidma tiegħu biex inaqqas il-maġġoranza tal-Partit Laburista u indika li m'għandux intenzjoni li jiġġieled biex jibqa' fittmexxija. Minkejja dan, jekk jagħżel li jirriżenja mill-pożizzjoni tiegħu, jixtieq li din id-deċiżjoni ssir b'mod tajjeb mingħajr ma tikkawża ħsara lill-partit.”
Mistoqsi dwar dan, il-Kap tal-Oppożizzjoni u tal-Partit Nazzjonalista Bernard Grech ma jweġibx jekk hux se jżomm postu bħala Kap tal-Partit sal-elezzjonijiet tal-Parlament Ewropew, fl-2024. Huwa insista li kull deċiżjoni li tittieħed se tkun dejjem ibbażata skont l-aħjar interess tal-partit innifsu.
Sadanittant, skont l-istess gazzetta, minbarra Roberta Metsola hemm tliet kandidati oħra li qed jissemmew li jistgħu jidħlu fit-tellieqa għat-tmexxia tal-PN
Dawn huma: Alex Borg, Mark Anthony Sammut and Darren Carabott, li t-tlieta li huma ġew eletti fil-Parlament għall-ewwel darba f ’din il-leġislatura.
Jekk se ssir bidla, din se tkun deċiżjoni iebsa dwar meta din għandha ssir, għax issa ninsabu qrib l-elezzjoni għall-Parlament Ewropew Imma jekk ma ssirx issa żgur li trid issir immedjatament wara dik l-elezzjoni, għax imbagħad ikun baqa’ biss tliet snin għall-elezzjoni ġenerali u bidla fit-tmexxija qrib elezzjoni ma tantx tgħin biex partit jirbaħ elezzjoni
F i d u ċ j a f i l - P u l i z i j a
*Ikompli minn paġna 14
Fil-fatt, minn minn dawn id-90 fil-mija, l-istħarriġ tal-NSO wera li kważi 45 filmija tal-popolazzjoni Maltija għandha livell għoli, jew għoli ħafna ta’ fiduċja fil-Pulizija, filwaqt li ftit aktar minn 45% għandhom livell moderat ta’ fiduċja
Fl-istess stħarrig l-NSO staqsa lil aktar minn 1500 li ħadu sehem fih dwar x’kienu jaqħsbu dwar il-Korp tal-Pulizija
Hawnhekk ukoll il-maġġorana, jiġifieri aktar minn 55 fil-mija kellhom opinjoni pożittiva jew pożittiva ħafna, filwaqt li kienu biss 35.8 li wrew li ma kellhomx opinjoni newtrali
Ta’ min jgħid li l-pulizija żdied jiġu fornuti b’aktar tagħmir professjonali.
“Let
Ħalli l-familja tagħna tgħin lillfamilja tiegħek
Two Liberal state premiers have broken ranks with their federal colleagues, joining the other state and territory leaders to declare their support for a Voice to Parliament.
The federal government has committed to putting the Voice to Parliament to a referendum at the end of the year, the first time Australians will vote on whether to change their constitution since 1999.
In a statement of intent signed that evening, the eight states and territories committed to "working collaboratively" to ensure the referendum on the Voice is successful
“We recognise this significant opportunity to recognise Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders as the First Peoples of Australia in our Constitution,” the statement said
“We also acknowledge the enduring strength of First Nations leadership and knowledge through the establishment of a Voice to the Australian Parliament on matters affecting Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people and communities ”
The federal National Party has already declared its intention to campaign against the proposal, while their senior coalition partner has so far refused to commit to a position
Several Australians in need of assistance have expressed their distress about Centrelink's automated phone messaging system that is not taking their calls
Other times, they will be directed to an operator If the queue is clogged, an apology is issued again, and the phone automatically hangs up.
If a person calls again from the same phone number, Centrelink's intelligence system will identify them as a repeatcaller, acknowledge their attempts at contacting again and hang up once more
In a Senate hearing in 2017, it was re-
On the 15th anniversary of then-prime minister Kevin Rudd's historic apology to the Stolen Generations, the government released its Closing the Gap Implementation Plan, with $424 million in new money to address indigenous disadvantage across areas such as housing, food, education and water infrastructure
The national apology in 2008 was an acknowledgement of how successive governments had failed Indigenous Australians and a commitment to do better.
However, with the 2022 Closing the Gap Report showing limited progress on key targets for improving life outcomes for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, Indigenous Australians Minister Linda Burney conceded that promise had not been honoured
vealed that 28 million people got a busy signal when trying to Centrelink between January and July of that year.
In 2020, Centrelink ended the practice of presenting busy signals in favour of a recorded message When asked by SBS News, Services Australia did not say how long average wait times were to get through to Centrelink
“Wait times vary on a daily, weekly and monthly basis as we manage day-to-day business and respond to seasonal peaks and unexpected demand influxes, including emergency events,” a spokesperson said in a statement
Centrelink received 73 million phone calls during the 2021-22 financial year, up 16 million from the previous year
“We encourage anyone who needs to speak with us to try again –people are getting through, and our staff are working hard to answer all calls ”
The spokesperson said Centrelink experiences seasonal peaks during this period as more parents return to work and need assistance for childcare
“We’re working to improve the experience of those who call us, for example using data to analyse why people are calling and then addressing those pain points ”
All adults in Australia who have not had a COVID-19 booster or contracted the virus in the past six months will now be eligible for an additional vaccine dose from 20 February. For some people, this will be a fourth dose, while for others it will be a fifth
Health Minister Mark Butler said booster uptake was more than 70 per cent among people aged between 65 and 80, but uptake in the 50 to 64 cohort was "substantially lower"
Experts say many of the vaccinations that were rolled out in the earlier stages of the pandemic were created based on virus strains such as Delta or Omicron. Getting vaccinated for COVID-19 is optional in Australia, but those who opted to remain unvaccinated previously faced limitations in where they could travel, attend events, and even work
These restrictions have largely ended, and in the future, Associate Professor Griffin said COVID-19 vaccines might become an optional annual immunisation similar to influenza vaccines.
“These vaccines work tremendously well, and an additional booster dose really does increase that protection very effectively, but it's not going to provide lifelong protection”.
c l o s e t h e g a pSome of the State Premiers with Prime Minister Anthony Albanese (centre)
Non-profit pharmaceutical company MS Health –the private sponsor behind medical abortion in Australia – submitted applications to the Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) in December that proposed expanding the number of health practitioners eligible to prescribe the medication and removing the requirements for recertification and pharmacist registration
Medical abortions in Australia are caused by a twotablet course of misoprostol and mifepristone known as the MS-2 step In Australia, only doctors can prescribe medical abortion medication The law also requires doctors to undergo special training and registration
MS Health says change is needed because stigma and bureaucratic regulation have made medical terminations hard to come by in Australia Others stress the need for continued strict regulation to keep the practice safe and ensure the medication is not available over the counter
In 2021, only 23 per cent of abortions in Australia were medical, compared to 73 per cent in Britain and 39 per cent in the US According to the Australian Journal of General Practice, there were only 1345 certified prescribers out of about 35,000 practising GPs in 2019
The Victorian Andrews Government made an election promise to workshop a replacement for the Lord's Prayer at the start of this term.
The commitment was brokered after crossbencher Fiona Patten pitched a motion in 2021 to replace the prayer in the upper house with a moment of silent reflection, a move backed by some religious figures
Ms Patten, an atheist, lost her upper house seat but has initiated a petition to encourage people to write to Premier Daniel Andrews and Attorney-General Jaclyn Symes to honour their promise
More than 20 local councillors recently sent a letter to the Victorian Equal Opportunity and Human Rights Commission, Mr Andrews and other ministers calling for rules to prevent councils starting meetings with single-faith prayers
The Australian Passport Office has started rolling out its new R series passport, which features images of some of the country's most popular landscapes and native species, and incorporates work by Indigenous artists The new passports also feature advanced security features designed to prevent counterfeiting and identity theft The front and back cover pages represent the coasts, while the visa pages are designed to take the owner on a visual journey across Australia through images of 17 Australian landscapes
passport sinc early 2023 wil receive the R series
Both houses of Victoria's Parliament have opened each sitting day with the Lord's Prayer since 1918 but it has been recited alongside an Acknowledgement of Country in recent years
The landscapes double as a security detail, with the sky in each image turning into a nightscape under ultraviolet light and featuring a hidden species of native fauna
In a first for Australian passports, the photo page is made from "tough, high security, layered plastic," according to the Australian Passport Office.
The plastic, also known as polycarbonate, is laser-engraved rather than printed with ink, and photos will appear in black and white rather than colour
On the security features page, a wattle design also changes colour at different angles, while in ultraviolet light, blue elements on the photo page turn red, and a red and white wattle appears on the inside front cover
The Australian passport is regularly upgraded to protect passport holders' identity and personal information, and the R series has been planned since 2015
If you have a P series or N series passport, you can continue to use it until it expires Anybody who has applied for a new
The fees and process of applying for a passport is expected to remain the same, and the Australian port Office say not expected to cause delays in passport processing
The ACT lower house replaced the Christian prayer with an invitation to pray or reflect in 1995. The 2021 Census highlighted Australia is becoming more religiously diverse, with 10 per cent of Australians following a faith other than Christianity – up from 8.2 per cent in 2016.
Almost as many Australians have no religious affiliation (38.9 per cent) as those who identify as Christian (43 9 per cent), and the proportion of Victorians with no religious affiliation (39 3 per cent) is higher than the national average. Mr Andrews said a parliamentary committee would likely be the avenue through which a replacement model is considered
Għalkemm maż-żmien ħafna kliem Malti twarrab u ntnesa, biex minfloku daħal xi kliem barrani, madankollu għad hemm xi fdalijiet, fosthom uħud fil-kunjomijiet, fillaqmijiet, u fl-ismijiet ta’ mkennijiet
Skond Saydon, fost il-kliem ta’ dari li baqa’ ħaj biss f ’xi kunjomijiet, jew qwiel, insibu, Għaġuż, li tfisser wieħed imdaħħal fiż-żmien u li saħtu bdiet tmajna
Għal wieħed li għalkemm xiħ imma jrid dejjem jitgħallem, jingħad: ilgħaġuża ma tridx tmut
Fil-ħrejjef antiki f ’nofs ir-Randan dari kienu joqtlu l-għaġuża, jiġifieri l-ixjeħ
mara Għadha wkoll ħajja fil-kunjom Agius, iżda mill-bqija ntilfet għal kollox.
Kelma oħra ta’ min isemmi hija Xerraħ, li tfisser qattagħ il-laħam bċejjeċ. Flgħarbi tifsser qattagh il-ġisem mejjet għat-tagħlim (anatomija awtopsja)
Is-sajjieda jxerrħu l-lixka, jiġifieri jqattgħuha bċejjeċ qabel ma jwaħħluha fissunnara. Minn dan il-verb ġejja l-kelma xriħa, li tfisser taqtigħa, li baqgħet biss fil-kunjom Xriħa
Samat; tfisser li ħaraq bl-ilma jagħli u tfisser ukoll kien sieket Din it-tifsira hija msemmij minn B Roudanovsky filktieb Quelques particularités du dialecte Arabe de Malte tal-1911 fejn fil-faċċata
37 isemmi dal-qawl Malti: ibża’ millkelb is-samut, li f ’għamla oħra ngħiduh: il-kelb il-ħiemed ibża’ minnu (M A Vassalli, Molti aforismi e preoverbji Mal-
tesi, Malta, 1828, n 401)
Għalhekk x’aktarx li fil-Malti kellna ttifsira wkoll li tlifniha Min dan il-verb ġejjin il-kunjomijiet Sammut u Zammit li t-tnejn ifissru sieket bħalma jfissru flGħarbi samut u simmit, li huma żewġ għamliet minn verb wieħed.
Farruġ, Farrugia jfissru fellus, fellusa Dawn huma żewġ kelmkiet li fil-Malti baqgħu biss f ’isem ta’ raħal qadim bejn Ħal-Qormi u l-Imqabba, Ħal-Farruġ u fil-kunjom Farrugia, li biex ngħidu kollox u bir-reqqa għandu jinkiteb Farruġa
Darb’oħra nittrattaw aktar kurżitajiet bħal dawn dwar Kliem Malti li ntilef, uħud minn għal kollox, jew ġie minsi
Hawn taħt qed nirriproduċu xi kliem jew esprssjonijiet ftit li xejn strambi u li wħud minnhom jinsabu fil-Facebook ta’ kelmab’kelma.
Bewwel tas-sena
Dari fl-ewwel tas-sena kienet issir kompetizzjoni magħrufa bħala ‘l-Bewwel tas-Sena’ fejn kien jirbaħ min jitfa’ l-awrina laktar fil-għoli
Ħafna storiċi jemmnju li dan kien in-nisel tat-tradizzjoni talftugħ tax-xampanja
Ħexjetta
Skont taħdidiet ġodda, din it-taħlita tal-kliem ħexx u tikketta hija t-traduzzjoni ġdida bil-Malti għall-kelma “Hashtag”
Għalfejn ir-rota tissejjaħ rota meta fil-fatt għandha żewġ roti?
Jingħad li sal-1652, l-aktar mezz tat-trasport popolari f ’Malta kien l-hekk magħruf bħala l-uniċiklu Imma l-Granmastru Giovanni Paolo Lascaris kien ipprojbixxa l-użu tiegħu biex min-
flok ġew introdotti l-biċikli
Imma minkejja dan kollu, vettura b’żewġ roti xorta waħda baqgħet tissejjaħ rota!
Xbajt
Din il-kelma hija taqsira ta’ frażi itwal li kienu jużaw l-istudenti fl-antik
Is-sentenza sħiħa kienet tgħid: “Xbajd irid ikollok biex tistudja dan kollu ”
Il-kelma Istrina. Taf li din hija mnissla minn “Esterina’?
Dari, nhar il-festa ta’ San Stiefnu, l-għada tal-Milied, kienet tiġi ċċelebrata verżjoni iżgħar tal-Għid il-Kbir.
Huwa għalhekk li minn ħafna titqies bħala Festa kbira ta’ Ġenerożitá
Patrijott
Imnissla min “patri jgħodd”
Fl-Assedju l-kbir, il-Kavallieri kollha kienu jieħdu l-voti konventwali, u għalhekk kien jingħadd li kull patri jgħodd f ’battalja
Id-Dipartiment tas-Sajd u l-Akwakultura
f ’Malta bħalissa qed iwettaq proġett ta’ riċerka msejjaħ SIMTAP (Self-sufficient Integrated Multi-Trophic Aquaponic Systems) bil-għan li tiġi iddisinjata sistema innovattiva ta’ produzzjoni tal-ikel li tnaqqas b’mod drastiku l-għalf tal-ħut, u l-impatt ambjentali minn dan is-settur
Meta ħabbret il-proġett, is-Segretarju Parlamentari għas-Sajd, l-Akwakultura u dDrittijiet tal-Annimali Alicia Bugeja Said spjegat li dan il-proġett, li mistenni jintemm din is-sena, qed isir b’ko-finanzjament ma’ bosta entitajiet governattivi, kif ukoll ma’ entitajiet minn ħames pajjiżi differenti
Id-Direttorat tal-Akwakultura qed jaħdem fuq sistema fejn primarjament, l-awrat jiġi
mitmugħ l-ikel kummerċjali B’hekk l-ilma se jkun qed jgħaddi minn għadd ta’ tankijiet b’organiżmi differenti u ssir filtrazzjoni tan-nutrijenti fl-ilma li jkun ġej mill-għalf u ħmieġ tal-ħut
Dan se jgħin biex titnaqqas id-domanda fuq il-filtrazzjoni u fl-istess ħin jistgħu jitkabbru speċi oħra li għandhom potenzjal kummerċjali
L-akwakultura huwa wieħed mill-pilastri tal-Politika Komuni għas-Sajd u fl-aġenda tat-Tkabbir Blu, li hija strateġija li tħares fit-tul lejn tkabbir sostenibbli tas-settur marittimu fit-totalità tiegħu
Qed jingħad li għalhekk huwa importanti li bħala pajjiż Ewropew, Malta tkompli tkabbar is-settur tal-akwakultura b’sistemi li huma ekonomikament effiċjenti
Is-Segretarju Parlamentari
Alicia Bugeja Said tħabbar ilproġett
Dan il-proġett huwa wieħed minn sensiela ta’ inizjattivi li l-gvern qed imexxi ‘l quddiem sabiex tissaħħaħ l-ekonomija ċirkolari ta’ pajjiżna. Fl-istess waqt il-gvern hu kommess li jara l-akwakultura tiżviluppa, li tinħoloq niċċa ġdida li tagħti lok għallinvestiment privat u li jiżdiedu anke l-opportunitajiet ta’ xogħol f ’dan is-settur għall-ġenerazzjoni żagħżugħa.
F'jum mill-Isbaħ wara ġimgħa maltemp, nhar il-Ħadd 12 ta’ Frar f ’Marsalforn ġiet iffestiġġjata l-festa ta’ Missierna San Pawl.
Minbarra l-funzjonijiet fil-Knisja iddedikata lill-qaddis, wara nofsinhar saret sfilata ta' marċijiet mill-baned Victory taxXagħra u Santa Marija taż-Żebbuġ, filwaqt li wara li fil-knisja sar l-kant solenni tattieni Għasar immexxi minn Dun Charles Sultana, u animat mill-organista Simon Zammit, ħarġet l-purcissjoni bl-istatwa ta’ San Pawl akkumpanjata minn għadd kbir ta’ ta’ fratelli u miż-żewg baned.
Fid-dħul tal-purċissjoni fil-Knisja indaqqet l-antifona li għalqet biċ-ċelebrazzjoni Ewkaristika u bil-barka Sagramentali
Dan l-aħħar il-Gozo Tourism Association organizzat il-Gozo Tourism Awards għall-2022, li ssir bil-għan ewlieni jkun l-għarfien, u wkoll li jiġu mħeġġa u mogħtija ħajr il-ħaddiema li jiddistingwu ruħhom fil-qadi ta' dmirijiethom fl-industrija turistiku u wkoll bħala ringrazzjament lill-Imprendituri Għawdxin li jkunu investew u taw ħinhom għal l-iżvilupp ta’ dan is-settur tant vitali f'Għawdex. L-attivitá f ’din it-tlettax-il edizzjoni saret fil-preżenza tal-Ministru għal-Għawdex, Clint Camilleri li flimkien maċ-ċerman talGTA Paul Scicluna (fuq) jidher jippreżenta l-unur ewlieni, tal-Gozo Tourism Worker of the Year lil Andrew Portelli tal-Astra Bar Awards oħra ngħataw, lil Giorgia Attard li taħdem fil-Brookies Restaurant bħala lGozo Young Tourism Worker of the Year, lil Mario u Irene Grech ta’ Santa Lucia Boutique bl-Entrepreneurship Award, lil Kite and Wind Festival tal-Kunsill lokali talGħarb bil-Gozo Niche Tourism Achievement Award, u lill-familja Baldacchino tal-Kempinski Hotel San Lawrenz f ’isem missierhom Joe għall-investimenti u l-kisbiet fis-settur tat-turiżmu matul is-snin
Tul il-lejla, Alvin Scicluna ta’ CVC Media ingħata l-Gozo Tourism Special Recognition Award talli permezz tal-fotografija u lproduzzjonijiet televizi tiegħu qed kontinwament jippromwovi lil Għawdex
Ir-rebbieħa ġew uffiċjalment imħabbra miċ- Chairman tal-bord tal-għazla n-Nutar Pubbliku Dr Paul G Pisani
Filwaqt li l-Gozo Tourism Association ġiet ippremjata bil-Premju Gozo Tourism Commitment Award għall-impenn kostanti tagħha favur il-konnettivita’ bejn Malta u Ghawdex
Il-Ministru għal Għawdex Clint Camilleri fetaħ uffiċjalment l-ewwel wirja organizzata fil-mużew Il-Ħaġar fil-kapitali Għawdxija Victoria speċifikament biex tfakkar l-għaxar sena mill-inawgurazzjoni ta’ dan il-post li jippromwovi l-kultura, bit-tema The first 10 years: Il-Ħaġar Bequests and Donations Se tibqa’ miftuħa
XELLUG: L-abbozz ta’ Ġorġ Pisani (19091999), xogħol Alfred Camilleri Cauchi, li ġie mogħti lill-Mużew minn ibnu Dr Paul George Pisani s-sena li għaddiet
sad-19 ta’ Marzu.
F’kull naħa ta’ daċ-ċentru kulturali wieħed jista’ jara artifatti u dokumenti li taw l-artisti stess jew ħbieb li japprezzaw l-importanza ta’ din l-inizjativa
Il-wirja ma tistax lanqas tkun nieqsa minn affarijiet bħal manuskritti li qed jitfaċċaw għall-ewwel darba
Thirty years after the crucifixion and resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Apostle Paul was a prisoner under Centurion Julius’ command They were on a journey to Rome on an Alexandrian grain ship. Accompanying Paul on this voyage was St Luke, the author of the Acts of the Apostles and one of the four Gospels
Luke’s first-hand account of the voyage and shipwreck on Maltese shores in chapter 27 of the Acts of the Apostles is considered by several scholars as the best contemporary writing describing the difficulties faced by ancient seafarers
Challenges encountered by other sea captains throughout the ages, even if their ships were better equipped and modern compared to those of two millennia ago
One of England’s greatest naval heroes, Lord Horatio Nelson, employed the same skills in his battles as the captain of the ancient Egyptian grain ship carrying Paul westward towards Rome
Seventeen centuries later and in more seaworthy ships, Nelson used at least three tactics clearly described by Luke during the stormy sea voyage.
Nelson used the first tactic in the battle of Copenhagen when he sailed his ships into the narrow and shallow straits to attack the Danes at their weakest point To
avoid being shipwrecked in the shallow seas, the crews sounded the depth by dangling a sounding weight from their ships
The crew of the Egyptian grain ship 1741 years earlier did the same thing when they felt they were approaching land at midnight They sounded and found 20 fathoms on the lead, and the second sounding gave them a depth of 15 (ACTS 27:28)
Fearing they could have been fast approaching land at midnight, the captain of the ancient Egyptian grain ship ordered the deployment of four anchors from the stern Ships usually drop their anchors from the bow, which is better designed to ride the waves than the stern.
However, the captain of this ship foresaw the decisions required the following day when he could finally see how close to land they were
Anchored from the stern resulted in the crew cutting off the anchors and leaving them on the seabed They then sailed to the port side into a bay with a beach, hoping to ground the ship on some sandy shore. (ACTS 27:39 NIV)
Nelson used the third tactic at three in the afternoon of 1 August 1798 when he ordered his fleet to prepare for battle An
hour later, to accurately position his ships in readiness for his battle plan, he ordered his fleet to be ready to anchor by the stern At half-past five, he sent the simple signal to his fleet ‘ as most convenient’ and the ships formed in line for battle.
Like the captain of the Egyptian grain ship, Nelson had navigation and strategic insight
Attacking concertedly, he destroyed the French fleet at Aboukir Bay
Annihilating Bonaparte’s fleet made it easier for the British to destroy his army resulting in Pax Britannica eventually.
The third tactic was seen three years before this great sea battle Nelson used another skill employed by the ancient sea captain - undergirding
Patrolling the Riviera for a year in Agamemnon, it was so tired out from battles that he ordered it to be frapped by passing hemp hawsers at midship, round the hull to support the ship’s weakened frame and she limped back to the sanctuary of Leghorn, Italy
Caught in the violent storm, the crew of the heavily laden ancient grain ship had to undergird her. Wet grain expands, pushing out the hull’s planks and allowing seawater to enter the holds (ACTS 27:17)
*Continued on page 21
*Continued from page 20
The continuous supply of grain to Rome was vital. Egypt was Rome’s bread basket. Roman emperors depended on the daily distribution of grain to the plebs to prevent them from rioting
Bread and circuses - Panem et circenses - is the appeasement analogy to keep the populace quiet while the nobility, senators and emperors continued to siphon wealth into their coffers. It remains to this day. History laughs at our ability to repeat historical blunders
Few Roman generals who had issues with Rome’s regime weaponised grain rather than seeking immediate military confrontation
For example, Sextus Pompey cut off Sicily’s grain supply. Octavian, conscious of the fact that attacking Antony would make him unpopular, declared war on Cleopatra Egypt was annexed to Rome, and Caesar Augustus (Octavian) prae-fectus annonce took complete control of the grain trade It was also the beginning of Pax Romana
Eighty-seven years later, Apostle Paul was travelling on an Egyptian grain ship that shipwrecked on Malta's shores A few years later, Vitellius and his army returned to Rome from Germany. His soldiers plundered and slaughtered anyone who opposed them He became Emperor Vespasian and his army had just laid waste to Judea and were about to attack the Jewish rebels in Jerusalem when he heard of Vitellius becoming Emperor Vespasian's troops prompted him to
become Emperor.
Josephus was a captured Jewish general who later b e f r i e n d e d Vespasian and his son Titus He wrote extensively on Jewish and Roman history and, in 70 AD, w i t n e s s e d Jerusalem's destruction
In his book The Jewish War, Josephus states that after overthrowing all the places near Jerusalem, Vespasian went to Caesarea and heard of the troubles in Rome When his troops declared him Emperor, too, he entrusted his son Titus with his army.
Titus eventually completed the destruction of Jerusalem Quoting Josephus, “So upon the exhortations of Mucianus, and the other commanders, that he would accept of the empire, and upon that of the rest of the army, who cried out that they were willing to be led against all his opposers, he was in the first place intent upon gaining the dominion over Alexandria, as knowing that Egypt was of the greatest consequence, to obtain the entire government, because it supplied grain to Rome " (Josephus, The Jewish War, book 4, chapter 10, para 605) Grain was important before and after St Paul's voyage and shipwreck and remained so to this day, as seen in Putin's invasion of Ukraine When the sweeping
The famous pop/tenor entertainer LUDWIG GALEA who is coming from Malta to present this brand-new show, the popular South Australian singer STACEY SALIBA and introducing the new young talented singer, RENEE.
victory he dreamed of started to fade, he turned his guns on the Black Sea lanes and Ukrainian seaports, intending to stop the grain shipments
He weaponised grain exports causing suffering in Ukraine and soaring prices worldwide But poorer countries were suffering even more, amongst them Egypt, once the breadbasket of the Roman Empire Will the outcome of this war deter other megalomaniac's from delusions of omnipotence and grandeur, at least for a brief period in world history?
As the late British Prime Minister Sir Winston Churchill stated in an address to the House of Commons in 1948, “Those who fail to learn from history are doomed to repeat it!” History will keep on laughing at our ability to repeat historical blunders
MarkGAT T (author of PAULUS The Shipwreck 60 AD (Allied Publications, 2009). Documentary trailer: vimeo com/104694616
This fantastic show also includes an entertaining play by the Cittadini Cultural & Theatrical Association and an exhibition of Rock and Roll dancing
At the Wenty Leagues Club
50 Smith Street, Wentworthville NSW 2145
On Sunday 19 March 2023 from 2:00 pm
Tickets at $25 from Monica Ledger on 0414 859 386 and Charles N Mifsud on 0421 662 298
Children under 15 accompanied by the parents are FREE
Sponsors of the event
M a l t a e n d s 2 0 2 2 w i t h 2 . 3 m i l l i o n t o u r i s t s b o o s t i n g e c o n o m y b y € 2 b n
Figures released by the National Statistics Office (NSO) and presented by the Malta Tourism Authority during a conference giving a general overview of the post-covid tourism scene indicate that last year 2.3 million tourists visited Malta generating a total income of €2 billion
Tourism activity on the island during 2022 grew steadily after the first four months of the year, during which Covid restrictions were still operational
From a country still impeded by the restrictions due to Omicron-related restrictions in the quarters, the Maltese tourism sector obtained 83% of the arrivals registered in the year before the pandemic in 2019 The percentage exceeds the European average of 79% and the world average of 63%
Malta International Airport registered 80% of arrivals from pre-pandemic results. The average length of stay was 7 3 nights in 2022, with a total expenditure of €880 per capita, or €73 more than in 2019
Meanwhile, Minister for Tourism Clayton Bartolo said that with a commitment from the operators in the tourism sector, the backbone of the Maltese economy, 2023 could achieve a further 5% increase in tourist arrivals
Minister Bartolo stated that the numbers registered last year exceeded all expectations and that these positive results were because Malta continued to work on connectivity since the pandemic
He also pointed out that in 2022 several tourists only travelled a short distance
away from their homes, therefore the increased arrivals from such countries as Italy and France That trend should prevail this year, mainly as the government continues to work on the recovery As such, there would be more opportunities for investment and job opportunities for those who choose tourism as a career
Clayton Bartolo said it was time to take a fact-based look for a successful future for the tourism industry. The focus will be on rethinking and revitalising aspects of tourism
He said that one of the government’s goals for this year is to continue overcoming seasonality, as tourism must be consistent throughout the year and not only during the summer months
The Chairman of the Malta Tourism Authority, Gavin Gulia, said that together with quantity, quality was also all important
He said that In addition to rethinking and revitalising the industry, Malta must increase quality and that numbers must go hand in hand with quality because when the profile of the tourist who chooses Malta is raised, the country's added value in terms of tourism will increase
He said that from the Covid-19 pandemic onwards, the tourism industry has learnt how to adapt to such instances, how to operate, and how to communicate “We also learnt how to make the best out of any situation or challenge, which symbolises the Malta Tourism Authority in the past years, Gulia said
20,000 from Australia
Tourist arrivals from Australia during 2022 (January to December),
to around 20,000. During their stay they spent 239,334 nights on the island
Llandilo Maltese Seniors
Meets on the first Wednesday of each month at the Llandilo Community Hall, 257 Seventh Avenue, Llandilo 11am to 1 00 pm Group holds regular Information Sessions/Workshops & Bus Trips
Group Leader: Helen Azzopardi
Merrylands Social Maltese Seniors
Meets every second Friday of the month Miller Room, Memorial Avenue
Merrylands from 10 30am to 12 30 pm
Group Leader: Salvina Falzon
Fairfield Active Maltese Seniors
Meets on the last Tuesday of the Month Group meets in St Theresa’s Parish Hall, cnr of Stella Street & The Boulevard, Fairfield Heights from10 am to 12 noon
Group Leader: Dorothy Gatt
Maltese of Bankstown
Group meets 3rd Wednesday of month in the Bankstown CBD area Every other 3rd Thursday an outing Enquiries call: Sam Galea 0410 269 519
Daceyville Maltese Seniors
Meets the last Wednesday of the month in Meeting Room One, No 3 General Bridges Crescent, Daceyville Note: The Groups also arrange regular Bus Trips Join us and make new friends
Group Leader: Doris Scicluna
The Sutherland & St George Maltese Group
Meets every first Wednesday of the month in July, September, November & December and in February, April & June 2023 From 10:00am to 12noon at the Miranda Community Centre 93 Karimbla Rd cnr Kiora Rd Miranda Meetings are interesting & informative Membership is free, so is Morning Tea/Coffee/Cake
*(All Groups are coordinated by The Maltese Community Council of NSW) with a sponsorship from Multicultural NSW. Contact the MCC Welfare Offi-
Outings every other month Come & make new friends For more information contact our Coordinator: Charles Mifsud JP Phone (mb 0421 662 298)
Greystanes Maltese Seniors
Meets on the second Monday of each month at the George Preca Parish Centre Our Lady Queen of Peace (OLQP) Church, 198 Old Prospect Road, Greystanes from 10 am to 12 noon
Group holds regular Information Sessions/Workshops & Bus Trips Gro-up Leader: Frances Montesin
Men’s Group
Meets every last Tuesday of the month at the MCC Centre at 59b Franklin Street Parramatta West (next to the Primary School), from 10 to 12 noon Discussion, information and renew friendship Pastizzi, Kinnie etc available. Contact Fred on 9863 2550.
cer: Marisa Previtera JP on 0414 863 123. The MCC offices are at 59b Franklin Street (Cnr Young St) Parramatta West NSW.
A division of the Maltese Community Council of NSW Inc Established in 1999 Learn about the Maltese language, the culture, lifestyle, cuisine, traditions and the amazing history of the magnificent Mediterranean islands of Malta and Gozo Classes available for beginners and those who already have a confident grasp of the Maltese language Adult and Children’s classes available All classes are online.
Positions available for people who can assist with teaching the Maltese Language
Call Lisa for an information package on 0419 418 547 or email mls@mccnsw org au
Radio programme for the Maltese
Every Sunday 11 am to Noon. An hour filled with information and news. On-demand: www.89.3fm.com.
au/on-demand
Inc. 175 Walters Road, Blacktown Tel. 96225847
The 3 Maltesers are live in concert at L a Va l ette o n S a t u r d a y 4 M a r c h , from 7pm. For tickets and info call: 02 9622 5847 or visit:
T u n e i n t o T u n e i n t o R a d i o a n d R a d i o a n d T e l e v i s i o n T e l e v i s i o n
SBS RADIO: 97 7 FM Tuesdays 12:00pm; Friday 12:00pm Listen on Digital Radio or Live Streaming on www sbs com au/radio/ or on TV Channel 38.
On Demand and podcasts on www sbs com au/maltese
SBS TV: SBS TV news from Malta every day at 4 30 pm on Channel 35 also on demand
VICTORIA
3ZZZ 92 3FM: Mondays 5-6pm, Fridays 5-6pm and Saturdays 10-11am
Presenters: Paul Vella, Mario Sammut, Liz Phillips Listen live on www 3zzz com au
98.9 North West FM: Mondays 78pm and Fridays 6-7pm Maltese Program. Presenter: Emmanuel Brincat.
lavalette.com.au/entertainment
Enjoy a great Maltese menu on Saturday nights and entertainment all weekend - visit lavalette com au
We offer legal services in Melbourne (Lt Collins Street) and Werribee
Family law is our specialty
• wills, powers of attorney,
• manage deceased estates, and provide
• purchase and sell property
• purchase and sell businesses
• divorce, children, property,
• child support, intervention orders
• Maltese Wills, Powers of Attorney
• Maltese Property matters
Marlene Ebejer (speaks Maltese)is an accredited family law specialist
Phone: 03 9741 1722
www ebejerlawyers com au)
email reception@ebejerlawyers com au
We get to the point, provide the right advice and get the work done at a reasonable price.
Listen live on www.northwestfm.org/ ethnic-radio/
97 9 FM Melton: Tuesday 6 00pm to 8 00pm Maltese Program Presenter: Miriam Vella Live streaming on www.979fm.com.au
NSW
2GLF FM 89.3 Maltese Voices with Marthese Caruana: Sundays 10:00 am to 11:00am One hour of Maltese talent, songs from Maltese artists
2GLF FM 89.3 Maltese Community Council programme: Sundays 11 00am to 12:00pm News from Malta, music, information, culture, interviews, community notices and topics of interest. Listen live on
St Nicholas Festa Committee
St Nicholas Festa Committee Dates for 2023 Dates for 2023
Sunday19 March – Fete
Saturday 29 April – Variety Night
Sunday 2 July – Imnarja
Sunday 15 October – Fete
Saturday 11 November - Dinner Dance
Sunday 2 December - Festa
www 893fm com au or On Demand on www 893fm com au/on-demand/ WOW-FM 100.7: Tuesdays 6pm to 9pm Maltese program with Joe Borg and Michael Mallia. Listen live on www wowfm1007 com au
VOX FM 106.9: Mondays 5pm to 6pm Voice of Valletta – Illawarra Maltese program presented by Louis Parnis Live streaming on www voxfm org au
QUEENSLAND
4EB FM 98.1: Tuesdays 6:00am to 8:00am; Presenter: Lucy Stewart
Music, news from Malta, topics of interest, song requests, community announcements Live streaming on www 4eb org au or On Demand on www 4eb org au/shows/program-billmalti-global-maltese/
5EBI FM 103.1: Maltese Community Radio Program from Adelaide Sunday: 7 00am; Monday: 8 00am; Monday: 6 00pm Presenters: Bernadette Buhagiar and Ron Borg. Listen live or On Demand on www 5ebi com au
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Hamrun Spartans retained their elevenpoint lead over runners-up Gzira United at the top of Malta football’s Premier league ladder as the Day 20 top clash on Sunday ended in stale-
mate at 0-0 Therefore, with four matches still to come, and following Gzira’s 1-1 draw with Floriana the previous day, Ħamrun they have to wait at least another day to be crowned.
Gzira, who were on a fourmatch winning streak before this game, were stopped in their treks by Floriana who are having a disappointing campaign.
RESULTS Day 19
Hamrun S v Valletta
Gzira U v Sirens
Birkirkara v Gudja U
Mosta v Floriana
Hibernians v Zebbug R
Balzan
In a balanced game, Hamrun and Birkirkara repeated the result of reverse fixture in the first round They failed to break each other down Birkirkara, failed to make ground on Gzira and so remain third on 39 points, three points behind the Maroons, but maintained their three-point distance from fourth-place Mosta after the latters scoreless draw with Valletta
Ħamrun and Birkirkara meet again this weekend as they try to win a place in the semi-final of the FA Trophy
Every four years, the FIFA Women’s World Cup gives football fans something to get excited about, with many of the best female soccer players on the planet facing off to bring home the gold for their country
There is no bigger stage for the sport and female athletes, in particular, to shine in ways society so often makes so arduous.
As the countdown to the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup cohosted by Australia and New Zealand continues, all but three of the 32 Nations scheduled to compete in the forthcoming
ninth FIFA Women’s World Football Cup to be co-hosted by Australia and New Zealand from 20 July to 20 August are known
The draw for the eight groups in the ninth edition of the championship each made up of four teams, has already been made, to be completed at the end of three play-offs All three winners already know where they will fit in the groupings Only four nations have won the competition The USA registered most wins (4). Next come Germany (2) Norway and Japan each won one.
The following are the groupings:
The most exciting part of the championship in the four days remaining concerns the struggle between four teams that are at the tick of the action to stay in the top division
Zebbug Rangers did themselves a world of good when they registered a critical 2-0 win over bottom-placed Pieta’ Hotspurs, certs for the drop.
Malta’s national football team is due to play its first two matches in the Group C of the European qualifiers for Euro 2024 in March They first play North Macedonia on the 23rd at the Tose Preski Arena
Three days later, on the 26 th, Malta will play its much- awaited first home match at the National Stadium against Italy
Later in the year, and at the same venue on 16 June, Malta hosts the other top team in the group, England
The others making up Group C are Ukraine
The 2023 Formula 1 season is fast approaching with the opening race, the Bahrain Grand Prix, taking place over 57 laps of the 5.412-kilometre Bahrain International Circuit in Sakhir on Sunday, March 5.
Yes, the new Formula 1 season, which will be made up of 23 Grands Prix, six Sprints is just around the corner, with 20 of the greatest drivers on the planet battling it away for the title on several historic circuits such as Silverstone and Monza, through the winding streets of Monaco and Singapore – and for the first time, down the sparkling Strip of Las Vegas
Twenty drivers and 10 teams will battle it out for the drivers' and constructors' championships with Red Bull and Max Verstappen the hunted; Ferrari and Mercedes on the hunt
By now, all the teams have pulled the covers off their 2023 F1 car As part of the proceedings last Thursday, Alpine took the opportunity to present a new ambassador – international football star Zinedine Zidane.
Zidane, with a glittering record as a footballer and manager, joined forces with Alpine to promote equal opportunities in sport and the a u t o m o t i v e industry –
the French brand both present in F1 and a sports car manufacturer
As part of his new role, Zidane (above), who was present for the launch of Alpine’s new F1 challenger, the A523, will become the brand ambassador and sponsor of Alpine’s equal opportunities programmes
Describing his arrival as a “story of encounters”, Zidane said he liked the vision and the concrete approach of the Alpine teams, especially in the implementation of their equal opportunities programmes, especially since he has a particular affection for Alpine as a Frenchman and Formula 1 fan
The ten teams and the 20 drivers on show during the Formula 1 Grand Prix season will be:
RED BULL: Max Verstapen, Yuki Tsunoda
MERCEDES: Lewis milton, George Russell
FERRARI: Charles Leclerc, Carlos Sainz
ALFA ROMEO: Vatteri Bottas, Zhou Guanyu
McLAREN: Oscar Piastri, Lado Norris
ASTON MARTIN: Lance Stroll, Ferando Alonso
ALPHA TAURI: Nyck De Vries, Yuki Tsunoda
HAAS: Kevin Magnussen, Nico Hulkenberg
WILLIAMS: Alexander Albon, Logan Sargeant
ALPINE: Esteban Ocon, Pierre Gasely
a s m a t c h e s e n d i n s t a l e m a t e