The Voice of the Maltese No. 144 by The Voice of the Maltese

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

Issue 144

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

January 3, 2017

A crowd of more than 1.5 million people squeezed along the foreshore around Sydney Harbour to watch the New Year’s Eve fireworks extravaganza that many believe is the best New Year’s show on the planet. As always, Harbour Bridge provided a most spectacular sight. (see report on page 21)

Happy New Year

On a much smaller scale than the others, Malta also celebrated NYE and welcomed 2017 with mass celebrations mainly at St George’s Square in Valletta and the main streets of the capital. Over 75,000 people turned up to watch the entertainment provided by local and foreign artists

New Zealand was among the first countries to welcome in 2017 with a spectacular multi-coloured firework display from Auckland's Sky Tower that provided a dramatic backdrop to the annual fireworks display

2 The Voice of the Maltese

‘Il-Miraklu tal-Milied’ f’Malta I

l-poplu Malti rega’ g˙amilha! Filfesti tal-Milied wera l-veri valuri tieg˙u. Hu kapaçi jinsa l-firda u lkwestjonijiet u jing˙aqad. Is-solidarjeta` u l-©eneroΩita` li g˙al darb’o˙ra re©a’ wera l-g˙ada tal-Milied waqt ilmanifestazzjoni ta’ l-istrina u wkoll flEw-wel tas-Sena f’dik mag˙rufa b˙ala l-Festa ta’ ÌeneroΩita` ta prova li l-Malti wara kollox g˙andu qalb tad-deheb. Id-dinja tag˙raf il-Miraklu tal-Milied li se˙˙ 2016-il sena ilu meta twieled il-Messija, Ìesu` f’Maxtura f’Beltehem. F’Malta fil-jum ta’ L-Istrina li fih issir il-©abra g˙all-Malta Community Chest Fund (MCCF), u wara fil-Festa ta’ ÌeneroΩita` il-Miraklu tal-Milied ise˙˙ kull sena. Xi tg˙idlu jekk mhux miraklu li f’temp ta’ ftit sieg˙at, jin©abru €6,495.036 g˙al g˙anijiet nobbli? Fi 12-il sieg˙a l-g˙ada tal-Milied il-poplu ffoka biex tin©abar is-somma ta’ kwaΩi €5.515,000 ˙alli matul is-sena l-Fondazzjoni tal-Community Chest Fund tkun minn ta’ quddiem biex tg˙in lil dawk li jin˙tie©u sosten ˙alli jirçevu trattament g˙al mard/kundizzjonijiet ta’ sa˙ha barra lpajjiΩ. Fl-Ewwel tas-Sena n©abret issomma ta’ €980,911 biex tg˙in lid-Dar tal-Providenza? Dawk li meta l-President Emeritus George Abela ˙asbu li se jie˙u falza stikka meta ddeçieda li l-©abra ta’ kull sena ta’ l-istrina tkun tassew wa˙da ta’ umanita’ bi ©bir bla premjijiet, wara li fis-snin ta’ qabel, l-okkaΩjoni ˙afna forsi kienu jqisuha b˙ala xi lotterija, li jag˙tu l-flus u jittantaw jirb˙u rigali kbar b˙al xi karozzi, xi safra jew o©©etti tad-dar, ˙asbuha mod ie˙or. Il-©ens Malti qam g˙all-okkaΩjoni u minn dak iΩ-Ωmien, kull sena beda jikser kull record ta’ g˙otjiet bla ma jistenna rigali. Dak li bena George Abela Ωied jiffjorixxi bit-tmexxija tal-President

Tuesday January 3, 2017

€6,495.036

Marie Louise Coleiro Preca li mal-˙atra tag˙ha donnu li g˙amlet l-impenn ta’ L-Istrina u s-solidarjeta’, g˙all-inqas f’din l-okkaΩjoni, prijorita`. Ir-riΩultati juru li qed tirnexxi bil-kbir. Tim mill-uffiççju tal-President flimkien ma’ g˙add kbir ta’ voluntiera u erba’ stazzjonijiet televiΩivi, kull sena jag˙mlu minn kollox ˙alli jin©abru lflus li bihom l-MCCF ji©u mg˙ejjuna jwettqu l-g˙anijiet tag˙hom. Il-premju jkun f’g˙eluq il-©abra. Dis-sena ftit ˙asbu li s-somma ta’ aktar minn erba’ miljun Ewro tas-sena l-o˙ra setg˙et tintla˙aq. Mhux hekk kien, tant li n©abru b’madwar €1.5 miljuni aktar. Malta gΩira Ωg˙ira imma b’qalb kbira. Ma kienux biss individwi li kkontribwew. Kien ta’ sodisfazzjon tara azjendi minn ta’ quddiem joffru mill-qlieg˙ tag˙hom g˙al dan il-©est nobbli. Kienu ˙afna l-g˙otjiet ta’ €10,000, €20,000, €3,000 mill-kumpaniji u somom akbar mill-banek. Fost l-g˙otjiet interessanti kien hemm dik ta’ €3,000 ta’ sid ta’ ristorant ta dak li da˙˙al matul. Sal-ewwel erba’ sieg˙at talattivita` il-©bir la˙aq l-ewwel miljun; u f’sitt sieg˙at in©abru sitt miljuni. Fi 12-il sieg˙a, sa Id-direttur tad-Dar tal-Providenza nofs il-lejl, isflimkien ma’ voluntiera jag˙ti ˙ajr lil min somma la˙qet ikkontribwixxa fil-Festa ta’ ÌeneroΩita` il-€5,514,125,

Il-President Marie-Louise Coleiro Preca t˙addan mag˙ha lil Samuel, tfajjel li seraq il-qlub f’ L-Istrina

rekord assolut. Li jimpressjona wkoll f’din l-okkaΩjoni hi l-poΩittivita`. Fost dawk li jwie©bu ttelefonati jkun hemm min irçeva jew g˙ad mhux imfejjaq g˙al kollox imma jibqa’ poΩittiv. Fost dawn tfajjel ta’ 11-il sena, Samuel, g˙ami minn g˙ajnejh it-tnejn. Meta tkellem dwar is-sitwazzjoni tieg˙u tant kien poΩittiv li bil-kummenti tieg˙u fassal l-a©enda g˙all-mexxejja ta’ Malta, il-President, il-Prim Ministru, lArçisqof u l-Kap tal-OppoΩizzjoni li fiddiskorsi tag˙hom g˙all-okkaΩjoni sa˙qu dwar il-messa©©© li g˙adda. Ta’ ˙ames snin, ka©un tal-kançer Samuel Farrugia g˙ama minn g˙ajnejh illeminija. Ftit wara re©a’ tfaççalu l-kançer u tilef ukoll id-dawl fix-xellugija. Óajtu nbidlet mil-lejl g˙an-nhar. IΩda qal li g˙araf il-problema u li ma kienx se jsolviha bil-biki. Fehem li ˙ajtu trid tkompli. Wara kollox kien hemm tfal o˙ra ag˙ar minnu. Kien kompletament kuntent. “Kont fortunat meta kkomparat ma’ tfal o˙ra,” qal. Samuel irnexxielu jiΩviluppa talenti o˙ra u qal li l-Bambin jag˙laq bieb u jifta˙lek mija.” Fi tmiem l-attivita` l-President MarieLouise Coleiro Preca tat ˙ajr u wriet lapprezzament g˙al kull min ikkontribwixxa. Qalet li kieku kien hemm kelma ikbar minn grazzi kienet tuΩaha. “Grazzi minn qalbi lill-Maltin u lG˙awdxin li g˙al darb’o˙ra tajtu xhieda li meta ning˙aqdu u ninsew dak li jifridna kapaçi nag˙mlu affarijiet kbar”. Óajr simili kien tad-Direttur tad-Dar’ tal-Providenza, Fr Martin Micallef JosephCutajar

The Voice of the Maltese 3

Tuesday January 3, 2017

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

Enduring Powers of Attorney: Wolf in Sheep’s Clothing by PaulSant

hen you visit your solicitor to make a Will, you will almost certainly also be asked whether you would like to make an Enduring Power of Attorney. These two documents go hand-in-hand and are considered staples in the estates lawyer’s repertoire. However, Enduring Powers of Attorney, in their current form, have been under considerable scrutiny over the past six months. The Australian Law Reform Commission (ALRC) is currently carrying out an enquiry into the ability of the current law to protect the rights of elderly Australians from abuse. The overwhelming concern of legislators and industry leaders alike is the scope for dishonest children of the elderly to abuse powers given to them pursuant to an Enduring Power of Attorney. The central issue is whether the current regulatory mechanisms have equipped dishonest attorneys with a free-pass to steal from the elderly. the Will. What is an Enduring Power of Attorney? An Enduring Power of Attorney is an extremely powerful document. It is used to appoint a trusted person, usually a family member, to make financial decisions on one’s behalf if they become unable to make their own decisions due to deterioration in mental/physical health or lack of capacity to make decisions. Attorneys who accept an Enduring Power of Attorney are under strict obligations:

1. To always act in the principal’s best interests. 2. To keep their own money and property separate from the principal’s money and property. 3. To keep reasonable accounts and records of the principal’s money and property. 4. Unless expressly authorised, they cannot gain a benefit from being an attorney. 5. To honestly in all matters concerning the principal’s legal and financial affairs. It is beyond doubt that, in theory, the existing strict obligations leave no room for fraudulent activity. However, it is the lack of monitoring of the use of Powers of Attorney that has allegedly left elderly Australians open to abuse by adult children who have fraudulently deemed themselves worthy of an early inheritance. Current Risks and ALRC Proposals to Address the Risk Currently, Enduring Powers of Attorney are only required to be registered if they are to be used in the purchase or sale of land. Otherwise, there is no require-

PAUL SANT (SOLICITOR)

PARTNER AT LONGTONLEGAL For All Your Legal Needs Incl.:

Family Law, Property & Construction Law, Conveyancing, Corporate & Commercial Law, Criminal Law, Immigration Law, Wills & Contested Estates Level 4, 370 Pitt Street, Sydney NSW 2000 Parramatta by appointment Ph: 02 8355 9999 (Reception) & 02 8015 7923 (Robin) Email: paul.sant@longtonlegal.com.au www.longtonlegal.com.au Maltese Spoken

ment to inform any government or nongovernment department of the existence of an Enduring Power of Attorney. Therefore, the following issues inevitably arise: 1. There is no way to verify the validity of the Enduring Power of Attorney;. 2. There may be multiple versions of the Enduring Power of Attorney being used, and the financial institutions (who are ultimately presented with the Enduring Power of Attorney for purported use) have no way of telling which is the correct one. 3. Even if the document is verified and registered online, there is no way of monitoring potentially illegal use. As a result, the Commission has proposed the following: 1. Creating an online database where Enduring Powers of Attorney must be verified and registered prior to use; 2. The presence of 2 witnesses (one of whom must be a lawyer, doctor or police officer) when the Enduring Power of Attorney is first signed by the appointor, to ensure that they understand the effect of the document; 3. Amendments to the Code of Banking Practice and requiring approval of at least 2 people known to the appointor prior to authorising transactions affecting an elderly person's accounts. The Commission has invited industry groups and member of the community to make submissions in relation to their Discussion paper released last week. It is expected that a final report will issue in May 2017, after which the onus is on parliament to consider reforming the law governing Enduring Powers of Attorney. We have provided you with an overview of the topic above but you should consult a professional for advice specific to your circumstances.

4 The Voice of the Maltese

Tuesday January 3, 2017

Maltese community leaders call for overhaul of SBS Radio criteria

altese community leaders in Victoria and New South Wales presented a joint submission to SBS Radio in response to the draft Language Selection Criteria 2016/17, calling for an overhaul of the draft criteria. In their view, the criteria are “fundamentally flawed, grossly inequitable and unfairly disadvantageous to communities of medium to small size”. They believe that a complete makeover is necessary to ensure a fairer and more equitable distribution of radio broadcasting hours among the communities. For several years, the Maltese Community Council of Victoria (MCCV) Representatives from the Maltese and the Maltese Community Council Community Council of Victoria and the of New South Wales (MCCNSW) have Council of New South Wales in a rebeen working together in the interests cent meeting in Melbourne. of the Maltese community in Australia to fight for a them is to discriminate against the remaining commufairer method of distribution of radio broadcast hours nities who are required to jump the ‘high needs’ hurdle on SBS Radio among ethnic communities. before they can qualify for any programme hours. On November 14 SBS launched a public consultation • In the draft criteria there is too strong a bias in on the criteria for the SBS Radio Review. The draft cri- favour of size and not enough importance given to teria are identical to those used in the SBS Radio review other determining factors listed in the criteria for ‘high conducted in 2012, except for the increase from 20,000 needs’ communities, particularly, that of ageing. The to 25,000 in the threshold population figure that a right balance can only be achieved if all communities, community must have in order to qualify as a ‘large’ regardless of size, are subjected to the ‘high needs’ test. language. • Basing criteria for eligibility to radio broadcasting The Maltese community organisations gave several hours so heavily on census data relating to the number grounds on which they based their call for an overhaul: of persons in a community, who stated in their census • Currently the largest six languages in terms of pop- form that they speak their native language at home, ulation size speaking the language at home are allo- is a flawed and unfair way to allocate radio time. cated 14 hours per week or two hours per day air time, Much more emphasis should be placed on the specific which is way too high. This overgenerous allocation to needs of a particular ethnic community. the larger ethnic groups has resulted in insufficient air • The draft criteria do not take into account the fact time left over to be allocated to the remaining commu- that the larger ethnic groups have many other nonnities to meet their information needs. SBS sources of information in their own language, inIn the case of one of these six languages, SBS even set cluding direct ongoing broadcasts from their country up a 24/7 radio station in March 2016 dedicated ex- of origin. An adjustment should be made to reduce the clusively to programs in that language, while still re- number of SBS radio hours allocated to a community taining the allocation of 14 hours per week accorded which has the luxury of such services. to that language under the 2012 SBS Radio schedule • The draft criteria do not take into account the size of review. the ethnic community audience actually listening to • The draft criteria are based on the flawed assump- their respective SBS Radio programmes when allocating tion that the information needs of a community are the number of hours to the various communities. commensurate with the size of its population. Such an The number of radio listeners from the largest comassumption leads to the absurd result that the largest munities, which have the luxury of other comprehensix communities were allocated 14 times more broad- sive non-SBS sources of information, is likely not to be casting hours than the smallest, with some communi- as high as that from the smaller communities. ties even missing out completely. This is because, for smaller communities like the Mal• Under the draft criteria, the high needs of commu- tese, such a quality information service tailored to the nities, which exceed the arbitrarily set threshold of specific needs of a community can only be obtained 25,000 to qualify as a ‘large’ community, are not through SBS radio’s language programme, as there is taken into account at all. The draft ‘high needs crite- no other service of equivalent quality available to ria’ only apply to communities whose population is them broadcasting in their language. below that threshold. The MCCV and MCCNSW also complained about the This is a major flaw in the draft criteria. All commu- complete lack of transparency in relation to the exact nities must be subjected to the ‘high needs’ test as part methodology used to apply the criteria in allocating of the determination of the number of hours they are the number of radio broadcasting hours to communiallocated. ties. The criteria document should include clear infor• To make an overgenerous allocation of programme mation on the methodology. hours to ‘large’ communities simply on the basis of their size without applying the ‘high needs’ test to * Continued on page 5

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Tuesday January 3, 2017

Maltese community leaders and SBS Radio *Contined from page 4 The two community organisations proposed a set of basic principles that should underpin the overhaul of the criteria to make them more equitable and fairer: • The same set of criteria should be applied to all communities regardless of the size of their overseas-born and/or language speaking population in Australia. • An appropriate weighting and scoring methodology should be developed, agreed and applied to each criterion in order to rank the languages and their respective community needs. • A maximum number of broadcasting hours for any language should be set at not more than seven hours per week in order to free up sufficient air time to adequately meet the information needs of the several medium to small sized communities and be accommodated within the limited resources available. • A minimum number of broadcasting hours for any language should be set at not less than two hours per week to adequately service the information needs of the small communities. • Communities with a large proportion of elderly members over 65 years of age, who are not internet savvy and are unable to benefit from the use of the SBS digital platform services and social media, should be compensated with more radio air time. In their joint submission the MCCV and MCCNSW proposed a set of criteria and weightings for the scoring of all communities without exception in the allocation of radio broadcasting hours. In addition to population size in terms of language spoken at home (15% weighting); English language proficiency (15%); ageing (20%); recentness of arrival (10%); and household income (10%), they proposed two new criteria: availability of non-SBS sources of broadcast media in the language of a community (20%); and listenership levels for SBS Radio programs in the language of a community (10%). The MCCV and MCCNSW also proposed a scoring scale to rate all communities without exception against the proposed criteria. The aggregated weighted score for each community would be used to rank com-

munities and languages from highest to lowest. The allocation of radio broadcasting hours and digital services to the various community languages would then be based on the application of the aggregated weighted score for a community within the parameters of the proposed basic principles. The MCCV and MCCNSW stressed that it is critical that SBS sets an adequate budget for its radio programme services in the ethnic community languages, which the organisation was primarily set up to serve. In their joint submission, the two organisations severely criticised SBS for complaining about government funding cuts but then being able to find significant funds to: Finance its highly expensive but totally inappropriate participation in the annual Eurovision Song Contest - Set up a 24/7 Food Network TV station in 2015 dedicated to cooking and food shows which SBS sources from the USA - Establish a 24/7 Arabic radio station in March 2016 - Win an expensive auction against the Nine Network for commercial content to secure content owned by US cable channel Viceland in October 2016. The funding of these expensive SBS initiatives contrasts sharply with the mean-spirited decision taken by SBS in July 2015, when it decided to discontinue the two hours of Maltese radio programmes on the digital network that were added in April 2013 after persistent representations were made by the MCCV and MCCNSW. SBS had given its funding situation as the reason for these cuts and had explained that its funding no longer permitted the provision of these additional services. The MCCV and MCCNSW questioned the latest commercial projects undertaken by SBS in the past couple of years, which would appear to be in violation of the SBS Charter, as provided in the Special Broadcasting Services Act 1991. They also complained about SBS abandoning a number of ethnic communities by directing its funds to purposes other than those it was intended to serve.

SBS there to reflect, promote Australia's multicultural society he SBS Radio is a service provided T by the Special Broadcasting Service in Australia. Its Charter, con-

tained in the SBS Act, sets out its principal functions and duties. Its principal Charter function is to provide multilingual and multicultural radio and television services that inform, educate and entertain all Australians, and, in doing so, reflect and promote Australia's multicultural society.

SBS broadcasts its programming to a national television and radio audience and delivers content online on its website. SBS Radio originally began as two stations based in Melbourne and Sydney, set up to provide prerecorded information about the then-new Medibank health care system in languages other than English. Today the service targets the estimated 4+ million Australians who

speak a language other than English at home with programmes in 74 languages, in addition to more mainstream audiences through programmes such as World View and Alchemy. SBS Radio supplements its government funding with paid-for information campaigns for government agencies and non-profit organisations as well as commercial advertising and sponsorship

6 The Voice of the Maltese

Tuesday January 3, 2017

MuΩika ©dida ta’ Frisna se tindaqq g˙all-ewwel darba f’Malta G

˙all-ewwel darba, fid-9 ta` Frar li ©ej se jindaqq f’Malta xog˙ol muΩikali ©did tal-kompoΩitur ta’ fama internazzjonali Monsinjur Marco Frisina. Il-kunçert se jsir fil-Kolle©©jata ta' San Pawl fir-Rabat, u jkollu repetizzjoni jumejn wara, fil-11 tal-istess xahar fil-Kon-Katidral ta' San Ìwann fil-kapitali Maltija, Valletta. Kulturalment din tassew tag˙milna kburin li Frisina g˙aΩel lil pajjiΩna g˙all‘world premier’ tal-a˙˙ar xog˙ol li g˙adu kif ikkompona … l-oratorju mag˙ruf b˙ala ‘In-Nawfra©ju ta’ San Pawl f’Malta’ b’librett talkompoΩitur stess. Forsi tiftakru li ftit xhur ilu f’din l-istess pubblikazzjoni kont semmejt ilprobabbiltà li ma ndumx ma n˙abbar pro©ett kulturali kbir f’pajjiΩna. Dan issa wasal kif spjegajt fl-introduzzjoni. Monsinjur Marco Frisina huwa isem importanti ˙afna fl-isfera muΩikali laktar dik sagra li kkompona, fosthom il-famuΩa ‘Anima Christi’. Il-Monsinjur twieled f’Ruma f’Diçembru tal-1954. B˙alissa huwa d-direttur tal-Pastoral Worship Centre fil-Vatikan. Fil-lista ta’ xog˙lijiet muΩikali tieg˙u nsibu lista twila ta’ muΩika g˙aççinema b’tema biblika, oratorji u xog˙li-

jiet muΩikali o˙ra, l-aktar b’tema sagra. Óafna mix-xog˙lijiet tieg˙u ©ew irrekordjati. Oratorju ©did L-oratorju ©did, ‘In-Nawfra©ju ta’ San Pawl f’Malta’ ©ie xprunat mill-Fondazzjoni Paulus (g˙aqda Ωg˙ira ta’ voluntiera fir-Rabat immexxija mill-Avukat

PeterPaulCiantar Mark Fenech Vella) biex ti©i mfakkra l1950 sena mill-martirju tal-Appostlu Missierna San Pawl, l-Appostlu tal©nus li huwa wkoll il-patrun ta’ Malta u t-titular tal-Proto-Parroçça Kolle©©jata tar-Rabat u naturalment tal-Belt, il-Knisja ta’ San Pawl, f’Óal-Safi u lMunxar G˙awdex. Barra dan ix-xog˙ol ©did ta’ Frisina, flistess kunçert (fl-ewwel parti) se nisimg˙u tindaqq ukoll g˙all-ewwel darba, ‘kantata’ ©dida ta’ madwar kwarta - ‘L-X ta’ Frar, 1928’ - miktuba mill-kompoΩitur Malti Christopher Muscat fuq poeΩija tal-Poeta Nazzjonali Dun Karm Psaila li g˙andha l-istess titlu. Tel (02) 9622 7799 blacktown@breakawaytravel.com.au

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Il-Monsinjur Marco Frisina jidderie©i kunçerti minn tieg˙u f’Ruma

M’hemmx dubju li dan se jkun kunçert mill-aktar impenjattiv g˙all-organizzaturi. Kunçert Pawlin Il-kunçert Pawlin, li jien insejja˙lu speçjali, se jkun dirett mill-kompoΩitur Monsinjur Frisina li se ji©i Malta ©img˙a qabel l-eΩekuzzjoni tal-kunçert biex i˙ejji l-Orkestra Filarmonika Nazzjonali u l-Kor Jubilate Deo (choirmaster Christopher Muscat) u l-Chorus Paulus. Dan il-kunçert huwa parti mill-attivitajiet annwali tal-Fondazzjoni Paulus, g˙alhekk parti mir-‘Rabat AGAPE Fest’, festa ta’ bosta attivitajiet kulturali marbuta mal-kult Pawlin li fir-Rabat jin˙ass sewwa. L-Avukat Fenech Vella stqarr mieg˙i li g˙al dan il-kunçert Pawlin, hu u l-kumitat tieg˙u ilhom ja˙dmu sentejn jew aktar g˙ax huwa tassew kunçert kura©©uΩ …“IΩda wasalna,” stqarr mieg˙i bi tbissima ta’ sodisfazzjon. Hawn huwa semma wkoll lil g˙add ta’ sponsors, li w˙ud minnhom ©eneralment issibhom u jkunu minn ta’ quddiem biex jippromwovu l-kultura Maltija b’mod speçjali l-muΩika sagra ta’ pajjiΩna (kemm dik tal-img˙oddi kif ukoll muΩika sagra ©dida miktuba fi Ωminijietna). Jekk fost il-qarrejja jkun hemm min se jqatta’ xi btajjel f’Malta fiΩ-Ωmien talkunçerti, g˙andu jag˙mel minn kollox biex ma jitlifhomx; jinΩlulek g˙asel.

The Voice of the Maltese 7

Tuesday January 3, 2017

Paul Calleja appoined new Hon. Consul for Malta in WA

aul Calleja from Perth W.A. has been appointed by the Maltese Government Honorary Consul of Malta for Western Australia residing in Perth with jurisdiction for Western Australia. Paul was born in Birkirkara, Malta and migrated to Western Australia as a child with his family in the early 1950’s. His primary and secondary educations were obtained in Catholic schools. Aspirations for the religious life drew him to De La Salle institutions at Cronulla and Burradoo in New South Wales where he furthered his studies. A number of his fellow Cronulla students’ later filled eminent positions in the NSW and Federal governments in addition to the Supreme Court. After two years training with the De La Sale brothers Paul Calleja chose not to pursue the religious life in favour of a teaching career in Perth. Once graduated he taught in Catholic and State schools in the city and rural areas as well as twoyear teaching assignment with the Zimbabwe Department of Education and Culture. His teaching career cumulated in heading the Faculty of Society, Environment

and Business at a senior Catholic college. Interest in Maltese cultural, political and social affairs occupies an import part in Paul Calleja’s life. His contribution of articles to The Maltese Herald spanned over 20 years. He served nine years with the Maltese Association of Western Australia committee and conceived and later foundered with others, the Maltese Professional and Business Association of Western Australia (MPBA). Paul also managed to bring together interested individuals in the creation of the Child Migrants of Malta (CMOM) that succeeded in having a monument erected at Pinto Wharf in Malta’s Grand harbour to honour former Maltese child migrants who suffered unintended consequences during the child migration years. He also takes pleasure in history and writing. These interests blend together in his four books – Maltese of the Western Third, Tales of Two Migrants, Benedetto’s War

and Son of Vietnam (unpublished). He also collected and compiled newspaper articles pertaining to the Maltese in Western Australia spanning a period over 100 years and then published the collection in collaboration with MPBA under the title of WA Ink. Religion is also important to Paul Calleja. He feels the need to assist his local parish by serving as the vice chair of his parish’s Parish Council. Paul is married. He has two adult children, one grandchild and another on the way.

Il-Maltin jid˙lu fl-ispirtu u jdawwlu l-festi

ull fejn idur fl-Awstralja f’dawn iΩ-Ωmenijiet ta’ K fer˙ u paçi g˙andek tiltaqa’ ma’ djar imΩejna u mdawwla bl-iktar dwal sbie˙ u kkuluriti. Kull dar tipprova tid˙ol fl-ispirtu fer˙an tal-Milied. Iddjar tal-Maltin imΩejjna ssibhom f’kull subborg. Fir-ritratt wa˙da minn dawn id-djar. Hija ta’ Doris u Salvu Mejlak f’Cumberland Road

Greystanes NSW. Din hi fost l-aktar djar imΩejna u li tpaxxi mijiet li jΩuru din it-triq kull sena. Doris Mejlak hija esperta tal-©onna u l-©nien tag˙ha reba˙ g˙add ta’ premijiet. Hija tidher fuq it-TV u hi popolari ˙afna mal-Maltin g˙ax tmur taqsam l-esperjenzi tag˙ha fil-qasam tal-©onna u xtieli fil-laqg˙at fejn jin©abru l-Maltin.

8 The Voice of the Maltese

Tuesday January 3, 2017

Most of the students of the Maltese Language School of NSW for 2016.

Maltese Language School NSW Presentation of Certificates

he Maltese Language School of NSW held their Annual Presentation of Awards at the Horsley Park Primary School. The President of the Maltese Community Council of NSW, Mr. Emanuel Camilleri who was accompanied by Mrs. Theresa Camilleri, presented the certificates. After a short introductory speech by the Principal of the Maltese Language School, Mary Pace-Feraud, and another one by Mr. Emanuel Camilleri, two NSW Education Minister's Certificate of Excellence in Student Achievement Community Languages Schools Awards were presented to Yasmin Sherry and Isaac

Yasmin Sherry (with her certificate) flanked by Mrs Mary Pace-Feraud and Mr Emanuel Camilleri. Right:â&#x20AC;&#x2C6;Concetta Sherry, and Charlene Borg (extreme right)

Casha, both junior students of the school. This was followed by the presentation of Certificates of Achievement to all junior and senior students in recognition of the study of the Maltese language and culture for the scholastic year. Different groups from the junior class recited traditional Maltese folklore rhymes and sang songs under the direction of their teacher, Marthese Caruana. This was followed by a Christmas party with Christmas carols playing in the background ending a very successful and enjoyable morning"

The Voice of the Maltese 9

Tuesday January 3, 2017

Skola Maltija Sydney Presentation Day 2016

A TIME TO REJOICE

t was a time to rejoice at Ringrose Public School’s auditorium as students, teachers, parents, grandparents, relatives, friends and special guests acknowledged and celebrated the academic achievements of primary, high school and adult students in the study of Maltese, enjoying a number of Maltese cultural performances that included rhymes, songs, instrumental and dramatic performances. Special guests included the Federal Member for McMahon and Shadow Treasurer of Australia, The Hon Chris Bowen MP, Consul General of Malta for NSW, Mr Salvino Giusti and the president of the NSW Federation of Community Language Schools, Mr Albert Vella. They all attended to support the work of Skola Maltija Sydney - a community based language school. The event began with a Christmas luncheon. Parents contributed an array of both sweet and savoury Maltese food and drinks. It was followed by the official programme of guest speakers and certificate presentations. The President of Akkademja Maltija ta’ NSW Inc. and Saturday School of Community Languages (SSCL) Maltese teacher, Mr Charles Galea, in his address explained the many changes and challenges facing the Community Languages sector and how federal funding of the SSCL Maltese class is in dire straits. He implored parents to support their children in studying il-Malti, in order

to meet nationally expected quotas of students sitting for the Higher School Certificate in the Maltese Continuers course. He also encouraged adult students to commit to enrolling in the course. The principal of Skola Maltija Sydney, Mrs Jane Borg, in her address outlined the 2016 course content and cultural excursions that students participated in. She said, “Speaking Maltese is an important link to our heritage. It is a part of whom we are, where we came from and shapes where we are going. “Learning about the Maltese culture and speaking the language enables us to pass down the rich cultural history of our islands to future generations.” Federal Member for McMahon, The Hon Chris Bowen MP, spoke highly of the Maltese community’s respected presence in Western Sydney. He recounted how growing up in the area, he learnt how to pronounce Maltese surnames correctly. He also joked that he loves the Maltese people so much, he married one! His wife’s family is originally from Valletta. Consul General of Malta for NSW, Mr Salvino Giusti, congratulated the Principal, Mrs Jane Borg, the teachers and Skola committee members for their enthusiasm and commitment in continuing to provide Maltese language and

Students Clare Saliba and Stephanie Callaghan with Hon Chris Bowen MP and the school Principal, Mrs Jane Borg cultural learning services to the community as volunteers. The president of the NSW Federation of Community Language Schools, Mr Albert Vella, congratulated three Skola Maltija Sydney students who were awarded the Minister’s Award for Excellence in Student Achievement. This year, approximately 300 students were nominated. Across NSW, 54 community languages were taught to over 33,000 students. Mr Vella encouraged the community to support students to maintain and develop their background or heritage, language and culture.

Skola Maltija Sydney - 2016 students, teachers & special guests

10 The Voice of the Maltese

Tuesday January 3, 2017

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

Message from the Director of the Malta Emigrants’ Commission Mgr Fr Alfred Vella, Director MEC writes:

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

is is a bi-lingual (in English and Maltese) fortnightly online publication specifically targeting all Maltese living abroad with emphasis on the Australian scene. is online magazine is sent via email by request. Subscription is free. Editors: Malta: Joseph Cutajar Australia: Lawrence Dimech: MOM, OAM, JP email address: maltesevoice@gmail.com Letters for publication in The Voice either in Maltese or English should be e-mailed to: maltesevoice@gmail.com.

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

all the Maltese living abroad. A New Year is with us, a year full of hopes and activities. A year which for the Maltese living abroad should be as vibrant as it has to be for us living here in Malta since it’s the year of the “Presidency of the European Union”, which presidency should be of benefit to all. Friends, to be Maltese or having Maltese roots makes us proud. Malta is such a small Island but with such a great potential and talent spread all over the world. It's amazing how one can find Maltese everywhere, even in Vietnam and on Easter Island. Isn’t amazing? We should all standup and be counted and keep doing our best to bear the nationality we belong to. I urge you to keep in contact with us, as we should do more to keep in contact with you. This contact makes our ties stronger, not to be isolated, on our own, but to show the strength we have. As the saying goes “United we stand.” It is true that you have integrated into the life of the country of adoption, but your children are born there and are part and parcel of the community but they still have got Maltese roots. We all have to cherish and nourish these roots without leaving the others apart. This is your identity, and this identity enriches ours because a larger Malta lives outside Malta. Let us all work hard throughout this year which we have just started and do our best to project Malta and the Maltese as best as we can. On behalf of Malta Emigrants’ Commission, (MEC), I wish you all the best and a

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

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

prosperous New Year full of God’s blessings. I renew my appeal, which when you are on a visit to our home Island, you are most welcome at our offices, in Valletta. The Migration Museum is up and running, and you can always go through the story of so many of you and your ancestors who made their way to the Island Continent, without forgetting their home Island, Malta. Regards and blessings.

Looking for Charlie Josef Karkowski from Blacktown NSW writes: was born to Polish parents in 1948 and arImeetrived in Australia in 1950. I would like to Charlie Farrugia again. We attended Boys Public High School Fifth Avenue Blacktown between the years 196062. Meeting my long lost mate Charlie again would be a good New Year’s present. I travelled to Malta with my Maltese born partner in 2014 and all I can say is that Malta is a fantastic place. I can be contacted on Mob: 0424 381 461

Thanks and good wishes for a peaceful, joyous New Year Sandra Borg from St Albans, Victoria writes: had just been reading The Voice of the Maltese magazine when I felt I should write a short note of appreciation. It always has, but the last issue for Christmas (No. 143) was so full of interesting articles. Although I have not yet managed to master the Maltese language well enough to read all the articles in Maltese, I will keep on trying and in the end I am sure I will be able to read and understand all that is written. I think I would be expressing the wishes of all the readers in thanking you for your good work. May you also keep up the good work in the New Year and may more Maltese and recognise how important your contrbution to the Maltese community is. I hope you had a great Christmas and wish you, the team of the Voice in particular, and also all the readers of the magazine a peaceful and joyous New Year that also brings you all the satisfaction that you seek with the magazine. This is from a great fan of The Voice of the Maltese.

Tuesday January 3, 2017

The Voice of the Maltese 11

Il-mewt ta' Charles Joseph Belli fl-eta’ ta’ 84 sena

Telfa kbir g˙all-Komunita` Maltija

har il-Óadd, 18 ta' Diçembru, t˙abbar li miet Charles Joseph Belli (˙afna kienu jafuh b˙ala Charles Belli Snr.) li kien mag˙ruf sew, fil-Komunita` Maltija ta' Melbourne. Kellu 84 sena li 62 sena minnhom qattag˙hom jg˙ix fl-Awstralja. Charles twieled l-Imsida, Malta, fil-5 ta' Lulju tal-1932 lil ÌuΩeppi l-mastrudaxxa u ÌuΩa. Kien l-ewwel wildt, fost tmien a˙wa. L-o˙rajn kien, Miriam, Patricia, Jane, Joe, Lewis, Alfred u Victor. Meta kien Ωg˙ir Charles mar jg˙ix man-nanniet tieg˙u fit-triq 'Rue d'Argens. Kien jattendi l-iskola primarja tal-post imma min˙abba li din g˙alqet min˙abba l-gwerra kellu jie˙u lezzjonijiet privati. Wara ssokta jie˙u l-edukazzjoni tieg˙u fil-kulle©© ta’ San Alwi©i u dak marjan tal-Karmnu fil-Belt. Fl-1951, wara li g˙adda mill-eΩamijiet da˙al ja˙dem b˙ala gwardjan pajΩan fis-Senglea Main Gates Offices fid-Dockyard, u wara flAir Force f’Óal Luqa u Óal Safi. Tlett snin wara ltaqa' ma’ dik li kellha tkun

martu, Doris Micallef mill-GΩira waqt ballu tal-karnival fit-tejatru Orpheum. Wara li sar jaf li s-servizzi IngliΩi ma kellhomx ˙ajja twila f’Mala, il-15 ta’ Settembru tal-istess sena, fl-eta` ta’ 22 sena, emigra lejn l-Awstralja fuq l-SS Castel Verde. Fil-ktieb Telqu g˙al-G˙onq it-Triq (1) ta’ Lawrence Dimech kien qal li dakinhar li emigra kienet l-aktar ˙a©a ta’ swied il-qalb li qatt g˙adda minnha f’g˙omru meta minn fuq il-vapur kien ra x-xena tal-Port il-Kbir titbieg˙ed bl-mod il-mod sakemm ma rax il-gzejjer ta’ Malta aktar. Il-bidu fl-Awstralja f’North Sunshine ma kienx façli g˙al Charles u kien jg˙id li l-impressjoni attwali tieg˙u ma kellha x’taqsam xejn mal-©enna tal-art li l-awtoritajiet Maltin kienu jpin©u lill-emigranti. Imma minn kmieni kien determinat li jag˙mel suççess fil-pajjiΩ ©did li sab ru˙u fih. Sena wara mar Station Pier biex jilqa' lil Doris wara vja©© ikrah fuq MS Skaubryn, u fis-17 ta' Diçembru tal-1955 fil-knisja talQalb ta’ Ìesu` fi Prston, Victoria, iΩΩewwe© lil Doris. MiΩ-Ωwie© kellhom tliet itfal, Raymond, Anthony u Yvonne. Fl-1960 ©ie m˙e©©e© minn Joe Abela u Charles Camilleri biex jissapportjaw farm tas-Soçjeta` talMuΩew f'Yarra Glen. L-ewwel xog˙ol ta’ Charles kien mal-kumpanija talkarozzi Rootes u l-Commonwealth Aircraft Co. Sakemm bidel ix-xog˙ol u ssie˙eb mal-Port Phillip Textile Mills. Imbaghad wara kors fl-universita` ng˙ata xog˙ol b˙ala Dyehouse Manager u beda jmexxi dipartimet ta’ 25 haddiem. Charles da˙al fil-kumitat tal-Maltese Australian Social Club u sar delegat tal-Kunsill Malti tal-Komunita` ta’ Victoria b˙ala assistent teΩorier u PRO. Imbag˙ad da˙al ukoll fil-kumitat tal-Broadmeadows City Soccer Club fejn serva g˙al 32 sena, 26 sena minnhom b˙la president. Kien ukoll g˙al xi Ωmien jah˙milha ta’ kowç. G˙al ˙afna snin ˙a ˙sieb l-inewsletter tal-MCCV kif ukoll il-website u ˙a ˙sieb biex jag˙mel katalgu talkotba tal-librerija tal-istess Kunsill f’Parkville li jing˙ad li hi l-ikbar librerija ta' kotba Maltin barra minn Malta. Hu kellu wkoll website tieg˙u personali ferm interessanti, www.charbell.com li fiha ˙afna links g˙al tag˙rif dwar Malta u g˙all-programmi tat-TV u radjijiet Maltin. Tg˙idx kemm kont nie˙u gost meta membri talGrupp tal-anzjani li nie˙du ˙sieb kienu ji©u jistaqsuni g˙al tag˙rif dwar Malta jew l-istqazzjonijiet tat-televiΩjoni Maltin u kont nidderi©ihom biex jid˙lu filwebsite ta’ Charles Belli. G˙alija, Charles kien l-aqwa ˙abib u dejjem sibtu meta kien ikolli xi problema fil-kompjuterr jew biex insib xi tag˙rif. Dejjem kien ikun lest biex jag˙tini l˙in tieg˙u, kemm lili u wkoll lil ˙afna Maltin o˙ra. Charles ˙alliena imma se jibqa’ f’qalbna. Lil martu, Doris u lill-bqija tal-familja tieg˙u noffrulhom l-kondoljanzi. Ag˙tih, O Mulej, il-mistrie˙ ta' dejjem. PaulVella (Melbourne)

12 The Voice of the Maltese

Tuesday January 3, 2017

Perspettiva Il-veloçità tas-sewqan Q fl-Awstralja A version of this series in English may be found in the author's blog at: http://ivancauchi.blogs pot.com

ed nirreferi g˙as-sewqan fuq l-arterji ewlenin tat-toroq fil-pajjiΩ, per eΩempju dawk li jg˙aqqdu l-ibliet prinçipali fl-istati differenti flimkien. G˙andhom il-karatteristika li m'g˙andhomx dwal tat-traffiku, u ©eneralment huma ta' kwalità tajba, g˙alkemm aktarx mhux daqs ta' dawk Ewropej. F'dawn il-jiem ta' festi tal-Milied, kelli ˙afna opportunità biex nikkontempla dan is-su©©ett waqt vja©© bil-karozza bejn Sydney u Melbourne. Dan il-vja©© huwa ftit inqas minn 900km fittul, u barra mill-metropoli taΩΩew©t ibliet, tista' tivvja©©a b'veloçità massima, pjuttost frustranti, ta' 110km fis-sieg˙a. Dan jirriΩulta f'sewqan ta' ftit inqas minn disa’ sieg˙at, minn barra waqfien g˙al bΩonnijiet personUffiçjal tal-pulizija jg˙asali. ses li l-veloçita`massima L-istati u t-territorji tal-Awfuq il-Hume Highway ma stralja kollha g˙andhom dan iltinqabiΩx limitu g˙at-toroq ewlenin inter-urbani tag˙hom, ˙lief g˙all-ACT (Australian Capital Territory) fejn il-limitu huwa ta' 100km fis-sieg˙a u n-NT (Northern Territory) fejn huwa ta' 130km fis-sieg˙a. Dejjem kont kurjuΩ g˙aliex f'dan il-pajjiΩ, li huwa wkoll kontinent kbir, bejn wie˙ed u ie˙or daqs l-Istati Uniti, g˙andu veloçità massima tant Ωg˙ira g˙at-toroq ewlenin inter-urbani tag˙ha. Jien niftakarni diversi snin ilu nsuq bil-130km fis-sieg˙a fl-autoroute ta' Franza, u bil-140km fis-sieg˙a fl-autostrada tal-Italja. Dawn il-pajjiΩi huma ferm iΩg˙ar mill-Awstralja kollha; Franza (650,000km2) hija iΩg˙ar minn NSW (800,000km2), u l-Italja (300,000km2) hija ftit ikbar minn Victoria (240,000km2). Id-distanzi f'dawn il-pajjiΩi huma ˙afna iqsar minn dawk fl-Awstralja. Allura g˙aliex fl-Awstralja s-sewwieqa iridu bilfors joqog˙du g˙addejjin bit-tlikki tlikki? Forsi t-toroq tag˙na mhumiex miΩmuma tajjeb daqs dawk tal-Ewropa? Jew il-karrozzi t'hawnhekk se jaqg˙u biççiet, u ma nistg˙uwx nafdawhom b'veloçità iktar g˙olja, ma jmorrux jitilfu xi rota? Jew hija opportunità tajba li nimmultaw lis-sewwieq li jixba g˙addej bil-mod wisq, frustrat f'toroq dritti? Jew forsi ma rridux ingerrxu 'l xi intrapriΩa li tista' tinvesti f'sistema futura ta' ferroviji veloçi fil-futur? Óafna drabi r-risposta li nirçievu mill-awtoritajiet hija li veloçitajiet iktar g˙oljin ifissru iktar inçidenti u iktar imwiet. Dan fil-verità jag˙mel sens, imma forsi s-sitwazzjoni mhix daqshekk çara daqskemm jing˙adilna. Per eΩempju, sa xahar ilu kien hemm esperiment fin-NT fejn 200km ta' triq kien immarkat li kien ming˙ajr limitu ta' veloçità, sitwazzjoni li di©à teΩisti fl-autobahn tal-Ìermanja. Wara tliet snin, il-gvern ta' dakinhar (il-Country Liberals) kien ˙abbar li ma kien hemm l-ebda mewt f'dik it-triq ikkawΩat mill-veloçità.1 Ta' min jg˙id li l-gvern tan-NT t'issa (il-Labor) re©©a l-arlo©© lura g˙al limitu ta' 130km fis-sieg˙a, abbaΩi li din kienet fil-programm elettorali tieg˙u u f'konsultazzjoni mat-tobba u l-pulizija. Wie˙ed jista' jara hawnhekk li deçiΩjonijiet b˙al dawn huma primarjament, jekk mhux esklussivament, politiçi. Jista' jkun li l-kundizzjonijiet f'dik it-triq ta' NT kienu ottimali (p.e. triq dritta, wiçç tal-art tajba, temp ©eneralment tajjeb eçç) u g˙alhekk mhux neçessarjament li dak l-esperiment huwa applikabbli kullimkien. Madankollu, dan l-esperiment juri li stqarrija sempliçi li Ωieda fil-veloçità twassal g˙al iktar imwiet mhix neçessarjament korretta kullimkien lanqas. Jidher li ˙afna gvernijiet ma jridux imissu dan is-su©©ett. F'rapport

kitba ta’

IVAN CAUCHI

riçenti, il-gvern ta' Victoria mminimizza l-vanta©©i ta' limitu iktar ra©jonevoli tal-veloçità. Qal li kieku din kellha tiΩdied minn 110 g˙al 120km fis-sieg˙a, vja©© ta' 200km jie˙u biss disa’ minuti inqas.2 Dan huwa veru, imma meta wie˙ed jivvja©©a minn Sydney g˙al Melbourne fuq il-Hume Highway il-vja©© huwa ˙afna itwal. Kieku l-limitu jkun ta' 120km fis-sieg˙a g˙al 800km tal-vja©©, sewwieq jiffranka iktar minn 30 minuta, u jekk il-limitu jkun ta' 130km fis-sieg˙a b˙al ma hu fin-NT, wie˙ed jiffranka iktar minn sieg˙a. Dawn ma jistg˙ux jitqiesu li mhumiex sinjifikanti. Fil-parlament federali ta' qabel l-elezzjoni ta' din is-sena, kien hemm inkjesta tas-Senat li waqfet ˙esrem min˙abba l-elezzjoni. Irrapport interim ta' qabel ma waqfet l-inkjesta nkluda l-informazzjoni li f'partijiet re©jonali, imwiet fit-toroq huma d-doppju tal-medja nazzjonali, u f'partijiet imwarrba ir-rata titla' g˙al erba' darbiet il-medja nazzjonali.3 Dawn huma figuri serji, imma jg˙attu d-distinzjoni bejn toroq ewlenin tal-pajjiΩ bejn iç-çentri urbani (b˙all-Hume Highway li semmejt bejn Sydney u Melbourne), li hija ©eneralment ta' kwalità tajba, u toroq o˙ra re©jonali u mwarrba, fejn il-kwalità tat-toroq hija inferjuri u tikkontribwixxi g˙al dawn l-imwiet, li hija rikonoxxuta fir-rapport.4 Meta wie˙ed jiftakar li l-g˙ejja hija wa˙da mill-fatturi li jwasslu g˙al inçidenti serji tat-traffiku, peress li Ωieda fil-limitu tal-veloçita` tnaqqas it-tul esa©erat ta' sewqan fuq meded twal ta' toroq fil-kontinent, paradossalment wie˙ed jista' jikkonkludi li Ωieda fil-limitu tista' twassal ukoll g˙al tnaqqis ta' inçidenti. Jien ma nistax nifhem g˙aliex l-Awstralja ma jistax ikollha toroq prinçipali inter-urbani li j˙abbtuha ma dawk li jinsabu fl-Ewropa, u li huma meqjusa Ωguri biΩΩejjed g˙al sewqan madwar il-limitu ta' 130km fis-sieg˙a. Jien naf, u napprezza, li anke mewt wa˙da hija Ωejda, u g˙andu jsir kull sforz biex dawn ikunu minimizzati. Dan bl-ebda mod ma jrid ikun trivjalizzat. Madankollu jien na˙seb li wasal iΩ-Ωmien li jkollna djalogu filpajjiΩ dwar dan il-bilanç bejn il-veloçità u r-riskji fit-toroq, u jidher li fi NSW hemm xi rieda biex dan id-djalogu jse˙˙.5 It-teknolo©ija tal-vetturi qed ti©i 'l quddiem kull sena, u passi jistg˙u jittie˙du biex it-toroq ikunu iktar Ωguri. In˙oss li limiti tal-veloçità tas-sewqan li ©ew deçiΩi g˙exieren ta' snin ilu, fi Ωmien ta' teknolo©ija iktar baΩika, huwa le©ittimu li jer©g˙u ji©u riveduti. Referenzi 1. https://www.motormag.com.au/news/1608/northern-territory-returnsto-speed-limits, retrieved 29/12/2016 2. 2011-2012 Victorian Speed Limit Review; VicRoads; p. 25 3. Aspects of Road Safety in Australia - Interim Report; Australian Senate; Rural and Regional Affairs and Transport; May 2016; para 3.3 4. Ibid; para 3.8-3.12 5. http://www.abc.net.au/news/2015-09-04/nsw-government-considersincreased-speed-limits-highways/6749158, retrieved 29/12/2016

Tuesday January 3, 2017

The Voice of the Maltese 13

Netanyahu, Obama and the UN I

srael’s Prime by GwynneDyer Minister Binyamin Netanyahu is very, very cross about the United Nations Security Council resolution on condemning the creation of illegal Jewish settlements all over the occupied West Bank and in East Jerusalem. He called in the ambassadors of all the Western countries that voted for the resolution to tell them off: Britain, France, Spain, and even New Zealand. He also had the US ambassador on the carpet, although Washington merely abstained in the Security Council vote. But, Netanyahu said, Donald Trump’s incoming administration has promised to fight “an all-out war” against the resolution. The resolution is only words, of course, but they are words that have not found their way into any UN Security Council resolution since 1979, because the United States always used its veto to kill any resolution that contained them. They are words that describe the settlements as having “no legal validity” and constituting a “flagrant violation under international law and a major obstacle to the achievement of the two-state solution.” This is a restatement of a truth that was once almost universally accepted even in Israel. When Israel’s astonishing victory in the 1967 war put the entire remaining area that had been granted to the Palestinians by the UN partition agreement of 1948 under Israeli control, most Israelis initially saw it as an opportunity for peace. Israel now had a powerful bargaining card. If the Arabs wanted their lost territories back, they would have to sign peace treaties with Israel – and probably agree to demilitarise those territories into the bargain. To a generation of Israelis who had lived in permanent, existential fear of losing a war, that looked like a good bargain. But even then a minority of Israelis wanted to keep the conquered territories forever and repopulate them with Jewish settlers. Some of these expansionists were motivated by religion, others by security concerns, but they all understood that the way to thwart any give-away of these territories was to fill them with Jewish settlers. The settler movement began slowly: 15 years after the conquest there were still only 100,000 Jews living in the occupied territories, but the number had doubled to 200,000 by 1990, and doubled again to 400,000 by 2002. It is now at least 600,000, and may be as high as 750,000. If the settler population continues to grow at the current rate, there could be as many as a million Jews in the occupied territories by 2030. At that point, the long-term prospect of a Jewish majority heaves above the horizon. And that is what the current confrontation between President Barack Obama and Prime

Minister Binyamin Netanyahu is really about. Netanyahu avoids any actual peace talks with the Palestinians because a peace deal (if it could be achieved) would mean the end of the settlement project. He can’t say that out loud, of course, but it is the openly expressed view of the settler leaders whose support has been essential to Netanyahu’s various coalition governments. This is why Netanyahu has to lie all the time, and it drives Obama crazy. In a conversation caught on an open mike in 2011, France’s then-President Nicolas Sarkozy told Obama: “I can't stand him (Netanyahu). He's a liar.” And Obama replied, "You're tired of him? What about me? I have to deal with him every day.” But Obama’s decision to abstain on the Security Council vote condemning Israeli settlement policy in the Palestinian occupied territories was not just a childish last slap at Netanyahu. Obama has a fundamentally different view of what constitutes long-term security for Israel – one that he shares with most other outside observers, but a shrinking proportion of Israelis. Long-term does mean long-term. It cannot be assumed that Arab states will always be relatively poor and incompetently led, and that Israel will always be the unchallengeable military superpower of the region. So, in the view of Obama and other outsiders, Israel’s longterm security still depends on making a fair and lasting peace with its Arab neighUS ambassador to the UN, bours – including the Samantha Power, votes to Palestinians. abstain from voting on a The settlements faresolution condemning Istally undermine the raeli settlement construcprospects for such a tion in the West Bank and deal. For a growing East Jerusalem number of Israelis, that is irrelevant, because they have a fundamentally demonic view of the Arabs and do not believe that a lasting peace with them is possible. In which case, of course, Israel might as well grab all of East Jerusalem and the West Bank. The Jewish settlements are indeed illegal under the Fourth Geneva Convention, and there is not a single government outside Israel that believes they are legitimate. But the recent Security Council resolution will have no effect on Israeli policy, nor will the state of Israel suffer grave consequences as a result. President-elect Donald Trump will stop any further such resolutions with the US veto, although he is unlikely to be able to undo this one. And we will all have to wait a long time to know whether it is the perspective of Netanyahu and Trump, or that of Obama and almost all other world leaders, that ultimately defines Israel’s future. *Gwynne Dyer is an independent journalist whose articles are published in 45 countries. From time to time he also contributes to The Voice of the Maltese.

14 The Voice of the Maltese

Tuesday January 3, 2017

Maltese seniors stepping up: Programme to reduce falls a boost for community

arlene Dimech is one of the many seniors who recently took part in a seven-week strength and balance programme that aims to help seniors become more independent and confident on their feet. “I am so much more confident now, and I am not afraid to walk around at night or outside on my own. This programme has made a big difference in my life, and I have regained my confidence since my fall”, says Marlene. Run by Western Sydney Local Health District (WSLHD) Centre for Population, the programme was delivered to members of the Maltese community at Our Lady Queen of Peace Church in Greystanes. Group facilitator, Joanna Papoulias said there was so much interest in the programme they are planning on running more in 2017. “The group were able to share their

experiences of falls and health issues without judgment or shame. They all had a common goal which was keeping their independence”, Ms. Popoulias said. Stepping On, funded by NSW Health, is a free exercise programme designed for people over 65 years who are living independently in the community and have fallen or are fearful of falling. Participants attend twohour sessions over seven weeks which are facilitated by a fitness or health professional. Programmes are delivered throughout Western Sydney. Stepping On Coordinator, Amanda Doring says the programme has a real practical component and aims to

Quite Achievers Night of Recognition ‘17 on March 8

he Maltese Welfare NSW has informed The Voice of the Maltese that this year’s Quiet Achiever’s Night of RecogniT tion, would be held on Wednesday March 8. This prestigious

event honours Maltese volunteers, in the Maltese community in Australia. The Maltese Welfare encourages members of the community to nominate any persons who have voluntarily contributed much of their time in helping the community. As from this year, there is no age limited. For more information and nomination forms, anybody interested should phone the Secretary, Frances Montesin on 02 9631 9095.

improve a person’s strength and balance that can have significant improvements in their activities of daily living. She added: “We address areas such as reducing home hazards, moving safely in the community, safe footwear, vision, and nutrition, medication management, and exercises to improve strength and balance. We saw a need for more education for the Maltese community, and we plan on offering more of these programmes in 2017. For more information about Programmes one should contact Amanda Doring on 02 9840 3708 or the MCC’s Welfare/Community Worker, Marisa Previtera on 0414 863 123.

returns to C31 for another season in 2017! he comT munity TV show

Maltese DownUnder is set to return to the Melbourne C 31 (channel 44) for another season in 2017, that is, if there’s enough community support! This was announced following the news on December 12 that C31 had been granted a six-month extension of their licence to broadcast on free to air TV. The Federal Government’s decision to cease the licence for community TV’s still stands, but in the past few days,

the decision to extend the licence until the end of June 2017 was welcomed by C31 itself and community TV producers, including Marlene Scicluna and Mark Avellino, the producers behind popular community TV show Maltese DownUnder. Marlene and Mark (pictured left) are currently waiting on updates for the new schedule and processes from C31 with regards to this new development. Maltese DownUnder was first screened on C31 in February on Sundays at 4pm with a repeat Tuesdays at 3pm for seasons 1 and 2, then 2.30pm for season 3. The show is also streamed live via www.c31.org.au/series/1313 and most of the shows are still available on demand via the same link. Maltese DownUnder has viewers from all over Australia, New Zealand, Malta, Belgium, UK, USA and Canada; this definitely helped make the show the second most popular online on C31, after only a few weeks of production!

The Voice of the Maltese 15

Tuesday January 3, 2017

The Óamrun Association’s Carols by Candlelight:

A night to be remembered

he Óamrun Association of Marsden Park NSW held its annual Carols by Candlelight that proved to be a huge success. The programme was well organised and the Choir of the Maltese Cultural Association. of NSW gave a tremendous performance with their mixture of English and Maltese carols and some very popular old songs. Sabain Caruana was really good with the traditional Christmas sermon “Priedka tal-Milied”, while the kids where so cute acting the Nativity Scene where they even had a real life six-months old baby. Santa couldn’t be merrier coming in with the accordion, and Katlyn Vella was at her best with the national Anthems and then

The editors and corresponcorrespondents of The Voice of the Maltese wish all our readers a Happy and Prosperous New Year 2017. Thanks for appreciating our efforts.

with her mixture of carols and popular songs. The hall was packed. Most of the attendees were young second generation Maltese families with their kids. A great pat on the back for the organisers and volunteers who spent days preparing

for this great traditional night. The president and the Hamrun Association on behalf of his committee would like to thank all the members of the committee and volunteers who with their hard work made it a night to be remembered.

16 The Voice of the Maltese

Tuesday January 3, 2017

Roundup of News About Malta

Malta assumes EU Presidency A

s of January 1 - and until June 30 Malta has assumed the Presidency of the Council of the European Union, during which, it will host around 20,000 delegates from EU member states and 1,500 journalists attending the various meetings linked with the Presidency. Prime Minister Joseph Muscat said in a New Year’s message to the nation, that Malta’s presidency would herald the beginning of a European “reunion” project, and that Malta had to “rise to the occasion” and ensure its moment at the helm of the Council helped the EU overcome the serious challenges it faced/ He said Malta’s “humble and honest” agenda throughout the Presidency would prioritise improving the everyday lives of every EU citizen. The Presidency of the Council rotates among the EU member states every six months. During this period, the presidency chairs meetings at every level in the Council, helping to ensure the continuity of the EU's work in the Council.

Malta PM Joseph Muscat will lead Malta’s EU Presidency

Malta praised for its handling of the Libyan hijacked plane

he international media hailed Malta’s handling of the Libyan Afriqiyah aircraft with 118 people on board that was hijacked on an internal flight in Libya and forced to land at Malta’s International Airport on December 23. After about four tense hours of negotiations, led from the Maltese side by Armed Forces of Malta commander Jeffrey Curmi, the hijacking ended peacefully. Two days later, in the morning of Christmas Day, under heavy police escort, Moussa Shah Soko, 27, and Ali Ahmed Saleh, 28, both from Sebha, Libya, were arraigned to court and charged with nine terrorism-related offences. They pleaded not guilty and are currently held in custody at the Corradino Prison facility. The two Libyans had hijacked the Airbus A320, Flight 8U209 threatening to blow it up saying they were carrying grenades. After four hours of negotiating the hijackers released all the passengers and crew unharmed. They also surrendered to the Maltese authorities and were arrested. Throughout the negotiations Malta’s Prime Minister Joseph Muscat posted details of the goings-on in real time on his Twitter account. Later at a press briefing the Prime Minister explained to journalists how the ordeal unfolded. Then in a later statement, the government said initial forensic investigations showed that the weapons used by the hijackers were identical “replica” weapons - imitation weapons that may not actually fire, but are difficult to distinguish visually from real guns. All passengers and crewmembers that were on board were interrogated before returning to Libya a few hours later on another Afriqiyah carrier

States holding the presidency work together closely in groups of three. Malta takes over the Presidency from Slovakia. The opening ceremony for this important occasion will be held on January 11. It will be officially heralded in by a collaborative music and dance project between the Malta Philharmonic Orchestra (MPO) under Principal Conductor and Artistic Director Brian Schembri, and ŻfinMalta. The MPO, that produces over 60 conhe presidency is responsible for driving forward the certs annually, remCouncil's work on EU legislation, ensuring the contiains Malta’s cultural nuity of the EU agenda, orderly legislative processes ambassador due to its and cooperation among member states. To do this, the presicontribution to an exdency must act as an honest and neutral broker. tensive calendar of The presidency has two main tasks: events. Its contribu1. Planning and chairing meetings in the tion is highly awaited. Council and its preparatory bodies The presidency chairs meetings of the different Council configurations (with the exception of the Foreign Affairs Council) and the Council's preparatory bodies, which include permanent committees such as the Permanent Representatives Committee (Coreper), and working parties and committees dealing with very specific subjects. It ensures that discussions are conducted properly and that the Council's rules of procedure and working methods are corow in its 11th year, the Isle of MTV concert, the annual eventthat rectly applied. has become a fixture on Malta's summer social scene has been It also organises various formal and informal meetings in confirmed for another four years. This year’s concert will be held in Brussels and in the country of the rotating presidency. Floriana on June 27, the Malta Tourism Authority (MTA) has announced. 2. Representing the Council in relations with MTA CEO Paul Bugeja said the partnership with MTV has boosted the other EU institutions Malta's international visibility and enhanced its appeal to younger The presidency represents the Council in relations with the other EU institutions, particularly with the Commission and visitors. He told the media: “We are looking forward to hosting the the European Parliament. Its role is to try and reach agreement next editions of Isle of MTV, including a whole music week, an on legislative files through trilogues, informal negotiation event which has become a major appointment on our ever increasing meetings and Conciliation Committee meetings. and varied annual calendar of events.” The presidency works in close coordination with: the PresiMeanwhile, Viacom Velocity Creative Planning Services VP, Rusdent of the European Council and the High Representative of sell Samuel said that the past ten years had seen Malta provide the the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy perfect setting for their biggest summer music festival. He added: It supports their work and may sometimes be requested to We look forward to building on what has proven to be an extremely perform certain duties for the high representative, such as repsuccessful partnership with our friends at the Malta Tourism Authorresenting the Foreign Affairs Council before the European Parity.” liament or chairing the Foreign Affairs Council when it Artists who will be performing at this year’s edition of the festival discusses common commercial policy issues. will be announced in the coming months.

The tasks of the presidency

Isle of MTV concert in Malta confirmed for further 4 years N

The Voice of the Maltese 17

Tuesday January 3, 2017

Roundup of News About Malta

Malta bans smoking in cars in the presence of children s of the beginning of the New Year (last Sunday), new legislation has A come into force making it illegal for any-

Over â&#x201A;Ź93 million in funds for Migration, security in Malta

y the end of November 2016, 80% of the Internal Security Funds and 45% of the Asylum, Migration and Integration Funds, in total over â&#x201A;Ź93 million were committed to projects, while more projects are envisaged to be implemented this year in order for all the funds to be taken up, Parliamentary Secretary for the EU Presidency 2017 and EU Funds Ian Borg announced. The Funds and Programmes Division within the Ministry for European Affairs and the Implementation of the Electoral Manifesto is in charge of the management of the Internal Security Fund and the Asylum, Migration and Integration Fund. The Internal Security Fund supports actions aimed at addressing threats that jeopardise the security of the country through international crime networks and terrorism, while also raising the levels of security for citizens and businesses in cyberspace and through controls at the border. On the other hand the aim of the Asylum, Migration and Integration Fund is to provide assistance to Malta in its management of migration flows, through the provision of asylum and reception facilities to migrants, the organisation of activities and actions aimed at assisting migrants in their integration into the Maltese community, while also strengthening cooperation with third countries with respect to return management. An allocation of the EU Funds was granted to the said Division to distribute amongst entities in charge of the internal security of Malta as well as those involved in the asylum, integration and return of migrants residing in Malta. By end of November 30 last,, six calls for proposals were issued with respect to the Internal Security Fund, while five calls for proposals were issued with respect to the Asylum, Migration and Integration Fund. In total 19 project submissions were received

under the Internal Security Fund while 16 projects were submitted under the Asylum, Migration and Integration Fund. The fund will also be assisting the initiative by the Maltese government to share the burden being undertaken by Italy, Greece and Turkey following a sudden inflow of nationals of third countries to their country. In such instances, the fund will be providing a sum of money for their relocation or resettlement in Malta.

one to smoke in cars in the presence of children under the age of 16. This legislative measure is meant to protect children and young people from the damaging effects of second-hand smoke. Children are at particular risk from the effects of passive smoking because they have an increased risk of developing chest infections during their first five years. Babies exposed to cigarette smoke are also at a greater risk of sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS), which is also known as cot death. As well as making children more vulnerable to ear infections, passive smoking also makes children more likely to develop asthma. The ban applies to all tobacco products including e-cigarettes. The driver of the car will always be held responsible and is liable to a fine of â&#x201A;Ź50. Any passenger caught smoking in a car in the presence of minors will also be liable to a similar fine. In Malta smoking was already restricted in all enclosed public spaces in April 2004. It was one of the first EU states to ban smoking in bars and restaurants. This new legislation will continue to build on the drive to protect the public from second-hand smoke.

In Malta, as of the beginning of the New Year, it has become illegal for anybody to smoke in cars in the presence of children.

18 The Voice of the Maltese

Tuesday January 3, 2017

Ìabra Fenomenali f’l-istrina Ó

ames Miljuni u nofs Ewro mhix somma Ωg˙ira.. u li ti©bor aktar minn ˙ames miljuni u nofs Ewro fi 12-il sieg˙a minn popolazzjoni ta’ madwar 420,000 ru˙ mhix çajta. Din kienet propju s-somma (biex inkun eΩatt €5,514,307) li n©abret din is-sena f’l-istrina li ti©i organizzata millCommunity Chest Fund Foundation. (ara wkoll artiklu pa©na 2). Din is-somma rekord se tmur biex tg˙in li dawk li l-aktar huma filbΩonn. Bla dubju ta’ xejn din hi xhieda qawwija tal-©eneroΩita` talpoplu Malti u G˙awdxi li jg˙ix filGΩejjer Maltin u anke l-bog˙od minn dawn il-GΩejjer, fosthom flAwstralja. Prosit, u prosit tassew! Mhux g˙ax ma naqsux xi kummenti minn dawk li jaraw x’jivvintaw biex imorru kontra l-kurrent. Ma naqsux dawk li jikkritikaw ilfatt li waqt il-©bir issir ˙afna referenza g˙all-kaΩijiet pjetuΩi ta’ nies li kellhom jew g˙andhom xi mard, u nies li g˙andhom çerti ˙ti©ijiet. Dawn il-kummentaturi jsostnu li mhux sewwa li l-organizzaturi jinqdew b’kaΩijiet b˙al dawn biex i˙ajru lin-nies jikkontribwixxu. Kritika o˙ra li smajna kien kif wie˙ed jista’ jkun sigur li çerti kontribuzzjonijiet kbar li jag˙tu xi ditti ma jsirux aktar b˙ala reklamar g˙al dawn id-ditti, milli b˙ala att ta’ ©eneroΩita’…. jekk mhux ukoll g˙ax tid˙ol çerta pika bejn l-istess ditti dwar min jifla˙ jag˙ti l-aktar. Kumment ©did li g˙adda minn g˙ala widnejja kien ta’ mara li meta bdiet tara l-eluf kbar li taw çerti ditti, qalet, “mela dawn kemm qed jaqilg˙u flus minn fuqna biex jifil˙u jag˙tu somom b˙al dawn g˙allkarita? Bilkemm ma waslitx biex timplika li dawn qed jsirqu ˙aj lillkonsumatur. B˙al ma ji©ri f’kull avveniment, kien hemm ukoll dawk li taw ilpinzellata politika anke f’kaΩ b˙al dan. Mhux g˙ax kien hemm xi polemika dwar il-©bir innifsu. Xejn minn dan, g˙ax iΩ-Ωew© partiti politiçi kkolaboraw bi s˙i˙ f’din il©abra. Sa˙ansitra rajna l-istazzjonijiet politiçi jing˙aqdu ma’ dak tal-Istat mhux biss biex jittrasmettu g˙al 12-il sieg˙a s˙a˙ l-attivita’, iΩda ukoll billi ©urnalisti, preΩentaturi, u ˙addiema mill-istazzjonijiet kollha taw il-kontribut tag˙hom biex l-at-

L-awtoritajiet g˙oljin tal-pajjiΩ jillonçjaw l-istrina tal-2016. Mix-xellug: Il-Kap tal-OppoΩizzjoni Simon Busutttil, l-Arçisqof Charles Scicluna, is-sinjura Michelle Muscat ma’ Ωew©ha l-Prim Ministru Joe Muscat u Ω-Ωew© uliedhom, is-Sur Edgar Preca u martu l-President Marie-Louise Coleiro Preca

tivita` tkun suççess. Il-pinzellata politika kienet ©ejja minn dawk li ma’ naqsux li jirrimarkaw li bilfors li f’Malta hawn il-flus fl-idejn biex jistg˙u jin©abru somom hekk kbar. U s-somom li n©abru s’issa huma tassew kbar meta wie˙ed iqis li f’dawn l-a˙˙ar ©img˙at saru wkoll ©abriet o˙ra mill-Partiti Politiçi, liema ©abriet bejnethom qabΩu l-miljun Ewro. Sa˙ansitra matul is-sena li g˙addiet il-Partit Nazzjonalista rnexxielu ji©bor miljun Ewro fid-diversi ©abriet li g˙amel. Dan lanqas ma kien it-tmiem tal©bir g˙ax fost kien g˙ad baqa’ l©abra tas-soltu tal-Ewwel Sena b’risq id-Dar tal-Providenza fejn in©abret is-somma ta’ €6,495.036. Imma jing˙ad x’jing˙ad, ˙a©a wa˙da hi çerta: Il-poplu Malti, mhux poplu x˙i˙, anzi lest li jg˙in lil min hu fil-bΩonn kemm f’artu, u wkoll il-bog˙od minn artu.

Bejn kliem u fatti l-Malti jg˙id li ‘Bejn il-kliem u l-fatti hemm ba˙ar Ig˙axjikkumbatti. U hekk ©ara fil-jiem ta’ qabel il-Milied, filwaqt li fiç-çerimonja li ssir ta’ kull sena msejj˙a Milied Flimkien li saret ta˙t tinda armata g˙all-okkaΩjoni, f’Misra˙ Kastilja fejn tkellmu l-mexxejja tal-PajjiΩ – il-Prim Ministru Joseph Muscat, il-Kap tal-OppoΩizzjoni Simon Busuttil, u l-Arçisqof, Mons Charles Scicluna – saret emfasi dwar il-paçi ta’ bejnietna u kemm m’g˙andux ikun hemm firda bejn il-Maltin. IΩda fl-istess ˙in li kien qed isir dan id-diskors, fil-Parlament kien qed isir dibattitu li tant kien ja˙raq li l-Ispeaker kellu jissospendi l-laqg˙a.. u l-kliem li g˙adda bejn iΩ-Ωew© na˙at tal-kamra xejn ma kien kliem li juri m˙abba, imma anzi kien wie˙ed ta’ firda. Ikun hemm min jg˙idlek, li fil-fatt il-mod kif i©ibu ru˙hom u jitkellmu l-Parlamentari waqt xi dibattitu filkamra hu differenti g˙al kollox minn dak li jse˙˙ barra mill-Kamra, g˙ax mhux darba u tnejn wara t-tbaqbiq kollu li jsir kul˙add jispiçça jixrob flimkien. U bil˙aqq, illum is-seduti qed ji©u trasmessi diretti fuq it-televizjoni... u allura xi ftit reçtar minn xi w˙ud isir ukoll!!!!

Bil-Pedigree!

spressjoni din ta’ ras l-artiklu, li bilE Malti ndawwruha, ‘biç-çertifikat tarrazza’. Hekk li g˙all-ewwel darba l-kelb

tal-kaçça ta’ Malta, issa jista’ jing˙ata ç-çertifikat tar-Razza. Dan se jse˙˙ wara ˙idma bejn il-Fed-

erazzjoni Kaççaturi Nassaba Konservazzjonisti (FKNK) u l-Maltese National Canine Federation (MNCF) sar studju minn Dott. James Galea flimkien mall-kirurgu veterinarju Dott. Martin Debattista li kkonferma li r-razza tal-Kelb tal-Kaçça ta’ Malta hija wa˙da pura u uniku g˙all-GΩejjer ta’ Malta.

The Voice of the Maltese 19

Tuesday January 3, 2017

G˙awdex qed jikontribwixxi eta nitrattaw l-ekonomija, x’aktarx nie˙du lM progress f’dan il-qasam tal-GΩejjer Maltin flimkien. Ftit li xejn issir emfasi dwar il-kontribut

ra dawn, minkejja d-diffeA renzi ta’ opinjoni li hemm bejniethom... u l-˙afna kummenti li saru dan l-a˙˙ar wara

X’differenza!

xi tweets li g˙amel l-istess Arçisqof, ma marrux jilmentaw, imma tassew urew kif g˙andhom jing˙ataw l-Awguri. J’Alla dawn il-mexxejja u mexxejja o˙ra b˙alhom jie˙du l-kritika u d-differenza ta’ bejniethom bl-istess spirtu.

€10 Miljun f’xahar

a˙seb ftit jirrealizzaw kemm tiswa kull miΩura ntrodotta mill-Gvern fil-qasam tas-servizzi soçjali. Fost is-servizzi hemm l-hekk imsejja˙ Children’s Allowance, servizz li f’Ottubru biss sewa lill-Gvern €10,128,579. Minn dawn ilflus gawdew 39,878 familja li g˙andhom 23,827 tifel u tifla. L-allowance ting˙ata wkoll lis-single mothers, b’kollox 5,772. L-iΩg˙ar single mother li tirçievi l-allowance g˙andha bejn l-10 u 14-il sena u toqg˙od il-Belt waqt li l-akbar fl-età g˙andha bejn is-70 u l-74 sena minn ÓaΩ-Zabbar. L-ikbar g˙add ta’ single mothers, 373, joqog˙du f’Birkirkara, wara hemm San Pawl il-Ba˙ar bi 348 u l-Belt Valletta b’257. L-aktar single mothers, 897, g˙andhom bejn il-35 u d-39 sena. Wara ti©i l-faxxa ta’ bejn it-30 u l-34 sena (853 omm) u dawk bejn l-l-40 u l-44 sena (842).

Aktar btajjel fl-2017

e l-g˙add ta’ btajjel pubbliçi f’Malta L mhux se jiΩdied. IΩ-Ωieda ta’ vaganzi g˙all-˙addiema matul l-2017 se tkun ˙a©a naturali. Dan billi ˙afna mill-btajjel pubbliçi mhux se ja˙btu nhar ta’ Sibt jew Óadd. A˙bar tajba g˙all-˙addiema hi li g˙add minnhom se ja˙btu nhar ta’ Ìimg˙a jew itTnejn... allura se jkollna g˙add ta’ long weekends. Il-festi li se ja˙btu matul u fi tmiem il©img˙a huma, l-10 ta’ Frar, il-festa ta’ San Pawl, Jum il-Óelsien (31 ta’ Marzu), ilÌimg˙a l-Kbira (14 ta’ April), Jum il-Óaddiem (l-1 ta’ Mejju), is-Sette Giugno (7 ta’ Ìunju), il-Festa ta’ San Pietru u San Pawl (29 ta’ Ìunju), Santa Marija (15 t’Awwissu), il-Vitorja (8 ta’ Settembru), l-Indipendenza (21 ta’ Settembru), il-Kunçizzjoni (8 ta’ Diçembru), Jum ir-Repubblika (13 ta’ Diçembru u l-Miled fil-25 ta’ Diçembru.

ekonomiku li jag˙ti G˙awdex. Fil-fatt f’dawn l-a˙˙ar snin l-ekonomija fil-GΩira G˙awdxija tant issa˙˙et li l-Prodott Domestiku Gross (GDP) tag˙ha sa˙ansitra jisboq lil dak ta’ Malta. Fl-2015 G˙awdex kellu tkabbir fil-Prodott Domestiku Gross ta’ 9.6%. Fl-2015 it-tkabbir ekonomiku f’G˙awdex kien g˙axar darbiet aktar minn dak irre©istrat fl-2012. Filwaqt li fl-2012 il-Prodott Domestiku Gross Ωdied bi €3.5 miljun, fl-2015 dan Ωdied b’€35 miljun. Imsomma jidher li dan imur bog˙od minn dak li ja˙sbu ˙afna, ji©ifieri li G˙awdex huwa piΩ finanzjarju fuq Malta.

Óa g˙alih! idher li l-Prim Im˙allef ˙a g˙alih blJ ikrah bl-a˙˙ar mossa tal-Gvern li b’deçiΩjoni fil-Parlament u b’mod unanimu l-membri taΩ-Ωew© na˙at, inbidlet il-preçidenza fejn jid˙lu l-og˙la persuna©©i tal-PajjiΩ. Bil-bidla li saret dan l-a˙˙ar l-Ispeaker talKamra tar-RappreΩentanti, b˙alissa Dr Anl-Prim Im˙allef Dr Silvio Camilleri ©lu Farrugia, ©ie propju fit-tielet post wara Sadanittant fi stqarrija tal-Gvern intqal li tl-President u l-Prim Ministru. Qabel, fittielet post kien ji©i l-Prim Im˙allef - Dr Sil- tibdil fil-protokoll ma jirrelegax lill-©udikavio Camilleri - li issa sab ru˙u fil-˙ames tur. Li se˙˙ hu li l-Ispeaker tela’ Ωew© post, billi qablu hemm ukoll l-Arçisqof postijiet fil-lista ta’ preçedenza li tirrifletti le©islazzjoni riçenti li da˙let fis-se˙˙ b’mod Mons Scicluna. Il-Prim Im˙allaf tant ˙a ç-çaqlieqa bi kbira unanimu wara snin twal ta’ diskussjoni u rapli meta attenda g˙aç-çerimonja tal-bdil tal- porti dwar l-awtonomija tal-Parlament b˙ala awguri tal-Ewwel tas-Sena bejn l-og˙la aw- l-og˙la istituzzjoni tal-pajjiΩ. Il-Prim Im˙allef xorta g˙adu fl-ewwel kattoritajiet u l-President ta’ Malta, Ωbroffa. Meta ndirizza lill-President u lil dawk pre- egorija ta’ din il-lista ta’ preçedenza. LΩenti qal li b’dan il-pass il-©udikatura ng˙atat Im˙allfin Ωammew il-poΩizzjoni tag˙hom filwaqt li l-Ma©istrati telg˙u g˙add ta’ post inferjuri minn li dejjem gawdiet. Qal: “Sfortunatament, tmiem is-sena ˙al- postijiet biex din il-poΩizzjoni tkun tirrifletti liet tog˙ma qarsa fil-©udikatura min˙abba r-responsabbiltajiet tag˙hom. t-trattament li rçeviet meta l-Ordni ta’ Preçedenza ©iet mill-Gvern ˙abta u sabta kapovolta u l©udikatura, rappre Ωentata mill-kariga tieg˙i, ©iet relegata Guaranteed cheapest rates g˙al poΩizzjoni inferjuri minn dik li All vehicles in NRMA road Service jist˙oqqilha u li dejLow holding Deposit jem ©iet akkordata lilha matul is-snin.” Discount for weekly rentals Veru li bniedem Shuttle service to the Airport ikun urtat sew biex jmur jilmenta f’okPhone: 9622 2208 Mob: 0418 405 271 kaΩjoni li tkun wa˙102 Kildare Rd Blacktown NSW 2148 da ta’ awguri, imma....

Leo’s Rentals Vehicle Rentals Leo’s Vehicle

20 The Voice of the Maltese

Tuesday January 3, 2017

A quick glimpse at Australia

Malcolm Turnbull wants a Republic

n his speech at the dinner at the Great Hall Sydney University, Prime Minister Mr. Malcolm Turnbull said a republic was not inevitable. “History is littered with inevitable causes that never came to pass. “The vast majority of Australians have known no head of state other than the Queen, I do not believe Australians would welcome, let alone support, another republic referendum during her reign.” It was essential that, before a new referendum, the split first be resolved between those who preferred the direct election of a President and those who favoured a selection via parliamentary majority endorsed by the leaders of the government and opposition. This could be done, Mr. Turnbull suggested by having an “advisory plebiscite” to ask voters which of the two models should proceed to a referendum. The split between the two camps was a key factor in sinking the referendum on a republic in 1999. Mr. Turnbull, then leader

Turnbull denounces terrorism

rime Minister Malcolm Turnbull used P his 2017 New Year message to warn terrorists and extremists they will not succeed in dividing Australians. He said conflict around the world should make all Australians grateful and proud of its harmonious, peaceful and multicultural society. But he also warned "we must never take it for granted" and pointed to recent arrests in Sydney and Melbourne linked to terror plots which he says were designed to undermine the Australian way of life. "Those who have sought to divide us have failed just as those who try to divide us in the future will fail," he said. Mr Turnbull said national and economic security would again be his priority in 2017, and wished everyone a year filled with peace, happiness and love. n his New Year message, Opposition Leader Bill Shorten reflected on the difficulties Australians faced in 2016, including violence against women and unemployment.

of the Australian Republic Movement, said at the time that then Prime Minister John Howard had “broken the nation's heart” by not supporting the referendum. He said that a quarter of a century ago, when he founded the Republican movement, “we did not imagine we would be celebrating 25 years without a republic achieved”. He said: “The cause of the Australian Republican Movement is a cause for Australia. I am an Australian and proud to say so. Our head of state should be someone who can say the same.” Mr Turnbull called on other parties not to make the Republican debate about partisan politics, criticising Labor for trying to fuel division on the Coalition side. “I'm speaking to you as one of the founders of this movement, a passionate tandard & S Poors warns that it remains

Malcom Fraser: a Republic not inevitable

Australian Republican and one who wants you to succeed,” he said. But he added that speaking as Prime Minister, there had to be a recognition that the Constitution did not belong to the government or Parliament but the people. “So those of us who propose a change must approach our task with humility and respect for the people to whom the constitution belongs,” he said. He finished the speech with a rousing call to “keep the faith, advance Australia, up the republic.”

Balanced budget: when?

pessimistic about the Government's ability to close existing budget deficits and return a balanced budget by the year ending June 30, 2021. “Over the coming months, we will continue to monitor the Government's willingness and ability to enact new budget savings or revenue measures to reduce fiscal deficits materially over the next few years,” S&P said. The Government's Mid-Year Economic and Fiscal Outlook (MYEFO) was received favourably by all three rating agencies, but the nation's AAA credit rating is no longer assured. Fitch and Moody's came out early to reaffirm Australia's prized AAA sovereign debt rating, but Standard & Poor's took its time, releasing its assessment three hours after

MYEFO was handed down. Unlike the other agencies, S&P has Australia on a negative rating outlook, meaning a downgrade is a real possibility. While the agency said a downgrade over the next two years was a one-in-three possibility, it seems those odds have risen substantially. “The Government's worsening forecast fiscal position, as outlined in its latest budget projections, further pressures the rating,” S&P warned. “Fitch acknowledges that Australia's fiscal position has deteriorated considerably since the global financial crisis, eroding the country's buffer against shocks such as a housing market downturn or further weakening of the global economy,” warned the agency's director of sovereign ratings Mervyn Tang.

Harder tests for citizenship

nstead of answering the basic questions about Australia’s political structure, parliament, election and perfunctory duties of a citizen, Australian citizenship aspirants may now have to deal with a more specific test that reportedly aims to examine whether they have integrated with the Australian way of life and the social values. The 20 multiple-choice-question citizenship test may soon be replaced by a tougher new test to stop extremists from gaining Australian citizenship. The new test will be more specific and ask migrants whether they have been working, their children attending school and whether their spouse is attending English lessons.

The Voice of the Maltese 21

Tuesday January 3, 2017

A quick glimpse at Australia

Dazzling fireworks display heralds in Year 2017 – 1.5 million revellers watch best ‘show on the planet’

ver 1.5 million revellers witnessed the dazzling fireworks display in and around Sydney harbour, Australia on New Years Eve. The display featured a multicoloured firework “waterfall” cascading off the Harbour Bridge and pyrotechnic effects in the shapes of butterflies, octopuses and flowers. Those who were there believe they were lucky to be part of the crowd to see out year 2016 and ring in the New Year, 2017. Some were more fortunate than others to have found a vintage point at Mrs Macquaries Point after queuing up since early Saturday morning for what many consider to be the "best New Year's show on the planet". Sydney's fireworks spectacular (see front page) and light parade that started around 9pm and was still on by midnight. It also feature a 12minute synchronised mu-sic accompaniment showcasing the work of

play started early, Director Fortunato Foti, celebrating his 20th year in the job, had everything in place long before the start. Sydney was again the place to be on NYE. Aside from the Harbour Bridge and Sydney Opera House, seven barges acted as launch pads for 30 tonnes of explosives. Throughout the night, 19,000 fireworks illiminated the sky. More than 2000 officers were on duty to patrol Sydney's streets and waterways in the afternoon and night, with the biggest concentration of officers being on Sydney Harbour and surrounding foreshore areas. Hundreds of frustrated Qantas passengers were not able to make it to the show as a technical problem grounded their A380 QF2 at Dubai International Airport. A spokesman for Qantas said that passengers on Qantas flight QF 2 from Dubai to Sydney were put up in hotels due to an engineering issue with the aircraft.

Most sought-after vantage points reached capacity early in the day, as determined revellers camped out for 24 hours ahead of the fireworks to secure the perfect view and watch $7m worth of explosives go up in smoke as part of the light show

rock kings David Bowie and Prince, as part of a special themed tribute to the icons who died during 2016. Many foreshore vantage points were either closed off or at virtual capacity by 2pm. Those who could not get a good spot faced the prospect or either watching the extravaganza unfold as they always did, on television, or pay up through their noses by spending late evening at a bar or restaurant to see the New Year's Eve fireworks. Preparations for the fireworks dis-

New Year brings new price rises and benefit cuts long with hangovers and dark shares, investment properties – pen- years, down from $1000 previously. A circles under their eyes, Aus- sioners can own before their pension Federal Health Minister Sussan Ley tralians woke up on New Year’s Day rate is reduced from the full rate. says only 30 per cent of children on Sunday to a host of increased fees, char-ges, changed regulations and reduced benefits. When it comes to Pensioners, a shake-up of the test that determines whether people are eligible to receive the age pension, the disability support pension and the carers pension will mean reduced payments for more than 230,000 pensioners and payments ceasing altogether for about 90,000 more. Pensioners affected by the change might already have received a letter from Centrelink. On the other hand, about 170,000 pensioners will receive a pension boost, because the government is lifting the total value of assets – cash,

As always, the family home remains excluded, but many more will lose out under the changes thanks to an increase in the rate at which pension payments are reduced once assets exceed the threshold value. Currently, for every $1000 of assets a pensioner owns above the asset threshold, their fortnightly pension payment is reduced by $1.50. This has increase to $3 on January 1 – returning it to where it was before the Howard government made it more generous in 2006. From January 1, three million children living in families that receive Family Tax Benefit Part A are having their entitlement to free dental services capped at $700 over two

who are entitled to the payment actually use it, and the average claimed per patient is just $302. However, eight per cent of children eligible for the subsidies are expected to be affected by the change – leaving about a quarter of a million kids worse off. The new year also brings reduced funding for adult dental services, after the federal government announced just before Christmas that it would give the states just $107 million in funding each year for the next three years, down from $155 million this funding year. The Gillard government had originally pledged $391 million for the coming funding year.

22 The Voice of the Maltese

Tuesday January 3, 2017

Celebrating Fr Claude’s 65th Anniversary of his Priesthood F

r Claude Borg is approaching 90 and is celebrating the 65th Anniversary of his priesthood. Therefore The Voice of the Maltese took this occasion to talk with Fr Claude about his life’s journey. This gentle much loved Maltese priest was gracious enough to share his life with our readers. The priest’s baptismal name is Victor and Claude is the religious name. He was born in February 1926 and at the age of twelve joined the aspirants of the Missionary Society of St. Paul. He was ordained priest on December 22nd, 1951. Fr Claude was given his first assignment at the St. Domenico Savio Oratory in Birkirkara, Malta and in October 1956 was requested to travel to Melbourne, Australia, to join some of the other members of his Society. He was stationed in Melbourne as a Maltese Chaplain, and after nine years working in Victoria, in 1965 he was appointed Parish Priest of Our Lady of Victories in Horsley Park NSW. Five years later, in 1970 he was recalled back to Malta, to take up the post of Assistant to the Superior General before. Ten years later he was asked to return to Australia, but this time to serve in Sydney where he occupied the role of Maltese Chaplain in the Parramatta Diocese. All those who know Fr Claude would bear testimony that whenever he had a sick call, whether it was from a hospital or the community’s home, he was there, without any delay. Now, at the age of 90 years, he is retired and has been placed in home care, at the Mullauna Uniting Care Village, Bungarribee Road in Blacktown. However, with the help of John Beale, he still performs his ministerial duties. As was fitting, on Sunday, December 11, the President of the Maltese Community Council organised for him a celebration to mark the 65th

Anniversary of his Priesthood at Our Lady of Victories Church Horsley Park. On this occasion, Fr Claude said: “My words at this moment are not good enough to express my feelings.

Claude wanted to mention and who directly had been instrumental on the organisation of the occasion, particularly Mark and Antoinette Caruana, the presidents of the Past Pupils of Don Bosco and La Valette Centre, respectively. Mark Caruana said that it was a milestone in the priest’s life and after speaking with Emmanuel Camilleri, the President of the Maltese Community of NSW, it was decided that they should celebrate the occasion in honour of Fr Claude. Others Fr Claude felt he should thank on this occasion were Paul Borg, Emmanuel Zammit, John Beale and Bill Schembri who organised themselves in a committee and formed the fulcrum for him. Fr Dominik who had to push the lever, and organised a beautiful mass and finger food, donated and cooked by friends, and all those who helped to support the event. He also reserved special thanks to the members of his first Horsley Park choir, other members of the La Valette Choir and of the new J C Choir for doing a great job during the mass, and the Fr Claude Borg Beale family that was there Photo: Patrick Bartolo for him at all times and when It is a message coming from the he needed someone. The occasion was complete with depth of my heart. I wish to say thank you to Father Ivano, my the Papal Blessing that was obProvincial, who has been very kind tained for him by Fr Dominik. He and in his busy schedule managed wanted to share it with all his friends. to present himself to be with us. On our part, on behalf of our read“Many thanks to each and everyone of you here present. It is you who ers, we at The Voice of the Maltese, have made this service so memo- would like to thank, Fr Claude for rable; thanks to all those who apolo- his service to the Maltese community and wish him Ad multos Annos gised for being unable to join us.” There are a handful of people Fr (to many years).

Celebrating Australia Day with MCC NSW The Maltese Community Council of NSW (MCC NSW) will be celebration Australia Day 2017, on Sunday, January 22 at the Holroyd Function Centre, 17 Miller Street Merrylands at 4 pm. Everybody is invited to attend. The keynote speaker on the occasion would be Paul Sant LLB. Entertainment is to be provided by the choir of the Maltese Cultural Association of NSW and the talented young singer Violetta Bazanic. Free admission and light refreshments would be are served. For more information one should get in touch with the president of the MCC,

Tuesday January 3, 2017

The Voice of the Maltese 23

Farewell Fr. Lawrence E. Attard OP Mark Caruana (Australia) and Dan Brock (Canada) express their appreciation for Fr Lawrence E. Attard’s contribution to the history of Maltese emigration

r. Lawrence E. Attard, OP, who was part of the Nazarene Parish Dominican community in Sliema for many years, a member of the Emigrants Commission, editor of the magazine Lil Óutna, co-ordinator of the programme on Radio Malta - MagaΩΩin tal-Emigranti and broadcaster on other channels passed away at the age of 80 on October 5, last. Fr Lawrence was born in Birgu (Vittoriosa) and did his studies in Dublin where he was ordained a Dominican friar. He earned a BA Hons degree and an MA in modern history from Oxford University. He visited several communities of Maltese emigrants, including those in Australia, and was also one of the main speakers who read papers at the two conventions on Maltese Living Abroad held in Valletta in 2000 and 2010 respectively. In 2009, he was invited by the University of Malta to teach in the Maltese Studies course, about Maltese emigrants in particular, to graduate students reading for their MA. Fr. Lawrence wrote six books on Maltese emigration and published the history of Xirka tal-Isem Imqaddes t’Alla, Malta. In 2014, he was awarded the Premju Ìie˙ Il-Birgu. We are indebted to the Maltese Dominican Province for the above. Mark Caruana had known Fr Attard for close to 40 years. He liked his writings on Maltese migration for two particular reasons. He emphasised not the role and contribution of the ruling class, the governors, the diplomats and the military establishment, but was always writing on migration from the point of view of the working class. Mark saw in him this preference for the poor, the illiterate, the cashless migrant who either made good in his country of settlement or suffered untold hardships, mostly unrecorded for posterity. Numerous migrants left Malta Dan Brock and Gozo unaided by the government and Fr Lawrence spoke frankly and openly about the usual talkfest by politicians on how to help migrants in an over-populated island but never lifted a finger in a pragmatic way. Another aspect of his migration studies that Mark enjoyed was that Fr Lawrence saw Maltese migration as an integral part of what was happening politically, economically, socially, etc. in

Mark Caruana (left) with the late Fr Lawrence Attard other parts of the world. Migration was never perceived in isolation of the push and pull factors abroad. Malta was not the main driving force of migration but part of an overall dynamic force. Mark corresponded with Fr Lawrence for several years. He once did a book review for him and Fr. Lawrence complimented him by saying that he was one of the very view who gave him a frank and positive review which included some factual errors, areas of improvement, etc. This Mark found pleasing. Mark says that Fr. Lawrence was a thinker who spoke his mind without fear or favour and who maintained a love for migration studies for many decades. Dan Brock, a regional historian in London, Ontario, first became acquainted with Fr. Attard’s work in 1987 after purchasing a copy of Early Maltese Emigration (1900-1914) when on holidays in Malta. Dan too was attracted to Fr. Attard’s writings for much the same reasons as Mark. When in Malta in April 2009 and heavily involved in recording the history of the Maltese in southwestern Ontario, Dan purchased four more of Fr. Attard’s books, arranged to meet with him and asked him to autograph these works. A little more than a year later, Dan and Mark were introduced to one another through Dr. Maurice Cauchi. It was Mark who encouraged Dan to expand his interest in Maltese immigration to all of Canada and, ultimately, to the United States as well. By this time, Dan had also become editor of the newsletter for The Maltese Canadian Club of London and, as he occasionally communicated with Fr. Attard, started to forward copies of the newsletter to him as they often included articles written by the editor on Maltese immigration to Canada. This Dan continued to do right up to the end. With Fr. Attard’s death, Malta, the Maltese and students of the Maltese Diaspora have lost a giant in this field. Rest in Peace.

24 The Voice of the Maltese

Tuesday January 3, 2017

Tag˙rif dwar il-kitba Maltija

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

GÓELIEM FIL-KITBA MALTIJA T.ç. Meta konsonanti tissa˙˙a˙ fil-le˙en tag˙ha filkitba Maltija tidher imtennija. G˙alhekk minn feraq nag˙mlu ferraq, minn telaq, tellaq. Il-qawwa li b’hekk nag˙tu lill-konsonanti tan-nofs turi wkoll tifsir ie˙or ta’ g˙emil. Skont ma trodd il-grammatika Maltija, din iΩ-Ωieda ta’ konsonanti ma nistg˙ux ng˙odduha ˙lief b˙ala sinjal ta’ le˙en qawwi mog˙ti fuq wa˙da mill-konsonanti ta’ g˙erq il-kelma. G˙alhekk f’kelmiet b˙alma huma ferraq, niΩΩel, il-konsonanti ta’ tiswir il-kelma ewlenija jibqg˙u f-r-q, n Ω l u mhux f-r-r-q, n-Ω-Ω-l. IΩ-Ωieda tat-tielet konsonanti r u Ω hi g˙elm ta’ dik issa˙˙a l-kbira li nag˙mlu fuq il-konsonanti tan-nofs biex inbiddlu t-tifsir jew il-g˙amla tal-verb ewlieni. Fil-kitba G˙arbija dan il-˙oss ji©i mfisser b’g˙elm – imsejja˙ texdid – fuq l-ittra konsonanti. IT-TIENI TAQSIMA It-Tieni Taqsima hija msej˙a l-Morfolo©ija tal-Ilsien Malti. Morfolo©ija hi kelma Griega, ©ejja mill-kelmiet morpho (g˙amla) u logos (ta˙dita), tfisser ta˙dit fuq lg˙amliet, u g˙alhekk tit˙addet fuq l-g˙amliet talkliem Malti, in-nisel, it-tiswir u l-bini tal-kelma fil-Malti. Din it-Taqsima tinferaq fi ˙mistax-il ras li huma: (1) It-Tiswir tal-Kelma (2) Il-G˙amla tal-Verb (3) Verbi Mnisslin (4) Tiswir il-Verb (5) Il-Partiçipju jew l-A©©ettiv (6) Nomi Mnisslin mill-Verb (7) Tiswir fl-Ismijiet u fl-A©©ettivi (8) L-Artiklu

(9) Tixbih u Tag˙qid ta’ Konsonanti (10) Il-Vokali tal-Le˙en (11) Kelmiet il-G˙add (12) Tibdil fil-Le˙en ta’ Konsonanti li Jixxiebhu (13) Il-Pronom (14) Il-Partiçelli (15) TehmiΩ ta’ Partiçelli. IT-TISWIR TAL-KELMA Il-għerq u s-sura ewlenija tal-kelma 1. Il-kelma, fil-Malti, hi mibnija fuq il-konsonanti tal-ewwel sura: dawn il-konsonanti, li huma aktarx tlieta u mindaqqiet erbg˙a, huma g˙alhekk imsej˙in l-g˙eruq tal-kelma u fuqhom, b’Ωieda ta’ ittri konsonanti o˙ra barranija jew tibdil ta’ vokali, jitnisslu s-suriet lo˙ra tal-verb, tan-nom u tala©©ettiv. G˙alhekk l-g˙erq tal-ewwel sura ta’ qatel, feraq, rikeb, rabat, qag˙ad, ˙arat, maxat, g˙aΩel, huma q-t-l, f r q, r-k-b, r-b-t, q-g˙-d, ˙-r-t, m-x-t, g˙-Ω-l, kollha ta’ tliet konsonanti li fuqhom tinbena l-ewwel g˙amla tal-kelma u li fuqhom ukoll b’Ωieda ta’ ittri konsonanti jew bit-tibdil fil-vokali nnisslu l-kliem qatlu, qtilna, qatla, maqtul, qattiel, qattelin; fraqtu, fraqna, ferq; rkibna, nirkbu, rikbet, nirkeb, mirkeb, rikkieb; rbatna, rabtet, rabta, marbat; qg˙adna, qg˙adtu, maqg˙ad; ˙ratna, ˙artu, mo˙riet; mxatna, maxtek, moxt; g˙aΩilna, nag˙Ωel. Hekk ukoll mill-ewwel sura ta’ geΩwer, gerger, farfar, fesdaq, innisslu s-suriet ta’ geΩwirna, geΩwirt, geΩwira; gergirt, tgergir, gerguri; farfarna, tfarfira; fosdoq, fosdqa. Aktar regoli fil-˙ar©a li jmiss.

Pawlu Spiteri: personalita` interessanti aqt li kont fi Ωjara qasira f’Melbourne fejn irnexxieli nkomW pli nxerred b’suççess kbir The Voice ma’ ˙utna ta’ dak listat iltqajt ma’ Pawlu Spiteri ta’ 82 sena minn Óal-Luqa, Malta

li flimkien ma’ martu Narda llum jg˙ixu f’Sunshine West. Fil-©nien tieg˙u Pawlu bena sistema n©enjuΩa ta’ riçiklaçç talilma li tag˙mel unur lil xi in©inier. Huwa bniedem b’karattru ferrie˙i li mhux biss i˙obb tassew lil art twelidu iΩda li hu delittant kbir tal-g˙ana u kittieb mag˙ruf fix-xena tal-palk Malti, l-aktar fl-Awstralja. Pawlu kiteb ukoll ktieb bl-isem ta’ “It-tlett a˙wa Maltin u rrakkont tal-©rajjiet mir-ra˙al tal-Maqluba”. Dan hu ktieb straordinarju g˙all-a˙˙ar g˙ax miktub bi stil l-aktar sempliçi li jfissirlek bla kantunieri l-˙ajja Maltija tal-antik f’dan ir-ra˙al imma©inarju tal-Maqluba. Pawlu mhux xi novelist jew kittieb ta’ fama iΩda persuna b’don speçjali u ntelli©enza naturali. Jaf jirrakkonta b’mod liktar çar u mexxej g˙alkemm kif jispjega hu stess, “l-iskola kont wie˙ed mill-aktar ˙mir”. Da˙al mal-RMA u wara tliet snin, ta’ 21 sena emigra lejn l-Awstralja. Huwa g˙allem lilu nnifsu jikteb u beda j˙arbex xi poeΩija, xi

fatt g˙all-g˙ana u xi manuskritt g˙at-teatrini. Jaf u hu ˙abib intimu ta’ ˙afna g˙annejja Maltin. Jekk titkellem mad-dilettanti tat-teatrin il-kitba ta’ Pawlu hija msemmija u mag˙rufa. Lura lejn il-ktieb, jekk tibda taqrah fis-sempliçita’ tieg˙u tifhem sewwa l-˙ajja diffiçli tal-bdiewa tar-ra˙al u l-faqar li kienu jg˙ixu fih. Wara li g˙amilt ftit ˙in ma’ Pawlu fhimt sewwa li l-inteligenza ma’ tiksibhiex biss mill-iskola. Biex wie˙ed jikseb kopja tal-ktieb ta’ Pawlu Spietri jista’ çempel 03 92660654.

The Voice of the Maltese 25

Tuesday January 3, 2017

C mmunity N ews Co ommunity ew s

The shadow of the Good Shepherd Gattline celebrates 25 years

or many people, the festive season, Christmas and New Year, is a joyous time when family and friends gather in the spirit of the season and to care for one another. For others it is a time of loneliness and stress, when they might need some extra support and service. It is with this in mind that over 25 years ago Fr Michael Gatt set up a telephone helpline allowing him to bring his experience as a former parish priest and air force chaplain to the fore, providing callers with support information and a listening ear. The Gattline – as it is known – has been operating since 1971, and initially ran only from December 1-31, with Fr Gatt receiving approximately 100 calls each year from people around Australia and even overseas. However, following his retirement from St Kieran’s parish in Osborne Park in 2015, he extended it to an all-year round service. Looking back on his many stories of people in need, Fr Gatt says that the most important thing was maintaining a conversation with people, and letting them know they were not alone. He recalls one woman who called him one evening, and didn’t intro-

Fr Michael (left) with the Archbishop when he was awarded the Saint George Preca Award by the Maltese Professional and Business Association of WA. duce herself. He thought it was a where he retired after 15 years in local call but then he found out that 2015. In addition to this, he has also she was calling from Canada. He served as chaplain at Pearce RAAF told her it was too expensive for her Air force Base, following his own to be calling him, and to send him service in the RAF from 1957-59. Fr Gatt can be reached on his an email instead. They corresponded helpline 24 hours a day on 9440 for many months after that. “She told me she had a breakdown, 5379, or at gattline@bigpond.com but I counselled her and we became good friends. I’m still in touch with many of these people, some of them have known me for 20 years,” he said. Whenever necessary, Fr Gatt directs Main events for 2017 his callers to other people and services, such as psychologists or docSunday March 12: Fete tors, who can provide further help to Sunday July 2: them. Along with his work on the helpline, Lejla fil-Buskett Fr Gatt has a long and distinguished Sunday October 15: Fete career serving parishes in IL-MALTESE BOWLERS Western Australia, starting Sunday December 3: his arrival in Perth from SOCIAL GROUP TA’ NSW from Malta in 1971. St Nicholas Feast. Feast He has been based at •Jistiednu nisa u r©iel MalFor more information: tin li j˙obbu l-lawn bowls churches in Swanbourne, Victoria Park, Moora, GingJoe Fenech 0412 009 957 biex jing˙aqdu mag˙hom, ing-Chittering, Manning and or PRO Emm. Vella 045 677 064 jie˙du sehem fil-log˙ob u then finally Osborne Park, jag˙mlu ˙bieb ©odda. • Jilqg˙u wkoll lil dawk li jixtiequ jitg˙allmu jilag˙bu dan l-isport. Dawn jing˙ataw lezzjonijiet b’xejn. -g˙aqdiet tal-Maltin li jkunu jridu jag˙mlu xi avviΩi • Jilag˙bu log˙ba darba fix-xahar fir-Rosekummerjali u/jew li jirreklamaw f’The Voice of the hill Bowling Club u klabbs o˙ra. Maltese huma m˙e©©a biex jg˙arrfu lit-tmexxija ta’ The • G˙al aktar tag˙rif çemplu lis-segretarju, Voice bix-xewqa tag˙hom minn kmeni. Tony Pace-Feraud (0400 376 607) jew email Barra minhekk, jekk tkunu tridu tibag˙tu xi materjal lil: maltesebowlersnsw@hotmail.com g˙all-pubblikazzjoni ikun importanti li dan isir mil-inqas Il-logħba li jmiss hi l-Ħadd 8 ta' Jannar fis©img˙a qabel il-pubblikazzjoni, inkella ma jkunx hemm 1:00 pm. fir-Rosehill Bowling Club. garanzija li l-materjal ji©i ppubblikat fil-˙ar©a li jkun imiss.

Saint Nicholas Festa Committee

Tajjeb tkun taf

26 The Voice of the Maltese

Tuesday January 3, 2017

Community News Tune In to Radio and Television

Maltese Radio Programmes MELBOURNE, on 3ZZZ 92.3FM or on www.3zzz.com.au. Mondays 5pm, Fridays 5pm, Saturdays 10am.; Last Wednesday each month at 1pm. MELBOURNE on 98.9 North West FM, 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 (Mer˙ba): 6.00pm to 8.00 pm Co-ordinator – Ray Anastasi In SYDNEY, listen to the MCC radio programmes on 2GLF FM 89.3. Thursdays 2p.m. to 4p.m. Martese Caruana presents Golden Mix. Available on demand. Follow same procedure as for MCC programmes, except select programe in reference. In BRISBANE listen to the Maltese Programme on 4EB on Tuesdays 6.00 8.15am; Sundays 4.15pm to 5.15pm UNCLE SAM DJ (Maltese Radio) tune in to link: www.unclesamdj.com Listen to John Borg & Ronnie Borg every Saturday at 1.00 p.m. on RADIO 2RRR 88.5FM or on the Internet www2rrr.org.au ON DeMAND

The SBS MALTESE NEWS

Isma’ l-programm tar-radju bilMalti mill-Kunsill Malti ta’ NSW minn fuq l-istazzjon 2GLF 89.3FM. Jista’ wkoll jinstema’ On Demand minn fuq l-Internet www.893fm.com.au (On Demand >Ethnic >Maltese Council 11am) Il-programm tal-Óadd 11.00 am: l-a˙˙ar a˙barijiet minn Malta, muΩika, tag˙rif, kultura, avviΩi u su©©etti ta’ interess. On SBS Radio Day Time Analogue and Digital Friday: 12:00-13:00 97.7fm SBS Radio 2 Saturday: 14:00-15:00: 97.7fm SBS Radio 2 To tune into digital radio you need a receiver or device with a DAB+ chip. Tuning in is by station name not frequency. Digital radio can also be heard via digital TV. SBS Radio 2 is on Channel 38. The radio programmes can be accessed online (live or catch up) at sbs.com.au/maltese and via mobile phone, using the SBS Radio app. For television news from Malta - SBS 2 TV on Thursdays and Sundays at 8am. VIVA MALTA on COAST FM 96.3 Community Radio in Gosford Central NSW. Aired on Thursdays every fortnight from 6 pm -7 pm. Presenter: Nathalie Gatt. Web streaming on: www.coastfm.org.au. Maltese Down Under TV

Screens on Melbourne’s C31 (channel 44) Sundays @4pm; Mondays at 2p.m.; Tuesdays @2.30 pm. Others in Australia/the World can watch via live stream on: www.c31.org.au/series/1313 or the c31 app. Also on demand: www.c31.org.au/series/1313

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

Day Care Maltese Groups meetings in NSW

Fairfield Active Maltese Seniors Meets on the first Tuesday of the Month. Group meets in Parish Hall, cnr of Stella Street & The Boulevard, Fairfield Heights.

Maltese Seniors Central Coast

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

Daceyville Maltese Seniors

Meets on the last Wednesday of the month in the Meeting Room One, No. 3 General Bridges Crescent, Daceyville. Note: The Groups also arrange regular Bus Trips Join us and make new friends.

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

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

Maltese of Bankstown

Group meet 3rd Wednesday of the month at New BCRG offices 15 Kitchner Parade, Bankstown NSW (opposite RSL Club). Every other 3rd Thursday they have an outing. For enquiries call Sam 9534 2357

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

Kull qalb trid o˙ra

iex tipproduçi magazine b˙al dan, li wara kollox hu frott tal-passjoni li g˙andna biex fost kollox inwasslu tag˙rif interessanti lill-Maltin barra minn art twelidhom, ma jin˙tie©x biss xo-g˙ol u ˙in, imma wkoll spejjeΩ. Biex jittaffew u˙ud minn dawn l-ispejjeΩ qed nippruvaw insibu sponsors ˙alli jg˙inuna. G˙ad m’g˙andniex biΩΩejjed minn-hom, imma bdejna, u ta’ min jag˙tihom ˙ajr. Kif jg˙id il-Malti, kull qalb trid o˙ra, g˙alhekk in˙e©©u lill-qarrejja tag˙na biex i©ibu dan quddiem g˙ajnejhom u kemm jista’ jkun juΩaw is-servizzi u/jew jixtru lprodotti ta’ dawk li qed jirreklamaw fil-u/jew jisponsorjaw il-magazine.

Meeting every last Tuesday of the month A special group for men. Meetings at 10 am at The Maltese Resource Centre, 59b Franklin Street, Mays Hill (Parramatta West). Meet friends and enjoy Maltese food. For more information: Emanuel 0409 744 376

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

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

*(All Groups are 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).

The Voice of the Maltese 27

Tuesday January 3, 2017

C Co om mm mu un ni it ty y N Ne ew ws s Xaghra Association of NSW Inc. INVITES YOU TO COME & CELEBRATE AUSTRALIA DAY with a Dinner Dance Date: Saturday 21 st January 2017 Time: Doors open 6:30pm for 7:00pm start Place: Mandavilla Function Centre 1788 The Horsley Drive, Horsley Park Entertainer: Joe Apap Dinner: 3-Course Meal, Beer, Wine, Soft Drinks, tea, coffee, pastizzi & fruit platters For more information contact: Ray & Josephine Bigeni: 9627 4182, Mob: 0439 974 182 M'Anne Teuma: M'Anne Teuma: 9627 4641

Printed copies of The Voice of The Maltese

n response to a number of inquiries, we wish to inform Inowreaders of The Voice of the Maltese magazine that we can supply hard copies in colour of the magazine to our

readers who requst it, at a price. Therefore, anybody interested in acquiring copies of the (printed) magazine is kindly requested to get in touch with us personally or by email to: maltesevoice@gmail.com. The magazine can also be delivered by post at a price to any state in Australia. As the cost of postage varies from state to state, one is kindly requested to get in touch with us to work out the details.

Tinteressak il-kitba u trid tippubblika?

arrejja li j˙ossu li g˙andhom talent g˙all-kitba, l-aktar blQ Ilsien Malti, imma mhux biss, jew li jkunu jridu li kitbiet tag˙hom ji©u ppublikati f’The Voice of the Maltese, huma m˙e©©a

jibag˙tu l-kitbiet tag˙hom, b’email lil: maltesevoice@gmail.com. PereΩempju jinteressa lill-qarrejja stejjer dwar kif forsi waslu g˙ad-deçiΩjoni li j˙allu art twelidhom, Malta biex jemigraw g˙al art o˙ra bil-g˙an li jfittxu ©ejjieni a˙jar.

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

FEDERAZZJONI TAL-ISKEJJEL TAL-MALTI INC. (AWSTRALJA

Registration for the 2017 Maltese Language classes is now open: MacKay Qld: Skola Maltija assisi@mackay.net.au NSW: The Maltese Shool of NSW –

malteselanguageschoolnsw@hotmal.com Akkademja Maltija ta’ NSW skolamaltijasydney@yahoo.com.au Saturday School of Community Languages - carmelgl108@gmail.com VIC: Maltese Community Council Maltese Lnguage Classes – admin@mccv.org.au

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 NotFor-Proﬁt organisation.

Join us on facebook:

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28 The Voice of the Maltese

Tuesday January 3, 2017

Sports

Giacomo declared overall winner in Sydney-Hobart race

he New Zealand entry, Giacomo (pictured right), a Volvo 70-footer was crowned champion on corrected time by the race committee of the 72nd edition of the Sydney to Hobart yacht race to claim the Tattersall’s Cup. It managed to stay close to the much larger line honours winner Perpetual Loyal and on Thursday afternoon – a day and a half after crossing the line in second position behind super maxi Perpetual Loyal, was named the winner. Giacomo owner and skipper Jim Delegat was understandably thrilled with the result as he finished inside the 2012 race record by nearly three hours. James, his 18-year-old son who was part of the crew, became the race’s youngest competitor. His other son, Nikolas, 19, also formed part of the winning crew to make it a family affair. The Giacomo reached Hobart early on Wednesday claiming second-place in line honours behind winning Australian supermaxi Perpetual LOYAL that smashed the race record by almost five hours. It won one of the most revered prizes in offshore racing, the blue water classic’s handicap trophy. Being crowned handicap winner was a sweet moment for Delegat, who was forced to retire from the race two years ago after his entry encountered trouble on the Tasmanian coast. Perpetual Loyal skippered by Australian businessman Anthony Bell registered a

record-breaking finish in the race a popular fixture in Australia’s sporting calendar after two years of disappointments. The supermaxi took full advantage when title rival Wild Oats XI withdrew Tuesday, and smashed its fellow 100-foot vessel's fastest winning time to claim line honours. The race, an annual event hosted by the Cruising Yacht Club of Australia in co-operation with the Royal Yacht Club of Tasmania, witnessed an exhilaration start at Sydney Harbour as a crowd of spectators estimated to have been around one million lined to coast to glimpse the 88-strong fleet.

Valletta make it 11 BOV Super Cup victories ear 2016’s final title in Maltese football, the Super Cup was won by League ChampiY ons Valletta who defeated Sliema Wanderers in a close final by 2-1. It is the 11th time that Valletta have managed to win the trophy that is annually played by the past season’s league champions and the victors of the FA Trophy. All three goals were scored in the first half Valletta came back from a Valletta captain goal down scored by Jonathan Caruana Sliema’s Jean Paul Farrugia lifts the Super Cup to win with goals by Steve trophy after win Borg and Umeh Uchenna against Sliema Calistus. The Wanderers could have levelled the score in the second half but Valletta’s keeper, Dziugas Bartkus saved a penalty taken Alex Muscat.

League in Malta resumes on Jan 4 with postponed match

he Premier Football League in Malta T resumes after the Christmas/New Year recess on January 4 with the match between Birkirkara and Mosta that was postponed from Day 16 after a directive by the Referees’ Association to its members not to officiate in Mosta’s Premier League matches until December 19 following offensive social media comments made by members of Mosta FC targeting one of its referees. The full programme (Day 17) then picks up on the weekend of January 7/8 with Balzan, who ended year 2016 and started the New Year on top of the league ladder taking on what should be an easy game against newly promoted Gzira, who stand 22 points behind Balzan in 10th place on January 8. The match of the round will be between Hibernians and Valletta to be played on the same day. In other fictures, Floriana who are going through a fine campaign, take on Óamrun Spartans, a day earlier. The other game on January 7 will be St Andrews v Mosta. The on January 8, Sliema play Tarxien and Birkirkara face Pembroke Athleta.

A-League: Sydney FC maintain lead; Melbourne V keep challenge

eaders Sydney FC L finished Year 2016 and started 2017 well ahead of the opposion as with 13 rounds played, they currently enjoy a comfortable seven point lead over nearest challengers Melbourne Victory at the top of the

league ladder after a home 2-0 victory over third-placed Brisbane Roar. Melbourne V. maintained their challenge following an easy home 4-2 victory over Newcastle Jets. They also have a game in hand.

RESULTS – DAY 13 Sydney FC v Brisbane Melbourne V v Newcastle J Central C. v Melbourne C W. Sydney v Perth G Wellington v Adelaide DAY 12 Adelaide v Sydney FC Melbourne V v Central C. Brisbane v W. Sydney Melbourne C v Perth G. Newcastle J v Wellington

2-0 4-2 2-2 1-1 0-0 0-4 1-0 1-1 3-3 2-2