The Voice of the Maltese No. 202

Issue 202

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

Fortnightly mag azine for the Diaspora magazine

April 23, 2019

For He is Risen

On Easter Sunday,the highest feast by the Roman Catholic Church 20 villages and towns around Malta and Gozo (14 in Malta and six in Gozo) held the traditional processions to mark the feast of the Risen Christ during which statue bearers run with the statue towards the church.

Pictured the run at Qormi

ANZAC Day 2019: The top events around Australia

2 The Voice of the Maltese

ANZAC DAY, the national day of remembrance and commemoration for the Australian servicemen and women who died during the 1915 landing at Gallipoli, Turkey, in World War I is held on April 25 when the country pays tribute to the fallen.

The day was first commemorated in 1916 but became a national day of commemoration for the 60,000 Australians and 18,000 New Zealanders who lost their lives during World War I in the 1920s.

Since then, the Australians have been coming together annually to show their respect at events spotted around Australia.

Below is a guide to ANZAC Day events.

Canberra, ATC There are many services throughout the capital, Canberra, where the stand-out is a visit to the Australian War Memorial building that each evening since early 2018 has projected the names of those men and women who died, onto the façade of the Hall of Memory (the dome).

On the day itself, there’s a Dawn Service that starts 4.30am, followed by a special sit-down white-cloth breakfast.

Sydney NSW Dawn services, wreath laying, marches and commemorative services are held across Sydney and NSW, with the main Dawn Service at 4.30am in Martin Place at The Cenotaph.

Dawn services at memorials offer quiet contemplation, accompanied by the bugle call of the Last Post and excerpts from The Ode of Remembrance, an excerpt from English poet Laurence Binyon's moving poem, For the Fallen, first published in 1914.

The main Commemoration Service is from 12.30pm at the ANZAC Memorial, next to the Pool of Reflection. In the Hall of Silence is the evocative bronze sculpture Sacrifice. The official ANZAC Day commemorations conclude with the short Sunset Service from 5 pm at the Cenotaph.

Another time-honoured ANZAC Day tradition is two-up games in pubs and clubs across NSW. Its association originates from WWI, when Australians played two-up in

Tuesday April 23, 2019

the trenches and on troop ships.

Queensland: Sunshine Coast At the Caloundra Headland Memorial Walkway Sunshine Coast, Queensland there will be a dawn service at Lions Park Kings Beach starting at 5am.

The walk is a moving way to The Shrine of Remembrance, Melbourne continue showThe ANZAC Day March dominates the ing your respects.

It stretches a mammoth 25-kilometre from actual day on the 25th. Traditionally it comGolden Beach in the south to Mooloolaba mences at 9:30 am from North Terrace, in the north. Spotted along this walk are Adelaideand concludes at the Cross of Sac2,000 plaques that commemorate the life rifice in Pennington Gardens, North Adeand service of Australian and Allied De- laide where a Remembrance Service is held from approximately 11:30 am. fence personnel who died during the war.

Queensland: Winton’s In the small Queensland town of Winton, known as the place to truly commemorate the fallen servicemen and women over the years with a lot of feel-good events, is organising a three-day festival that kicks off on ANZAC day with a dawn service, This town has contributed one of Australia's highest per capita World War I enlistments, with 600 of a population of just 2,500 heading out to war.

The festival will be replete with international headliners, such as Amy Shark, Brett Elderidge, Missy Higgins and Jon Pardi.

South Australia: Adelaide

The activities in South Australia, in Adelaide in particular, include the State RSL ANZAC Eve Youth 12-hour vigil that commences at 6 pm at the South Australian National War Memorial with the participation of representatives from 10 youth groups that concludes just prior to the Dawn Service.

The Cenotaph in Sydney, a war memorial located in Martin Place

Victoria: Melbourne There will be a moving dawn service at the Shrine of Remembrance in Melbourne, Victoria that was opened in 1934 as a place for families of those killed to grieve.

There’s also an ANZAC day march.

Inside the shrine there’s endless displays of archaeological finds from the Gallipoli battlefield, educational workshops to learn more about the war and the fallen, and a gallery of medals that is always breathtaking.

Victoria: Point Danger Almost every corner of the country offers a dawn service, with gatherers showing respect for the fallen as the sun rises, but the one that attracts the largest crowd has always been at Point Danger in Torquay.

Each year thousands upon thousands descend onto the spot. Some believe it’s because the beach here is similar to Gallipoli.

Others believe it’s because of its nearness to The Great Ocean Road, which was constructed by returned First World War soldiers over 14 years following the war’s end, making it the world’s largest war memorial.

Western Australia: Albany ANZAC Day is the final day for one to visit the immersive art installation by Bruce Munro, Field of Light: Avenue of Honour, at Albany, Western Australia, the last sight of home that the 41,000 troops saw before departing to the Great War. The installation pays homage to the Anzacs with 16,000 shining spheres at Mt Clarence. The light instillation has been running since the ANZAC day that marked 100 years since the First World War’s end.

It’s a true sight to behold and has attracted hundreds of thousands of visitors.

ANZAC Day 2019: also commemorated in Malta that houses first Anzac Memorial outside Australia I Tuesday April 23, 2019

n accordance with long-standing tradition in Malta, on ANZAC Day, the Australian High Commission will hold a commemorative and wreath-laying ceremony at a service at the Pietà Military Cemetery dedicated to all those Australians and New Zealanders who lost their lives in

The Maltese at the commemoration

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n Sydney the Maltese RSL SubBranch will be laying a wreath at Martin Place Cenotaph on ANZAC Eve (April 24) starting at 4:30pm. Participantsmeet up 15-20 minutes beforehand and march in pairs up to the Cenotaph where Andrew Magro will read out a short history on one of the Maltese WW1 soldiers, followed by the playing of the Last Post, the observance of oneminute silence, and the Revielle.

On ANZAC Day, the Maltese contingent meets at Chifley Square at 10.3011.00 am to march in three rows behind the Maltese, Australian and the British flag. March generally starts at about 12:30pm.

Any ex-service personnel present will lead the group. n Melbourne the Maltese ex-servicemen of the Maltese Ex Services Association of Victoria will keep the tradition alive by marching in the Anzac Day parade. An invitation is also being extended to the community to participate.

The participants meet at the Maltese community centre at Royal Parade Parkville VIC and depart from the centre at 9.45 am. Otherwise one can meet the contingent in Flinders street at 10.35am.

In South Australia, the state’s RSL Maltese Sub-branch is inviting the members of the Maltese community of Adelaide to participate in the ANZAC DAY dawn ceremony to be held at the Prospect Memorial Gardens, Wilcox Avenue, Prospect at 6 am. and also in the wreath-layng ceremony at the foot of the Maltese memorial which is situated in this garden of remembrance.

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action at Gallipoli in 1915, and in all subsequent military and peacekeeping operations including current ones.

In a message, HE the Australian High Commissioner, Julienne Hince said this is also an occasion to acknowledge the role of Malta in the care of the sick and wounded, as well as the sacrifice and service of so many others in times of conflict.

The Commemorative service on Thursday April 25 will also consist of a wreath-laying ceremony for which the new President of Malta, HE Dr George Vella, along with a number of other senior dignitaries is also invited. In accordance with the ANZAC Day tradition, the event is also open to the public.

ANZAC Day has been commemorated in Malta since 1916. Since 1979 the service has been held at the Pietà Military Cemetery as it contains the highest number of ANZAC war graves in Malta.

Malta played a significant role in and during the Gallipoli Campaign with many Australians and New Zealand casualties being evacuated to Malta for medical treatment.

From the spring of 1915, hospitals and convalescent camps were established on the islands of Malta and Gozo, to deal with over 135,000 sick and wounded from the Gallipoli and Salonika campaigns.

Despite the courageous efforts of the doctors and medical staff, some of the casualties could not be saved and they were buried on Malta. Of those buried on Malta there were 202 Australian and 72 New Zealanders.

The Commonwealth war burials in Malta are unlike those found anywhere else.

Many joint and collective burials were made as graves had to be cut into the rock underlying the island's shallow earth crust.

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The ANZAC Memorial at the Argotti Gardens in Floriana, Malta

These graves are usually marked by flat tablets that could take several inscriptions and, for the sake of uniformity; the same type of marker was used for single graves.

On the initiative of the Maltese-Australian Association, on May 23 2013, an ANZAC Memorial believed to be the first ANZAC memorial to be erected outside of Australia, New Zealand and Gallipoli was erected at the Argotti Botanical Gardens, in Floriana.

Coincidentally it was the current President of Malta Dr George Vella then Minister for Foreign Affairs that inaugurated the monument with Mr Nicholas Bonello OAM founder president of the association and the man behind the project, who died a few years ago.

The idea behind the design by sculptor Gianni Bonnici was not to represent war and weapons, but rather the humanity that defended it and those who lost their lives fighting for their country. It wasn’t only soldiers that perished but their families suffered, which is why the monument features two bronze statues of a man and a woman.

The monument has suffered some damage since, They shall grow not old as we that are left grow old; and the Maltese AusAge shall not weary them, nor the years condemn; tralian Association is At the going down of the sun, and in the morning, working incessantly hard to raise funds to be able We will remember them to do the work needed.

How Catholicism is viewed in Australia

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here is no doubt that the status of Catholicism in Australia is currently at a nadir, partly as a result of the bad publicity associated with the case and conviction of Cardinal Pell, the Vatican’s most senior official.

Many non-Catholics in Australia look on the Catholic Church as a monolithic structure that tends to evade national laws in its striving to conform with Canon Law, which is perceived as allegiance to a foreign power, Rome. Without implying any agreement with any of these issues, the following themes have been raised by commentators on the situation.

Celibacy: they think that this is an outdated concept and is, in their opinion, correlated with abnormal personal development and increased tendency to child molestation.

Women in the Church: they believe that women have been relegated to an inferior status within the Church and they do not see why such rules should still exist. It is only fair to say that this view is not limited to nonCatholics but is also widespread among educated, practising Catholics.

Secrecy of the Confession: It is now law in Australia that Catholic priests must divulge any knowledge about paedophiles that they obtain during confession, omission of which is punishable by imprisonment. The requirement to divulge such information, thus breaking the seal of confession, obliges such priests to either break Canon Law or national law.

It is the fervent hope of the faithful that attempts will be made by the Catholic Church to emphasise basic Catholic values and return to the original Christian ethos as proclaimed by Christ the founder Church hierarchy: Many believe that clericalism, defined as an excessive deference by the lay public to clerics and an assumption of their moral superiority, is at the root of the problem. The over-riding influence of the Catholic clergy on domestic life has resulted in unquestioning attitudes towards priests, resulting in re-

Tuesday April 23, 2019

luctance to report misbehaviour. Children used to be disciplined rather than supported for reporting such unthinkable acts.

by Profs Emeritus More recently, there has been MauriceCauchi considerable concern expressed at the lack of obvious progress made, at least publicly, following the much touted meeting of cardinals and bishops in Rome. Much was expected and little seems to have transpired that would help staunch abuse and its consequences, including the obvious haemorrhage of Catholics from the Church.

It is obviously not up to the Australian (or other purely national authority) to change the Catholic rules.

It is only to be hoped that common sense will prevail, and some attempts made to meet the increasing demands by moderate Catholics worldwide.

Attempts have been made by resolute Catholics to distinguish between the rules and obligations under Canon Law, and the private practice of their religion. Many still hope that they can carry on practising their religious faith irrespective of the tsunami of criticism that has all but engulfed the Catholic Church in Australia.

From the point of view of Maltese living in Australia, while the views of the older persons are unlikely to be drastically affected by these developments, there is no doubt that obvious markers of Catholic practice, like church attendance on Sundays, has been dwindling over the past decades, a phenomenon which has now affected the younger generations in Malta itself.

It is the fervent hope of many of the faithful that attempts will be made by the Catholic Church to emphasise their basic Catholic values and return to the original Christian ethos as proclaimed by Christ the founder, and review the many aspects Catholic religion that are considered secondary add-ons of little relevance to modern-day life.

The recent much touted meeting of cardinals and bishops in Rome

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The Voice of the Maltese 5

his is a monthly service offered by The Voice of Q. I am 80 years of age and a self-funded retiree. I am already apthe Maltese in which Marie Louise Muscat from proaching the 38% tax bracket as I am not using the income I earn and my financial assets keep increasing. I have an account based pen- the Fiducian Financial Services helps our readers sion and have been told that I need to take 7% of income this year understand the complexities associated with finanwhich is around $50,000 per annum which I do not need. Is there any- cial planning. If you need more advice send an email to Marie Louise via: maltesevoice@gmail.com. thing I can do to avoid moving into a higher tax bracket?

A. . . If you do not need the income from year would be if you your account-based pension you can roll passed the work test. the funds back into accumulation within This is working 40 superannuation. This means the earnings hours in a period of will pay 15% tax whereas at the moment 30 days during the being in an account based pension the next financial year. earnings pay no tax. However while funds The govt is proposing are in accumulation you will not need to to change the applitake a payment of 7% and you can let them cation of this work grow in a tax effective environment where test so that from July the tax will not be higher than 15%.

2020, the work test You could also decide to have both, leave will only be necessary part of the funds in the account-based pen- where contributions sion and take say $25,000 as income and are made by individuroll over the remaining half into accumu- als aged 67 to 74. lation. This could stop you from falling Q. I am 70 and a self-funded retiree. I you need to make sure that these gifts are into a higher tax bracket. have three adult children, married not going to leave you needy in the future.

If you needed in the future to apply for a Q. I am 66 years old and downsizing into with young children, and all financially a smaller house in May. I was advised independent from me. However they part age pension, $140,000 of the that I could invest $300,000 of the sur- all still have a mortgage. I have more $150,000 gifted would continue to be plus funds into superannuation this fi- than enough money to last me as my treated as your assets by Centrelink for 5 nancial year. I will be left with around late husband made sure I was well years from the day of gifting. $500,000 of surplus funds. Am I allowed looked after. I do feel however I would Q. My mother has been in an aged-care to invest more funds in superannuation like to gift my children $50,000 each facility for the last four years. She has next year? for them to put on their mortgages. already paid around $62,000 in means Will they have to pay tax on this? tested fees. Would the facility tell us A. If you are still working, then you can invest $100,000 as a non-concessional A. If your children have mortgages and when she reaches the cap or is it up to contribution into super next year. How- you have surplus funds, gifting them some us to let them know? ever, if you are retired the only way you money to pay on their mortgage is very could make another contribution of commendable. No, there is no tax on gift- A. The facility would be aware of the $100,000 into superannuation again next ing. However you are still quite young and amount of means tested fees that your mother would have paid over the years and they would certainly let you know themselves. The means tested cap is indexed and at the moment the lifetime cap is $66,078.27.

Q&A

Q. I am 67 and have been offered two days a week working in a library. This job will have a very small effect on my age pension because of the work bonus.

Can I contribute $1000 into superannuation to be able to get the government co-contribution of $500 as I remember doing it when I was not an age pensioner or has this stopped?

A. Yes, if your taxable income is below $37,000 per annum you will receive the $500 in full. If your taxable income, and this includes the age pension, is above the $51,812 per annum you will receive no government co-contribution on the $1000. If your taxable income is between these amounts you will receive a portion of the $500. You will need to lodge a tax return to receive this government co-contribution.

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

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

6 The Voice of the Maltese

Tuesday April 23, 2019

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

A charitable proud Maltese worker

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Tuesday April 23, 2019

There are many persons of Maltese descent or others that do not have Maltese sounding names that are not immediately recognised when the Australian honours are announced or when they feature prominently in the mainstream media. Our selection for the April Personality of the Month has one of those names..

Margaret Zita

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argaret Zita nee Puli was born in Australia of Maltese parents. Her parents, William Puli (deceased at the age of 44) and mother, Teresa Puli (nee Borg) emigrated from Malta in 1955. Her mother raised four daughters under the age of 10 when she became a widow at 35 years of age. Margaret was only three then.

Margaret Zita was awarded the Medal of the Order of Australia (OAM) which was announced in the Australia Day 2019 Honours List last January 26. Her award was for services to the community through charitable initiatives. Then on April 5 she was officially inducted as a Member of the Order of Australia at Government House in Melbourne.

Margaret also sits on the Advisory Council for the Multicultural Commission which she is extremely passionate about, given her Maltese heritage.

She is Vice President of the Charity “My Room”, a volunteer-led organisation dedicated to raising funds to achieve a 100% cure rate for all childhood cancers, funding clinical research and clinical trials, clinical care, medical equipment and family support to patients and families affected by childhood cancer without bureaucracy.

The charity started in 1992 when a group of parents came together with the humble goal of raising enough money to renovate the rooms on the cancer ward at Royal Children’s Hospital Melbourne after their children were

PERSONALITY OF THE MONTH

Margaret Zita with her family at Goverment House in Melbourne. From left: sons Matthew and William, husband Tony and son David

Margaret Zita

diagnosed with cancer.

They went on to achieve this goal and more. Margaret joined the committee 15 years ago. To date, the charity has raised over $A20 million.

The money raised funds Clinical Research and Clinical Trials which is required to help improve treatment options and hopefully lead to a cure; Clinical Care funds positions such as a Social Worker and Dietician which enhances the level of care to strive for the best possible outcome for children with cancer.

My Room also helps to support families with financial and emotional assistance to patients and their families as well as funding the right equipment that can make life more comfortable for a child getting treatment. The charity is driven by volunteers and monies raised go right back to supporting research in finding a cure for childhood cancer.

Aside from her charitable initiatives, Margaret has been working full time for Qantas as Commercial Stakeholder Specialist. She has been with Qantas for 30 years, and in that time has seen the growth and mergers between Australian Airlines and Qantas. Her key focus is to maintain and grow Qantas’ relationships with major vital stakeholders.

Margaret is married to Tony Zita, a lawyer, and has three sons ages 22, 17 and 12. They live in Northcote, Victoria Margaret told The Voice of the Maltese, “My mum, Teresa was instrumental in helping my passion for giving back to others. As a widow, my mother was very much into giving back to the community that helped her in her time of need”.

With these memories and teachings from her mother, Margaret has worked tirelessly to give back through her work on the My Room charity. Her network in both the business and local communities has been instrumental in her success to drive outcomes for the charity.

Have your say/Xi trid tghid?

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Tuesday April 23, 2019

Your letters/ L-ittri tagħkom ...

The Voice of the Maltese for fortnightly tnightly magazine magazine

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

If you require a printed copy we can also oblige.

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

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

F'Malta qed tingħata dinjita' lil postjiet li kienu minsijin

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Frank Zammit minn Harvey SA jikteb: l-kitba ta’ Kelinu Muscat fl-aħħar ħarġa ta’ The Voice qajjmitli l-entużjażmu u wkoll ġabitli nostalġija dwar l-għażiża Malta. Ħadt gost ħafna naqra dwar il-bidla fl-infrastruttura li saret fil-Kottonera li jidher li ħadet bixra oħra fl-aħħar ftit snin wara li kien tant ilha snin abbandunata.

Għalkemm minix mill-inħawi tal-Kottonera, imma għandi nies mill-familja ta’ missieri li ħajjithom kollha qattgħuha hemmhekk. Qabel dawk l-inħawi kienu jiġu meqjusa daqs li kieku xi postijiet tattielet klassi.

Hu ta’ min ifaħħar lill-Gvern Malti li għaraf il-poenzjal ta’ dawn l-inħawi li wara kollox huma storiċi. Imma mhux hekk biss, minn dawn l-ibliet tal-Birgu, Bormla u l-Isla ħarġu għadd ta’ mexxejja u nies prominenti, fosthom politiċi minn kull naħa li għadhom miftakra.

Allura kif tista’ ma tifraħx tara lil postijiet li qabel kienu minsijin għall-aħħar issa jingħataw id-dinjita` and anke jimtlew bitturisti li jżidu jgħidnu l-valur ta’ dawn linħawi.

Marlene Dimech minn Greystanes NSW tikteb: agħti ħajr lil Fr Lonnie Borg MSSP talli ġie minn Melbourne biex iwasslilna l-ezerċizzi spiritwali tar-Randan fil-knisja ta’ Greystanes NSW. Kien hemm ukoll l-istess f’Horsley Park.

Aħna li attendejna fi Greystanes, u kienu ħafna preżenti ħadna doża spiritwali meħtiega biex tħejjijna għaż-żmien tant qaddis tal-Għid il-Kbir.

Nittama li dawn ma jkunux l-aħħar ezerċizzi spiritwali f’dawn in-naħat fejn jgħixu tant Maltin.

Emm. Borg minn Penrith, NSW jikteb: a nistax nifhem kif għad hawn fostna min, bħal Joe Ciantar (The Voice Nru. 200) jerġa’ jqajjem dil-kwestjoni talvoti fl-elezzjonijiet Maltin. Imma aktar minhekk, did-darba żelaq ferm aktar finniexef għax l-elezzjoni li tkellem dwarha hi tal-MEPs ta’ Mejju.

Kif jista’ jistenna li aħna fl-Awstralja nivvutaw fihom? Skont l-UE, u ġustament, min jivvota jrid ikun residenti fil-pajjiż tal-elezzjon. Kemm hawn min fl-Awstralja hu interessat jew ikun jaf dwar il-kandidati li ħerġin għall-elezzjoni?

Min hawn u ftit ieħor nistenna lil min jgħid li jrid jivvota wkoll fil-Kunsill Lokali!

Grazzi Sur President

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Ms Grace Mills minn Clarendon, SA tikteb: erta li nkun qed nimxi ma’ xewqet ilkomunitajiet Maltin li jgħixu barra minn Malta, u ngħixu fejn ngħixu fiddinja, jekk ngħid grazzi mill-qalb lillPresident il-ġdid tagħna l-Maltin fi gżiritna, Malta, l-ET Dr. George Vella, li fl-ewwel diskors tiegħu kif ħa l-ħatra, semma u faħħar il-kontribut tal-Maltin ta’ Barra.

Fl-istess ħin irrid ukoll nagħti ħajr lillThe Voice li kontu inthom biss li ġibtu dak li qal il-President dwarna d-Diaspora Maltija.

Ringrazzjament Tal-MEPs għar-residenti

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Kannoli bla krema

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Geo Sammut minn Oakleigh, Victoria jikteb: ’ittra li dehret fil-ħarġa tas-26 ta’ Marzu ta’ The Voice, Joe Ciantar argument tajjeb li l-Unjoni Ewropeja għandha tagħti d-dritt tal-vot lil kull membru jgħix fejn jgħix fid-dinja.

Jekk aħna l-Maltin niġu mogħtija l-vot dan mhu se jhawwad xejn dwar min jiggverna f’Malta għax Malta sitt kandidati biss għandha u ma tistax teleġġi iktar.

Min-naħa l-oħra ma naqbilx li l-Maltin ta’ l-Awstralja għandhom ikollhom id-dritt tal-vot fl-elezzjonijiet ġenerali ta’ Malta.

Tuesday April 23, 2019

Anke jekk barra minn arthom, il-Maltin għadhom jgħożżu sewwa t-tradizzjonijiet reliġjużi li sawwruhom. Xhieda ta’ dan huwa ż-żmien tal-Ġimgħa Kbira b’servizzi reliġjużi fl-inħawi fejn jgħixu l-Maltin. Fl-Awstralja speċjalment, dan iż-żmien huwa wieħed tal-akbar devozzjoni u popolari kif jixhed ir-ritratt ta’ knisja mballata, dik ta’ Horsley Park fi NSW. Taħt waħda mill-istatwa li nħarġu waqt il-purċissjoni tal-Ġimgħa lKbira mill-istess knisja. (ritratti Patrick Bartolo)

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10 The Voice of the Maltese

Perspettiva

Ex Pontifex

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t-terminu Pontifex fl-Imperu Ruman kien jirreferi għal kull membru tal-kunsill tal-qassisin. Fil-Knisja Kattolika Rumana kien jintuża għall-isqfijiet, inkluż dak meqjus l-ogħla wieħed (il-Papa), u llum ġeneralment jirreferi biss għal dan tal-aħħar.1 Il-kelma tfisser ‘bennej tal-pontijiet’, u biex ngħidilkom il-verità ma’ ninnota l-ebda tentattiv biex jinbena xi pont, la litterali u lanqas figurattiv, fl-aħħar intervent tal-Papa ta’ qabel Franġisku, jiġifieri l-Papa Emeritus Benedittu XVI, Joseph Ratzinger.2 Dan kiteb saġġ dwar is-suġġett tal-abbuż klerikali tal-minuri, biex jagħti l-ħsibijiet tiegħu dwar ir-raġunijiet għalfejn dawn latti skandalużi twettqu. Kont nistenna li kien se jagħmel xi ħaġa simili xi darba, wara kollox kien il-Prefett tal-Kongregazzjoni għad-Duttrina tal-Fidi, is-suċċessur tal-famuża Inkwiżizzjoni, mill-1981 sa minn meta laħaq Papa, l-ogħla awtorità tal-Knisja, fl-2005 sa meta rriżenja fl-2013.

Kiteb li l-bidu ta’ kollox kien l-edukazzjoni sesswali tat-tfal u ż-żgħażagħ, imbagħad il-wiri fis-swali taċ-ċinema ta’ films b’tema sesswali jew pornografika li ġibdu folol kbar, u li kienu jwasslu għall-vjolenza. X’inhu?

Kompla li r-rivoluzzjoni sesswali tal-1968 wasslet biex il-pedofilija tkun aċċettata u xierqa. Nixtieq inkun naf minn min, u kemm huma rappreżentattivi tal-popli madwar id-dinja.

Bħala t-teologu ewlieni tal-Knisja għal tant snin, għamel ukoll diversi punti ta’ natura teoloġika u niġbed l-attenzjoni fuq xi konklużjonijiet li għamel.

Waħda kienet li l-Konċilju tal-Vatikan II kien iddeċieda li jibdel il-bażi tat-teoloġija morali mil-liġi naturali (il-kunċett li d-drittijiet huma parti min-natura tal-bniedem, don ta’Alla u li jistgħu jinftiehmu bir-raġuni) għal waħda bbażata kompletament fuq il-Bibbja.

Kiteb li din wasslet għal kriżi sakemm issolviet bl-enċiklika Veritatis Splendor tal-Papa Ġwanni Pawlu II fl-1993, li reġgħet lura għal-liġi naturali. Huwa ċar mill-kitba l-antipatija ta’ Benedittu għal dan l-aspett tal-Kunċilju tal-Vatikan II. Oħra kienet li apparti kompetenza fuq il-fidi, il-Knisja għandu jkollha kompetenza fuq il-moralità, talinqas dik marbuta malprinċipji tal-fidi. Bħal ma tagħmel il-Knisja, Benedittu jisħaq li l-kompetenza tfisser infallibiltà.

Il-kumment tiegħi hu li billi wieħed ikun kompetenti ma jfissirx li hu infallibbli. Einstein kien altru milli kompetenti fil-fiżika, u għadna sal-lum niskopru kemm kellu raġun fit-tbassir tiegħu bbażati fuq teoriji tal-fiżika u l-matematika, iktar minn nofs seklu wara mewtu.

Madankollu anke hu kellu żbalji, bħal meta stqarr li l-kobor talunivers kien statiku, li nafu li mhux il-każ.

Naċċetta li Alla huwa perfett, imma ma naċċettax la li l-Knisja u lanqas li l-interpretazzjonijiet tagħha tar-rieda t’Alla huma jew jistgħu ikunu perfetti u għalhekk infallibbli. L-istqarrija ta’ Benedittu dwar il-

Tuesday March 26, 2019

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

Il-Papa Franġisku

kitba ta’

IVAN CAUCHI

Il-Papa Emeritu Benedittu XVI

kompetenza tal-Knisja naċċettaha basta ma tkunx marbuta mal-infallibiltà.

Semma wkoll problemi ta’ formazzjoni tal-kleru fis-seminarji li kien hemm fis-sittinijiet, li identifikahom bħala klikek ta’ persuni omosesswali u anke każijiet ta’ seminaristi għall-qassisin u pożizzjonijiet lajċi, dawn tal-aħħar akkumpanjati man-nisa jew l-għarajjes tagħhom, ma kinux joħolqu klima tajba għall-vokazzjoni.

Gerger li l-kotba tiegħu ma setgħux jinqraw f’diversi seminarji.

Huwa ċar li r-riformi tal-Kunċilju tal-Vatikan II, li kellhom it-tendenza li jitbiegħdu mit-tradizzjoni u jkun hemm relazzjoni ġdida u miftuħa lejn id-dinja, kien jirrappreżenta għoqda fuq l-istonku personali mhux ħażin għall-Papa Emeritus.

Fuq il-pedofilija fil-Knisja, d-diffikulta` biex isqfijiet jieħdu azzjoni fuq min għamel il-ħażin waħħalha għal darb’oħra fuq il-ħsieb kunċiljari, għax l-akkużat ukoll irid ikollu d-drittijiet tiegħu imħarsa.

Dan neċessarjament ifisser li min ikun akkużat b’abbuż sesswali jiddawwar minn post għall-ieħor fejn ikun jista’ jissokta l-azzjonijiet kriminali tiegħu mingħajr xkiel?

Staqsa għaliex il-pedofilija kibret, speċjalment fil-Knisja. Wieġeb li s-soċjetà tilfet is-sens t’Alla, u li l-insara u l-qassisin ma jitkellmux dwar Alla. Din tal-aħħar ma nafx x’irid jgħid biha.

Jien waħdi li ma ndunajtx li l-Knisja waqfet titkellem dwar Alla?

Mela l-priedki ta’ nhar ta’ Ħadd, l-enċikliki li joħorġu u l-istqarrijiet pubbliċi tal-papa u l-isqfijiet fuq suġġetti varji lejn xiex jirreferu?

Fl-aħħar spiċċa li hemm dnub u ħażen fil-Knisja, imma wkoll ħafna nies li huma umli, isofru u jħobbu, li fihom u bihom jidher Alla veru.

Dan nemmnu bis-sħiħ.

Għalkemm spiċċa fuq nota tajba, dan l-intervent tal-Papa Emeritus mhux għal kollox konvinċenti għalija. Qiegħed jgħid li l-għeruq taliskandlu tal-pedofilija fil-Knisja ġejjin l-ewwel minn libertinaġġ u edukazzjoni sesswali barra l-Knisja, u t-tieni minn konsegwenzi ta’ riformi li ġew mill-Konċilju. Fi kliem ieħor, m’hemm xejn ħażin fil-Knisja perfetta fiha nnifisha. Allura għaliex ir-rata ta’ pedofilija fil-kleru Kattoliku fl-Awstralja huwa iktar għoli minn dak stmat filpopolazzjoni ġenerali?3 Referenzi

1. https://www.britannica.com/topic/pontifex, retrieved 16/4/2019 2. https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/full-text-of-benedict-xvi-thechurch-and-the-scandal-of-sexual-abuse-59639, retrieved 16/4/2019 3. Perspettiva - Mistoqsija lill-Monsinjuri, The Voice of the Maltese, No. 148, February 2017, p. 10.

COSMANA NAVARRA:

Tuesday April 23, 2019

The Voice of the Maltese 11

Devota ta’ San Pawl li bniet knisja għalih fir-Rabat

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’ehmmx dubju li mara li kienet devota kbira ta’ San Pawl kienet in-nobbli Cosmana Navarra, li l-akbar xhieda tad-devozzjoni tagħha lejh kienet li ħallset għall-bini tal-knisja ddedikata lejh fir-Rabat Malta.

Kienet hi li ħolmot u għamlet tajjeb għall-ispejjeż kollha ta’ dan it-tempju tar-Rabtin. Kienet xtaqet li din il-knisja tkun monument ieħor Pawlin fil-gżejjer Maltin.

Kwadru tax-xbieha ta’ din il-benefattriċi u nobbli twajba tinsab fis-sagristija. Hemm kwadru akbar tagħha filMużew Wignacourt fejn fl-ewwel sular taħt il-kwadru tagħha hemm ukoll il-maskra ta’ wiċċha. F’dawk iż-żminijiet nies importanti kienu jiġu mfakkra fost l-oħrajn billi ssir maskra ta’ wiċċhom. Kienet użanza kulturali Kristjana u b’turija ta’ rispett, speċjalment lejn benefatturi, li daħlet fil15-il seklu L-arma ta’ Cosmana Navarra tinsab ukoll minquxa fuq bosta opri li għamlet, bħas-sitt gandlieri tal-fidda, iż-żewġ lampieri tal-kappelluni u ħwejjeġ oħra li jintużaw fisservizz liturġiku.

L-arma tinsab ukoll fuq il-kwadru titulari tan-Nawfraġju ta’ San Pawl, li wkoll hu għotja tagħha, xogħol ta’ Stefano Erardi. Fil-faċċata tal-knisja wkoll hemm kitba li tgħid li dan it-tempju ġie mibni minn Cosmana Navarra, li skont ix-xewqa tagħha stess tinsab midfuna fil-knisja, fin-nofs talkappellun ta’ San Anton Abbati indokrat minn bust tagħha (xogħol tal-iskultur Rabti Joseph Scerri).

Kienet hi stess li ħejjiet ilqabar tagħha.

Cosmana Navarra twieldet fl-ewwel snin tas-seklu sbatax iżda ftit li xejn hu magħruf dwar it-tfulitha ħlief li kienet ir-raba’ wild tat-Tabib Giovanni Cumbo u Cornelia Navarra.

Ta’ età żagħżugħa Cosmana Navarra żżewġet lil Dr. Melchior Vella u minn dak iż-żwieġ kellhom tifel, Injazju, li wara ngħaqad mal-Kumpanija ta’ Ġesù (Ġiżwita). Sfortunatament, dan l-uniku iben ta’ Cosmana Navarra, miet ta’ età żagħżugħa.

Id-destin kompla jkun aħrax magħha għaliex fit18 ta’ Ottubru tal-1624 miet ukoll żewġha. Xi sena wara Cosmana reġgħet iżżewġet, din id-darba litTabib Lorenzo Cassar.

Waħda mir-residenzi ta’ Cosmana Navarra kienet id-dar sabiħa ta’ ħdejn ilknsija (illum ristorant bieb ma’ bieb maċ-Centru Laburista tar-Rabat).

X’ħin nara l-istatwa titulari ta’ San Pawl fil-bieb tal-knisja fil-Festa ta’ dan

PeterPaulCiantar il-qaddis, ħarsti dejjem tmur lejn dik l-imbierka tieqa taddar tagħha li tagħti għal fuq il-knisja, għax kien minn hemm li jgħidu li Cosmana Navarra kienet tħares u tosserva l-bini tal-knisja tagħha ddedikata lil San Pawl.

Il-bini tal-knisja beda fl-1653 fuq il-pjanta ta’ Francesco Buonamici, wieħed mill-aqwa periti f’dawk iż-żminijiet.

Ma kinitx deċiżjoni faċli li tibni knisja u għalhekk Cosmana Navarra kellha bosta problemi, imma minkejja li x-xogħol dam wieqaf ħafna ma qatgħetx qalbha.

Wara li ngħelbu diversi problemi, fl-1664 Cosmana Navarra għamlet kuntratt ma’ Lorenzo Gafà u Pawluċju Formosa biex ix-xogħol tal-knisja jissokta, iżda hawnhekk reġgħet tfaċċat problema oħra minħabba li l-Gran Mastru Cotoner ma riedx iċedi parti mill-ġnien tal-kulleġġ ħalli jinbena l-kappellun ta’ San Stiefnu.

Imma fit-3 ta’Mejju tal1680 il-Gran Mastru ta’ wara, Gregorio Carafa ta l-permess meħtieġ biex seta’ jitkompla l-bini talKnisja ta’ San Pawl.

Din il-benefatriċi mietet fit-30 ta’ Jannar tal-1687 fleta`ta’ 87 sena u skont ixxewqa tagħha ndifnet fil-kappellun ta’ San Anton.

It-triq dejqa u sabiħa ta’ wara l-knisja wkoll hi msemmija għal din in-nobbli li tant kinet maħbuba, Cosmana Navarra.

L-arma tal-familja ta’ Cosmana Navarra li turi s-snin li l-benefattriċi nobbli Rabtija għexet f’din d-dinja

12 The Voice of the Maltese

Tuesday April 23, 2019

Roundup of News About Malta

Towards more professional mobility in maritime sector

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he maritime sector is very important for Malta that has the largest register in Europe and the largest sixth in the world. By the end of March, more than 750 yachts that are larger than 24 metres, are registered under the Maltese flag, which is a record increase of 90% over five years ago This was revealed at the launching of the ProCrew project set up through collaboration between MCAST, the City of Glasgow College and the Malta Maritime Forum by Minister for Transport, Infrastructure and Capital Projects Ian Borg and Parliamen-

Fr. Dionysius Mintoff nominated for 2019 UNESCO Peace Prize

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r. Dionysius Mintoff, founder of the John XXIII Peace Laboratory at Ħal Far has been nominated by the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade Promotion Carmelo Abela for the Felix HouphouetBoigny- UNESCO Peace Prize 2019.

The prize, created in 1990, is awarded every two years. It aims at honouring living individuals and active public or private bodies or institutions that have made a significant contribution to promoting, seeking, safeguarding or maintaining peace in conformity with the Charter of the United Nations and the Constitution of UNESCO; the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation.

A call for nominations was issued by UNESCO to member states and is awarded every two years selected by the Director General of UNESCO based on assessments and recommendations made by a high-level international jury.

In the nomination letter, Minister Abela stated, “The John XXIII Peace Laboratory of Malta is a living, practical example of the role that a non-governmental, voluntary organisation can play in shaping the conscience and opinion of the general public.

tary Secretary for Youth, Sport and Voluntary Organisations Clifton Grima.

Minister Borg said that Malta’s current status in the sector, which is a pillar for the economy, is one that other states aspire to reach.

The sector generates a substantial amount of ancillary investment, income in foreign currency and also jobs for hundreds of people in several roles.

Parliamentary Secretary for Youth, Sport and Voluntary Organisations Clifton Grima said that these new courses as part of the project are a practical example of how the industry and educational institutions can work together to complement each other and reach the individual’s full development.

He said that the aim is, that while strengthening the existing academic system, and continuing to widen the routes offered to students they can carry on with their studies towards their benefit in the near future.

Such courses would also continue to strengthen Malta’s reputation as a destination that offers the best facilities for sailors, including human resources.

Strengthening EU borders

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law negotiated by Maltese MEP Roberta Metsola that protects the external borders of the EU, can now start being implemented after it was strongly approved by the European Parliament.

The new law will mean an increase of 10,000 border control and coast guards to assist the Member States on a number of issues, especially in times of an immigration crisis and to fight cross-border criminality.

Parliamentary Secretary Clifton Grima (left) and Minister Ian Borg at the launch of ProCrew

Fundamental safeguards for consumer, and investor

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inance Minister Profs Edward Scicluna was a leading panellist on a United Nations Ministerial Dialogue focussing on Financing for Development, April 15–18 at the UN in New York.

In his topic, ‘Harnessing new technologies for financing the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)’, Minister Scicluna touched in particular on the role of blockchain and fin tech opportunities and challenges.

He said that Malta’s innovative regulatory framework sought to deal appropriately with a disruptive technology while providing the fundamental safeguards for consumer and investor protection and market integrity.

While noting that blockchain and fintech technologies ought to help sustainable development in view that ultimately the technology is aimed towards cutting bureaucracy, he said that its success can be gauged from the global interest towards Malta as the Blockchain Island.

President Emeritus MLCP to head European children’s rights network n view of the fact that she has always been instrumental in giving children a voice IEmeritus and for her tireless dedication to the well-being of society’s most vulnerable, President Marie Louise Coleiro Preca, was chosen to head the prestigious children’s

rights advocacy network Eurochild.

Eurochild, that has over 170 members in 34 countries, is a network of organisations working with and for children throughout Europe, striving for a society that respects the rights of children. It also works to influence policies within Europe’s main institutions.

In her reaction the President Emeritus said she is honoured to take on the role, which she will carry along with her chairmanship of the Malta Foundation for the Wellbeing of Society.

During her time as both Family and Social Solidarity Minister and as President of Malta, child participation was always at the centre of her endeavours.

MLCP would like to use her time as head of Eurochild to ensure that child participation really takes off on a pan-European level, bringing greater attention to the voice of children. She believes that Europe can play a leading role globally here too

The Voice of the Maltese 13

Tuesday April 23, 2019

Roundup of News About Malta

Insights into a study on language use in early childhood classrooms in Malta

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research study carried out by the National Literacy Agency (NLA) of the Ministry for Education and Employment in Malta has revealed that most early childhood educators in Malta believe in the promotion of bilingualism with young children. It also concludes that bilingualism in early childhood education contexts in Malta has to be interpreted in light of the language attitudes and ideologies that are associated with language use.

Questionnaires were distributed among 450 early childhood educators (teaching in Kindergarten 1 and Kindergarten 2 classes) and an ethnographic study based on classroom observations and interviews with educators was carried out in five schools.

The study illustrates ways in which educators promote Maltese and/or English in their classrooms. Despite believing in the importance of bilingualism, there were mixed beliefs about how this can be translated into practice.

While congratulating the National Literacy Agency on its work and the intensive study it conducted in order to showcase the present scenarios within classrooms at kindergarten level in Malta, Minister for Education and Employment Evarist Bartolo stressed upon the importance of bilingualism and the need to keep improving the Maltese and English language standards and to provide the necessary training and professional development in our schools.

E Minister Evarist Bartolo at the presentation of the survey by the members of the National Literacy Agency

He said that the Maltese language is important to us because it gives us an identity, but English is as important as nowadays it

Heritage Malta initiative a new way to turn ordinary days into extraordinary moments

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ollowing the success of the Heritage Malta Student Passport scheme Heritage Malta, within the Ministry for Justice, Culture and Local Government, has now launched a similar scheme aimed at senior citizens. It will go live in May. This initiative ensures more accessibility for senior citizens to explore Malta’s culture and heritage.

At the launch, Minister for Justice, Culture and Local Government Owen Bonnici said that the country’s history forms an intrinsic part of the country’s identity, and the government’s strategy is to make sure that everyone can truly appreciate and enjoy these sites and locations.

Miriam Dalli named among 40 key MEPs in EU Parliament

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is also needed within the digital and technology sectors. He also stressed on the importance of learning a third language to widen one’s abilities.

Professor Charles Mifsud, the chairman of NLA believes that bilingual education in Malta is strong, however one needs to continue concerted efforts to sustain it and improve upon it.

“Knowing two languages and more is a huge asset for us and we need to maximise this’, he said.

altese Labour MEP Miriam Dalli has been named by the influential Brussels-based Politico website as one of the 40 lawmakers who have had the greatest impact on the most high-profile debates of the past five years in the European Parliament As MEPs’ terms come to an end this month ahead of the European Parliament election in May, Politico said the 40 MEPs have mattered and have played key roles in EU decision-making, thus shaping trade deals and budget decisions in the European Parliament, They also had an impact on the rule of law across the bloc; on transparency; on regulating markets; and also, among other decisions, tackling climate change.

Politico.eu described Miriam Dalli as “a master of building progressive alliances to deliver strong climate and migration policies, over the objections of the powerful, conservative European People’s Party and the German car industry.”

In the European Parliament, the Maltese MEP also played a key

This passport allows an elder and two accompanying youths free and unlimited access to all 27 Heritage Malta sites and museums (except the Ħal Saflieni Hypogeum).

The sites include prehistoric temples and caves, historic houses and prisons, fortresses and palaces, and a selection of museums relating to nature, archaeology, maritime, war, and art.

This initiative is seen as a unique opportunity for elders to connect and share authentic and meaningful experiences with the younger generation, and is also a new way to turn ordinary days into extraordinary moments.

role in proposing a new €10 billion Asylum, Migration and Integration fund, which is an initiative that still needs the backing of national governments.

Meanwhile in Strasbourg, in the presence of Miriam Dalli who negotiated the law the President of the European Parliament Antonio Tajani and Minister George Ciamba, President of the Council of the EU, signed the law approved by European Parliament that would lead to better air quality, the creation of new jobs and more investment.

The law that comes into affect in 2030 will also mean that the manufacturing of new cars that run on clean energy will lead to 38% less air pollution.

Some of those named on this list matter for what they did after they left the Parliament. Four of them have become prime ministers or presidents in their home country.

14 The Voice of the Maltese

Tuesday April 23, 2019

Lil hinn mill-Parlament Ewropew

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l-elezzjonijiet għall-Parlamentari minn 40,000, il-fazzjoni determinata li tta- meta jaqraw il-vantaġġ, dakinhar tal-votaztal-Parlament Ewropew u tal-Kun- jjar lil Delia minn mexxej anke jekk Delia zjoni jibqgħu d-dar, dan minbarra oħrajn li, silli Lokali (li għall-ewwel darba ser stqarr kemm-il darba, li anke jekk jitlef din forsi qed isibuha diffiċli jikru jew jixtru tkun fuq skala nazzjonali, għax se jsiru fl- l-elezzzjoni determinat li jibqa’ hemm, fejn joqogħdu, u fuq kollox dawk li ma ibliet u l-irħula kollha ta’ Malta u għax il-mira tiegħu hi l-elezzjoni ġenerali. jablux mal-mod kif qed jaġixxi l-Gvern filTant il-kwestjoni daħlet il-ġewwa, li diġa` kwestjoni tal-immigrazzjoni... u sintendi Għawdex) issa joqorbu sewwa, il-kamqed isemmu min hemm fit-tiġrija għal minħabba mitt ħaġa’oħra. panja elettorali qed iżżid tirranka.

Il-biża’ ta’ nuqqas ta’ votazzjoni qed jaħIl-partiti, l-aktar dak Laburista (PL) u mexxej.

Skont illum fuq quddiem hemm Roberta kem ukoll il-kamp Nazzjonalista, bilNazzjonalista (PN) qed jiffukaw l-aktar fuq l-elezzjoni tal-Parlament Ewropew, għal- Metsola u Claudio Grech. Issemmew ukoll kawża ewlenija tkun il-firda qawwija li hemm fil-PN dwar it-tmexxija tal-partit. kemm xorta jagħtu importanza kbira lil Beppe Fenech Adami u Bernard Grech.

Issa saħansitra din dawk tal-Kunsilli Dawk kollha li il-firda qed indirettaLokali. Attwalment, Bernard Grech ssemmew li jistment tiġi aċċettata, fejn jidħlu l-Kungħu jidħlu mnflok mill-istess mexxej silli Lokali, huma Adrian Delia filtal-partit Dr. Adrian biss dawn iż-żewġ PN: Beppe Delia, li mhu jitlef lpartiti li għandhom Fenech Adami e ebda okkażjoni biex kandidati f’kull belt iħeġġeġ l-għaqda u raħal. fil-Partit.

Il-partiti hekk mseAttwalment fljjħa ż-żgħar ftit li istħarriġ tal-gazzetti xejn għandhom kien hemm għadd kandidati. Biżżejjed kunsiderevoli ta’ ngħidu li l-Partit eletturi li qalu li ma Demokratiku kienux lesti jivvugħandu sitt kanditaw, filwaqt li kien dati u l-Alternattiva Adrian Delia hemm xi oħrajn li tmienja.... ferm ilkienu għadhom ma bogħod minn talddeċidewx. inqas kandidat Għalkemm forsi f’kull lokalita’. jidher li m’hemmx Sintendi, fejn interess qawwi f’tidħol l-elezzjoni Claudio Grech dawn l-elezzjonijiet, tal-MEPs, it-tellieqa attwalment ir-riżulewlenija hi bejn iltat jista’ jkun detrmiPL u l-PN. Jidher li Roberta Metsola nanti għall-Partit ftit hemm ċans li xi Imma l-mistqosija hi jekk id-differenza Nazzjonalista, speċjalment għall-mexxej partit politiku ieħor, jew individwu, se tiegħu, Adrian Delia. jirnexxielu jtella’ xi MEP, għalkemm jista’ fil-voti hux se tkun hekk kbira.

Dan kollu jwassal biex l-importanza talLi wieħed kellu kellu jagħti kas id-diversi jkun li jġibu għadd ġmielu ta’ voti, x’aktarx ta’dawk hekk msejjħa ta’ protesta, l-aktar stħarriġ ta’ dan l-aħħar, din id-differenza elezzjonijiet imorru sew lil hinn min semminħabba l-kwestjoni tal-immigrazzjoni u tista’ tintlaħaq faċilment. Infatti fl-aħħar pliċament elezzjoni għall-Parlament Ewf’livell inqas l-għoli tal-kera u d-diffikulta’ stħarriġ minn The Times u l-Maltatoday ir- ropew.

Lanqas ma neskludu li anke tkun determibiex koppji żgħażagħ jixtru fejn joqogħdu. riżulta vantaġġ qawwi favur il-Partit LabuIżda lil hinn minn min se jtella’ l-aktar rista b’tat-Times juri li fost id-deċiżi, 59% nanti għall-PL, għax għalkemm għadu kandidati, ħafna qed iħarsu lejn x’se tkun qed jgħidu li se jivvutaw lill-PL u 37% biss jgawdi popolarita kbira l-mexxej Joseph id-differenza fil-voti bejn il-kandidati tal- lill-PN; tal-Maltatoday jikkonkludi li meta Muscat għadu jinsisti li mhux se jikkonPartit Laburista u dak Nazzjonalista, mhux tgħodd ukoll dawk li mhux se jivvutaw, ma testa l-elezzjoni ġenerali li ġejja, u jista’ biss biex jaraw jekk id-differenza bejni- jafux kif se jivvutaw jew li se jivvutaw lil jagħżel li jitlaq wara li jirbaħ din l-elezethom inbidlitx mill-aħħar elezzjoni lil partit ‘żgħir’, jifdal 41.8% li qed jgħidu li zjoni, u meta hu fil-quċċata tal-popolarita`.

Insomma nafu jkollna żewġ tlielaq għathawn, imma għax id-differenza tista’ tef- 25.1% lesti jivvutaw lill-PL u 17% jivvutmexxija tal-partiti politiċi ewlenin tal-pataw PN. fetwa sewwa l-Partit Nazzjonalista.

Imma kemm il-mexxej Laburista, Joseph jjiz minn Ġunju li ġej.

Differenza kbira tista’ teffettwa t-mexxija tal-PN. L-għidut dwar dan ilu għaddej, u Muscat kif idsaħansitra ntqal ċar u tond mill-ġurnal illum ukoll li f’waħda mill-ħarġiet tiegħu qal ċar u tond diriġenti qed “Tkaxkira u barra! Preparati biex jimbut- jibżgħu li ltaw lil Metsola u lil Claudio f'każ ta' telfa vantaġġ kbir iex is-sitwazzjoni għall-Partit Fenech, liema laqgħa Debono iptal-partit 40,000”.

Nazzjonalista tkompli tikkom- pruvat għall-ewwel tiċħad, imma Skont din il-gazzetta, u dan ilu jingħad fit- jista’ jieħu plika ruħha fl-aħħar ġimagħtejn ffaċjatha minn provi, ammettiet. toroq, telfa qawwija għall-PN tista’ jsaħħaħ daqqa l-isfel tfaċċat storja fis-Sunday Times li Imma għaliex din il-laqgħa jkun wriet kif żewġ membri tal-PN, ngħatat daqshekk importanza forsi sew idejn dik il-fazzjoni tal-partit li qatt ma billi hemm għadd Kristy Debono u Herman Schi- tistaqsu? aċċettat lil Dr Adrian Delia bħala l-kap.

Qed anke jingħad, u dan ġie repetut minn imdaqqas ta’ avone kellhom laqgħa madillum, li jekk id-differenza tkun ta’ aktar partitarji li diriġent tat-Tumas Group, Yorgen *tweġiba u l-kumplament f’paġna15

Żelqa kbira fin-niexef?!?!

B

The Voice of the Maltese 15

Tuesday April 23, 2019

Fejn hi ż-żelqa kbira fin-niexef tal-PN?!?!

Il-politiċi tal-Partit Nazzjonalista Kristy Debono, Herman Schiavone, u (lemin) l-intraprenditur Yorgen Fenech

*minn paġna 14

Dan minħabba li tal-Partit Nazzjonalista qed jallegaw li Yorgen Fenech huwa l-propretarju tal-kont Black 17 li allegatament hu involut fil-kwestjoni tal-korruzzjoni u tal-Panama Papers li tant ilu jagħmel għagħa dwarha l-PN. Sintendi, li deputati Nazzjonalista, li waħda minnhom (Kristy Debono) hija l-

President tal-Kunsill Ġenerali tal-PN, jiltaqgħu ma dik il-persuna li tant ixajtnu biex jitolbuh għajnuna ħalli jorganizzaw konferenza, bilfors iqajjem għagħa. Ħafna, inklużi MPs nazzjonalisti, qiesu dan l-aġir wieħed li jnawwar il-każ tal-PN kontra l-korruzzjoni.

Sar minn kollox biex dawn it-tnejn jippruvaw ibenġluha, u saħansitra Schiavone stess, issospenda ruħu mill-Grupp Parla-

Is-sitwazzjoni: nuqqas ta’ interess? agħlaq din il-parti dwar ljaħsibx li hemm aktar ċans li N elezzjonijiet li ġejjin billi ż-żgħażagħ jivvutaw lit-tielet nislet parti minn artiklu ppubpartit jew lil xi kandidat alter-

blikat minn “illum” (16 ta’ April) bit-titlu: ‘Ma nistgħux noqogħdu ngergru wara lelezzjoni jekk ma nivvutawx’ li fil-fehma tiegħi jagħti stampa tajba tas-sitwazzjoni Il-gazzetta tkellmet fost loħrajn ukoll ma’ Andrew Azzopardi, Professur u Dekan fl-Università ta’ Malta (fl-istampa), li skont hu dis-sena hawn inqas interess, mhux biss miżżgħażagħ iżda minn kulħadd.

“Naħseb li din is-sena l-interess huwa ħafna inqas. Ovvjament ir-raġuni hi marbuta mal-fatt li l-Partit Nazzjonalista ma jafx fejn qiegħed u allura m’għandekx dik il-kompetizzjoni elettorali,” sostna l-Professur.

Spjega kif il-pika hi fost il-fatturi li tqajjem interess dwar l-elezzjoni. “Din bħal festa, jekk ma jkollokx żewġ festi qawwijin mhux se jkollok daqshekk interess”.

Illum staqsietu wkoll jekk jaħsibx li lEwro-xettiċiżmu qed jeffettwa dan innuqqas ta’ interess. Qal li ma jaħsibx li dan hu minnu iżda li, “il-problema hi li qed jiżdied ix-xettiċiżmu fil-konfront tal-partiti u mhux fil-kawża.”

Fl-aħħar id-Dekan ġie mistoqsi jekk

nattiv. Dwar dan qal li, “l-istudent huwa ġeneralment liberu u aktar ħieles fil-vot”.

Madanakollu il-professur hu tal-fehma li l-vot taż-żgħażagħ jintrebaħ ukoll mill-kariżma tal-mexxej tal-partit inkwestjoni. “Joseph Muscat jattira ħafna żgħażagħ bil-kariżma tiegħu; Adrian Delia ħafna inqas,” temm jgħid Azzopardi.

mentari Nazzjonalista (u allura issa fil-Parlament ikun meqjus bħala Indipendenti).

Fi stqarrija Schiavone qal, "Minkejja naf li ma għamilt xejn ħażin, inħoss li għandi nerfa' r-responsabbilità tan-nuqqas ta' attenzjoni tiegħi.”

Iżda l-kritika qawwija għal dan l-aġir xorta baqgħet hemm u ħadd ma jista’ jiċħad li dan għamel ħsara lill-PN u kompla kixef il-firda li hemm fil-partit.

Dan minħabba li kif ħarġet l-aħbar deputati nazzjonalisti, meqjusa li huma millfazzjoni tal-eks kap tal-PN, Simon Busuttil, ħarġu jikkritikaw fil-miftuħ liżżewġ deputati .

Saħansitra kien hemm MP Nazzjonalista li tkellem dwar dan, u sostna li min jagħmel agħar mill-Gvern ma jistax jikkritika lillGvern u li min għandu elementi korrotti ma jistax jikkritika lill-Gvern dwar il-korruzzjoni.

Ivan Bartolo tal-PN qal, “il-politiku korrott jiżra' r-riħ ... min hu korrott qisu liebes ġlekk u ingravata imma huwa magħmul miċ-ċomb,” Skont hu, “Qegħdin fi stat tal-biki,” u lunika tama hija li min hu ħażin “jittajjar mix-xena”.

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

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

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

2/679 The Horsley Dr, Smithfield NSW 2164

16 The Voice of the Maltese

Tuesday April 23, 2019

Heading towards a seventh leader in just over a decade?

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rime Minister Scott Morrison announced Australians would head to the polls on May 18.

The vote could deliver the country its seventh leader in just over a decade. The prime minister, who came to office following a bruising intra-party putsch in August last year, faces a fierce challenge from the opposition Labor Party, led by former union leader Bill Shorten.

Australia has two houses of parliament – the House of Representatives and the Senate. To win power, an Australian government must get a majority of the 151 seats in the House of Representatives.

Bill Shorten (left) and Scott Morrison

in 2010 and then rolled by Rudd in a vengeful party room spill in 2013. Rudd then went on to lose the 2013 election to former trainee priest and boxer Tony Abbott, who ended six years of Labor government with the promise of stability.

But Abbott, an arch-conservative, proved unpopular with the electorate. He was soon dumped by his party as well and replaced by Malcolm Turnbull in 2015. Turnbull found himself removed from power and replaced with Morrison less than three years later in 2018.

In comparison, Labor leader Shorten has been a beacon of stability. He has led Labor since their election defeat in 2013, making him the longest-serving major party leader in Australia for 12 years.

Whether he can win and then survive the merry-go-round of Australian leaders remains to be seen.

No Australian prime minister has faced re-election in 12 years since former longtime leader John Howard lost the 2007 election to the Labor Party's Kevin Rudd.

His party dumped Rudd shortly before the 2010 election and replaced with Julia Gillard, who became Australia's first female prime minister.

But Gillard's time in power was he complicated voting system for the NSW Leg- rocky. She was unexpectedly islative Assembly (Upper House) election held forced into minority government on March 23 came to an end when the final preferences were distributed.

One Nation will have two seats in the NSW upper house joining a mixed bag of crossbenchers who now hold the balance of power in the state's Legislaaith-based institutions, including Catholic organisations, are under siege tive Assembly. The last available seat went to One in many countries as leaders address the delicate balance between religion, Nation candidate Rod Roberts who's a former detec- law and the state in increasingly secular societies. tive from Goulburn.

While acknowledging some of the sticking points, which include funding When parliament resumes in May Mr Roberts will and curriculum, Notre Dame Law School (US) Professor Paolo Carozza a visjoin former federal Labor leader and NSW One Na- iting expert in international and human rights law, argues for the role of tion leader Mark Latham at Macquarie Street. The Catholic education in developing social capital. second last seat was won by Animal Justice Party “There’s a lot of reason to believe that Catholic schools in many parts of the candidate Emma Hurst, a vegan bodybuilder. world are capable of contributing a great deal to social capital and social harThe Liberal-National coalition government won mony and development very broadly,” the director of Notre Dame’s Kellogg eight of the 21 upper house seats up for grabs in the Institute for International Studies said.

March 23 election while Labor snared seven “These institutions are providing a formation that has huge implications for the development and stability and public wellbeing of communities. Values-laden education is a way to encourage and foster civic engagement, democratic values, community growth and development, higher degrees of toleration and understanding in a fraught era.”

Professor Carozza said the funding of faith-based institutions was a shared problem which could be tackled with the assistance of fruitful and sustainable international relationships.

“The hope is that we will catalyse a new global network of scholars and practitioners in this area who can help one another and share information in establishing new relationships,” he said.

Finally the results of the NSW Upper House

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A force for social harmony F

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

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

Tuesday April 23, 2019

The will to end poverty

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ustralia’s peak body for community ser-vice organisations, the Australian Council of Social Service (ACOSS) routinely calls our persistent poverty rates disgraceful, its Poverty in Australia report last year finding that three million of us, or just over 13 per cent, live in poverty, including 739,000 children. “Poverty is now a consistent feature of Australian life,” said its CEO Cassandra Goldie.

“Are we prepared to accept this?”

It seems we are. For decades, poverty and deep disadvantage have been all but absent in our political debate, and it’s unlikely any major political party will make ending or halving or tackling it in any targeted way a “vital national goal”.

We are the second wealthiest people on earth.

Whether the rich are get-

Cassandra Goldie ting richer and the poor poorer is contested, but the productivity commission’s detailed report last year found that income inequality has risen only slightly in the past 30 years.

The commission concluded that three decades of economic growth had “delivered for the average Australian household in every income decile significantly improved living standards”, mainly due to our progressive tax system

and our highly targeted transfer system – unlike many countries, the vast bulk of government social spending is directed to those who need it most.

The commission’s finding didn’t mean that none of us had gone backwards – Newstart recipients certainly have - but its then chairman Peter Harris said the report’s most crucial lesson wasn’t about inequality at all.

Its real message was that “despite 27 years of uninterrupted economic growth, and unemployment stabilising at a notably lower level, and significant investment in redistribution of income via Family Tax Benefit and child care assistance in the 2000s, and a boost to indexation of the age pension late in that decade, we still have 9-to-10 per cent of Australians living on very low incomes”.

Government delays the religious freedom bill

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rime Minister Scott Morrison promised last year to unveil a new bill to protect religious people from discrimination and to appoint a freedom of religion commissioner to the Australian Human Rights Commission. The reforms were part of the Coalition’s response to a review led by Philip Ruddock.

Attorney-General Christian Porter said that the religious discrimination bill was “well advanced” but “not at the point of readiness”. “It remains clear government policy and, if re-elected, one of the first orders of business would be to pursue that legislation,” he said.

Mr Porter meanwhile launched a 12month inquiry by the Australian Law Reform Commission into religious exemptions in anti-discrimination legislation.

It will consider what changes should be made to limit or remove religious exemptions in anti-discrimination laws, while also guaranteeing the right of schools to “conduct their affairs in a way consistent with their religious ethos”.

This will include the contentious question of whether any legal changes should be made to remove religious schools’ ability to expel gay students.

The Voice of the Maltese 17

Disability royal commission launched

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n one of his final acts before the upcoming federal election campaign, Prime Minister Scott Morrison has launched a $528 million royal commission into the abuse and neglect of Australians with a disability, The inquiry, which will be headed by judge Ronald Sackville and based in Brisbane, will examine mistreatment across institutions, workplaces, schools, homes and the wider community.

Justice Sackville will be supported by five other commissioners, some of whom have lived experience of disability. The three-year royal commission will look both backwards and forwards, and investigate the National Disability Insurance Scheme.

Mr Morrison choked back tears sharing his own family's experience with disability and said if Labor wins the upcoming election, Bill Shorten will still honour the plans just announced regarding the rights of disabled Australians.

More than 3700 people responded to the public consultation on the terms of reference. The royal commission will hand down a final report in April 2022.

18 The Voice of the Maltese

Malta Bus Archive: new project to preserve history of locally-built buses

Tuesday April 23, 2019

I

f you asked anybody (either Maltese, or visitor) what makes Malta, one of the most popular answers used to be its unique locally-built buses. When they were swept away on the evening of July 2, 2011, Malta lost an important part of its culture.

A new project is now underway to make sure that the cultural significance of Malta’s bus industry is not lost forever – not just the vehicles but also the people, their memories and their experiences.

At the end of 2017 the Malta Bus Archive (MBA) was set up. This is a project jointly funded by the Ministry for Transport, Infrastructure and Capital Projects, and the Ministry for Education and Employment. It sits within Memorja: Oral, Sound and Visual Archive of the National Archives of Malta.

The Malta Bus Archive is trying to record all aspects of the Maltese bus industry, from the very first motorbus to arrive in Malta in the autumn of 1904, through to the current day.

The Voice of the Maltese is eager to help in this project. As such it has offered space in order for the message to get across. This is an introductory article. Others will follow.

Call for former workers of the bus industry

Whilst the vehicles play a very important part in the work undertaken, the people who worked in the industry are just as important – owners, drivers, conductors, busbuilders, maintainers, importers, traffic police, dispatchers, clerks etc.

Malta Bus Archive is also looking to record the buses that the British military operated, buses of the Malta Police and other public bodies, and any former buses put to other uses after their life on the road carrying passengers ended.

One important area of the work of the Malta Bus Archive is interviewing people who worked with buses, or the descendants of those who did, but are sadly no longer with us. The first stage of the interview process is the pre-interview meeting whereby the potential interviewer and the interviewee get to know each other and the subject at hand.

Written notes are taken at this stage. For a few, the interviews can be recorded, either on video, or just as audio recordings. Clips are then uploaded onto Youtube, and the full interviews will eventually be made A 1960s view of Dodge 3223, in the livery for the Zabbar route

available on the new Memorja website.

This aspect of their work is done with the assistance of Professor John Chircop at the University of Malta, who is one of the leading experts on the islands in the oral history process. Recorded interviews with five people have already been carried out and the process is underway with more people with the aim of recording interviews with them over the coming month or two.

The recorded interviews mostly take place in Maltese as not only is this the language the interviewees are most comfortable using, it also allows for the capture of any language or phrases unique to the bus industry. In future editions of the magazine we hope to feature some of the stories that have been told by the interviewees – both recorded and written.

Many people who worked in the bus industry during some point of their working life ended up emigrating from Malta, and the Malta Bus Archive would love to hear from any readers who used to work in the industry, or from those who are descended from people who used to but are no longer alive.

Another key aspect of the work of the Malta Bus Archive is to either digitally scan photographs, documents and other items to do with the bus industry, or offer a secure permanent home for any items related to buses that their owners may wish to donate.

Again, the Malta Bus Archive would love to hear from anyone who has photos in the family albums of buses in Malta, or of people who used to work with owners of buses.

They would also love to hear from anybody

From left: Richard Stedall (co-ordinator, MBA), Charlie Borg (retired bus owner, and Memorja interviewee), Consiglio Mamo (retired bus driver, and Memorja interviewee), Paul Mamo (MBA interviewer), seen in Paul’s basement “museum”

who has any surviving documentation.

The Malta Bus Archive project is co-ordinated by Richard Stedall. Although from the UK, Richard has had an interest in Malta’s buses for many years and had been researching the history of the vehicles through the help of the old paperwork still held by Transport Malta.

When the opportunity to work on the history of Malta’s buses on a more official basis arose, he jumped at the chance. He says, “already we have lost the opportunity to record the knowledge of so many, and we are keen to talk to as many people as we can before their memories are lost too”.

He added, “We must not forget Gozo too.

It is just as important that we record the history of buses on Gozo, especially as much was different to how the industry worked on Malta, and so little work has been done with Gozo’s buses up to now. Anyone with connections to Gozo’s bus industry is especially requested to get in touch.”

The Malta Bus Archive has a website at www.maltabusarchive.com, and Richard can be contacted via e-mail at mbaf@malta busarchive.com, or via the National Archives of Malta’s general enquiries email address: customercare.archives@gov.mt The Youtube clips can be viewed at https://tinyurl.com/maltabusarchiveclips

Tuesday April 23, 2019

The Voice of the Maltese 19

Riżenja importanti f’Melbourne ‘Star of Strait

Anzac 2019 Sunday Commemorative service at Merrylands

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very year the RSL Sub Branch Merrylands commemorates ANZAC Service days ahead of the actual commemoration on April 25. This year it was held on April 14. It consisted of a march through Merrylands Road was, finishing at Charles Mance Reserve for the Memorial service.

Mr Emanuel Camilleri the president of the Maltese Community Council of New South Wales was among the dignitaries present. He was invited to represent the Maltese Community of NSW, and to lay a wreath on behalf of the Maltese Community Council of NSW (below).

Members of the Australian armed forces, Australian federal and State politicians, the Mayor and representative of the Cumberland City Council, Merrylands, members of the RSL Sub Branch and the communities of various nationalities were also present.

D

an l-aħħar tħabbret ir-riżenja ta’ lAvukat Victor Borg mill-Kunsill tal-Komunita Maltija ta’ Victoria fejn kien jokkupa l-kariga ta’ wieħed mill-viċi presidenti.

L-avukat Borg kien ġie re-elett fl-aħħar laqgħa annwali li saret f’Ottubru tal-2018. Fl-istess laqgħa, l-avukat Edwin Borg Manche’ li kien ilu Vici President għal ħafna snin ma kienx reġa’ ikkontesta.

Fil-laqgħa ġenerali ta’ Ottubru kienet giet maħtura bħala President, l-avukata Margaret Rita Ebejer. Ftit wara kienet irriżenjat minn kaxxiera Edwidge Borg. l-Avukat Victor Borg hu sinonimu maċ-Ċentru ta’ Parkville. Kien prominenti mill-bidu l-aktar fejn għandu x’jaqsam il-ġbir tal-flus biex seta’ jinbena. Huwa mexxa dan iċ-ċentru b’determinazzjoni għal ħafna snin, u kien l-aktar President li dam f’din il-kariġa, sa mis-sena 1976. Huwa wkoll wieħed mill-aktar Maltin prominenti talkomunita’Maltija fl-Istat ta’ Victoria.

Iċ-ċentru Malti ta’ Parkville hu proġett bejn l-MCC u s-soċjeta Missjunarja ta’ San Pawl.

Street’ in San Francisco n overwhelming crowd of the Maltese Diaspora and locals from the A San Francisco area turned up to watch

the performance ‘Star of Strait Street’, organised by the Embassy of Malta in collaboration with Malta’s Honorary Consul last month at the Millbrae High School auditorium.

On this occasion, Ambassador Keith Azzopardi and Malta’s Honorary Consul for San Francisco Louis Vella also took the opportunity to honour the Maltese veterans of the Vietnam War by decorating them with a medal donated by the US veterans’ organisation.

This was the first ever event to be held in the West coast of the United States of America, thanks to the Culture Diplomacy Fund.

Polly March and Larissa Bonaci starred with Geoff Thomas in the musical play ‘Star Ambassador Keith Azzopardi (left) and Malta’s of Strait Street’ writHonorary Consul for San Francisco Louis Vella ten by Philip Glassborow, which retells a true-life love story from World War 2.

While in San Francisco, Ambassador Azzopardi also took the opportunity to visit for the first time, and meet the Maltese Diaspora at the Maltese Club.

Addressing their annual meeting, AmbasAzzopardi sador thanked the members present as well as Honorary Malta’s Consul Louis Vella for their engagement and commitment in keeping the Maltese traditions and customs alive despite being so far away from Malta for such a long time.

Il-Via Sagra mingħajr l-ebda qassis Malti

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l-Via Sagra (The Way of the Cross) li torganizza kull sena l-Għaqda Kulturali bil-Malti fil-knisja tal-OLQP Greystanes, u li din is-sena ġibdet lejha ħafna aktar nies, għall-ewwel darba saret mingħajr s-saċerdot Maltin.

Minn wara l-festi tal-Għid, din issa se tkun xena komuni minħabba li l-MSSP se jirtiraw is-sacerdot Malti fl-inħawi tal-Western Suburbs.

Sar ħafna tgergir, b’danakollu ma nstema’ xejn dwar dak li ħafna qed iqisuh bħala nuqqas serju.

Tagħrif dwar il-kitba Maltija

20 The Voice of the Maltese

Tuesday April 23, 2019

llum niġu fi tmiem ir-regoli u t-tagħrif uffiċjali dwar kif wieħed għandu jikteb ilIwkoll Malti skont kif maħruġ mill-Kummissjoni fi ħdan l-Akkademja tal-ilsien Malti, u iż-żieda mat-tagħrif oriġinali li konna ilna nagħtu fil-ħarġiet li għaddew ta’

din ir-rivista. Qed intemmu t-tagħrif li ħie miżjud li ttratta l-Ortografija ta’ Neoloġiżmi Anglo-Sassoni u Rumanzi fil-Malti. Ċ. Regoli Partikulari

14. Kliem ‘sui generis’ Hemm kliem, x’aktarx ta’ użu internazzjonali, li billi jintuża l-iktar minn nies letterati u f’każijiet speċifiċi ma jidħolx fl-ilsien popolari. Dan il-kliem għandu jibqa’ jinkiteb fissure oriġinali tiegħu – genre, deus ex machina, vis a-vis, ex cathedra, eċċ.

Il-Kummissjoni tissuġġerixxi li fl-istampa kliem bħal dan għandu jinkiteb bil-korsiv/italiku.

GĦELUQ

Il-Kummissjoni fi ħdan l-Akkademja tal-ilsien Malti f’Malta li ħadmet fuq dan ir-Rapport li għadna kif ippubblikajna, uriet li għad baqa’ ħafna x’wieħed jgħid u jikkon-

kludi dwar għadd ta’ kliem u regoli ortografiċi li l-Kummissjoni jew ma kellhiex tagħrif dwaru jew tant hu kbir li wieħed irid jiflih waħda waħda.

Il-Kummissjoni ssuġġeriet, u l-Kunsill laqa’ t-talba tagħha, li għandu jitwaqqaf kumitat apposta biex jiddiskuti u jagħmel rakkomandazzjonijiet lill-Kunsill tal-Akkademja dwar diffikultajiet speċifiċi li tista’ tiffaċċja l-ortografija Maltija minn żmien għal żmien.

Min-naħa tagħna nwiegħdu li meta jsiru dawn ir-rakkomandazzjonijiet u jiġu ppreżentati lill-pubbliku, inkunu minn tal-ewwel li ngħadduhom lill-qarrejja tagħna.

Il-Biblijoteka Nazzjonali: minjiera ta’ tagħrif f’Malta

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ull tagħrif li wieħed jsita’ joħlom dwaru, l-aktar u l-aktar jekk għandha x’taqsam ma’ Malta jista’ jsibu f’dik magħrufa bħala l-Biblijoteka Nazzjonali, binja li tinsab f’Misraħ ir-Repubblika jew kif inhi magħrufa wkoll ma’ ħafna Maltin, Pjazza Reġina fil-kapitali Maltija Valletta.

Hi binja maetuża, xogħol l-arkitett ta’ nisel Pollakk Stefano Ittai bdiet tinbena fl1776 taħt il-Gran Mastru tal-Ordni ta’ San

Gwann, De Rohan minħabba li l-post fejn kienu jinżammu l-kotba u dokumenti oħra fil-Belt ma kienx kbir biżżejjed għall-ammont ta’ kotba li kien hemm. Il-binja tlestiet fl-1796 u hija meqjusa bħala l-aħħar waħda tal-Kavallieri f’Malta.

Il-fundatur tal-Biblijoteka kien il-Balliju Guerin de Tencin li fl-1766 ħalla kollezzjoni ta’ kotba li kienet tlaħħaq id-9,700 volum. Biex il-kollezzjonijiet tpoġġew kol-lha fil-bini l-ġdid għaddew is-snin u kien biss fl-1812 (fi żmien l-Ingliżi) li lBiblijoteka nfetħet uffiċjalment.

Bħala Bibljoteka Nazzjonali, il-missjoni tagħha hi li takwista, tikkataloga u tippreserva manuskritti u kotba stampati kollha, kif ukoll perjodiċi u gazzetti li joħorġu f’Malta.

Għalhekk, il-Biblijoteka Nazzjonali sar-et is-sors ewlieni tal-Melitensia, bil-funzjoni li tpoġġi l-wirt miktub ta’ Malta għad-dispożizzjoni tal-pubbliku inġenerali.

B’liġi tal-1925, u wara bl-Att tal-Libreriji Maltin tal-2011, l-awturi u l-pubblikaturi Maltin kollha, jridu jiddepożitaw żewġ kopji b’xejn ta’ kull pubblikazzjoni stampata f’Malta, waħda fil-Bibljoteka Nazzjonali ta’ Malta u l-oħra fil-Bibljoteka Nazzjonali ta’ Għawdex.

Ta’ min jgħid għalkemm b’librerija wieħed jifhem li hu post minn fejn jissellef ilkotba, mhux hekk fil-Biblijoteka Nazzjonali għax xi hi librerija ta’ referenza fejn wieħed irid jaqra dak li jrid ikun jaf, hemm stess minħabba li l-materjal st’hemmhekk hu storiku u uniku.

Il-faċċata tal-Biblijoteka Nazzjonali fil-belt Valletta

The Voice of the Maltese 21

Tuesday April 23, 2019

Sebastian Calleja ma’ Renato bil-kanzunetta ‘Qalu li raw’ tal-Bayzo C Co om mm mu un ni it ty y N Ne ew ws s

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riġinarjament ‘Qalu Li Raw’ hija kanzunetta oriġinarjament miktuba minn John Paul Grech li saret magħrufa mill-kantant ikona fil-mużika Maltija, il-Bayzo. Din qed terġa’ tingħata l-ħajja mill-kantant żagħżugħ Sebastian Calleja, flimkien ma’ wieħed mill-aktar kantanti magħrufa fix-xena mużikali Maltija, Renato li beħsiebu jirtira wara aktar minn 40 sena fix-xena tad-divertiment is-sena d-dieħla bl-aħħar kunċert tiegħu x’aktarx li ikun quddiem il-komunta` Maltija f’Melbourne, L-idea dwar il-kanzunetta, u li jkanataha limkien ma’ Renato nibtet f’moħħ Sebastian meta xtaq li jqajjem kanzunetta Maltija mill-isbaħ li forsi kultant tiġi mwarrba fil-ġenb u wieħed ma jibqax jagħti kasha.

Minbarra l-melodija mill-isbaħ li lkanzunetta ‘Qalu li Raw’ fiha, hemm ukoll kliem riflettiv li meta wieħed jisimgħu birreqqa jidħol f’emozzjonijiet differenti.

Kien minħabba f’hekk lil Sebastian tkellem ma’ Glen Vella, l-għalliem vokali tiegħu, u mal-mużiċist Conrad Briffa li ħadem l-arranġament ġdid għal-din il-

verżjoni. Xewqa oħra li kellu Sebastian kienet li jaħdem ma’ kantant ikona oħra fix-xena tal-mużika Maltija, Renato, li fil-Festival Kanzunetta Maltija tal-1986 kien rebaħ bilkanzunetta ‘Il-Karnival ta’ Malta’.

Ironikamnet dakinhar Renato kien ikkompeta mal-Bayzo b’din diska, imma xorta jemmen li ‘Qalu Li Raw’ hija waħda mill-isbaħ kanzunetti u fost dawk li m’għandhomx jintnesew.

Dan Renato wrieh fl-emozzjoniet li wera meta ssieħeb ma’ Sebastian biex irrekordjaw dan ix-xogħol.

Il-vidjow mużikali ta’ din il-verżjoni talkanzunetta ġie afdat f’idejn Luke Borg minn Fade In Media. Bis-sehem ta’ waħda mill-atturi li qed tikber fix-xena lokali Jessica Azzopardi u ċ-ċkejken Sheznil Azzopardi. Kollha flimkien irnexxielhom iwasslu emozzjonijiet lil kull minn jisma’

RESKEON members enjoy on a day trip to Rye

A group made up of 56 members from the Reskeon Maltese Association and Reskeon Seniors Group Inc. in Victoria recently enjoyed a day trip to Rye that started at 9 a.m. from the St Joseph the Church car park. On arrival near the Pier the committee provided the group

Renato (xellug) u Sebastian l-kanzunetta u jara dan l-vidjow li fih fost kollox, xeni bejn omm u iben fil-ħajja immaġinattiva, għaliex fir-realta’ minħabba ċirkustanzi vasti tal-ħajja ma jistgħux ikunu flimkien.

Il-proġett sar ukoll bil-għajnuna ta’ ‘Maypole’ u ‘Nenu The Artisan Baker’ li sponsorjawh.

Titilfux l-okkażjoni li taraw il-vidjow.

Faċli għax dan tistgħu tagħmluh billi tidħlu: https://www.facebook.com/sebcalleja/ videos/1229831857192447/ Youtube link għall-vidjow: https://www. youtube.com/watch?v=aD23nn2zn5I

with free morning tea/coffee, cakes and biscuits. Afterwards the members were free to roam around, explore the shops or enjoy a hearty lunch. This lasted until around 2.45 pm to start the trip back to Reservoir.

– PaulVella

22 The Voice of the Maltese

Tuesday April 23, 2019

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

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

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

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

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

On Demand: Ethnic Maltese Council 11am)

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Maltese Seniors Social Welfare Day Groups

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

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

Group meets 3rd Wednesday of month

in the Bankstown CBD area.

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

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

Daceyville Maltese Seniors

Note: The Groups also arrange regular Bus Trips

Join us and make new friends.

Maltese Group

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

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

Meets on the first Wednesday of each

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

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

SBS Radio 2 on Channel 38.

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

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

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

Presenter: Nathalie Gatt.

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

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

Dan xogħol volontarju (bla ħlas).

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

Saint Nicholas Festa Committee

Main events for 2019

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

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

The Voice of the Maltese 23

Sports on 2 pages

Tuesday April 23, 2019

Promoting the inclusion of LGBTIQ persons in sports M

alta’s Ministry for European Affairs and Equality and the Malta Football Association have embarked on a series of jointinitiatives aimed at promoting equality and diversity in football and sport in general.

These efforts are aimed at raising aware- cluding the Premier League, women’s comness about the acceptance of LGBTIQ per- petitions and youths in Malta and Gozo, sons in football with the campaign, players and match officials wore rainbow aptly-named ‘Everyone’s Game’. During laces while team captains donned rainbowseveral matches from different categories in- themed armbands.

Minister Dr Helena Dalli and Dr Matthew Paris (MFA) addressing the media

Nicholas D’Agostino has the potential to become a Socceroo

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icholas D’Agostino is a rising football star. His two vital goals against South Korea in the final round of Olympic qualifying meant the Olyroos defied their luck of seeding to qualify for next January’s AFC U/23 Championship in Tokyo.

Nicholas’ assured finishes helped the Olyroos to a 2-2 draw against South Korea in Phom Penh. He was part of a 24-playing squad training camp in Kuala Lumpur and qualification matches in Phnom Penh against Cambodia, Chinese Taipei, and the Korea Republic Nicholas, a Queenslander, was born in February 1998 in Australia. His father Joseph, also born in Australia played first grade for Melita Eagles some 37 years ago. His grandfather James D’Agostino of Greystanes NSW was also a Malta Eagles player way back in the fifties, while his aunty, Doris Drury was for many years the president of the Parramatta Melita Eagles. Therefore soccer is in the youngster’s blood.

Even though he had a frustrating season with his A-League team Brisbane Roar, Graham Arnold, the Australian National coach, selected Nicholas for the 2020 AFC U-23 Championship qualifiers that took place in Cambodia.

In fact, Graham believes that the youngster has the potential to become a Socceroo but in order to realise his dream he needs game time.

Nick is a born and bred Queenslander and has been involved in the Roar's youth ranks since a young age. Upon signing a senior two-year contract in August 2016, he was offered the opportunity to trial with Belgian side KRC Genk for which he made a number of appearances at underage level.

He's touted as one to watch in the future of Australian football and Socceroo Craig Moore who has been advising him about his future said that at Roar, Nick had lots of niggles, a lot of bad luck and was also played him out of position. He believes he is definitely a striker.

Addressing a news conference, Dr Helena Dalli, the Minister for European Affairs and Equality, pointed out that following the introduction of laws that put Malta at the forefront when it comes to the rights of LGBTIQ persons, the next step is to ensure that these are felt in everyday life.

“Football is the most popular sports in our country and therefore the Malta FA can offer the best platform to reach a wide audience,” Dr Dalli said.

She added that this was being done in the context of the need to address the culture of discrimination still existing in various forms, not only against LGBTIQ persons but also on the grounds of religion, disability or race.

MFA Vice-President Dr Matthew Paris said his Association has increased its efforts to promote inclusion in football across the board through its Football For Life programme, and that its doors are wide open when it comes to offering opportunities to everyone to practise and enjoy football.

24 The Voice of the Maltese

Sports on 2 pages

Tuesday April 23, 2019

Late penalty earns Malta promotion play-off place

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Malta (in black shorts) on the attack against Croatia

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Valletta on way to a repeat of last season’s win

t could be a repeat of the last days of last season’s Premier League race in Malta when a few rounds from the end they were trailing Balzan but then came from behind to claim the title by three points. This time round Valletta start the last round favourites to repeat that feat as they lead Hibernians by five points following the Paolites’ surprising defeat against relegation-threatened Qormi in the previous round.

Back-to-back defeats for Eagles

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Parramatta FC 1 SD Radiers FC 3 arramatta Eagles suffered back-to-back home losses in the last two outings, which means that they have suffered five defeat from their first seven outings, three on their home ground at Melita Stadium. On Saturday they were beaten 3-1 by SD Raiders FC whowon the Johnny Odisho Cup. Against SD Raiders Parramatta found themselves a goal down from a penalty and had Victor Anyimba red carded before half time. Their second half was more promising. They hit the crossbar and levelled through Zac Watters, but then hit the upright and conceded two more goals.

Parramatta FC 0 Dulwich Hill 1 At the end of a hard-fought match against Dulwich the previous week the Eagles were unable to break down a well-organised outfit and lost 10 to a first half spectacular strike from Silvestre.

Hyundai A-League Results

Results - Day 26

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

1-0 1-0 2-2 1-6 3-1

Day 25

Perth G v ˇNewcastle J W. Sydney W v Sydney FC Melbourne V v C Mariners Melbourne C v Adeaide Brisbane R. v Wellington P

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

penalty conversion late in the game against Croatia at the Hibernians Stadium earned the Malta Rugby national team a hard-fought 18-all draw against Croatia and top placing on points difference in the Conference 1 South for a third consecutive time. It also gives them the right to move onto a promotion play-off against either Sweden or Ukraine to the Trophy Division.

The penalty conversion two minutes from time helped the Maltese to finish the match on level terms with Croatia, both in the match and also in the table, with 16 points from four matches.

The Croatians were the strongest of Malta’s opponents in the competition. At times they looked capable of lowering Malta’s flag. At the half way mark Croatia led by 10-8, and then piled on the pressure and managed to increase the gap early in the second half to 15-8.

However, Malta recovered to pull back level at 15-all, but when Croatia forged ahead at 18-15 it looked almost curtains for the locals, only for Kirk to get the final three points from a penalty to salvage the match

That defeat, and their easy win over St Andrews allowed defending champions Valletta to leap-frog over their challengers to open a twopoint lead with three matches to go.

Last weekend Valletta beat Tarxien 1-0 to open a five-point gap over Hibs prior to the latter’s Monday night fixture against ever improving Senglea. This is a must win game for Hibs in order to keep alive their slight hopes of the title.

In the final round, the title challengers meet teams still involved Results - Day 25 in the race for a fourth-place finish Valletta v Tarxien 1-0 and possible place in the UEFA Gzira U v Mosta 1-1 Europa League. Valletta will meet Balzan v Sliema W. 2-1 Ħamrun Spartans while Hiberni- Ħamrun S. v Pieta H. 2-0 ans face Balzan.

Hibernians v Senglea (Mon) Pieta, losers against Ħamrun have Birkirkara v Qormi (Mon) been relegated Florian v St Andrews (Mon)

Results - Day 24 Valletta v St Andrews 4-0 Qormi v Hibernians 3-1 Gzira U v Floriana 1-0 Sliema W. v Senglea 0-0 Ħamrun S v Balzan 1-1 Mosta v Birkirkara 2-1 2-0 Tarxien v Pieta H.

Easy wins for Green Gully, George Cross

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Kingston City 0 Green Gully 4 ollowing a 4-0 away win at Kingston City, Green Gully managed fourth place in the NPL League ladder. They took a first-minute lead through Jonathon Bounas and put the game beyond the home team’s reach with two more goals in the 36th minute through Matthew Fletcher and an own goal on the stroke of half-time that ended the contest. Gully scored a fourth in the 57th minute through Adisu Bayew.

Poor finishing by the Gully strikers prevented an even more convincing victory.

Yarraville FC 1 George Cross 3 Caroline Springs George Cross defeated

Yarraville Glory away by 3-1 to record their first win of the season. Success was paved with an 18th minute well worked out goal scored by Daniel Slovacek.

They increased the lead deep into injury time from a Nelson Salvatore free-kick for a 2-0 half-time lead. Within three minutes of the restart Yarraville pulled a goal back but Cross sealed the win in the 80th minute through Yuji Kin. FFA CUP RD 4: Eastern L 3 George Cross 1 *George Cross were eliminated from the FFA Cup after losing 3-1 to NPL2 league leader Eastern Lions. George Cross dominated throughout, but were unable to convert their chances.