Issue105

online magazine

(driven by the voice driven by the voice of its readersof its readers)

July 7, 2015

The Voice of the Malteseonline magazine

SBS Radio and the Maltese community..see page 3

One of the oldest traditional feasts celebrated annualy in Malta isMnarja that includes a Festival that starts late evening of the 28th atthe Buskett Gardens with folk music, traditional singing (G˙ana), andof course Maltese local food, particularly rabbit, and local wine. Thepeak is then reached on the 29th, the feast of St Peter and St Paul.

On this day an agricultural show, that falls under the jurisdiction ofthe Parliamentary Secretary for agriculture fisheries and animalrights is held with farmers proudly exhibiting their fresh produce.

In the afternoon, the attention is switched to the Telg˙a tas-Saqqajja inRabat (Saqqajja Hill) where bareback horse and donkey races are held.

This year was no exception as evidenced by a number of photos(courtesy of UnionPrint) taken at the Buskett that show not only thecrowds at the Gardens but also the produce and some personalities.

The feast of St. Peter and St. Paul is also celebrated in Nadur, Gozo,in the usual festive manner that is normally held in towns and villagesall over the two islands. L-Imnarja is also celebrated in Australia.

The traditional festa of Mnarja (2015)

2 The Voice of the Maltese Tuesday July 7, 2015

On a visit to Strasbourg, in France,Malta President Marie LouiseColeiro Preca addressed the Par-

liamentary Assembly of the Council ofEurope at a session that marked 50years since Malta joined the CoE. Shewas given a great welcome not only atthe session but also throughout hershort stay in the city during which shealso held talks with the Council’s lead-ers, and later inaugurated a part of thewaterfront on the River Ill for Malta.

On arrival, the President was wel-comed at the Palais de l’Europe byAnne Brasseur, the President of the Par-liamentary Assembly an also had meet-ings with Secretary General ThornbjornJagland.

Addressing Council members at theAssembly, the President touched onvarious subjects, some of them human-itarian. She talked about the threat ofterrorism, migration, poverty in Eu-rope, domestic violence and equality.

Mrs Coleiro Preca also thanked theBelgian presidency for the initiativetaken in Brussels that gave special at-tention to the fight against terrorism,and pointed out that several Europeanshave chosen to travel to countries likeSyria and Iraq to join terrorist groups. The President said that this phenome-

non should not only be fought by legalmeans but also by helping youths findtheir meaning in life through positiveaction. She said that the InternationalJustice Institute, which was launched inMalta last year, is offering the necessarysupport to all concerned parties so thatterrorism is fought with the rule of law.When it comes to the subject of migra-

tion, she said that more needs to bedone to save people from the seas, andthat the situation needed to be ad-

dressed in collaboration with Mediter-ranean and North African countries.

The President also mentioned the in-justices faced by women, noting that fe-male participation in decision-makingroles in politics is still low. “Women arestill discriminated against at the work-place,” she said.Mrs Coleiro Preca also spoke about the

rights of LGBTIQ persons and on theneed for politics that promote these

rights. She also describedthe poverty situation in Eu-rope as being “unaccept-able.”

In the afternoon, in thelobby of the Chamber ofthe Parliamentary Assem-bly, the President inaugu-rated a photographic exhi-bition by Maltese photog-rapher Darrin Zammit Lu-pi, and met the Maltesemembers of the EuropeanParliament.

In a hectic afternoon, shealso had separate meetingswith Nils Muizneks, theCommissioner for HumanRights within the Councilof Europe, and Dean Spiel-mann, President of the Eu-ropean Court of Human

Rights, at the court premises, and in theevening was hosted at a reception givenby the honorary consul for Malta, EricMayor Schaller.

On the second day of her visit to thecity that forms part of the Alsace Re-gion in Northeast France, PresidentMarie Louise Coleiro Preca met MrRoland Ries, Mayor of Strasbourg.Among the subjects discussed was mi-gration. Then in yet another meeting,this time with Snezana Samardzic-Markovic, the director general ofDemocracy within the Council of Eu-rope, she discussed efforts to give agreater voice to children and laws tosafeguard them. She was congratulatedfor her speech to the Parliamentary As-sembly the day before

Later in the day the President was in-vited to take part in a symbolic cere-mony during which she inaugurated aroad, part of the waterfront on theRiver Ill after Malta. It was named Quaide Malte “The Malta Quay”.

At the ceremony she spoke about thelong-standing relations between Maltaand France that dates back as theKnights of St John in the 16th century,and recalled that the Maltese capital,Valletta, is named after a French GrandMaster, who also became a hero duringthe 1565 Great Siege, Jean de la Valette.

President tells CoE ParliamentaryAssembly poverty is ‘unacceptable'

President Marie Louise Coleiro Preca addressing the CoE’s Parliamentary Assembly

The President unveiling thename of the quay on River Ill

Tuesday July 7, 2015 The Voice of the Maltese 3

SBS (Special Broadcasting Service), have just announcedthat the SBS Radio Maltese digital only programmes, at 12.00pm on Tuesdays and 2.00 pm on Thursdays on SBS Radio 3,will conclude next month, on August 6. The SBS Radio Mal-tese programmes on the analogue SBS Radio 2 schedule, at12.00 pm on Fridays and 2.00 pm on Saturdays are to con-tinue as normal.According to SBS Radio this change will bring the Maltese

programme’s broadcast hours into line with allocations for lan-guages of a similar size and need in Australia, as determinedby the 2013 SBS Radio Schedule Review and 2011 Census data.

During the 2013 SBS Radio Schedule Review, and followingextensive community consultation, the Maltese language wasallocated two programmes on the analogue schedule, on SBSRadio 2, plus two additional programmes on the digital SBSRadio 3 schedule.At the time, SBS indicated it was able to commit to the addi-

tional programme on SBS Radio 3 for a period of two years.TV News from Malta will continue to broadcast at 8.00 am

every Thursday and Sunday on SBS 2, with catch up viewingavailable via SBS on Demand or sbs.com.au/maltese.

How to listen to the SBS Radio Maltese programme, after Au-gust 6:

Radio:SBS Radio 2: 12.00 pm Friday

2.00 pm SaturdayFind your closest frequency here: sbs.com.au/radio/article/2014/04/14/amfm-frequenciesDigital TV: SBS Radio 2Online: Live and catch up listening at sbs.com.au/malteseMobile: SBS Radio App, on iOS and Android devicesSocial Media: twitter.com/sbsradiomaltese &facebook.com/pages/SBS-Maltese/122556091126233

SBS Radio applies the axe toSBS Radio applies the axe tothe Maltese on Digital Radiothe Maltese on Digital Radio

The Voice of the Maltese says…Without given a reasonable excuse why theywant to discontinue two hours from the existingmeagre of four allotted to the Maltese commu-nity, SBS Radio once again have disregarded thevery needs of our community and incorrectlyhas given more weight to its size as if the biggerthe community the larger its radio audience.The Voice of the Maltese is now urging the

members of the Maltese community, whereverthey are in Australia to get behind their commu-nity leaders and with one voice lodge a protestin the strongest possible terms. We agree with the Maltese Community Coun-

cils of NSW and Victoria when during discus-sions with the management of SBS Radio lastyear concluded that the criteria for distributionof language programme time on SBS should in-clude specific community needs and not merelythe size of the non-English speaking date fromthe census.SBS Management has a habit on picking on

smaller communities. We say to those runningSBS Radio that if there is trimming to be madeof the available SBS Radio hours, it must comefrom a reduction of the overgenerous allowancethat it has provided to the larger ethnic groupsand not from those they think they can easilykick around.Finally, the SBS Management should not treat

the Maltese community as soft touch by wantingto discuss with them decisions already taken.Community consultations, when decisions havealready been taken are a farce.

Minbarra f’Malta, il-festa tradizzjonalital-Imnarja ti©i ççelebrata wkoll f’-

pajjiΩi fejn hemm l-emigranti Maltin, b˙alfl-Awstralja u na˙iet o˙ra. Fl-Awstralja l-festa titfakkar l-aktar fl-istat ta’ NSWf’Ωew© postijiet prominenti.

Fiç-Çentru La Valette ta’ Blacktown, il-festa bdiet bil-quddiesa u wara saru l-wirjiettal-˙axix, il-frott, it-tjur u affarijiet o˙ra.

Din id-darba kien hemm ukoll log˙ob

g˙at-tfal, l-g˙ana minn Saver u s˙abu,daqq u Ωfin ma’ Sam Mifsud reçta qasirama’ Greg Caruana u Joe Spiteri, u l-bandaMaltija l-OLQP.

Sadanittant, il- kumitat tal-festa ta’ SanNikola wkoll b˙as-soltu ççelebra l-festa,

mag˙rufa wkoll b˙ala ta’ San Pietru u SanPawl, fil-Parish Hall u madwar il-KnisjaGood Shepherd ta’ Plumpton. Kien hemmkull xorta ta’ wirjiet agrikoli, u wirja wkollta’ karozzi u muturi klassiçi; sintendi,ukoll bl-ikel Malti u divertiment muΩikali.

Kemm fi Blacktown u anke fi Plumptonattendew mijjiet ta’ Maltin, wie˙ed tassewjie˙u gost jara li l-festi tradizzjonali Maltinjkompli wkoll fost il-Maltin fl-Awstralja.

Il-Festa tal-Imnarja mfakkra fl-Awstralja

Meta taqra f’©urnali rispet-tabbli li l-mod kif l-Aw-stralja qed tittratta

mar-refu©jati qed jag˙tiha famata’ “self-interested, uncaring nation”ma tistax ma tirriflettix dwar dakli qed ise˙˙ forsi wkoll tipprovatanalizza fejn wasalna u fejn semmorru g˙all-©ejjieni.

L-Awstralja hija l-akbar kontinentgΩira. Aktar minhekk, lejn in-na˙at ta’ fuq hija assedjata minn˙afna pajjiΩi ffullati bin-nies li˙afna minnhom jg˙ixu fil-faqarjew ma˙kuma minn amministraz-zjonijiet fejn id-demokrazija mhixipprattikata. Dan kollu jwassal lill-Awstralja li ti©i mpin©ija b˙ala pa-jjiΩ sinjur, “a˙jar”, b˙ala pajjiΩfejn hemm ˙afna spazju iΩdamhux daqstant popolizzat.

Dawk li qeg˙din ifittxu kenna˙jar, mhux neçessarjament ji©ukollha mid-direzzjoni tal-pajjizi likwaΩi ja˙btu mat-tramuntana tal-Awstralja. Dawn il-pajjiΩi joffrurotta u post addattat mix-xtajjiettag˙hom g˙ad-dg˙ajjes mimlijanies iffittxu ©ejjieni a˙jar mill-Af-ganistan, mill-Iraq, mis-Sirja uminn o˙rajn, pajjiΩi li humama˙nuqa b’konflitti interni unkwiet çivili. Tmenin fil-mija ta’ dawk li ja˙ar-

bu pajjiΩhom huma minn pajjiΩimhux Ωvilluppati. Kull sena, miljuniminn madwar id-dinja ja˙irbuminn djarhom min˙abba persekuz-zjoni reli©juza, min˙abba il-kulurta’ ©ildhom, etniçita’ jew min˙abbail-politika li jemmnu fiha.

Sintendi hemm moviment ta’refu©jati li jersqu lejn l-Awstraljaskont il-li©i u skont ftehim inter-nazzjonali. Dawn jg˙oddu g˙almadwar 20 elf fis-sena. IΩda l-kumplikazzjonijiet, u©ieh ta’ ras ususpetti jibdew hekk kif jitfaççawfl-orizzont dawk li jaslu b’modi sus-pettuΩi, b’modi illegali, u ˙afnadrabi f’opri tal-ba˙ar li bilkemm

jifil˙u jaslu sad-destinazzjoni ug˙alhekk jitolbu l-g˙ajnuna biexji©u rmunkati lejn l-ewwel xtajtapossibbli.

Mal-wasla tag˙hom dawn l-imse-jkna li qeg˙din ifittixu aΩil jo˙olqukull xorta ta’ diffikulta` g˙al dawkil-pajjiΩi li jrid jaccettahom skontftehim u regoli internazzjonali.G˙alkemm tippriedka li dejjemtosserva l-obligazzjonijiet tag˙haf’dan il-qasam, l-Awstralja tad-dotta metodi ˙arxa u kultant dub-juΩi biex twaqqaf lil dawk li jasluillegalment bid-dg˙ajjes waravja©©i hekk perikoluΩi. L-Awstralja tg˙id ukoll li l-iskop

ewlieni hu li teqred dan it-traffikarxejn uman ta’ bnedmin vulnerab-bli.

Kien il-Gvern Liberali ta’ JohnHoward li ta l-ewwel eΩempju billiwaqqaf id-d˙ul fl-Awstralja ta’ 438persuni mill-Afganistan li ©ew sal-vati f’ba˙ar internazzjonali mil-vapur Norve©iΩ, MV Tampaf’Awwissu tal-2001. Din id-deçiΩ-joni ˙olqot kontraversja kbira iΩdadak li g˙amel il-PM Howard ©ibedis-simpatija tal-poplu, tant lirebb˙itu l-elezzzjoni.

IΩda wisq aktar minhekk dan l-in-çident tat-Tampa serva biex mabaqax aktar politika komuni bejniΩ-Ωew© partiti ‘l kbar dwar dawk lijkunu qedi ifittxu aΩil, il-kenn mill-qilla u l-faqar u sfrattar f’pa-jjizhom.

Wara l-inçident tat-Tampa bedaperijodu perikoluΩ fejn l-hekk im-sejj˙a “boat people”, klandestini,illegali sej˙ilhom li trid, saru bal-lun politiku tant li spiççajna pajjiΩb’Ωew© partiti ewlenin jivvintaw re-goli l-aktar ˙orox u dubjuΩi, sup-post skont li©ijiet internazzjonalibiex iΩommu barra mix-xjtata Aw-

straljana kull dg˙ajsa illegali li ter-saq lejna.Fiz-zmien tal-˙akma Laburista

kien hemm politika iktar rilaxxatau donnhom dawk li jmexxu dan it-traffikar bla ˙niena ˙adu l-vanta©© u l-“boats arrivals” Ωdiedusewwa g˙alkemm il-Gvern kienqieg˙ed jibg˙at lil dawk li jaslu fiChristmas Island, post dezolat fl-Ocejan Indjan madwar 2,600 kmminn Perth f’WA. Fet˙u g˙add ta’postijiet o˙ra fl-Awstralja biexjakkomodawhom tant kemm bdewjaslu spiss.

F’Awissu tal-2012 il-Gvern Aw-straljan da˙˙al sistema fejn dawkli jaslu llegalment kellhom ji©upproçessati fit-tielet pajjiΩ (excisedoffshore place). Fl-2013 postijiet f’-Manus Island u Nauru bdewjilqg˙u dawk li jaslu b’mod illegalifl-Awstralja. Min-na˙a tal-Gverndan kien ezerçizzju li qam kemxaflus tant li hu stmat li l-GvernLaburista nefaq $10 biljun f’˙amessnin fuq border security ming˙ajrma solva l-ebda problema.

In-nefqa biex tie˙u ˙sieb dawk lijaslulek bid-dg˙ajjes illegalment©iet ikkalkulata li tla˙˙aq mal-$200,000 g˙al kull persuna li ti©iΩbarkata. Nafu li l-Gvern Awstral-jan i˙allas miljuni kbar kemm lill-PNG u anke lin-Nauru biex dawnjaççettaw il-boat people li jkunujridu kenn fl-Awstralja iΩda li ji©umdawrin lejn dawn il-postijietsakemm jigu pproçessati. Jekkikunu veru refu©jati xortam’g˙andhomx dritt jid˙lu l-Aw-stralja. G˙all-finijiet taç-çittadi-nanza, anke Christmas Islandmhix mag˙duda iktar b˙ala gΩiraAwstraljana.

G˙al pa©na 5

4 The Voice of the Maltese Tuesday July 7, 2015

Kif l-Awstraljawaqqfet “id-dg˙ajjes illegali” bla ma ˙add jaf kifJikteb Lawrence Dimech

Vapur tal-qawwa tal-ba˙ar Awstraljana jeskorta dg˙ajsa tal-illegali

Tuesday July 7, 2015 The Voice of the Maltese 5

minn pa©na 4

Il-Prim Ministru Awstraljan ta’ b˙alissa, Tony Abbottkemm-il darba ddikjara li l-Gvern Awstraljan jag˙melkull mhu possibli skont il-li©i biex iwaqqaf il-wasla tal-illegali lejn l-Awstralja u jifta˙ar li Ωamm il-weg˙datieg˙u ta’ qabel l-elezzjoni “I will stop the boats”. Nifhem ukoll li fl-Awstralja b˙al ˙afna pajjiΩi o˙ra,

inkluΩ Malta, ma jridux persuni li jaslulhom fil-pajjiΩming˙ajr ma jkollhom il-permessi me˙tie©a. Çertigvernijiet g˙alhekk jaqbΩu l-obbligi nternazzjonalig˙ax jafu li politikament g˙andhom l-appo©© tal-ma©©oranza.Ix-xena nbidlet kompletament ta˙t l-amministraz-

zjoni tal-Liberali g˙ax kemm ilhom fit-tmexxijamhux qeg˙din jag˙tu tag˙rif dwar dawk il-materji lihuma jallegaw li huma “operational security mat-ters”. G˙alhekk il-poplu m’g˙adux jaf kemm qedjaslu dg˙ajjes illegali u wisq iΩjed kemm minn dawnd-dg˙ajjes qed ji©u sfurzati lura b’forza mill-qawwatal-ba˙ar Awstraljana.F’dawn l-a˙˙ar ©img˙at iΩda, il-midja skopriet kaΩ lijekk ji©i kkonfermat huwa tassew straordinarju u li

ma jag˙mel xejn ©id lill-Gvern tal-koalizzjoni Liber-ali/National immexxi minn Tony Abbott. Ìie svelat uallegat li l-Gvern qed joffri flus sostanzjali lill-kaptanitad-dg˙ajjes illegali biex dawn ire©©g˙u lura d-dg˙ajjes tag˙hom lejn l-Indonesja. Il-Gvern Indonesjan ˙adha ferm bi kbira u qieg˙ed

jipprotesta kontra din l-azzjoni msejj˙a “barbara ubla ebda ˙niena”. Aktar minhekk jekk dawn il-kaΩi-jiet ji©u pprovati l-Gvern Awstraljan ikun qed isirparti mill-istess akkuΩi li dejjem jag˙mel, ji©ifieri liqatt ma g˙andu jkun hemm “people smuggling”Il-movimenti tar-refugjati hi problema globali. Il-

Ìnus Mag˙quda ˙abbret li 60 miljun persuna kell-hom jitilqu minn jarhom min˙abba gwerer jewpersekuzzjoni. Dan hu Ωieda ta’ tmien miljun f’dawnl-a˙˙ar 12-il xahar. Kul˙add jammetti li f’din l-era ta’inçertezza u taqlib tin˙tie© azzjoni umanitarja globaliming˙ajr precedent. IΩda ma nafx meta se naraw xiazzjoni effettiva.Min-naha l-o˙ra jekk il-gvernijiet tad-dinja ja©ixxu

b˙al ma qed ja©ixxi l-Gvern Awstraljan hemm possi-bilita` li l-ordni internazzjonali u l-obbligazzjonijietfejn jid˙lu persuni li jfittxu l-aΩil titkisser u titfarrak.

L-awtoritajiet Awstraljanijg˙oddu l-flus li allegatamentgew im˙allsla lill-kaptan tad-

dghajsa li sfurzaw lura

Tony Abbott jifta˙ar li Tony Abbott jifta˙ar li ΩΩamm il-weg˙da amm il-weg˙da elettorali tieg˙u dwar l-immigranti illegalielettorali tieg˙u dwar l-immigranti illegali

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When I think about my time on Malta,I think of bright blue skies, fields of richgreen clover, and the sound of theocean smashing against the cliffs - allonly steps away from the well-wornstone streets of ancient cities and thechatty and perpetually kind people.And all of it - cities, coastal walks -warmed and cheered by the seeminglyendless sunshine, even at the height ofwinter.

It turns out I'm not alone in thesememories. When I asked expats whythey moved their whole lives over tothe tiny Mediterranean island chain ofMalta, sunshine, sea, and the kind Eng-lish-speaking population were the threemost popular answers. And those an-swers make perfect sense.Despite its year-round warmth, Malta

still manages to have distinct seasons.Winter is mild and the days are oftensunny. But it's also decidedly green -with fields of clover and other plant lifespreading out, emerald, across the cliffsand between the towns, dotted bybunches of bright white chamomile andother small flowers.

In summer, the hot days drive every-one to the water, where Malta is knownas a diver's paradise.

Malta is made up of five islands: themain island of the same name, thesmaller Gozo, Comino, Cominotto, andFilfla. My favourite island is Gozo, thesecond-largest island in the Maltese is-land chain. It's just 25 minutes north ofthe main island by ferry and has a rep-utation for rural landscapes, quiet liv-ing, and a whole lot of retirees.Gozo's appeal is peace and quiet that's

still close to urban convenience. It's stilleasy to get to the bustling capital of Val-letta on the main island of Malta, an-

cient Mdina, or Malta's internationalairport - each just a ferry and bus rideaway.On Gozo, I woke up every morning to

the sound of birdsong and the strongsmell of thyme, which grows along thecliffs and often hangs drying in theGozitan kitchens. I enjoyed long coastalwalks, with only the sound of the oceanbeating the cliffs and the occasionalbleating of goats grazing above me.

And still, I had everything I neededhere. Victoria - the capital city - is a hiveof activity, full of shopping centres, asports centre, burger joints, and excep-tional restaurants.

It is the headquarters for just abouteverything on the island, and also hasa hospital, two opera houses, and evenan organic food shop. Victoria is alsoGozo's bus hub (it's easy to reach fromany other part of the island) and the topstop for most tourists who visit the is-land.

The cost of living is good value onGozo. A day-long bus ticket is just over$1- and only 50 cents if you're a residentover 60. The ferry costs $5 round-tripfor visitors, $2 for permanent residents,and nothing for senior residents (witha special card from the transportationcompany).

Grocery costsare reasonable,with milk andbread under $1,eggs about $2,and a mid-rangebottle of wine atabout $6. Expatsreport living ex-penses here ofbetween $1,800and $2,400 amonth, depend-ing on theirlifestyle.

And don'tworry about get-ting sick here, ei-ther. Maltese

healthcare is very reputable - it's widelyconsidered one of the best healthcaresystems in the world - and costs aremoderate. You'll find both public andprivate hospitals and clinics here. Whilemost hospitals are located on the mainisland, Gozo also has one in Victoria.

So if you're looking for a warm-weather, Mediterranean island destina-tion put Malta on your bucket list. Withits Mediterranean waters; sandybeaches; sunny, warm weather; ancientcities; and low costs, it offers a reward-ing, dream-worthy lifestyle.

Gigi Griffis started her business asa copywriter (writing for websites,brochures, video scripts, and ad-vertisements) and content strategy,mostly for non-profits, univer-sities, travel companies, and othercompanies with a focus on doingsome good in the world.

But when she started travelling,she started doing more travel andcreative writing for magazines andonline publications, and after abo-ut a year on the road, she realisedshe wanted to do the creative stufffull-time.

Since then, she has been slowlytransitioning out of her marketing-minded writing business and into acreative-minded writing business.After over 15 years of travellingabroad she now mostly focuses onmagazine articles and books.

6 The Voice of the Maltese Tuesday July 7, 2015

MALTA: “the Mediterranean’s Most Affordable Island”

We've all heard the expression "island time." But where's the best place to embrace it?

In the last issue of The Voice of the Maltese we reproduced the result of apopular website that in its annual Global Retirement Index placed Malta inseventh place in its top 10 retirement destinations in 2015.Today we have further proof of Malta’s enchantment in an article written byGigi Griffis, an American writer living in Switzerland who likes to travel theworld (together with her pint-sized pooch, Luna). After visiting and exploringthe island she said she found it to be a serene island retreat where expats re-port living expenses as low as $1,800 a month. She said she found Malta to bethe Mediterranean's Most Affordable Island. Much-travelled Gigi Griffis reveals the details of her findings the article we

are reproducing below.

by Gigi Griffis

The author

One of the most fav-ourite views Gigi

Griffis shot duringher stay in Gozo

Tuesday July 7, 2015 The Voice of the Maltese 7

Australian film actorChris Hemsworth,and his actress wife

since 2010, Elsa Pateky, to-wards the end of June vis-ited Malta for a shortholiday, during which theyalso boarded the OceanaRanger and spent a daywith the crew on an ongo-ing expedition currently be-ing carried out by Oceanato document previously un-explored the depths off theMaltese coast.

It is the first time since2012 when she became anOceana ambassador thatthe 38-year-old Spain- bornElsa Pataky, who is also amodel, and her 31-year-oldhusband visited the cata-maran belonging to the in-ternational marineconservation organisation.

Both Elsa and Chris wereeager to help out with theon-board research andwere particularly fasci-nated with the work carriedout using the remote un-derwater robot, which canreach depths of up to 1000metres. Over the course ofa busy day, they partici-pated in life onboard withthe team of scientists, ROV(remotely operated vehicle)operators and crew.

After sending the ROVdown, they observed therelatively unexplored sea-bed close to the island ofGozo first hand. Importantfootage was capturedwhich will be analysed in-tensively over the comingmonths in order to evaluate the mostsuitable forms of protection.In her comments after the expedition,

Elsa said that it was amazing how lit-tle the seabed has been studied, evenin the Mediterranean Sea, which is soclose to civilization. “Most people areunaware of the incredible marine lifehundreds of metres below the surfaceof the water,” she said. She went on to say that one thing that

shocked her whilst glimpsing the seafloor using the remote camera was thetrash and impact of human activitiesin areas that should be protected.

“We must listen to scientists moreand intensify our conservation effortsso we don’t lose such valuable biodi-versity before we even know about It."- Elsa Pataky said.The Oceana 2015 expedition got under

way on June 1 to survey the unex-plored Maltese sea floor, particularlythe submerged caves, sandbanks andreefs in order to identify the locationand extent of selected habitats listed inAnnex 1 of the Habitats Directive. The

expedition is part of the LIFE BaÓARfor N2K project, co-financed by the Eu-ropean Commission. The research aimsto uncover important geological andecological regions to be protected asSites of Community Importance withinthe Red Natura 2000 network.Natura 2000 is a network of protected

areas throughout the European Unionand it is considered the largest coher-ent group of protected areas in theworld. It aims at protecting Europe’smost vulnerable and threatenedspecies and habitats.

Meanwhile, although no publicityhad been given prior to the couple’svisit to Malta, they were found out be-fore leaving Malta on June 22. TheAustralian actor who is mostly knownfor his leading role in the movies Thorand Avengers, and his first Holly-wood appearance in Star Trek in 2009,and Elsa, better known for her role inthe 2010 film series, Fast and Furious,stayed at the Casa Ellul boutique hotelin Valletta.

Early morning one day while he was

out exploring thestreets of the Mal-tese capital. Chris,who is also Ambas-sador for the Aus-tralian Childhoodgot lost and couldnot find his wayback to his hotel.However he man-aged to go to theValletta police sta-tion where he askedfor directions.

Some of the policeat the station couldnot believe theireyes when they sawthe actor in front ofthem. But it seemsthat they made themost of it, and be-fore escorting him tohis hotel, they askedChris, who on thesilver screen fliesacross the galaxywith the help ofThor's iconic ham-mer, to pose withhim for a photo,which he graciouslyaccepted.

Meanwhile, thecouple reported tohave been delightedwith their stay andmade very positivecomments aboutthe island.

From Malta Chris,voted the sexiestman alive by Peo-ple’s magazine in2014, flew with hiswife to London. Thecouple who have

three children together, are currentlyspending time in Europe, with theThor star expected to film The Hunts-man, a sequel to 2012's Snow WhiteAnd The Huntsman.

After their visit to Malta, Elsa, tookto Instagram to share a shot of the pairon the Oceana Ranger boat in Malta.

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Chris and Elsa on board theOceana Ranger in Malta, a shotshared by Elsa on Instagram

Australian actor Chris Hemsworth on Malta visit

Frank Camilleri from Reading, Berk-shire, UK writes:

Iwas recently invited to an Englishfriend’s house at Reading, one ofthose who is a regular reader of The

Voice of the Maltese and I was requestedto take with me some kind of literatureabout Malta as he had also invited alongother friends of his from the UK

I took with me a copy of a two-minutevideo about Malta that I recorded fromYoutube showing Maltese tenor JosephCalleja driving around the islands in avintage sports car.

Between one drink and another myfriend put on the video that was producedby and promoting Air Malta last year. Theguests were enthralled to hear the tenortalk about his childhood memories andthat though he has travelled the world,still believes Malta to be one of the most“interesting, beautiful, warm, spiritual,historic” places in the world.

At one time the comments by the‘Mal-tese ambassador’ Joseph Calleja aboutMalta, “that you cannot be interested inthe history of human civilisation and notcome to Malta” seemed to hit a cord withone of the guests, a history teacher, whosaid he was keen to visit the island.I felt so proud that I could promote Malta

this way. It was then that this guest startedfiring questions at me about Maltese his-tory. He is said he was sorry to say thathe had never travelled to Malta. Yet he

remembered reading that some of Malta’stemples dating back to thousands of yearsBC, (Gozo’s Ìgantija, Óagar Qim andMnajdra I reminded him) dating back tomuch before Britain’s Stonehenge thatthey are so proud of.

I then referred him to an article in thelast issue of The Voice about the ÓalSaflieni Hypogeum, and pointed out tohim that if he is so interested in history itis a must that he should visit the island.

He promised he would, most probablyearly September.Talk then also centred on Joseph Calleja

who is widely considered as an interna-tional star following performance in theworld’s leading opera stages.

I am glad to say that what initiallyprompted this meeting was the interestwe share in The Voice of the Maltese. Sothank you all for this publication.

Anthony Cassar minn Greenwich, NSWjikteb:

Qed nikteb b’rabja kbira u ddeçidejt linag˙mel dan issa, minkejja li g˙ad jon-

qos aktar minn ©img˙a biex ti©i ppubblikatal-˙ar©a li jmiss ta’ The Voice. Fis-sa˙na lijien fiha anke ktibt lill-PM Tony Abbott,g˙alkemm ftit nistenna li se jag˙ti kasi.

G˙adni kif smajt l-a˙barijiet dwar l-at-troçitajiet imwettqa f’isem l-Istat Islamiku,li fil-verita` ftit nemmen li hu stat immabiss ©gajta ta’ estremisti, fit-TuneΩija, fil-Kuwajt u fi Franza. Bdejt ng˙id bejni ubejn ru˙i, imma kif dawk il-pajjiΩi l-kbarli tant jippretendu li huma b’sa˙˙ithom majsibux tarf ta’ dawn l-iskart tad-dinja?

Niftakar meta madwar sena ilu l-ISISkienu ˙abbru li riedu jo˙olqu Kalifat ubdew juru l-mibg˙eda li g˙andhom lejnid-dinja u l-©nus, irrispettivament mir-reli©jon jew kulur tal-©ilda.

Dakinhar, il-mexxejja tal-pajjiΩi l-kbar,b˙all-Istati Uniti, ir-Renju Unit, Franza, il-Ìermanja u anke ming˙alija ng˙aqadmag˙hom il-gvern Awsrtraljan, kienu˙ar©u jsostnu dwar il-˙tie©a li dawn l-es-tremisti jitwaqqfu, u li kienu se jwaqq-fuhom. Imma x’©ara minn dakinhar?

*tkompli f’pa©na 9

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

onl ine magazineonl ine magaz ine

The Voice of the Maltese

is is a bi-lingual (inEnglish and Maltese) fort-nightly online publication

specifically targeting allMaltese living abroad with emphasis on the

Australian scene. is online magazine is

sent via email by request.Subscription is free.

Editors: Malta: Joseph CutajarAustralia:Lawrence Dimech: MOM,

OAM, JPemail address:

maltesevoice@gmail.com

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Letters for publication in The Voice ei-ther in Maltese or English should bee-mailed to: maltesevoice@gmail.com.

Now you can also join uson facebook:https://www.facebook.com/groups/thevoice-ofthemaltese

8 The Voice of the Maltese Tuesday July 7, 2015

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

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

Proud to be Promoting Malta in the UK thanks to The Voice

Jekk il-politiçiveru jridu jistg˙ujwaqqfu lill-ISIS

Tuesday July 7, 2015 The Voice of the Maltese 9

Chris Andrews from Melbourne, Victoria,writes:

Iwas disappointed by the way the Riverstone MP, Kevin Conollycame all out against same sex marriage by claiming misleadingphrases to put his arguments across and to give the impression that

the only relationship worth having is between a man and a woman (TheVoice No. 104).

The MP seems to be living in a world of is own and only thinkingabout him and to score some points. As an MP representing the peoplehe should also think about other people, who may be different, or werenot that lucky to enjoy a relationship the way he wants it to be.He must only be assuming when he says that the best evidence avail-

able is that children thrive and prosper best when raised by both theirbiological parents. However, statistic shows that children being cared for by two personsof the same sex enjoy the same things as those belonging to a couplemade up of a man and woman. But let us leave this out right now. It is very unfair of him to ask why

governments would deliberately legislate to bring about social struc-tures that would deny children the opportunity for the best chance inlife.

What Parliament would be legislating is same sex marriage. So it iswrong of him to bring this matter up. Let us not jump the gun.Same sex couples should have a right to marry for all the same reasons

as their opposite-sex counterparts, including, for legal security, to pub-licly celebrate their commitment, and even to provide greater legal pro-tection for their children, or simply because they are in love.

Researchers at the University of Queensland found, after a nationalstudy, that 54% of Australian same-sex partners would marry if theyhad the choice, while 80% of Australians in same-sex relationships sup-port marriage equality even if they do not wish to marry.

The people elect MPs, therefore if removing discrimination from the

Marriage Act and ensuring equality for same-sex couples is what thepeople want these MPs should do their duty and help themA marriage certificate also allows married partners (traditional or oth-

erwise) to easily prove their legal rights if challenged, for example inemergency situations. Another practical benefit of marriage is that it isa widely recognised legal relationship.Landmark research led by Lee Badgett, Professor of Economics at the

University of Massachusetts, describes and quantifies some of thesebenefits in two different places that have allowed same-sex marriagesfor several years, the Netherlands and Massachusetts.

She found that same-sex partners overwhelmingly,• felt marriage had increased their commitment and their sense of re-sponsibility, and had generally strengthened their relationships• believed their children were better off after their marriage, chieflythrough legal protection for those children and enhanced feelings of se-curity, stability and acceptance in the children, and• felt participation and acceptance in their extended families and com-munities had increased because of their marriageHer conclusion was that,“Overall, the experiences of same-sex couples in two countries, theUnited States and the Netherlands, suggests that same-sex couples andtheir families are strengthened by a policy of marriage equality forsame-sex couples.”Today I only mentioning a few benefits that come with marriage, tra-

ditional or same sex. There are so many more, but it would be unfairon the readers to take up so much space in this magazine. But anybodywho is interested in learning more about them can get in touch with theAustralian Marriage Equality Organisation.

By the way, since I first writing this letter, the US Supreme Courtruled that it is legal for all Americans, no matter their gender or sexualorientation, to marry the people they love. The decision is a historicvictory for gay rights activists. Australia should follow this example.

MP Conolly’s arguments about same-sex marriage misleading

*minn pa©na 8

L-ISIS u l-politiçiKomplejt nitlef il-fiduçja

lejn il-politiçi g˙ax minkejjad-diskorsi tag˙hom m’g˙am-lu kwaΩi xejn u ˙allew lildawn l-estremisti jwerwru d-dinja. Hawn nistaqsi, immakif dawn il-pajjiΩi, li g˙and-hom tant armi sofistikati usuldati m˙arr©a ma qerdux lil

din il-©gajta? Meta se jg˙ad-du mill-kliem g˙all-fatti?

Anzi ng˙id aktar minhekk.Dawn l-estremisti n˙olqumin˙abba l-politika Ωbaljatata’ pajjiΩi b˙all-Istati Unitifost l-o˙rajn, allura indiretta-ment kienu huma li ˙olq-uhom. Issa meta se je˙ilsunaminnhom? Çert li jekk iridujistg˙u jwaqqfuhom u g˙and-hom jag˙mlu dan illum qabelg˙ada.

Paul Debono from Fairfield, writes:

Iwas so glad not just to be pres-ent, but also to read the article

(The Voice No. 104) about theHeritage Round during which theformer Melita Eagles (today Par-ramatta) celebrated the occasionand for honouring the clubfounders and past administrators,coaches and players.

These people really deserve to beremembered as they helped giveus Maltese an identity even insport when we most needed it.Most of us regret that we are nowlosing that identity.

One should also not forget otherpast players now living in Maltawho are part of the Eagles’ his-tory, particularly Joe Cilia. He tooshould be honoured.

The Eagles should also remember Joe Cilia

Sar komuni f'diversi pajjiΩi ta' mad-war id-dinja, li dawk li huma kon-sumaturi tal-ener©ija elettrikajinvestu f'apparat li ji©©enera l-elet-triku mix-xemx, meg˙juna minnsussidji mill-gvern tal-pajjiΩ. Danhuwa minnu kemm fl-Awstralja,fejn kien hemm 1.4 miljun sistemainstallati sal-a˙˙ar tal-2014,1 kifukoll f'Malta u bosta pajjiΩi o˙ramadwar id-dinja. Dan huwa fatturewlieni wara t-tnaqqis fil-konsumtal-ener©ija elettrika fl-Awstralja fl-a˙˙ar ftit snin.2

Il-©enerazzjoni sostenibbli tal-elet-triku tista' tg˙id li hi maqsuma bejnsorsi li huma kostanti, b˙all-ilma ma˙Ωun wara diga, u dawk limhumiex kostanti, b˙ax-xemx u r-ri˙.

Biex dawn tal-a˙˙ar ikunu jistg˙u jitqiesu b˙ala sostituti kom-pluti g˙all-©enerazzjoni minn sorsi mhux sostenibbli, b˙all-fa˙am u Ω-Ωejt, irid ikun hemm mod kif ener©ija Ωejda (pereΩempju waqt il-©urnata, jew meta r-ri˙ qed jonfo˙) ti©i ma˙Ωunau wΩata biss waqt il-lejl jew meta mhemmx ri˙.

Diversi teknolo©iji ©ew proposti g˙al din il-˙aΩna temporanja,li tinvolvi bdil minn forma tal-ener©ija g˙al o˙ra. Per eΩempju,fil-batteriji, it-trasformazzjoni twassal g˙al ener©ija kimika; fil-˙aΩna tal-ilma fl-g˙oli, issir potenzjal tal-gravità; f'diski ta' massakbira jduru b'veloċità g˙olja, issir momentum angulari.

G˙alkemm il-fiΩika ta' warajhom hija mag˙rufa, ma kellna l-ebda teknolo©ija li ©iet uΩata kummerçjalment b'mod estensivg˙all-˙aΩna tal-ener©ija ©©enerata b'mod sostenibbli minn sorsimhux kostanti. Dan wassal g˙all-argument li g˙alkemm l-ener©ija sostenibbli hija ideja tajba, xorta wa˙da jibqa’ jkunhemm il-˙tie©a tal-©eneraturi tradizzjonali (fa˙am, Ωejt jew nuk-leari) li huma biss jistg˙u jiggarantixxu l-provvista (baseloadpower).

Dan jista' jinbidel dalwaqt.

Ftit ©img˙at ilu, kien hemm dikjarazzjoni3 minn Elon Musk,Kap EΩekuttiv ta' Tesla Motors, kumpannija mag˙rufa li tippro-duċi karrozzi lussuΩi u sportivi li ja˙dmu esklussivament bl-elet-triku. Dan stqarr li aktar tard din is-sena, il-kumpannija tieg˙u setkun f'poΩizzjoni li toffri batteriji li jkunu kapaçi ja˙Ωnu l-ener©ijali djar u intrapriΩi jkunu i©©eneraw bil-pannelli fotovoltaiçi.Kompla li ma jkunx hemm bΩonn iktar li jkunu mqabbdin mal-grid, li hi s-sistema ta' distribuzzjoni tal-ener©ija elettrika.

Fl-a˙˙arnett, bassar li sistema ta' batteriji g˙al dar tipika tkunfaċilment ©ustifikabbli mill-prezzjijiet tal-elettriku fl-Awstralja.Naturalment, din hija biss previΩjoni, u din id-dikjarazzjoni saret

minn min g˙andu interess, u g˙alhekk trid tittie˙ed b'˙afnakawtela. Madankollu, nista' ng˙id li ma sibtx dik l-istqarrija b˙ala xi ˙a©a

ta' barra minn hawn. Aktar minn hekk, di©à bdejna narawkumpanniji o˙ra b˙all-AGL joffru xi ˙a©a simili.4

Fl-Awstralja spiss nisimg˙u li l-prezzijiet g˙all-provvista tal-elettriku huma g˙oljin ˙afna, u li wa˙da mir-ra©unijiet g˙al danhuwa l-investiment Ωejjed fl-infrastruttura tad-distribuzzjoni,qisha ndurata bid-deheb.5Investiment Ωejjed, jew bla bΩonn, huwa naturalment ˙aΩin, però

investiment irid isir, g˙aliex b˙alissa g˙addejja rivoluzzjoni kbirafil-provvista tal-elettriku. B˙al ma semmejt qabel, aktar u aktardjar u intrapriΩi qed jinvestu f'pannelli fotovoltaiçi, u bil-mod il-

mod qed jid˙lu karrozzi li jie˙dukurrent elettriku mill-grid b'modsporadiku - dan kollu qed jitfa'pressjoni kbira fuq grid li ma kienxiddiΩinjat g˙alhekk.

Jien nistenna li se jkun hemminklinazzjoni li ˙afna nies li g˙and-hom il-pannelli fotovoltajiċi jie˙duvanta©© minn dawn il-batteriji biexjinqatg˙u komplatement mill-grid.Dan mhux neçessarjament ΩvilupppoΩittiv, anke jekk ikun ta' vanta©©ekonomiku g˙al min ikun jaqbillujag˙mel dan.Sal-lum, il-problema kienet li ma

kienx hemm tekonolo©ija li kapaçita˙Ωen l-ener©ija fuq skala kbira. Jekk dawn is-sistemi tal-batterijifid-djar isiru realtà u d-djar u l-intrapriΩi jibqg˙u mqabbdin mal-grid, ikunu jistg˙u jkomplu jikkontribwixxu l-ener©ija Ωejdatag˙hom u jitnaqqas, jekk mhux jitne˙˙a l-bΩonn li l-kumpannijil-kbar tal-ener©ija elettrika jipprovdu sistemi kbar g˙all-˙aΩna.

Dan ikun pass kbir 'il quddiem sabiex il-pajjiΩ ikun jista' jafdaiktar fil-©enerazzjoni tal-elettriku minn sorsi mhux stabbli.

Mill-banda l-o˙ra, jekk id-djar u l-intrapriΩi jinqatg˙u g˙alrashom, dan il-vanta©© jitne˙˙a.

Il-partit Liberali ta' NSW g˙adu kif reba˙ l-elezzjoni tal-istatbl-g˙ajta li jikri (lease) s-sistema tad-distribuzzjoni (l-hekkimsej˙a 'arbli u wajers') lil operaturi privati u qed jie˙u l-passibiex din il-politika tid˙ol fis-se˙˙. Il-partit Laburista g˙amelkampanja kontra dan billi qal li, fost l-o˙rajn, aktarx iwassal biexjg˙olli l-prezzijiet.

Il-kumment tieg˙i hu li jekk min jixtri din is-sistema tad-dis-tribuzzjoni semplçement jg˙olli l-prezzijiet, ikun qed i˙affer it-tebut tieg˙u stess.

Fil-fehma tieg˙i, il-biΩa ewlenija li jkollok sidien privati tal-arbli u tal-wajers, mhix li jog˙lew il-prezzijiet, imma li majibqg˙ux jinvestu bis-sens fl-arbli u l-wajers.

Fil-fatt, hemm bΩonn investiment sostanzjali, min˙abba t-ten-denza li l-©enerazzjoni tal-elettriku ma tibqax ikkonçentrataf'g˙add Ωg˙ir ta' ©eneraturi kbar, imma fuq g˙add kbir ta' ©ener-aturi Ωg˙ar li w˙ud minnhom jistg˙u jipprovdu ener©ija Ωejda luralejn il-grid u o˙rajn le. Dan jista' jwassal g˙al Ωbilanç fil-©arr tal-kurrent elettriku u diffikultà akbar fil-previΩjonijiet tad-domanda,li hu bΩonnjuΩ g˙all-ippjanar tal-grid innifsu.

Dan huwa mudell kompletament differenti mill-img˙oddi u huwariskju sostanzjali g˙all-operaturi l-©odda li g˙adhom iridu jintg˙aΩlu.

Jien nawgura li l-gvern ta' NSW, u l-o˙rajn ta' stati u territorjio˙ra, joqog˙du attenti li ma jkunx hemm inçentiv biex dawk id-djar u l-intrapriΩi li nvestew fil-panneli fotovoltaiçi jinqatg˙ukompletament.

G˙all-kuntrarju, irid ikun hemm mhux biss inçentiv li jibqg˙uimqabbdin, imma wkoll assigurazzjoni li l-operaturi jinvestu fl-infrastruttura neçessarja biex isse˙˙ ir-rivoluzzjoni f'din l-indus-trija li huwa çar li di©à bdiet.

PerspettivaA version of this series inEnglish may be found inthe author's blog at: http://www.ivancauchi.blogspot.com

kitba ta’

IVAN CAUCHI

10 The Voice of the Maltese Tuesday July 7, 2015

Referenzi1. Clean Energy Australia Report 2014, Clean Energy Council, p72. ibid., p243. http://fortune.com/2015/05/06/elon musk tesla home battery/, retrieved 29/6/20154. http://www.afr.com/business/energy/solar energy/agl energy offers storage -batteries to customers with solar-power 20150501 1mxsnc, retrieved 29/6/20155. http://grattan.edu.au/news/the end of the gold plated electricity network/, retrieved29/6/2015

L-ener©ija fil-futur

Sors: Aladdin Solar LLC

The New South Wales Federation ofCommunity Language Schools heldits annual dinner at the Cyprus

Community Club in Stanmore. As alwaysthe hall was packed and the event was avery successful one.

Besides the hundreds of representativesfrom NSW ethnic schools and organisa-tions many other dignitaries also attended.They included Mr. Nickolas Varvaris MP,Member for Barton, officially representingthe Hon. Tony Abbott MP, Prime Ministerof Australia, the Hon. John Ajaka MLC,Minister for Ageing, Disability Servicesand Multiculturalism, the Hon. VictorDominello MP, Minister for Innovationand Better Regulation. Also present the Linda Burney MP, Deputy

Leader of the Opposition representing theLeader, Dr. G.K. Harinath OAM, Chairper-son – Multiculturalism NSW, Mr. StefanRomaniw, ex. director of Community Lan-guage Schools Australia, Ms. Josefa Sobski,Chairperson of the NSW Community Lan-guage Schools Board and many others.There was also a good representation fromthe Consular Corps in NSW, DEC officials,media representatives and other guests.Mr. Albert Vella, the president of the Fed-

eration welcomed the attendees from themany ethnic language schools and encour-aged all present to keep on working hard.

To the delight of all, various schools pre-sented folklore dancing and looked verycolourful in their traditional costumes.

A student Art Competition was judgedand the first prize went to a student whosketched Mr. Dominello MP. The framedpicture was then presented to the minister.It was a beautiful thought and gesture fromthis student as Mr. Dominello is alwayspresent at these multicultural functionsand shows his continual support.

Several dignitaries who showed greatsupport for the Federation and encouragedall teachers to continue with their goodwork delivered speeches.

At this function, Mary Pace-Feraud, Prin-cipal of the school, and Ivan Borg, one ofthe teachers, represented the Maltese Lan-guage School NSW. The event ended withthe distribution of certificates to all thosewho had a long service record in ethniclanguage teaching.

Speaking to The Voice of the Maltese,Mary Pace-Feraud said the Maltese Com-munity Council’s schools in NSW are stillattracting more students than ever before.“What we need now are teachers” Any-body interested in the ‘job’ should contact:Mary on 02 96012189. For information also see advert page 22

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In 2016 we are having a TOUR and CRUISE to CANADAand ALASKA! Monica Ledger will lead the group. Then weare having another special tour from PERTH to BROOMEthrough the coast. I and my wife will be with you. Be quickand book your place! - Charlie Felice

In response to a number of inquiries, The Voice of the Maltese wishes toadvice that we can now supply hard copies in colour of our magazine toour readers at a cost. Anybody interested in acquiring copies of the magazine can communi-cate with us personally or by email to: maltesevoice@gmail.com

The magazine can also be delivered by post. As the cost of postagevaries one is kindly requested to get in touch with us in order to work outthe details.

Readers can now request aprinted copy of The Voice

Tuesday July 7, 2015 The Voice of the Maltese 11

The languages of the State hold annual eventMary Pace-Feroud, Principal of the NSW Maltese LanguageSchool with the Hon. Victor Dominello MP

Hollywood film director Luc Besson’s new action Amer-ican-French thriller ‘The Lake’, featuring Sullivan Sta-

pleton and also Oscar winner J.K. Simmons will soon startfilming in Malta after producers have spent the pastmonths building extensive sets at the Rinella film studios.

Besson, director of ‘Lucy’ in 2014, who has teamed upwith director Steven Quale for their new film, an EuropaCorp production that is said to be one of the most expen-sive projects they’ve undertaken to date. They are reportedto be spending up to €10 million in Malta alone.

J.K. Simmons joined the supporting cast of the film thatfollows a group of Navy SEALs who attempt to solve anage-old mystery involving a treasure underneath a lake inwar-torn Serbia. He will play the role of the Rear Admiral.The SEAL team will be played by Sullivan Stapleton, CharlieBewley (Like Crazy) and Diarmaid Murtagh (Sons of Liberty).

The film is said to require a lot of underwater work andscuba training, which Quale is actually pretty skilled athaving worked with James Cameron on films like Titanicand The Abyss.

Hollywood film director choosesMalta for underwater action thriller

Malta and 56 other countries, including a number of EU member states suchas the UK, France, Italy and Germany, have become prospective founding

members of a new multilateral development bank, the Asian Infrastructure Invest-ment Bank (AIIB), which will provide financial support for infrastructure devel-opment and regional connectivity in Asia. It will have an authorised capital of 100billion US dollars and the initial subscribed capital is expected to be around 50billion dollars.Finance Minister Edward Scicluna, attended the inaugural ceremony of AIIB in

Beijing, and signed the Articles of Agree-ment that establish the bank as an interna-tional organisation.The purpose of the Bank is to foster sus-

tainable economic development, createwealth and improve infrastructure connec-tivity in Asia by investing in infrastructureand other productive sectors; and to pro-mote regional cooperation and partnershipin addressing development challenges byworking in close collaboration with othermultilateral and bilateral development in-stitutions.

The bank, which will be headquarteredin Beijing, is expected to be officially es-tablished at the end of 2015, after the in-dividual founding member states legallyadopted the agreement.

In the last in the series ofgovernment consultationmeetings titled ‘Gvern li

jisma’ (A Government that lis-tens), Prime Minister JosephMuscat said that while othercountries are going for pensioncuts, increases in national in-surance and pushing up the re-tirement age, Malta wants toincrease pensions. This is one of the proposed re-

forms by the pensions workinggroup based on “wealth distri-bution”.

The reforms being put forward to thegovernment propose increases in a numberof pensions, including the guaranteed na-tional minimum pension, the widow’s pen-

sion and workers with two part-time jobs,amongst others.

Describing it as “the next big priority”,the Prime Minister Joseph Muscat, who,

on behalf of the government issaid to be endorsing the major-ity of proposals being put for-ward, is set to give thepensions reform a push duringthe second half of this year.

Acknowledging that for anumber of years, women inour society were not beinggiven their dues, he said thatthese reforms would be “fem-inist” as women would be theones who would benefit most.He said they would be reward-ing hard work. In order to en-

courage more women to re-join theworkforce, the government is proposingthat women are credited with five years ofnational insurance

12 The Voice of the Maltese Tuesday July 7, 2015

Roundup of News About Malta

‘Malta best exampleof move for better acceptance of gay

communities’

Malta becomes founding memberof multilateral development bank

Govt. endorses reforms that provide more incentives for women to rejoin workforce

Although tens of thousands of peoplewere migrating from Africa to Eu-

rope, the number of people arriving inMalta this year was just 92, the PrimeMinister said at the consultation meetingwhen asked about migration.He added that this was due to a political

understanding Malta had reached withItaly (Malta was giving them all the helpit could and they understood the coun-try’s limitations.

This situation, however, could changeovernight, he said, but if it did, Maltacould face Europe and ask for assistanceas it had shown solidarity in practice andstood up to be counted when it acceptedto take 300 of the numbers enteringGreece and Italy.

He warned that one should not let thefeeling of sadness and anger broughtabout by the situation translate intoracism and xenophobia.

US envoy on Human Rights for LGBTI persons RandyBerry hailed Malta a leading example in the push for

the rights of the LGBTI community and said it is the bestexample of the global move towards the acceptance ofLGBTI communities. Berry was speaking to members of various NGOs about

their efforts and challenges faced in the local communityat a meeting held at the President's Palace and co-hostedby the President's Foundation for the Wellbeing of Soci-ety and the Gender Liberation group

He explained that since his appointment as envoy inApril 2015, he had prioritised a visit to Malta due to itsforays into the civil and legal rights of people from theLGBTI community.

Praising the community’s insistence on dialogue withthe leaders and policy makers of the country, the US spe-cial envoy said, “Malta is being treated as an example bymany other countries due to its stand on LGBT issues.”

Explaining that the Maltese com-munity had demonstrated its com-mitment to the matter at hand bydelving into virtually unknownterritories, he said a reform andchange in attitudes is based onleadership and visibility.

“Malta’s acceptance of the civilunions bill shows the country’s in-sistence on the Family as a centraland consistent aspect of society,”he said.

Berry agreed that education wasthe best way to spread acceptancein society, as prejudice was bornof and motivated by ignorancerather than hatred..

Randy Berry at the meeting of NGOs in Malta in the presence ofthe U.S. Ambassador to Malta, Gina Abercrombie-Winstanley

Malta political agreement with Italy re immigrants

Prime Minister Joseph Muscat (inset)addressing the final consultation meeting

A€200 million investment by Vitals Global Healthcare(VGH), the preferred bidders for the management and

operation of St Luke’s Hospital, Karin Grech RehabilitationHospital in Gwardamanga, and Gozo General Hospital is ex-pected to deliver a 180-bed “state of the art” rehabilitationhospital and a dermatology centre on the site of the former StLuke’s general hospital in Gwardamangia.

The deal with the Singapore based company is expected tobe signed by the end of the year with works on the three hos-pitals expected to start in 2016.

Paliamentary Secretary for Health, Chris Fearne said therehab ilitation centre in Gwardamanga would “provide thecountry with a full compliment state of the art hospital.”

The former St Luke’s hospital which has been in disuse for10 years. Right: an artist’s impression of the new hospital

Addressing the 4th Annual MediterraneanBusiness Aviation conference in Sliema,

the Minister for Tourism Edward ZammitLewis said that the Maltese Government notonly acknowledges the contribution of the avi-ation sector to the Maltese economy, but isalso determined to maintain the engagementwith all stakeholders in order to introduce newinitiatives to ensure further growth in this sec-tor for the benefit of all those involved and our

economy at large. He said that thanks to its being one of the

most stable economies and jurisdictions in theregion, Malta has managed to reach out andserve as a reliable and trusted centre of excel-lence on the international stage.

He pointed out that Malta sees itself as a lib-eral and progressive nation, creating a tradegateway for the expanding markets of theMediterranean, the Middle East and Africa.

The Tourism Minister said that the main ob-jective is to make of Malta a training hubwhere people from all over the world cancome to learn or train in a wide variety of avi-ation jobs and disciplines.

He said that his ministry has recently beenworking on establishing the National Aero-space Centre to strengthen Malta’s economyand contribute to increasing our country’scompetitiveness in the aviation sector.

St Luke’s hospital to be transformedinto ‘state of the art’ rehab centre

Tuesday July 7, 2015 The Voice of the Maltese 13

Roundup of News About Malta

Michelle Muscatcompletes Gozoto Malta charity

Despite strong winds and some-what rough sea, that could soeasily have forced the cancella-

tion of her swim, Michele Muscat, wifeof Prime Minister Joseph Muscatshowed resilience and successfullyswam the Gozo channel for charity onJune 27.

Mrs Muscat braved the conditions andsuccessfully completed her swim fromGozo to Malta to raise funds for theMarigold Foundation and the Malta Spe-cial Olympics team.It took her three hours 20 minutes to do

the crossing and at the end of it, on thebeach near the Cirkewwa quay she wasgreeted by her husband, their two youngdaughters and a crowd of well-wisherswho applauded her feat.She jumped into the sea at Qala in Gozo

at 2.30 p.m. and arrived Malta around 5.50 p.m.

She was escorted along the way by asearch and rescue launch and other boats.

When she reached Comino she wasjoined by a number of swimmers fromthe Malta Special Olympics team, whohave been named as beneficiaries, andtogether they all swam to Cirkewwa.

Physically exhausted Ms Muscat ex-pressed great satisfaction for managingto overcome the challenge. She is understood to have been training

in preparation for the endeavour sinceNovember.

The Marigold Foundation's purpose isto raise awareness of the challengesfaced by society relating to social be-haviour, health issues, special needs andeducation.

Following a survey carried out among 33countries – 28 of them EU members –

along with Iceland, Norway, Serbia, Switzer-land and Turkey, the European Commission’seGovernment benchmark exercise has classi-fied Malta as a leader in Europe when it comesto services provided by the Government on theInternet.

The report on Internet services provided bygovernments measures four indicators re deliv-ery and performance and compares them withthe services of the countries surveyed. Maltaleads on all top-level indicators across thecombined services measured.Top most of these indicators are availabilityand use, facilities and velocity of eGovern-ment. Malta obtained 95%, which is 22% moreof the European average. It also obtained 97%on transparency, the process for distributing theservice and personal information involved.Malta’s evaluation is 45% more than the Euro-pean average.

The report also examined the ability of gov-ernments to provide business and their citizenswith access to public services online when theyare abroad. In this instance Malta again classi-fied first with 88% as against the European av-erage of 50.5%.

Lastly, the European Commission also sur-veyed the availability of a number of importanttechnical elements for the distribution of eGov-ernment services, obtaining a 97% mark com-pared to the average for Europe of 50%.

Malta classifies bestin eGovernment Internet Services

swim

Malta aims to become training hub in the aviation sector

Fl-2013 kien hemm 1019 il-persuna barranija likisbu ç-çittadinanza Maltija. Nag˙mluha çar,

dawn ma kisbux iç-çittadinanza ta˙t l-iskema linieda l-Gvern dan l-a˙˙ar fejn wie˙ed jista’ jikseb iç-çitaddi-nanza Maltija billi joqg˙od g˙al diversi kundizzjonijiet u j˙allassomma mhux ˙aΩin ta’ flus ... il-famuΩa IIP li tant sar kjassdwarha.Dawn l-1019-il ru˙ kisbu iç-çittadinanza g˙al diversi ra©unijiet

– Ωwie©, naturalizazzjoni, eçç. Numru konsiderevoli minn dawnkisbu ç-çittadinanza min˙abba li çertu pajjiΩi fejn hemm l-emi-granti Maltin hemm il-possibilta’ ta’ çittadinanza doppja.

G˙alhekk ma kienetx sorpriΩa li l-ikbar perçentwal ta’ persunili kisbu ç-çittadinanza Maltija ©ej propju mill-Awstralja... ˙afnaminnu riΩultat tat-twessieg˙ taç-çittadinanza doppja.It-tieni preferenza ta’ çittadini li kisbu ç-çittadinanza Maltija fl-

2013 huma mir-Renju Unit b’15.1% u warajhom mill-Istati Unitib’7.7% ta’ çittadini kollha li kisbu çittadinanza MaltijaL-g˙add ta’ çittadinanzi li n˙ar©u minn Malta huwa qatra f’oçe-

jan ˙dejn dawk li ˙ar©u l-pajjiΩi kollha tal-Unjoni Ewropeja. Fl-

2013 f’dawn il-pajjiΩi, madwar 985,000 persuna ˙adu çittadi-nanza ta’ xi membru stat tal-Unjoni Ewropeja. Dan ifisser Ωiedata’ 20% (163,000 persuna) meta mqabbel mas-sena 2012. Hemm89% tan-nies li ˙adu ç-ċittadinanza m’humiex ċittadini Ewropej.L-akbar gruppi ta’ çittadini li kisbu ç-çittadinanza Ewropejahuma l-Marokkini b’madwar 86,500 çittadin, li 84% minnhom©abu çittadinanza Spanjola, Taljana jew FrançiΩa.

Warajhom hemm l-Injdani b’aktar minn 48,000 u t-Torokb’46,500. Madwar 41,700 AlbaniΩ kisbu çittadinanza Ewropejab’95% jiksbu çittadinanza Taljana jew Griega. Mill-kontinent tal-Amerika t’Isfel, eΩattament fl-Ekwador, 40,400 persuna ©abu çit-tadinanza Ewropeja, b’95% jiksbu çittadinanza Spanjola.U qam plejtu s˙i˙ meta xi pajjiΩi tal-Unjoni Ewropea ˙asbu biex

i˙ajru g˙add limitat ta’ çittadini mhux Ewropej biex ta˙t çertukundizzjonijiet, fosthom li j˙allsu ammont ta’ flus, dawn ikunjistg˙u jiksbu ç-çittadinanza tal-Unjoni Ewropeja.

Jidher li fl-a˙˙ar, wara ˙afnadiskussjonijiet u battibekki bejnl-imsie˙ba tal-Unjoni Ewropea,

hemm xaqq ta’ dawl fil-kwestjoni ta’tqassim tal-immigranti. G˙alkemmg˙add ta’ pajjiΩi tal-UE baqg˙u jin-sistu li ma jaççettawx li jkun hemmkwota fissa, tal-inqas intla˙aq ftehimli kwaΩi l-pajjiΩi kollha tal-UE jie˙dug˙add ta’ immigranti minn dawk il-pajjiΩi, prinçipalment l-Italja u l-Greçja li fuq xtuthom qed jaslu elufkbar ta’ immigranti. G˙idna ‘kwaΩi l-pajjiΩi kollha’ g˙ax

l-Ingliterra u l-Irlanda ma ffurmawxparti minn dan il-grupp min˙abba lig˙andhom klawsoli fil-ftehim ta’tis˙ib fl-UE li jippermetilhom lijibqg˙u barra minn dan il-ftehim, kifukoll l-Ungerija li g˙andha nflusqawwi ta’ immigranti mill-pajjiΩi©irien tag˙ha.Malta aççetat li tati kenn lil madwar

200 immigrant fis-sena. Filwaqt li l-Prim Ministru Malti, Dr

Joseph Muscat, sejja˙ dan il-ftehimb˙ala wie˙ed storiku u qal li danhuwa speçi ta’ assigurazzjoni g˙alMalta. Min-na˙a tieg˙u l-Kap tal-Op-poΩizzjoni sostna li g˙alkemm dan il-ftehim kien wie˙ed poΩittiv, immaMalta setg˙et kisbet trattament a˙jaru ©iet inkluΩa mal-Greçja u l-Italja lissemmew b˙ala Ω-Ωew© pajjiΩi likienu se jqassmu w˙ud mill-immi-granti li kienu waslu fix-xtut tag˙homfil-pajjiΩi tal-Unjoni Ewropej.

Il-Prim Ministru qal li Malta kienet

aççettat li tie˙u dawn l-immigranti, l-ewwel biex turi solidarjeta’ mal-pa-jjiΩi u tati eΩempju lill-pajjiΩi l-o˙ra.Barra minhekk, min˙abba li l-GΩejjertag˙na jifil˙u g˙al dan l-g˙add ta’ im-migranti, billi matul din l-a˙˙ar sena,grazzi g˙all-Italja, f’Malta dda˙˙lubiss 92 immigrant illegali, meta fis-snin ta’ qabel kienu jid˙lu bil-mijiet..jekk mhux bl- eluf, (bejn is-sena 2002u s-sena 2014 da˙lu f’Malta madwar19,000 immigrant illegali.IΩda l-akbar ra©uni g˙ax ©ie aççettat

dan il-ftehim kien li dan iservi ta’garanzija li jekk, g˙al xi ra©uni, l-g˙add ta’ immigranti li jid˙lu fi GΩir-itna jkun kbir, g˙andna garanzija lipajjiΩi tal-Unjoni Ewropeja jie˙duw˙ud minn dawn l-immigranti biexdawn ma jkunux ta’ piΩ Ωejjed fuqMalta.

Na˙seb li vanta©© ie˙or ta’ dan il-ftehim hu li l-200 immigrant li Maltahija lesta li tospita’ mhux se jkunu©ejjin dirett minn xi pajjiΩ mhuxmag˙ruf, g˙ax ikunu g˙amlu xiΩmien fl-Italja fejn ikunu ©ew moni-torati.

Ikun tajjeb jekk fuq kollox il-GvernMalti jasal g˙al ftehim li dawn l-im-migranti jkunu mag˙Ωula skont il-˙ti©ijiet li g˙andha Malta, g˙ax fuqkollox g˙andna çertu setturi tax-xog˙ol u l-industrija li qed ikollhomi©ibu ˙addiema minn barra g˙axm’g˙andniex Maltin li huma kwali-fikati jew ma jaççettawx li jag˙mluçertu xog˙ol.

14 The Voice of the Maltese Tuesday July 7, 2015

L-Immigrazzjoni – Xaqq ta’ dawl

Erbg˙in sen’ilu, fost l-g˙add ta’ fabbriki linfet˙u f’Malta, kien hemm dik ÌermaniΩa

Brand International and Inmold Ltd (PlayMO-BIL). Il-prodott tag˙ha – pupi. Dakinhar, ˙afnax’aktarx li ma tantx stennew xi ˙a©a minn fabbrikab˙al din.

Imma g˙addew erbg˙in sena u dawn l-imberkinpupi ©abu r-risq lil din il-fabbrika li minn senag˙all-o˙ra kompliet tkabbar il-produzzjoni tag˙ha.Tant li llum din tipproduçi madwar 100 miljun –iva mitt miljun - pupu fis-sena li sintendi l-ma©©uranza kbira tag˙hom ji©u esportati.Huwa stmat li matul dawn l-a˙˙ar 40 sena din il-

fabbrika pproduçiet madwar tlett biljun pupu.

Pupi bil-biljuni

L-Awstraljani fuq quddiem

Ir-razzisti ssibhom kullimkien, ukoll f’Malta - fejntiddomina r-reli©jon Kattolika - anke jekk f’mi-

noranza. Imma mhux ©ust li inçident bla sens li qa-jjmet mara g˙andu jtappan il-mod kif Malta tilqa’lill-barranin. Ukoll jekk hemm min qed ikabbrug˙al ra©unijiet ovvji biex ixekkel il-progress.

Din il-mara ©abet l-istmerrija ta’ kul˙add metansulentat lil ra©el barrani, student UngeriΩ ta’ kulurskur li kien bi kwietu, u ka©un t’hekk, il-pulizija,b’mod Ωbaljat uΩat Ωelu Ωejjed biex arrestatu. Ftit˙in wara nies o˙ra taw il-verΩjoni vera u r-ra©el ©iemitluq. Fl-istess waqt bdiet tfixxija g˙all-mara li qa-jjmet l-inçident u ˙arbet mill-post.

Wara, il-Ministru g˙al-Libertajiet Çivili, HelenaDalli bag˙tet g˙ar-ra©el, u skuΩat ru˙ha f’isem il-poplu Malti g˙all-mod razzist kif ©ie ttrattat.

Razzista ©©ib kundanna u skuΩa

Tuesday July 7, 2015 The Voice of the Maltese 15

Mix-xena tal-˙ajja Maltija 2

Xorta fuq quddiem

Se nkun kemm jista’ jkun fil-qosor dwardan is-su©©ett g˙ax huwa mpossibli liwie˙ed jikkummenta dwar dak li g˙addejb˙alissa fil-midja lokali jekk ma jid-dedikax dan il-magazine kollu. F’˙ajti maniftakarx qatt li kellna kampanja hekkqalila kontra l-Gvern mill-OppoΩizzjoni uminn sezzjoni tal-midja f’nofs le©islatura,daqs kemm g˙andna llum.

Sintendi l-ftu˙ ta’ kampanja b˙al din min-na˙a tal-OppoΩizzjoni qed twassal biex il-Gvern jirrijttalja, biex issa ˙lief

allegaz-zjonijiet ta’ abbuΩi, skandli, koruz-zjoni ma tismax u ma taqrax. Óafna drabijidher li kollox huwa orkestrat, g˙ax, f’dawniΩ-Ωminijiet meta n-numru ta’ kummentimill-qarrejja qed jiΩdiedu sewwa... tara liçerti qarrejja dejjem jikkummentaw kontral-Gvern u o˙rajn dejjem favur il-Gvern.

Kultant ji©ik id-dubju jekk fuq kolloxhemmx xi klikka ta’ kumentaturi fuq kullna˙a li b’mod dirett jew indirettament

huma imexxija mill-istess partiti politiçi.Il-˙asra hi li çertu kummentaturi qed

jaqg˙u f’attakki personali mhux biss fuqnies politiçi, iΩda anke fuq kummentaturio˙ra... u l-kliem li jintuΩa’ kultant huwatassew baxx.

Na˙seb li wasal iΩ-Ωmien li l-©urnalijag˙mlu xi ˙a©a biex jikkontrollaw çertulingwa©© u attakki personali. Veru lig˙andu jkun hemm il-liberta’ tal-kelma,iΩda ma na˙sibx li g˙andna naççettaw il-libertina©©.

Politika

Ottimisti

B˙as-soltu l-©urnalMalta Today g˙amel

st˙arri© dwar is-sa˙˙a poli-tika tal-partiti u tal-mexxe-jja tal-istess partiti. (Fl-a˙˙ar ˙ar©a ta’ TheVoice di©a` ssemma immadin id-darba nistg˙u nid-˙lu aktar fid-dettal dwardan l-ist˙arrig li ©ie meq-jus ferm importanti.)

L-ist˙arri© sar meta l-Gvern, u partikularment il-Prim Ministru Malti, jinsabta˙t baraxx ta’ akkuΩi,mill-OppoΩizzjoni u partimill-midja, ta’ abbuzi,sa˙ansitra korruzzjoni, ta’protesti dwar l-ambjent,speçjalment il-bini ta’ Uni-versita` fil-ponta taΩ-Ûon-qor, u g˙alhekk ir-riΩultatli ˙are© kien fih kemm sor-priΩi, kif ukoll dak liwie˙ed jista’ jsejja˙ affer-mazzjoni.Is-sorpiΩa ewlenija kienet

li minkejja dawn l-attakkikollha l-Prim Ministru, Jo-seph Muscat xorta baqa’13-il punt fuq il-mexxejtal-PN, Simon Busuttil.

F’dan l-ist˙arri© ˙are© li38.90% ta’ dawk li wie©bug˙all-ist˙arri© qalu li jaf-daw aktar lil Joseph Mus-

cat. Dan juri tnaqqis Ωg˙irta’ Ωew© punti anqas mill-a˙˙ar st˙arri© li sar f’-Marzu li g˙adda. SimonBusuttil ©ibed lejh il-fiduçja ta’ 26.3% filwaqt li14.9% qalu li ma jafdaw lil˙add, 19.9 qalu li ma jafux.

Dan ifisser li filwaqt liMuscat naqqas b’Ωew©punti mill-a˙˙ar st˙arri©,Busuttil baqa’ bejn wie˙edu ie˙or fejn kien.

Min-na˙a l-o˙ra ©ie kkon-fermat dak li kien mistenni,li g˙add imdaqqas minndawk li qabel kienujivvutaw g˙all-Partit Naz-zjonalista, iΩda fl-a˙˙arelezzjoni vvutaw Labour,issa re©g˙u lura lejn il-PN.

Infatti, skont dan l-ist˙arri©, id-distakk bejniΩ-Ωew© partiti minn 8%naqas g˙al 5%, li jfisser lil-vanta©© ta’ 35,000 vot likellu l–Partit LaburistaniΩel g˙al 21,000. Terz ta’dawk li bidlu l-preferenzatag˙hom kienu ivvutawlill-Partit Laburista fl-2013iΩda ivvutaw lill-PartitNazzjonalista f’ 2008.

39.90%

26.3%

Minkejja l-batibekki ma jaqtg˙u qatt fil-qasam politiku, wie˙ed jie˙u n-nifs

meta jsir jaf li kollox ma kollox, il-Malting˙al xahar wara l-ie˙or qed jg˙idu li qedi˙arsu b’ottimiΩmu lejn il-futur.

Dan jo˙ro© minn st˙arri© li tag˙mel il-Kummissjoni Ewropeja ta’ kull xahar fostil-pajjiΩi tal-Unjoni Ewropeja. F’dan l-ist˙arri© ˙are© li skont l-azjendi u l-kon-sumaturi Maltin u G˙awdxin, g˙at-13-ilxahar wara l-ie˙or, pajjiΩna, Malta, g˙andufost l-og˙la livell ta’ ottimiΩmu fost il-pa-jjiΩi kollha taΩ-Ωona Ewro.

Skont l-a˙˙ar st˙arri© li sar f’Ìunju kienhemm ottimiΩmu fuq l-andament tan-ne-gozju prattikament fis-setturi kollha tal-ekonomija f’pajjiΩna. Jispikka kif,g˙at-tielet xahar wara l-ie˙or, l-ottimiΩmuli esprimew l-operaturi fis-settur tal-bejg˙kien l-og˙la qatt osservat mindu beda jsirdan l-is˙arri©, tlettax-il sena ilu.

Fost l-operaturi fis-settur tal-kostruzzjoni©ie rre©istrat it-tieni l-aqwa livell ta’ ottim-iΩmu osservat kemm ilu jsir dan l-ist˙arri©.Fl-istess ˙in, l-azjendi Maltin fis-settur tas-

servizzi komplew jesprimu l-og˙la livell ta’kunfidenza ekonomika minn fost l-operaturikollha f’dan is-settur fil-pajjiΩi kollha tal-Unjoni Ewropeja. Óafna operaturi Maltinfil-qasam tas-servizzi sostnew li l-qag˙datag˙hom tjiebet u li g˙andhom aspettattivia˙jar g˙ax-xhur li ©ejjin. G˙alhekk qalu lise jkomplu jΩidu l-˙addiema. Ìie osservattitjib ukoll fost l-azjendi industrijali.

Il-familji fil-GΩejjer Maltin huma fost il-ftit fl-Ewropa li qed jg˙idu li s-sitwazzjonifinanzjarja tag˙hom qed titjieb u qed jisten-new aktar titjib fix-xhur li ©ejjin. L-ottim-iΩmu fost il-familji huwa tali li dawn qedjistennew tnaqqis akbar fil-qg˙ad, ankemeta dan di©à niΩel g˙all-inqas livell fl-is-torja ta’ pajjiΩna.

Óafna kienu jqisu l-kelb tal-fenek b˙ala kelb tipikament Malti, iΩda attwal-ment minn studju li sar dan l-a˙˙ar jidher li l-kelb li huwa tassew ta’

razza Maltija huwa dak tal-kaçça.Fil-fatt il-Federazzjoni Kaççaturi, Nassaba u Konservazjonisti (FKNK) bdiet

˙idma biex il-kelb tal-kaçça ta' Malta jkun rikonoxxut uffiçjalment u f’beda proçess minnveterinarji u professjonisti biex jag˙mlu xog˙ol kemm xjentifiku kif ukoll ta' riçerka b'rabta

mar-rikonoxximent tal-kelb tal-kaçça.

G˙alkemm l-istudju li sar s’issag˙adu fil-bidu, ©ie kkonfermat li l-kelb tal-kaçça ta' Malta hi razzapura u unika g˙all-GΩejjer Maltin.

Il-˙asra hi li l-g˙add ta’ klieb ta’din ir-razza f’Malta huwa tassewlimitat, g˙alhekk tajjeb li jsir sforzbiex dan in-numru jikber g˙axtkun ˙asra li din ir-razza tinqered.

Kelb Malti

Fejn g˙andu x’jaqsam il-qag˙ad f’Malta,b˙alissa dawk li qed jirregistraw g˙ax-

xoghol huwa l-inqas li fl-istorja. Çifri tal-Uf-fiççju Nazzjonali tal-Istatistika (NSO) juru lisal-a˙˙ar ta’ Mejju l-qg˙ad kien ta’ 5,333mqabbel mas-7,141 tal-istess xahar is-sena l-o˙ra.

Barra minhekk, skont l-Ewrostat Maltag˙andha t-tielet l-inqas rata ta’ g˙ad fl-Ewropa, wara l-Ìermanja r-Renju Unit.

L-inqas qag˙ad fl-istorja

Top bureaucrat Michael Thawley(pictured) who was a key adviser to

John Howard and is now secretary ofthe Department of the Prime Ministerand the Cabinet dismissed anyprospect of China leading the world.

Mr Thawley told the Crawford Aus-tralian Leadership Forum at the Aus-tralian National University that theeconomic giant was neither willing norable to solve global problems. “Chinawon't help you produce a solution,”said Mr Thawley, addressing the“China will get in the way or get out ofthe way.”

Former Prime Minister John Howard

has moved to defuse the controversyover Michael Thawley's statement, say-ing the official has played a key role indeveloping Australia's relationshipwith Beijing. Mr Howard said it was“one of the most ridiculous proposi-tions” that Australia had to choose be-tween having a strong relationshipwith the US or China.“It should be the constant aim of Aus-

tralian foreign policy to ensure that re-lations between the United States andChina never reach such a point whereAustralia feels under any pressure tomake any kind of choice,” he said.“And I hope the time that I spent in of- fice, advised a lot of the time on foreign

policy matters by Michael Thawley,represented something of a metaphorfor believing that we could developvery close relations between Australiaand both of those two critically impor-tant nations.”Mr Howard echoed Mr Thawley's ear-

lier observation that shared valueswere the key to strong relationships,which Australia had with the US butnot with China.

“Nothing that I experienced when Iwas Prime Minister, and nothing thatI've experienced since, has altered myview that the things that bind nationstogether more tightly than anythingelse are shared values and sharedphilosophies,” Mr Howard said.

A quick glimpse at AustraliaA quick glimpse at Australia

16 The Voice of the Maltese Tuesday July 7, 2015

The top are getting richerAccording to a new report by the Aus-

tralian Council of Social Services, An-glican, the Salvation Army and St Vincentde Paul only one fifth of Australian house-holds – the top fifth – earn an average of$232,000. On average, they earn five timesas much as the bottom fifth. The wealthiest fifth of Australian house-

holds own an astonishing 70 times asmuch as the poorest. The top fifth ofhouseholds own an average of $2 millioneach, the bottom fifth less than $44,250each.

The report finds that the top are gettingricher much quicker. In eight years to2012, the top fifth’s wealth jumped 28 percent but the bottom fifth’s just 3 per cent.The good news is that inequality is not asextreme in Australia as in United States orthe UK.

The tax changes over the 2000s, particu-larly tax cuts that have largely benefittedpeople on higher incomes, have reducedthe progressivity of the tax system and itseffectiveness in reducing inequality.

Politicians from across the politicalspectrum and Catholic Churchleaders have welcomed Pope

Francis’s major encyclical on the envi-ronment.

The Catholic pontiff (pictured left) be-moans “weak international political re-sponses” to environmental issues.They expect the encyclical to have asignificant impact on the Australianclimate change debate.

The president of the AustralianCatholic Bishops Conference, Arch-bishop Denis Hart, described the en-cyclical as a “clarion call” to all globalleaders including Australia’s to takestronger leadership on climate change.

Tony Abbott, Australia’s PM studied for the priesthood in his youth. Atleast eight of his cabinet ministers are Catholic. The PM said last yearthat coal was good for humanity and said recently he wished the Howardgovernment had never implemented the Renewal Energy target.

Malcolm Turnbull said that in his view it was a very significant moveby the Pope to make the church more relevant to young people. Greenleader Richard de Natale said he hoped this is Tony Abbott’s come toJesus moment on climate change.

The Pope on climate change

Bureaucrat Thawley in controversy over China

The PM does not hold back whenhe thinks he is on a populistissue. Recently when referring

to the latest edition of Q&A the ABCflagship programme aired every Mon-day from 9.35pm he screamed “headswill roll” and asked the ABC “whichside are you on?” while describing itas a “leftie lynch mob”. He also an-nounced a government inquiry intothe programme.

Meanwhile, while acknowledging itwas a mistake to allow former terroristsuspect Zacy Mallah to appear on airon Q&A anchored by Tony Jones, theABC managing director Mark Scottfired back at Tony Abbott by pointingout that the ABC is not a state broad-caster and has a duty to air con-fronting views and its independencefrom government must be jealouslyguarded.

He said the ABC is on the side of

Australia “and the part we play, whatwe do for the side, is a vital one, cen-tral to our culture and our democracy– that of being an independent publicbroadcaster. I hope no one seriouslywants the ABC to be a state broad-caster.”

Mr. Scott said, “I feel that Q&A hasall the potential of being a 20-plus yearfranchise for the ABC, so we need totreat it with care same as Four Corners- they are an enduring part of Aus-tralian public life.”

The Prime Minister had a few daysbefore declaring in Parliament House,“I want to say publicly thank you tothe ABC, I do not normally say thankyou to the ABC, but I have to say Aus-tralia is indebted to you in this in-stance”.

The PM was referring to Sarah Fer-guson’s extraordinary TV serial TheKilling Season, a full three hourswhich exposed the relationship be-tween Gillard/Rudd and others in theLabor Party.

A quick glimpse at AustraliaA quick glimpse at Australia

Tuesday July 7, 2015 The Voice of the Maltese 17

MICHELLE ROWLAND MPFEDERAL MEMBER

FOR GREENWAY

Proudly serving the areas of:

Acacia Gardens, Blacktown*, Girraween,Glenwood, Kellyville Ridge, Kings Langley,

Kings Park, Lalor Park, Parklea, PendleHill, Prospect*, Quakers Hill*, Riverstone,

Rouse Hill*, Schofields, Seven Hills,Stanhope Gardens, The Ponds,

Toongabbie*, Vineyard*Parts of

230 Prospect Hwy, Seven Hills 2147Ph: 9671 4780

Email: Michelle.Rowland.MP@aph.gov.au

Twitter: @mrowlandmp

www.facebook.com/mrowlandmp

The Treasurer of Australia JoeHockey was awarded $200,000 in a

defamation case against Fairfax Media. Federal Court Justice Richard White

found that he was defamed by the words“treasurer for sale” on a poster and twotweets but ruled that The Sydney Morn-ing Herald, The Age, and The CanberraTimes had not defame him by publishinga series of articles on May 6, 2014 abouta Liberal Party fundraising body, theNorth Sydney Forum. The articles theJudge concluded were of “considerablepublic interest”.

Judge White awarded Mr. Hockey$120,000 damages for the Herald posterand $80,000 for the two tweets from TheAge’s Twitter account.

The ABC and the PM

This is a histo-rical moment

for victims of in-stitutional abu-se” said DavidHill former ABCboss and Austra-lian soccer admi-nistrator (right).Mr. Hill wrote abook about hisexperiences at farm school. Adults who were physically and sex-

ually assaulted as children at the no-torious Fairbridge Farm School inMolong central western NSW havebeen awarded $24 million in thelargest compensation payment forsurvivors of institutional child abusein Australia.

More than 150 former child migrantsbrought the class action against the fed-eral and state government and the Fair-bridge Foundation, which run thescheme promising a better life overseasfor underprivileged British children.

The settlement was criticised as thedefendants dragged out legal action atan estimated cost of $10 million to thetaxpayer. This has been 21 times in theSupreme Court over seven years,bogged down and stonewalled by thedefendants.

An estimated 130,000 children weretaken from Britain and sent to Aus-tralia, New Zealand, Canada, andZimbabwe as part of British migrationscheme; 1200 were sent to the Foot-bridge Farm School in Molong, whichoperated from 1938 to 1974. Whathappened at Fairbridge was describedas sickening and terrifying.

Largest ever settlement

Partial victory

for the Treasurer

Tony Abbott atQuestion Time atParliament House

18 The Voice of the Maltese Tuesday July 7, 2015

After 47 years of stellar priestly service to the communityFather Michael Gatt has chosen to retire. According to

Canon Law he could have retired two years earlier (aged 75)but opted to soldier on because he enjoyed his pastoral workas a parish priest at Osborne Park. Fr. Gatt was released ofhis duties as a parish priest on Sunday June 28 but continuesto work as a Diocesan Priest in the Perth Archdiocese. Healso intends to continue, even expand his Christmashelpline. Fr. Gatt’s new accommodation will be at a new pri-vate residence at Nollamara.

Fr Gatt was ordained by the late Sir Michael Gonzi, Arch-bishop of Malta, at St John’s Co-Cathedral in Valletta Maltain 1968. Previous to his entry into the seminary Fr Gatt com-pleted two years regular service with the Royal Air Force.After ordination he was sent to London for pastoral training

and then to Perth in 1971 to be appointed Maltese MigrantChaplain, a position he continues to hold today. He later alsoheld Chaplaincies to the RAAF (31 years) and HollywoodRepatriation Hospital (11 years). But 44 of his 47 years as apriest were mainly served in parishes, both metropolitan andregional – Swanbourne (3), Victoria Park (3), Moora (2), Gin-gin-Chittering (6), Manning (10) Osborne Park (15).

Fr. Gatt is most recently known for his establishment of

Perth’s Christmas Help-line. For the past 23Christmases, he has leda team of volunteersoperating the Christ-mas Help-line that as-sists people in emotion-al distress and forwhich he was pre-sented with the SaintGeorge Preca Awardfor Community Serviceby the Maltese Profes-sional and Business As-sociation of WesternAustralia.Those wishing to con-

tact Fr. Gatt can do so on his new contact details. Email:michaelgatt1@bigpond.com; Help-line: gattline@bigpond.com; Website: www.michaelgatt.net; Tel. (08) 9440 5379

The MPBA congratulates Fr. Gatt for his wonderfulachievements and wishes him a fruitful and joyful retire-ment.

Malta and Bangladesh wrote anew page in their respectivehistories when John Aquilina

UOM, accompanied by his wife Ann,presented his credentials to His Excel-lency, President Md. Abdul Hamid, asMalta’s first High Commissioner to thePeople’s Republic of Bangladesh.TheAmbassador of Croatia, and the HighCommissioners of Ghana and of Ugan-da also presenting their credentials.

Upon arriving at the PresidentialPalace gates, Mr Aquilina was escortedby a mounted guard of eight brightlyuniformed guards on sterling steeds.After taking the official salute, he wasinvited to inspect the ceremonial‘Guard of Honour’, and was then es-

corted inside the Palace.Mr Aquilina told The Voice: “I was

somewhat stunned by the magnificentturnout and the procedural precessionwith which everything occurred. Itwas a pleasant surprise, as at no timehad I expected the ceremony to be soelegant and elaborate.”On presenting his credentials, and on

the promptings of the President, MrAquilina gave him a brief descriptionof Malta. He also extended to him thewarm greetings of Malta’s President. Inreturn the President asked him to con-vey his warmeswishes and the cordialgreetings of the people of Bangladeshto HE Marie-Louise Coleiro Preca andthe citizens of Malta.

Discussion about Malta and the mutualhope that the relationship between thetwo countries would continue to growand prosper continued later in the day.

The Maltese HC informed the Presi-dent that in his meeting with H.E. Dr.Shirin Sharmin Chaudhury, Speaker ofthe Parliament of the People’s Republicof Bangladesh said she would be at-tending the Commonwealth Heads ofGovernment Meeting (CHOGM). Healso informed him that it was theearnest wish of the Government ofMalta that a large delegation fromBangladesh, led by H.E. Prime MinisterSheikh Hasina, and including a sub-stantial delegation of Bangladeshi busi-nessmen and women would attend.

Happy Retirement for Fr. Michael Gatt

HC Aquilina presents credentials to President of Bangladesh

Fr. Michael Gatt

Mr John Aquilina andis wife Ann flank theBangladesh Presidentat the presentation of

credentials

Mr John Aquilinabeing escorted to

the Palace (left) andreceiving the official

salute (below)

Biex tikteb Malti tajjebIl-Pronom

Tuesday July 7, 2015 The Voice of the Maltese 19

PIETRU PAWL SAYDONL-isem tal-Monsinjur Pietru Pawl Saydon jibqa’ g˙al dejjemmarbut mat-traduzzjoni tal-Kotba Mqaddsa fil-Malti u mal-ilsna Semitiçi. It-traduzzjoni tal-Iskrittura Mqaddsa mill-ilsna ori©inali

kienet biçça xog˙ol li ˙add qablu ma kien da˙al g˙aliha u swi-etlu tletin sena s˙a˙ ta’ ˙idma u dedikazzjoni. Kien ˙a ˙siebukoll jid˙ol g˙all-ispiΩa kollha tal-pubblikazzjoni.Saydon twieled fl-24 ta’ Lulju tal-1895 fiΩ-Ûurrieq. Tg˙allem

fl-iskola primarja tar-ra˙al u s-Seminarju. Wara l-eΩamijiettal-Matrikola, da˙al l-Università biex jistudja g˙al qassis uggradwa fil-Letteratura, fil-Li©i Kanonka u fit-Teolo©ija. Ìieordnat saçerdot fl-20 ta’ Settembru tal-1919 fl-età ta’ 24 senau mar Ruma fl-Istituto Biblico biex jispeçjalizza fl-Istudji Bib-

liçi minn fejn kiseb il-Liçenzjat fl-Iskrittura Mqaddsa.Fl-1931, meta Saydon kien g˙ad

kellu biss 36 sena, in˙atar Profes-sur tal-Iskrittura Mqaddsa, tal-Lhudi u l-Grieg Biblikufl-Università ta’ Malta u baqa’ f’dinil-kariga g˙al 33 sena. Kienu snin ta’ ˙idma u riçerka bla

waqfien u ˙a sehem f’kungressi in-ternazzjonali fl-Ewropa, fosthomRuma (1932); Brussell (1938); Pari©i(1948); Ruma u Norfolk (1952);Kopenhagen (1953); Cambridge uLouvain (1954); Birmingham (1955);Strasburgu (1956); Munich (1957);Brussell (1958); Louvain u Oxford(1959); Dublin (1961).

Wie˙ed ma jkunx jiΩbalja metajg˙id li kien bis-sa˙˙a tal-istudji

bibliçi u tal-istudju tal-ilsien Lhudi li Saydon beda jinteressaru˙u fl-ilsien Malti. Kien attiv ˙afna fl-G˙aqda tal-Malti (Uni-

versità) u mexxieha g˙alg˙axar snin. Barra min-hekk ˙a wkoll ˙siebjo˙ro© il-Le˙en il-Malti.Fl-1945, flimkien mal-

Professur Ìużè Aquilina,Pietru Pawl Saydon˙admu biex jing˙ata d-dottorat fil-lettraturaMaltija lill-Poeta Naz-zjonali un Karm, xi ˙a©ali qatt qabel ma kieneting˙atat.

Is-su©©erimenttag˙hom intlaqa’ u ç-çer-imonja fejn Dun Karm, ta’74 sena, ing˙ata d-dot-torat saret fit-2 ta’ Ot-tubru tal-istess sena. Fl-1946, il-Qdusija Tieg˙u l-Papa Piju XII g˙aΩlu b˙ala

Cameriere Secreto bit-titolu ta’ Monsinjur u fl-1951 l-Arçisqofta’ dak iΩ-Ωmien, Mikiel Gonzi offrielu kanonikat tal-Kattidral,iΩda Saydon g˙aΩel il-˙ajja tal-istudju minflok dik tal-unuri.

Fit-12 ta’ Novembru 1966, l-Università Rjali ta’ Malta tatu l-grad ta’ Duttur tal-Letteratura (Hon. Causa) b˙ala g˙arfientax-xog˙lijiet kbar tieg˙u.Saydon kien bniedem uman g˙all-a˙˙ar. Kien qrib ˙afna tal-

bdiewa ta’ Beng˙ajsa fil-kappella çkejkna tal-Kunçizzjoni udejjem tal-kontribut pastorali tieg˙u fil-parroçça taΩ-Ûurrieqfejn miet fit-22 ta’ Marzu tal-1971, fl-g˙omor ta’ 76 sena.F’Jannar tal-1988, 17-il sena wara mewtu, Pietru Pawl ©ie

onorat mill-Gvern meta ©ie mag˙Ωul b˙ala wie˙ed mill-per-sonalitajet Maltin li kellu bolla (tal-25c) iddedikata g˙alih.FiΩ-Ûurrieq f’belt twelidu, bix-xieraq, hemm ukoll triq id-

dedikata g˙alih.

(1895-1971) StudjuΩ Bibliku utraduttur tal-Kotba Mqaddsa fil-Maltin

Il-bolla ddedikata lil Pietru Pawl Saydon

Fl-a˙˙ar ˙arga ippreΩentajnaspeçi ta’ ta˙rig g˙all-qarrejja li

jsegwu din il-pa©na u tlabnihombiex i˙oΩΩu sing tal-A©©ettiv fis-sen-tenzi li pprovdejna. Ir-riΩltat kellujkun dan: Salvu rikeb Ωiemel ©errej ˙afna. Rajtstampa sabi˙a ferm. Kemm hu d˙ulidak il-bidwi qasir. Xtrajt larin© ˙elu.Ìibli ftit ilma frisk. Iz-zija tatni kelbsufi. Dak l-iskrivan twil g˙anduxag˙ru qastni u g˙ajnejh Ωoroq.Óabibi xtrali ktieb Ωg˙ir. L-ajruplanbiex ittir lejn g˙al Malta huwa wie˙edkbir.

6 . I l -PronomiM e h m u Ω i njing˙aqdu ma’nom, ma’ verb uma’ partçella.

ma’ Nom

a) ordinarju huma: i, ek, ok, u, ha,na, kom, hom.EΩ.: qalbi, qalbek, qalbu, qalbha,qalbna, qalbkom, qalbhom.

b) li jispicça b’ejn, ajn, huma: ja,k, h, ha, na, kom, hom.EΩ.: idejja, idejk, idejh, idejha, ide-jna, idejkom, idejhom

ma’ Verb

a) li jispiçça b’konsonanti huma:ni, ek, u, ha, na, kom, hom.

EΩ.: sabni, sabek, sabu, sabha,sabna, sabkom, sabhom

b) li jispiçça b’vokali jew (w)huma: ni, k, h, ha, na, kom, hom.EΩ.: rani, rak, rah, raha, rana,rakom, rahom.

ma’ Partiçella

a) ordinarja huma: i, ek, u, ha, na,kom, hom.EΩ.:lili, lilek, lilu, lilha, lilna,lilkom, lilhom.

b) li tispiçça b’ejn huma: ja, k, h,ha, na, kom, hom.

EΩ.: lejja, lejk, lejh, lejha, lejna,lejkom, lejhom.

(Fil-˙ar©a li jmiss nittrattaw xirqaqat.)

RiΩultat tat-ta˙ri©

dwar l-A©©ettivi

(ikompli mal-a˙˙ar ˙ar©a)

The Voice is not just a news portal; We comment,..... We get your message across...

We fight for your rights...... We believe in freedom of expression... and We are read in the right places.

Community NewsCommunity News20 The Voice of the Maltese Tuesday July 7, 2015

THE MALTESE - AUSTRALIAN

GOLD COAST

ASS. INC.Is celebrating:

MALTA DAYOn Sunday August 16 atCasey Hall on Fairway

Drive, Clear Island Waterson the GOLD COAST Qld. from 10.30 am- 4.00 pm

This will be a Maltese style fiera, a festival with a variety of tra-ditional dishes, including Fenkata (rabbit stew), timpana

(baked macaroni), ross il-forn (baked savoury rice), pastizzi,and a selection of traditional cakes and sweets, including themuch-loved ricotta cannoli, imqaret and the soft drink Kinnie.

Other attractions will include: Live entertainment, raffles, dis-plays,folklore music and DVD’S of MALTA and it’s history.

Entry is free. Everybody is invited. Bring along family and friends.

For further information contact: Margaret Grima on55763441or Judith Padovani on 55290654

The Xag˙ra Association of NSW Inc.INVITES YOU TO :

Tal-Vitoria Dinner DanceGues of honour: Rev. Mons. Carmelo Refalo

(Archpriest of Xag˙ra)Date: Saturday September 19

Time: 6.30 pm onwards. Venue: Balmoral Function Centre 47-49 Balmoral Rd., BLACKTOWN

Food: 5-Course Meal, beer, wine & soft drinks Entertainment: Roc-A-Tac & Giuseppe Verdi Brass Band

Contact:Josephine/Ray: 9627 4182, Mob: 0439 974 182

M'Anne Teuma: 9627 4641

Tuesday July 7, 2015 The Voice of the Maltese 21

GEORGE CROSS FALCONS CLUB Inc.GEORGE CROSS FALCONS CLUB Inc.(25-27 Lake Ave Cringila NSW 2502, (02) 4273 0906 gcfc@exemail.com.au)

Seniors’ Day Every MondayHome-made cooked two-course meal, tea and cof-

fee Bingo and dancing lessonsComputers available for usage.

Cost only $5.00. Sponsored by MCCI Illawarra.Phone 42 746121 and leave a message

FRIENDS OF PROVIDENCE HOUSE NSW(Formed in November 2011)

ANNOUNCES:

18 Day Fly – Cruise – Stay – TourCommencing September 19, 2015

Visiting Perth – Bali – Thailand – Malaysia – Singapore.Fantastic Tour – Great value – All inclusive from $3650 p/p

Proceeds to be donated to Id-Dar tal-Providenza, Malta.

For brochure or bookings call Jim Borg on (02) 9636 7767.Note: Donations to Id-Dar tal-Providenza can now be made

in Australia at any Commonwealth Bank. A/C Name: Friends of Providence House NSWBSB: 062 416 A/C No. 10199448

This will save you the normal bank fees. Please supply name and address so an acknowledgement can be issued.

Proudly supported by:

Cnr Main & Campbell Sts, Blacktown. Contact George Vella Tel (02) 9622 7799

St Helena Maltese/Aust. SC

Community NewsCommunity News

Programme for the rest of 2015JULY 18: (Saturday): Function at Albion AUGUST 21: (Friday): Feast Mass at ArdeerAUGUST 22: (Saturday): Feast dinner dance at Melrose AUGUST 23: (Sunday): 35th Anniversary feast at Ardeer SEPTEMBER 19: (Saturday): Functioin at AlbionOCTOBER 24: (Saturday): Function at Parkville OCTOBER 25: (Sunday): AGM meet at Parkville NOVEMBER 14: (Saturday): Function at Holy Eucharist DECEMBER 19: (Saturday): Xmas function at Melrose.

(For bookings or more information

phone Victor: 0412 99 13 25)

Maltese Association – Hobsons Bay Inc.NEIGHBOURHOOD CENTRE

21-31 Collins Avenue, Altona East, Victoria 3025Tel: (03) 9391 – 7359 Fax: (03) 9391 - 7359

Il-Maltese Association Hobsons Bay Inc. se jg˙addu tmiem il-©img˙a f’Mulwala, NSW.

Tluq miç-çentru f’21, Collins Ave. Altona East nhar is-Sibt 4 ta’ Lulju fis-7.00 a.m.

G˙al aktar tag˙rif wie˙ed g˙andu jçempel lil Joe fuq: 0400357001, jew lil Carmen: 0413 386 714

BALLU TA’ SAN GEJTANU

B˙al kull sena

Il-Klabb tal-Óamrun se jorganizza

Il-ballu ta’ SanGejtanu

Nhar is-Sibt 18 ta’ Lulju fis-7.00 pm fil-klabb f’100

Jackson Street, Marsden Park. Ikun hemm ikla ta’ 3-korsi bid-

deserta.

XORB MHUX INKLUZ.(Birra, inbid u soft drinks jinxtraw mill-bar)

Ikun hemm divertiment ma’ Tony Fenech and the Heartbeat.

Donazzjoni $45.00

Ghal kull tag˙rif u biljetti çemplu: George: 0407 434 651

Ghalhekk ejjew iddevertu mag˙na ub’hekk tkunu qeqed tappo©©jaw il-

klabb taghkom.

22 The Voice of the Maltese Tuesday July 7, 2015

Meetings of DayCare Maltese

Groups in NSWFairfield Active Maltese SeniorsMeets on the first Tuesday of the Month

from10:00am to 12 noon. The group meets in the Parish Hall, cnr

of Stella Street & The Boulevard, Fair-field Heights.

Maltese Seniors Central CoastGroup Meetings for Maltese livingat the Central Coast: are held everysecond Monday of each month from

10 am to 12 at Wyong RSL, cnrAnzac & Margaret Street Wyong.

For more information Tel: 02 439 000 12 or 0414 267 652

On SBS Radio - Day Time Analogue DigitalTuesday: 12:00-13:00 SBS Radio 3Thursday: 12:00-13:00 SBS Radio 3Friday: 12:00-13:00 97.7fm SBS Radio 2Saturday: 14:00-15:00: 97.7fm SBS Radio 2To tune into digital radio you need receiveror device with a DAB+ chip. Tuning in isby station name not frequency. Digitalradio can also be heard on digital TV.SBS Radio 2 is on Channel 38 and SBS.Radio 3 is on Channel 39. Analogue is

the present FMwavelength. Digital radiocan also be accessed by a smart phoneand/or by going online at HYPERLINK:http://www.sbs.com.au, www.sbs.com.au

Maltese Radio ProgrammesMELBOURNE, on 3ZZZ 92.3FM or onwww.3zzz.com.au. Mondays 5pm, Fridays5pm, Saturdays 10am.; Last Wednesdayeach month at 1pm.

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

MELBOURNE: STEREO 974 (93180930):97.4FM Wed (Maltese Magazine) & Thurs-day (Merhba): 6.00pm to 8.00 pm Co-ordi-nator – Ray Anastasi

In SYDNEY, listen to the MCC radio pro-gramme Sunday at 11am 2GLF FM 89.3, oron demand: www.893fm.com.au

In BRISBANE listen to the Maltese Pro-gram on 4EB on Tuesdays 6.00 -8.15am;Sundays 4.15pm to 5.15pm

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

The SBS MALTESE NEWS L-A˙barijiet on SBS TV twice a week nationwide Sunday at8.00 am on SBS2 (Chan. 32); Thursdays at 8.05 am on SBS2

*(All Groups are Sponsored by The Maltese Community Council ofNSW). Please contact the MCC Welfare Officer: Marisa Previtera JPon 0414 863 123. The MCC offices are at 59b Franklin Street MaysHill NSW (next to West Parramatta Primary School)

Daceyville Maltese SeniorsMeets on the last Wednesday of the

month in the Meeting Room One, No. 3General Bridges Crescent, Daceyville.Note: The Groups also arrange regular Bus TripsCome and join us and make new friends.

Merrylands Social Maltese SeniorsMeets every second Friday of the

month; Miller Room, Memorial AvenueMerrylands from 10.30am to 12.30 am

Llandillo Maltese SeniorsMeets on the first Wednesday of the

month at the Llandilo Community Hall,Seventh Avenue, from 11am to 1pm.

Greystanes Maltese SeniorsMeets on the second Monday of the

month n the George Preca Centre ofOLQP Church, 198 Old Prospect Road,Greystanes from 10 am to 12 noon

The Sutherland & St GeorgeMaltese Group

Ongoing: We meet every First Wednesdayof the Month from 10:00am-1:00pm

Our Meetings/Get Togethers are inter-esting, informative & entertaining. Come Join us and make new FriendsFor more information contact our Coor-dinator: Charles Mifsud J.P.Phone (02)9501 5525 – mobile 0421 662 298.

VIVA MALTAVIVA MALTA on Central Coast

Radio: July 16 and 30; August 13 and17 - from 6 pm -7 pm on COAST FM

96.3 Community Radio in GosfordNSW. Presenter: Nathalie Gatt.

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

Isma’ l-programm tar-radjubil-Malti mill-Kunsill Maltita’ NSW minn fuq l-istaz-

zjon 2GLF 89.3FM.Jista’ wkoll jinstema’ On De-

mand minn fuq l-Internetwww.893fm.com.au

(On Demand >Ethnic >Maltese Council 11am)Il-programm ta’ sieg˙a nhar ta’ Óadd fil-11.00 a.m. ikun fih l-a˙˙ar a˙barijietminn Malta, muΩika, tag˙rif, kultura,avviΩi u su©©etti ta’ interess g˙all-Maltin

Tune In to Radio and Television

Malta Society of New Zealand

We now have a Facebook pagethat former members are in-

vited to join. It is: Mainly-Maltese-in-Auckland:

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Mainly-Maltese-in-Auckland/

396193070527203?ref=hl.

It is open to all who have an interestin the Maltese culture.

Maltese Programmes on TV and WebThe GDAY MALTAUSSIE SHOW on TVS is broadcast in Sydney

Every Saturday at 2pm. Repeats on Mondays 5 pm and Tues-days 7.30 amWatch direct via HYPERLINK:http://ww.tvs.org.au; http://ww.tvs.org.au

G˙alkemm il-PBS ta’ Malta tforni lill-SBS fl-Awstralja bis-servizz tag˙ha, il-qarrejja m˙e©©a li x’˙in iridu jid˙lufil-website: www.tvm.com.mt u jsegwu l-a˙barijiet ta’ Malta. Din tkun a©©ornatal-˙in kollu bi stejjer li jkunu qed ise˙˙u.

Mhux biss, imma min irid isegwi dak lijkun g˙addej, kull filg˙odu in ta' Maltafuq il-website jittellg˙u wkoll l-a˙barijiettal-jum ta' qabel.

L-ahbarijiet tal-PBS (Malta)

Community NewsCommunity News

The Maltese Language School of NSW is plan-ning to open new classes in the Western Sub-urbs of Sydney in the teaching of the MalteseLanguage. We need new teachers (paid posi-tions) for these classes. Those who are inter-ested in teaching this languageshould apply:malteselanguageschoolnsw@hotmail.com

The Maltese Language School of NSWListen to John Borg & Glenn Cassar every Sat-

urday at 1.00 p.m. on RADIO 2RRR 88.5FM oron the Internet - www2rrr.org.au ON DeMAND Ótie©a ta’ G˙alliema tal-Malti

L-iskola tal-Malti ta NSW sa tifta˙ klassijiet©odda fil Western Suburbs ta' Sydney g˙at-tag˙lim tal-lingwa Maltija. G˙alhekk hemmil-˙tie©a ta’ g˙alliema ©odda (l-g˙alliemajit˙allsu). Dawk kollha li jixtiequ jg˙allmu l-Malti g˙andhom japplikaw billi jibag˙tu emaillill: malteselanguageschoolnsw@hotmail.comWanted: Teachers of Maltese language

Just over two weeks ago, legendary athleteand former Gold Coast Mayor Ron Clarkedied at the Allamanda Hospital in Southportafter a short illness. He was 78.

Despite maintaining a strong fitness regi-men throughout his life, Ron Clarke hadbeen struggling with his health and was notas mobile after an accident since his retire-ment from public life in 2012. He was in-jured during a regular walk along theBroadwater about a year ago. However, hisrecent poor health was related to ongoingchallenges with heart and kidney disease.Clarke was regarded as one of Australia’s

best middle and long distance runners, set-ting 17 world records during the 1960s.They included 12 during a remarkable 44-day tour of Europe in 1965, nine years afterhe had been invited as a 19-year-old to lightthe Olympic flame at the 1956 MelbourneOlympics.

He also competed at the 1964 Tokyo and1968 Mexico City Olympics but only re-turned with bronze from the 10,000 metresin 1964. That was later corrected when thegreat Czech runner Emil Zatopek, in anamazing gesture, gave one of his fourOlympic Gold medals to Clarke, “not out offriendship but because you deserve it”.But the race which the multi-world record

holder is probably best remembered for wasthe 10,000m at the 1968 Mexico Olympics.He damaged his heart and was rescued byAustralian team doctor Brian Corrigan as hecollapsed after challenging for the lead.

A family friend said that the athlete hurt

his heart inMexico in1968 and itwasn’t until1981 that itwas properlydiagnosed. Itled to compli-cations withhis heart andkidneys.

Clarke willalso be re-m e m b e r e dfor being at the centre of one of the greatestacts of sportsmanship. As the 1956 Gamesapproached, Australia was pinning its hopeson a lanky 1500m runner called JohnLandy. He was already the world milerecord holder when he took part in the mileat the national titles in Melbourne.A young Clarke, the junior national 1500m

champion, fell with two laps remaining, andLandy was forced to hurdle his fallen com-rade. Landy’s spikes clipped Clarke.With Clarke prostrate on the track, Landy

turned to check if his mate was okay and tosay sorry. When Clarke said he was fine,Landy rejoined the race but was some 40mfrom his rivals. Landy caught the rest of thefield and won. It is still labelled as one ofthe greatest acts of sportsmanship ever seen.

The moment has been immortalised inbronze with a sculpture watching over theentrance to Melbourne’s sporting precinctat the corner of Swan St and Punt Rd.

Clarke was not only an incredible athletebut helped lead the Gold Coast and securethe 2018 Commonwealth Games. That wasone his last major political achievements asmayor. Clarke was Mayor of the Gold Coast fortwo terms from 2004. After stepping downfrom council he was unsuccessful runningas an independent in the State seat ofBroadwater in the 2012 State election.Ron Clarke is survived by his wife Helen,

sons Nicolas and Marcus and grandchildrenNatasha and Sebastian. His daughterMonique, 49, died in 2009.

Birkirara sign formerItalian international

Maltese FA Trophy winners Birkirkara made what could be the biggestsigning in football’s summer transfer window in Malta by reaching an

agreement with the former Italian interna-tional striker, Fabrizio Miccoli, 36 (picturedbelow), on a one-year deal. Miccoli, who played 10 times for Italy after

making his international debut in afriendly against Portugal in 2003, has alsoplayed for Juventus, Fiorentina, Palermoand Perugia in Italy, and Benfica in Portu-gal.

After signing for Birkirkara (on a freetransfer) he said he wanted to forget his lastdisappointing season in the Serie B withLecce that made him want to retire, and in-stead end his career in Maltese football“with a smile”.

Giovanni Tedesco, Birkirkara’s new coach,a former teammate of Miccoli at Palermoand Perugia, is understood to have played akey role in persuading him to join the stripes.Now he is hoping he could win with him.

Tuesday July 7, 2015 The Voice of the Maltese 23

Spor tsSpor ts 11

The death of a legendaryathlete: Ron Clarke

Holroyd Veterans ofWorld War One Exbibition

to commemorate the ANZAC’s at theMaltese Community Council of NSW

Alfred Fenech Maltese Resource Centre,59b Franklin Street, Mays Hill

(next to Parramatta West Public School)

September 5 and 6from 10.30 a.m. to 2.30 p.m.

For more information contact

Emanuel Camilleri 0409 744 376

Ron Clarke (left) is seen here with the Aus-tralian flag together with Paul Lapira(right), a Maltese middle distant runner andpopular identity around the famous beachesof the Gold Coast. Ron Clarke had then re-ceived a copy of the book “Telqu ghal g˙onqit-triq” by Lawrence Dimech

The start ofthe footballseason must

have come muchtoo early forMalta’s represen-tatives in theUEFA EuropaLeague as none ofthe three partici-pants managed awin the first legsof the First Quali-fying Round. Twoof the sides,Balzan, who weremaking their Eu-ropean competi-tion debut, were downed 2-0 at home, whileValletta lost 2-1 away in Wales. Birkirkaramanaged a scoreless draw at the HiberniansStadium. All three will try to do better in re-turn ties on Thursday

Balzan v Zeljeznicar

First in action were Balzan. The task wasmuch too tough. With hardly a three-

week break, after achieving a top-four fin-ish last season, there wasn’t ample time forthem to get into any sort of rhythm for theirtie with Bosnia-Herzegovina champions FKZejeznicar. To add to their woes, they couldnot make use of their best player and one ofthe Premier League’s top scorers last sea-son, Bojan Kaljevic who was ruled out withan injury.

The other foreigner who also did so welllast season, Giacomo Piccione was notavailable as he is on trial in Poland, JP Mif-sud Triganza returned to Valletta after ayear’s loan spell, and Balzan’s top local ac-

quisition from Valletta, midfielder RyanFenech was carrying a suspension from hisdays with Valletta. Another new signing,former Floriana goalkeeper Valerio Sena-tore sat this one out.

Otherwise Balzan had no complaints.

They were beaten by a much better side thatgot their goals through a brace by RijadBajic inside 13 minutes. Now they face anuphill battle in the second leg at Sarajevothis Thursday.

Newtown AFC v Valletta

Valletta and Birirkara were next to takethe stage. Valletta played against New-

ton AFC in Wales and were beaten 2-1.Over the two legs, Valletta have high hopesof qualifying to the next round, as in the re-turn tie in Malta that away goal could proveprecious although locals still believe thatValletta might not need this rule as theyshould be better than their opponents. Get-ting eliminated by such a team would vergeon the disastrous.

Way back in 1999 Valletta managed theironly qualification of a European competi-tion, the UEFA Champions League afterfacing another Welsh team, Barry Town.

Against Newtown at Latham Park, Val-letta finished with 10 men after Ian Az-

zopardi was red-carded on 85 min-utes, and then gotbeaten with a stop-page time goalscored by JasonOswell.

Newton had alsoopened the scoringon 40 minutesthrough LukeBoundford, theirsecond goal in aEuropean compe-tition, but Vallettalevelled throughJhonnattan Ben-

Spor tsSpor ts 2224 The Voice of the Maltese Tuesday July 7, 2015

Parramatta City drew itsrescheduled match at the

Melita Stadium against ManlyUtd by 2-2 and then at thesame home ground lost theirnext match (Round 16) againstSydney Utd by 1-2.

The Eagles of Parramattashowed little signs of fatiguedespite their midweek effortsagainst Manly United. Theygave a plucky performance butfailed to stop Sydney U. put-ting an end to a four-game los-ing streak.

Parramatta enjoyed a live-lystart, but created little in theway of clear-cut chan-ces.

Sydney opened the scoringwhen Panni Nikas converted aspokick before doubling hisand United's tally only six

minutes later with a closerange finish.Parramatta got their consola-

tion tally from a diving headerby Shayne Ardle but Unitedheld on for a win.With all teams having played

16 matches, Parramatta standon 13 points, six ahead of bot-tom team Marconi.Th next match (Round 17) is

scheduled for Sunday July 12.

Sydney United 58 may be 12points below Blacktown City

in the PS4 NPL 1 NSW leagueladder, but still managed to beatthe leaders 1-0 in a tense final atValentine Sports Park to win the2015 Waratah Cup.

Blacktown City paid the ulti-mate price for a defensive lapsein the 85th minute that allowedChris Triantis to score the dec-sive goal and secure the silver-ware for United 58.

The Waratah Cup is a knock-out cup competition is run byFootball NSW for teams fromthe NPL NSW, NPL NSW 2,NSW State League DivisionOne, NSW State League Divi-sion Two and many semi-pro-fessional association clubswithin New South Wales.

PS4N PL2 NSW - Rd 15

Round 16Parramatta v Sydney UBrownrigg v Sutherland S.APIA v Blacktown CManly U v Marconi S.South Coast v Blacktown S Rockdale CS v Sydney O.

Bankstown B. v Mounties W 3-2

1-23-21-14-10-32-1

Results

The Eagles of 5 points clear

Early goals down Balzan; Valletta, B’Kara hope on

Football: PS4 NPL 1 NSW

Malta sides kick-off UEFA Europa League commitments

itez in the 73rd minute. Then came the sending-off incident for

two yellow cards and the decisive goal. Itwas Newtown’s first-ever win in Europeand the second He will miss the return onThursday at the Hibernians Stadium.

Birkirkara v Ulisses

Abetter result was expected fromBirkirkara’s home tie with Armenian

side Ulisses, but as it turned out, despitedominating for long stretches they did nottake any of the scoring opportunities theycreated and paid dearly for their shortcom-ings in front of goal.

Birkirkara were without five regulars butstill looked the better side. However, theymissed so many chances and in the end theresult of a 0-0 draw favoured Ulisses.

The return tie at Yerevan, with the incen-tive of facing Premier League side WestHam United in the next round is not beyondthe Maltese side. West Ham a 3-0 first legadvantage over Andorra’s Lusitans.

Jason Oswell (10) scoring Newtown’s winning goal against Valletta

Rijad Bajic (second right) celebrates scoring his first goal against Balzan

Sydney U 58 crownedWaratah Cup Champs