The voice of the maltese no 141 by The Voice of the Maltese

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

Issue 141

November 22, 2016

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

The popularity of the feast of St Martin is expressed in a limerick depicted on top of one of the stalls at Ba˙rija

Il-festa ta’ San Martin fil-Ba˙rija (see story on page 2) (photos https://www.facebook.com/FestaSanMartinBahrija)

The lady showing off what could have been the following Sunday’s lunch the main ingredient for rabbit stew

Eat and make merry: so many enjoyed their food in the peaceful surroundings of the village

One of the attractions at this year’s feast was a successful attempt to set a national record for the greatest “BorΩa ta’ San Martin” (a bag containing 90kgs – apples; 40 kgs – hazelnuts; 54kgs – banana; 30kgs – oranges; 25kgs – chestnuts; 45kgs - almonds; 29kgs - weighing 330.5kgs.

2 The Voice of the Maltese

Tuesday November 22, 2016

New Australian HC for Malta

s Julienne Hince, an Australian career diplomat with the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) where she has served for over 20 years, is to replace Jane Lambert as Australia's High Commissioner to Malta. Ms Hince, who currently lives in Melbourne, will also have non-resident accreditation to Tunisia. Australia’s Foreign Affairs Minister Julie Bishop made the announcement of her appointment on November 15. Ms Hince, will replace outgoing High Commissioner Ms Jane Lambert who has been representing Australia in Malta since 2013. The new Australian HC to Malta carries with her vast experience as she had previously served in foreign and economic policy positions in Australian Embassies in Germany and Bangladesh, and also oversees, most recently as Deputy Head of Mission in Athens, Greece, and had earlier postings in Bangladesh and Germany Julienne was director of DFAT’s regional office in Darwin between 2003 and 2007, and Deputy Director of the Department’s Victoria office from 2011 until late 2014. As Director of DFAT’s South America Section since December 2014, she was responsible for bilateral relations with 10 countries and has overseen the work of the Council on AustraliaLatin America Relations (COALAR).

In a statement announcing Ms Hince's appointment, Minister Bishop remarked on the close ties that bind Australia and Malta together. She said that Australia and Malta enjoy close ties. She went on to say that the relationship is built on strong people-to-people links, a common parliamentary system and both countries’ membership of the Com-

monwealth. “We also share a strong commitment to the promotion of international peace, security and prosperity," she said Ms Bishop added: “Australia looks forward to working with Malta and other members of the European Union as we progress towards an Australia-EU Free Trade Agreement, which will expand our trade and investment, and boost prosperity in our countries. “The visit to Australia of H.E. Ms Marie-Louise Coleiro Preca, President of the Republic of Malta in July 2016 helped forge new connections and strengthen foundations on which to develop future cooperation,” Ms Bishop said. Referring to Tunisia, she said that Australia has long been a strong supporter of Tunisia’s transition to democracy. “We cooperate on a range of important issues, including regional security in North Africa, to address the challenges of terrorism and foreign fighters,” the Minister added. Ms Hince holds a Graduate Diploma in Foreign Affairs from the Australian National University and a Bachelor of Arts from the University of Melbourne. Beside English, she is fluent in French and German, and has a working knowledge of the Greek language. Ms Hince is keen on arts and culture, education, and politics.

The traditional event known as...

Il-Festa ta’ San Martin

s tradition goes, once again, on the second weekend of this month, November, hundreds of Maltese from all over Malta flocked to Ba˙rija for the traditional fair dating back at least a hundred years – Il-Fiera ta’ San Martin – and to celebrate the feast of St. Martin of Tours with the locals (see front page). Traditionally the attraction of the event in this small village surrounded by countryside where one can breathe the fresh air, once synonymous with the live animal fair has always been the entertainment provided for all the family, to play games to try and win a lamb or a rabbit. Today the fair has evolved into a feast of agriculture, traditions and entertainment for all the family. But with the Maltese, no traditional feast is complete without food prepared in the traditional way, and wine. Ba˙rija provides all that. This year’s was no exception and the feast – held over the weekend of November 12/13 - was once again a celebration of good food As kids St Martin’s Day used to be a much-awaited occasion. The saint was one of their favourite Saints, because his feast's celebration was considered as one of the very few times they had food treats. Parents used to

sew a simple colourful cloth bag pulled with a string on top in the days leading to the feast and then fill them up with all kinds of fruit, particularly an assortment of nuts, hazelnuts, chestnuts and almonds. Sometimes they would also throw in an orange, a tangerine, a pomegranate or banana, and a San Martin bun (“˙bejΩa ta' San Martin”), hard glazed on top and with a liquored sweet (“perlina tas-sugu”), stuck in the middle of the bun. Above: some still hold on to the tradition to this day

The Voice of the Maltese 3

Tuesday November 22, 2016

Conscription 1916: Who were the Maltese ‘children of Billy Hughes’? Dr BarryYork (Dr Barry York worked on the museum’s Oral History Programme for many years before retiring in May 2016. He was awarded a PhD in History by the University of New South Wales in 1988. He has authored and co-authored several books of political history and immigration history. He was also awarded the Order of Australia in 2005 for his services to the recording of immigration history.)

he Maltese ‘children of Billy Hughes’ were a group of 214 Maltese migrants who arrived during Australia’s conscription plebiscite campaign a century ago and were deemed to be prohibited immigrants under section 3(a) of the Immigration (Restriction) Act after failing a dictation test in the Dutch language. They are remembered in Maltese communities as it-tfal ta’ Billy Hughes, (Billy Hughes’ children). To the opponents of William Morris Hughes, like Eddie Ward MP, Hughes thereafter became William ‘Maltese’ Hughes. The 214 Maltese male labourers travelled on the French ship, ‘Gange’, and, unfortunately for them, the ship was due to arrive in Melbourne around 28th October 1916, the day of the plebiscite. Being Maltese, they were British subjects by birth and most had served at Lemnos, Mudros and Gallipoli. During the First World War, Malta was ‘the nurse of the Mediterranean’. With its hospitals full, Maltese authorities converted many public buildings on the tiny island into hospitals. About 80,000 wounded, many of them Anzacs, were cared for by the Maltese, and there was favourable feeling toward them on the part of returned servicemen. It should be noted that Malta’s population at that time was 212,000. (Malta is small. It can fit 300 times into Tasmania) The gratitude of soldiers who recuperated at Malta was summed up by this telegram: ‘Wounded in foot, am in heaven in Malta’. But back then, as sometimes still happens today, the exclusion of people who would make fine settlers was accompanied by exaggerated and hysterical claims. During the plebiscite campaign, the anti-conscription Labor parliamentarians and trade union leaders argued

Emm Attard in the early 1920s in Adelaide; and (left): in 1989 that the capitalists planned to replace Australian workers conscripted for overseas with cheap imported labour. The Maltese were called ‘coloured job jumpers’. The fact that the Maltese in Australia numbered less than a thousand at that time did not deter talk of a Maltese invasion. The Australian Workers’ Union declared that the Maltese were a ‘black menace’ and a meeting at Inverell was panicked by the rumour that four thousand had just landed and were sneaking in via Coffs Harbour. Many years later in his memoir, I Remember (1956), anti-conscriptionist Jack Lang stated that the arrival of the ‘Gange’ was just the evidence the ‘No’ case needed. Prime Minister Hughes, an ardent advocate for a ‘yes’ vote, did not want the ‘Gange’ to disembark its passengers and relied on the ‘dictation test’ provision of the Immigration (Restriction) Act to keep them out. Section 3(a) meant that immigration officers could declare any new arrival a prohibited immigrant if they failed a dictation test of 50 words in any European language. Originally meant to exclude Chinese and other ‘coloured’ people, Section 3(a) had occasional political application, such as the (in) famous case of Czech communist Egon Kisch in 1934 who was tested in Scottish Gaelic. The Maltese were tested in the Dutch language, by a professor from Melbourne University. A Maltese priest, Father William Bonnet, was allowed onto the vessel when it reached Syd-

ney and spoke with the prohibited men. Outraged by the injustice and the sheer dishonesty, he wrote to Governor-General Munro-Fergusson, about what had happened. In researching my book, Empire and Race: the Maltese in Australia 1881 to 1949, I came across a document from the Colonial Office in London on which an officer had scrawled the words: ‘An act of treachery, worthy of the Germans!’ As the ‘Gange’ was a French ship, the excluded men ended up at its destination, Noumea. They languished there for more than three months, with their families back in Malta in acute poverty. However, public pressure from ex-servicemen and pro-Empire groups like the Millions Club secured their return to Sydney toward the end of February 1917. But the ordeal was not over for Hughes ‘children’. On return to Sydney, they were detained on an old hulk, the ‘Anglian’, in Berry’s Bay, for a fortnight before being released gradually in groups. All were freed by 12 March 1917. Maltese migrants have a reputation as hard workers and Billy Hughes’ ‘children’ went on to help construct the Burrinjuck dam and the rail extensions in northern New South Wales. Another lot were recruited to the Mt Lyell mines in Tasmania. As in the 1950s, Southern Europeans did much of the ‘dirty work’, the harsh manual jobs. In September 1989, I recorded an oral history interview with Emmanuel Attard, one of the last surviving passengers. In it he describes the voyage and a burial at sea. It can be found at the National Library of Australia, Oral History and Folklore Collection, ORAL TRC Prime Minister Billy Hugh2406/1. To es, an ardent advocate for (Fairfax) listen to it go a ‘yes’ vote. to: http://moadoph.gov.au/blog/conscrition-1916-who-were-the-maltese-children-of-billy-hughes/ Source: ‘Museum of Australian Democracy at Old Parliament House in Canberra, with this link to the museum’s website: - http://www.moadoph.gov.au/

4 The Voice of the Maltese

Tuesday November 22, 2016

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

The Voice of the Maltese 5

Tuesday November 22, 2016

Q. I am married and both my husband and I are in our sevhis is a monthly service offered by The Voice of the Maltese enties. When I married my husband over 40 years ago, he in which Marie Louise Muscat from the Fiducian Finanalready owned the house we live in. We have discussed cial Services helps our readers understand the complexities transferring the house into joint names but he is not inter- associated with financial planning. If you need more advice ested in doing so. I am anxious that if he predeceases me I send an email to Marie Louise via: maltesevoice@gmail.com. will be left homeless. What shall I do? A. . If you cannot talk him into transfer- died intestate. ring the house into joint names then you Who should need to make sure that his Will leaves you look after his as the beneficiary of the house at least. affairs as he has If he does predecease you, you will have not appointed two years to change the Title Deeds of the an executor? house from his name to yours. This will not We are a large trigger any capital gains tax as you would family and I am have transferred the house into your name afraid that this within two years of his passing and it was could cause his residential home. There is no stamp duty problems? and costs are minimal. A. UnfortunQ. We are a pensioner couple. I have a ately dying indefined benefit and my fortnightly pay- testate often ment is $1400. My wife has an account creates probbased pension with a current value of lems for the $230,000 and we have around $120,000 family and beneficiaries and as they have her off from my Will? in the bank. We are very concerned that not left a Will their assets may not go to the changes to the Asset Test limits will the people they really had intended to A. This is unfortunate but these things happen. You can certainly change your affect our pension. Can you please ad- leave them to. vise? However you should as a family engage Will and leave her out of the will, but I do a solicitor and he will apply for probate not believe it to be a good idea to cut her A. You most probably are being tested on out completely. She will have every right the Income Test and not on the Asset Test on your behalf and divide the estate to appeal for her share. amongst your brotherâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s next of kin. because of the defined benefit. If this is the I think you should leave her a much This could be quite costly but should case then your age pension entitlement smaller portion but do not leave her out lessen the problems amongst the family will probably not change at all. complete. You would be better off disIf you are getting very anxious you can and will be done in an unbiased way. cussing this with your solicitor who visit a Financial Information Services Q. I have four adult children. One of my should advise you better. (FIS) Officer at Centrelink and he will daughters who is married and has two children of her own, will have nothing to Q. I have four superannuation funds as I calculate this for you. do with our family. I have tried to contact worked in four different jobs over the Q. My brother passed away recently and he her but she will not respond. Can I cut years and each employer opened a superannuation fund for me. I would like to simplify things and merge all four super funds into one. How should I go about doing this?

Q&A

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A. Yes every time one changes a job, the new employer creates a superannuation fund on his or her behalf. Now however there is freedom of choice and an employee can always ask his employer to forward their employer contributions to a superannuation fund of the employeeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s choice or one which already exists. In your case I believe you should check which superannuation fund has performed the best of the four. Check also the insurance cover that you have within the four superannuation funds. It is important that you do not miss out of having some insurance cover. Then roll over all four amounts into one. If you have a financial planner he/she should be able to do all this on your behalf and advise also which superannuation fund you should maintain. This document contains factual information only and is not intended to provide any recommendation or opinion in relation to the topic/s discussed. Fiducian recommends that you seek advice from a professional to address any issues that may be raised by this article. Fiducian accepts no liability for any loss suffered by anyone who has acted on any information in this document

6 The Voice of the Maltese

My family’s journey to Australia: My story

Tuesday November 22, 2016 The whole Vassallo family soon after arrival in Australia. At the back (from left): Salvu, Charlie, dad Pawlu, Joseph and Louis. The girls are: Vicky behind Mary, mum Antonia, Evelyn and Rita

RitaVella

was born in a typical Maltese rural village, Mgarr, the seventh of nine children in the Vassallo family (a brother, Tonino, died when he was under one). From eldest to youngest, we are, Salvu, Joseph, Charlie, Vicki, Louie, Mary, me (Rita), and Evelyn. This is the story of my family’s journey from Malta to Australia. At age seven I remember asking mum and dad: Why don’t we go to Australia? I could not even pronounce the name Australia correctly. In 1953, with the Maltese still suffering the after-effects of war and with little going for them, the government was offering young people, mostly children, a better life to emigrate to Australia. Five years earlier, in 1948, Malta had signed an assisted passage agreement with Australia, the first that Australia had made with any country other than Britain. It resulted in large numbers of Maltese leaving the island, peaking in the early 1950s. My brother Charlie must have had adventure in his blood. He was only ten when along with other kids from Mgarr and from others villages expressed his wish to make the lifetime journey to Australia. A year later another of my brothers, Salvu then aged fourteen, followed him. Together with a group of young lads he embarked on the vessel Roma and sailed to join his brother Charlie at the Boys Town in Clontarf in Western Australia. The Christian brothers who ran the College where they lived put the boys to work on farms and in the kitchen, where they cooked for twenty brothers and 250 boys. As Charlie was still at school, he and Salvu

Our first house a chicken shed but we were so happy had a sponsor family that took them home every second weekend. It was a very good family and Salvu and Charlie have kept in touch ever since. The family also found Salvu a job as an apprentice at a butcher’s shop where he worked for three years.

Ten-year-old opens the way for a family of 10 to emigrate to Australia The only way Salvu and Charlie could stay in touch with the family in Malta was through the mail. It was only by means of a letter that they became aware that dad had decided to join them in Australia. It brought great joy to Salvu and together Most of the family sailed to Australia in 1956 on the Italian ship Castel Felice

with the sponsor family that lived 150 miles from Perth, they arranged to pick dad up from the port when he arrived on MS Skaubryn. Dad joined them for a grand lunch but unfortunately he could not stay, as his final destination was Sydney. Three months later mum informed Salvu and Charlie that the rest of the family, including me, too was also on its way to Australia. We arrived in Fremantle WA on November 13, 1956 on the ship Castel Felice. Mum had prepared a pillowcase with galletti (Maltese biscuits) and bread rings so we would not go hungry on the trip. Our brothers who by then had settled in Australia, and our sponsors, a Mr. and Mrs. Contuzzi were thrilled to see us. They prepared a great welcome for us. They laid out a table of food for the whole family. We would never forget that occasion. But the family had to travel on to Sydney to meet dad who by then had found a place for the family to live in. It was just a chicken shed located on the Great Western Highway in the suburb of Pendle Hill. That is where the family settled. Some months later Salvu and Charlie, also joined us. Even though our home was just a shed it didn't matter that much. What really mattered for mum and dad was that the whole family got together again. As the boys were growing up, they embarked on their first jobs, while the younger ones went to school at Mt Carmel at Wentworthville. Later they too managed to find jobs at various outlets. Continued on page 7

The Voice of the Maltese 7

Tuesday November 22, 2016 Rita’s brother, Salvu, with his and the family’s first car in Australia,an FJ Holden Ute

39 years of service

Bought first property at Plumpton for £3,400; and the first family car *from page 6 About six months after our arrival in Australia, our parents decided to look for a new place to live as we were all cramed in this chicken shed. So dad and Salvu decided to go in search of a better place. They made the trip to Blacktown on a pushbike to meet a real estate agent. Two nuns said they were praying for us for God to help us find a suitable house. Their prayers and ours were answered as the estate agent found us a property at 35 Power Street Plumpton. It was purchased in May 1957 for £3,400 . Soon as Mum saw the new place she felt as if she had found heaven. She emphasised its beauty and embellished it with a lovely flower garden. We all loved it. To start the garden the land needed a lot of clearing. This we did ourselves before and after school while dad and the boys were busy at work. We were getting older and my eldest sister Vicki too found a job, at Anthony Squires at St Mary’s for men's suits, while the younger siblings used to walk to school at St Aidan’s in Rooty Hill. In order to make full use of the garden Dad decided to grow mushrooms. It was hard work to grow them but a beautiful sight to see. We used to pick them and send them to the market to be sold. We even raised chickens, ducks, pigs, geese and cows. Mum also had great skill at making cheese, which she then also sold. We did not have a TV set so on a Saturday night we used to go down the road to watch it at the neighbours. They were very good people. I remember watching films like Bronco, Sugar Foot, Cheyenne, and Bonanza. We had a great time and we loved it. Every Sunday morning we used to attend the 7 a.m. mass at Rooty Hill. Dad used to double mum on the back of the bike, and our four brothers doubled the four girls.

We did this for a number of years till one day my eldest brother Salvu came home with a blue and white F.J Holden Ute. After that, church trips on the back of the Ute became more comfortable then on the bike. Every night the whole family would gather round to recite the Rosary and thank God whom we regarded the centre of our lives. We are so proud to live here and be Australians. That is my story!

t the recently held Annual General Meeting, the Maltese Welfare (NSW) endorsed the same committee as the previous year with Lawrence Dimech as president, Frances Montesin as secretary and Rita Kassas as treasurer. The others forming the new committee are: Asst/President: Nathalie Gatt (ass/ president); Doris Grima (ass/secretary), Lawrence Gatt (ass/treasurer), and Lino Vella, Emanuel Camilleri, and Marlene Dimech as members. The Maltese Welfare NSW was founded in October 1977 as a result of a workshop on social welfare held at Kellyville, and during the past 39 years has organised on a regular basis, information seminars of issues affecting the Maltese community. Since 2005 the MWNSW also has its own website: maltesewelfare.com.au and publishes online an updated Maltese Resource Directory. Its main event is the well-established Quiet Achiever Night of Recognition held annually since 2011. The organisation can be reached by email at: secretary@maltesewelfare.com.au or by post: c/o Box 5332 Greystanes NSW 2145.

Merrylands RSL commemorates Remembrance Service The Merrylands RSL Sub Branch commemorated Remembrance Sunday Memorial Service on November 6 with a march through the streets of Merrylands ending at the Memorial Ave and Charles Mance Reserve where a ceremony was held under the command of CUO Theodore Nicolaidis. Guest Speaker, Mr Terry Rayan (veteran from the Vietnam war and survivor from the Battle of Long Tan 18/8/66) gave an emotional Remembrance address recalling his experience during the Vietnam War, Maltese Community Council of NSW representative Mr Emanuel Camilleri and his wife Theresa laid a wreath on the monument on behalf of the Maltese Community (above).

8 The Voice of the Maltese

Tuesday November 22, 2016

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

US President-elect needs to come to his senses

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

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

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Mark Calleja from Kellyville NSW writes: letter by Joe Cassar, titled God forbid! in The Voice (No. 140) in which he was hoping for a Trump defeat at the US Presidential elections, has prompted me to voice my opinion on the subject in this medium, particularly after what many were afraid of has occurred. I am referring to the fact that the US has chosen Donald Trump as its leader. Now it seems, everybody is hoping that he won’t keep most of his pre-election promises as otherwise the world would be worse off. Trump wasn’t really the people’s choice. He may have scored an astonishing upset by winning the necessary electoral votes, but Hillary Clinton ended up with more individual votes than him. Therefore many are questioning the fairness of the current system. It is the second time in 16 years (after Al Gore in 2000) that a Democratic candidate for President won the popular vote but lost the Electoral College. It is ironic that Trump should win this way after saying in 2012, “ the Electoral College is a disaster for democracy”. I have studied the system of voting in the US, so I wish to explain why this happened. Each state is given a share of the United

Nifra˙ lil ta’ Cringila

Jim Farrugia minn Nowra, NSW jikteb: adt gost naqra r-rapport dwar iç-çelebrazzjoni f’g˙eluq il-65 sena tal-George CrossFalcons Club li saru dan l-a˙˙ar filklabb (VOM 8/11p18) g˙ax g˙al xi ra©uni ftit naqraw dwar dak li jsir hemmhekk. Naf Ωgur li jinΩlu ˙afna Maltin minn Sydney g˙al kull attivita’ li ti©i organizzata hemmhekk. Nifir˙ilhom li jkollhom 65 sen’o˙ra.

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

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

States’ 538 electoral votes based off its population, with totals ranging from California’s 55 to a number of states with only three. Hillary Clinton won more votes overall (by about 2 million), but a multitude of them came from the same few states, like California and New York. Trump’s grand total of votes was spread more evenly throughout the country and he won many more states, albeit often by a slim margin. Trump won the most votes in the right places, and under the Electoral College, that’s what matters. Let’s hope Trump really becomes a President for all Americans and for everybody’s sake, including us, he abandons his shortsightedness when it comes to human-caused climate change after describing it a “hoax.” Trump has vowed to cancel last year’s Paris climate agreement that commits more than 190 countries to reduce emissions of planetwarming carbon dioxide pollution and to dismantle the Clean Power Plan. Somebody must put some sense into him!

Politiçi b’nuqqas ta’ maturita`

Tony Cassar minn St Kilda East, Victoria jikteb: assew ixxukjajt ru˙ek bl-a˙bar ippubblikata fil-˙ar©a Nru. 140 ta’ The Voice of the Maltese ta˙t ir-ras: Noqog˙du attenti! fejn intqal li kandidat prospettiv tal-oppoΩizzjoni waqa’ daqstant baxx u ddeskriva lill-Prim Ministru ta’ b˙alissa f’Malta, b˙ala “l-akbar tra©edja mill-pesta tal-1813”. Kont na˙seb li l-politiçi Maltin immaturaw u nsew it-tg˙ajjir li kien isir fl-img˙oddi bejn il-politiçi, l-ekklesjastiçi u l-poplu li kien ikun ippumpjat biex i˙ares lejn il-partit politiku oppost g˙al dak tieg˙u b˙ala xi g˙adu li jrid je˙odlu drittijietu. Jien wie˙ed li nsegwi b’çerta reqqa l-a˙barijiet minn Malta fuq il-mezzi soçjali u jidhirli li b˙alissa fil-pajjiΩ li tant ng˙oΩΩ minkejja li ninsab bog˙od minnu g˙ax ©ejt sfurzat nitlaq biex insib ©ejjieni a˙jar, re©a’ hemm çerta tensjoni b’xi politiçi ma jqisux kliemhom, jinfexxu fit-tg˙ajir u jaqg˙u tant baxx fil-mod kif i˙arsu lejn l-avversarji politiçi tag˙hom. Óasra g˙ax mill-bqija Malta qed tiffjorixxi.

G˙aliex il-kelma ˙dura?

Anton Gatt minn Telopea NSW, jikteb: aqra l-pa©na ta’ Ivan Cauchi regolarment g˙ax ikollu kummenti ta’ stoffa iΩda fla˙˙ar ˙ar©a (140) ma ˙adtx pjaçir bil-kelma “Ódura”. In˙oss li Gvern li jrid jipprote©i pajjiΩ minn nies li jaslu hawn bla permess ikun qed jag˙mel tajjeb anke jekk jag˙mel li©ijiet ˙orox biex ibarrihom milli jid˙lu fil-pajjiΩ.

The Voice of the Maltese 9

Tuesday November 22, 2016

From Tasmania: looking for her father F

rom Ridgley Tasmania, the call went all the way to Malta. Michelle Stevens, 45, a

young Australia mother, wanted desperately to learn any news about the father, she only knew by the name of Tony. Ridgley is a suburb of Tasmania, North West, Tasmania ((7321). It is the federal electorate of Braddon about 229 kms from TAS's capital city of Hobart. In the 2011 census, the EMichelle Stevens ... can you help her look for her missing father?

population of Ridgley was 746. Michelle contacted the Maltese daily in English in Tony, the only pictures his Malta, The Times daughter Michelle has of of Malta, and her missing dad. Do you lodged an appeal know the man? If so get in that was pub- touch with us. lished on October 25. Although useful the response she got, did not achieve much. Michelle also turned to The Voice of the Maltese for help. We discovered that Michelleâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s mother Amy Smith, who died when Michelle was still only 13, used to talk about a Maltese by the name of Tony who befriended her both in Melbourne and Tasmania but little else. Michelleâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s sister who lives in Melbourne showed her husband the story published in The Times. He remembered him well as they had served prison together at Castlemaine, Melbourne around 1969/70. However, he referred to him as a Yugoslav and not as a Maltese. He recalled both of them catching a train back to a hotel the day they were released from prison. Michelle was under the impression that her father was deported back to Malta in the seventies because of some visa violation. To this end, we therefore contacted the Malta High Commission in Canberra, but were told that the Chanceryâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s records do not go back that far, to 1970. We also got in touch with the National Archives in Malta regarding any Maltese who might have been deported at the time. We were advised that due to the Thirty-Year Rule, when it comes to the 1970s and onwards, their holdings are still in a transition phase. That is, that they do not have much from the Foreign Affairs. When it comes to the Police the records reached them in a rather bad state and they have to painstakingly put the whole picture together. The search for Tony seems to have reached a dead end. Maybe there are readers of The Voice who can shed some more light on the man.

10 The Voice of the Maltese

Tuesday November 22, 2016

Perspettiva Is-sorpriΩa tas-seklu A version of this series in English may be found in the author's blog at: http://ivancauchi.blogs pot.com

d-dinja g˙adha mmeraviljata kif l-elezzjoni g˙all-Presidenza fl-Istati Uniti spiççat birreb˙a, mhux mistennija, ta’ Donald Trump, kontra lpreviΩjonijiet tista' tg˙id kollha, anke ta' organizzazzjonijiet indipendenti, minbarra ta’ w˙ud mill-kampanja elettorali tieg˙u. Fl-Awstralja, dan il-bniedem jidher li jgawdi ftit li xejn popolarità minn dawk li normalment jidentifikaw ru˙hom malpartiti l-kbar, ilLaburisti u l-Liberali/Nazzjonali, u wisq inqas millÓodor. Eççezzjoni evidenti kien il-pjaçir ta' One Nation ta' Pauline Hanson, li g˙andha politika pjuttost simili g˙al dik ta' Trump. Naturalment, il-popolarità li tg˙odd g˙all-Amerikani hija dik taç-çittadini tag˙hom stess, u fil-˙in li kien qed jinkiteb dan l-artiklu (16 ta' Novembru), l-g˙add ta' nies li vvutaw g˙al Trump kien 60.3 miljun, filwaqt li 61.0 miljun kienu vvutaw g˙al Hillary Clinton. Xi stramberija din hux, li jista' jirba˙ min kellu inqas voti! RiΩultat tas-sistema Amerikana ta' kulle©©i elettorali, ori©inarjament ma˙suba mill-missirijiet tan-nazzjoni Amerikan, sabiex lebda stat, g˙ax ikbar minn ie˙or ma jkun jista' jimponi r-rieda tieg˙u fuq ie˙or. L-ewwel darba li kont esperjenzajt xi ˙a©a simili kien f'Malta, fl-elezzjoni nazzjonali tal-1981, fejn il-Partit Nazzjonalista (PN) kien ©ab 50.9% tal-voti fl-ewwel g˙add, imma inqas membri filparlament mill-Partit Laburista (PL, dakinhar MLP). Il-pajjiΩ kien pjuttost ixxukkjat b'dak li kien ©ara, tant li niftakar li l-g˙ada tal-elezzjoni l-˙ornijiet tal-karozzi tal-partitarji li kienu reb˙u, flimkien mal-g˙ajjat ta' “o˙or©u ja mdejqin”, kienu di©à kwaΩi waqfu g˙al kollox, meta s-soltu jdumu sejrin xi jumejn jew tlieta, ikun reba˙ min reba˙. Dak ir-riΩultat, imsejja˙ pervers, kien possibbli min˙abba dawk li huma msej˙in 'voti mo˙lija', fejn jekk partit tella', ng˙idu a˙na, tliet kandidati minn distrett, g˙ax ikun ©ab iktar minn tliet kwoti minn dak id-distrett imma inqas minn erbg˙a, dawk il-voti 'Ωejda' ji©u 'mo˙lija', g˙alkemm jitqassmu skont il-preferenzi lil kandidati o˙ra. Dakinhar, il-PN kellu voti mo˙lija iktar mill-MLP. Il-PN jg˙idu li dakinhar il-MLP g˙amlu gerrymandering. L-MLP jg˙idu li l-PN g˙amlu l-istess fl-1966 meta kien tela’ Sant imma kellu biss si©©u wie˙ed Ωejjed bil-konsegwenzi li lkoll nafu. Filfatt na˙seb li t-tnejn g˙andhom ra©un. Il-Partit Laburista fil-gvern irran©aha b’kolaborazzjoni mal-PN b’emendi fil-Kostituzzjoni. Ma’ setax jirran©aha wa˙du b'ma©©oranza sempliçi fil-parlament. Is-sistema Amerikana hija iktar ikkumplikata minn hekk, g˙ax il-

kitba ta’

IVAN CAUCHI

voti g˙all-presidenza ma jmorrux direttament g˙al kandidat, imma jmorru g˙all membri tal-hekk imsejja˙ Kulle©© Elettorali, li eventwalment jele©©i lPresident. Kull stat huwa mog˙ti g˙add differenti ta' membri li jridu jitilg˙u f'dan ilKulle©© Elettorali, u dan in-numru mhux proporzjonali g˙all-popolazzjoni ta' dak l-istat. Dan iwassal g˙al stramberiji b˙allfatt li vot fi stat b˙al Wyoming Donald Trump, kontra jiswa daqs tliet kull previΩoni rebbie˙ tal- voti f'California. Perversità bl-ispresidenza fl-Istati Uniti teroids! Fil-fatt, çertu Donald Trump fl-2012 fuq Twitter kien iddeskriva l-Kulle©© Elettorali b˙ala 'diΩastru g˙ad-demokrazija'.1 Qed nassumi li m'g˙adux ja˙sibha l-istess, preΩumibbilment. Wara x-xokk inizjali, kelli noqros lili nnifsi biex inniΩΩilha li dalwaqt se nibda nisma' bil-President Trump, u malajr il-˙sieb darli g˙all-miΩuri li Trump stqarr li ried iwettaq. G˙alija ta' interess kbir kienet ir-rieda li jitqatta' l-ftehim ta' Pari©i tas-sena l-o˙ra g˙all-kontroll tat-tibdil tal-klima, ftehim tal-Ìnus Mag˙quda li kien ilu ˙afna snin biex i©ib lill-pajjiΩi biex jaslu g˙alih, speçjalment l-ikbar pajjiΩi li jag˙mlu dan it-tni©©iΩ, ji©ifieri l-Istati Uniti u ç-Çina fuq nett. B˙alissa d-delegazzjonijiet tal-gvernijiet qed jiltaqg˙u filMarokk biex jirrevedu x'iktar hemm bΩonn xi jsir biex jitwettqu l-miri li ©ew miftiehma f'Pari©i. Nimma©ina li d-delegati b˙alissa iktar qed ja˙lu ˙in i˙okku rashom u ja˙sbu jekk xog˙olhom kollu hux se jispiçça suf, u jekk dan l-a˙˙ar çans li nsalvaw il-pjaneta tag˙na hux se jintilef g˙al kollox. Stqarrija o˙ra ta’ Trump kienet li se jimponi tariffa ta' 45% fuq l-importazzjoni miç-Çina, biex ti©i protetta l-industrija Amerikana. Din l-istqarrija tirreferi g˙al prinçipji fundamentali li forsi nikkummentaw darb'o˙ra dwarhom, biss illum ng˙id li pass b˙al dan aktarx iwassal g˙al ritaljazzjoni miç-Çina. Min jaf, forsi ç-Çina tiddeçiedi li tintroduçi tariffa g˙all-importazzjoni ©oç-Çina minn pajjiΩi li ma jwettqux il-ftehim ta' Pari©i, u tista' tippreΩenta dan il-pass b˙ala wie˙ed morali favur l-ambjent! Ûgur li g˙all-qarrejja ©ejjin snin interessanti quddiemna, kemm jekk noqog˙du fl-Istati Uniti u kemm jekk le. Nispera biss li ma nin˙arqux ilkoll (jew ng˙erqu fil-ba˙ar tiela')! Referenzi 1. http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/us-elections/donald-trump-electoral-college-twitter-disaster-democracy-comments-uselection-2016-a7408836.html, retrieved 16/11/2016

Tuesday November 22, 2016

Il-MuΩew ta’ Wignacourt – post mimli storja u teΩori

The Voice of the Maltese 11 L-istatwa ta’ San Pawl fil-Grotta ddedikata lilu parti mill-MuΩew ta’ Wignacourt

an l-a˙˙ar ©iet f’idejja pubblikazzjoni bl-IngliΩ bl-isem ‘The Wignacourt Museum’ li turi kemm il-MuΩew Wignacourt li jinsab ir-Rabat hu ta’ livell g˙oli. B’tag˙rif preçiΩ u konçiΩ im˙allat ma’ g˙add sabi˙ ta’ ritratti professjonali, il-pubblikazzjoni ta’ 105 pa©ni u 79 ritratt bil-kulur b’qoxra li turi l-istatwa ta’ San Pawl flir˙am, tittratta t-teΩori kbar li hemm mi©burin f’dan il-post. Il-ktejjeb jifta˙ b’kitba ta’ Mons. Ìwann Azzopardi, il-Kuratur talMuΩew li jsellem l-Ordni ta’ San Ìwann g˙all-im˙abba kbira li kellha lejn il-Grotta li tfisser il-bidu tal-KristjaneΩmu fil-GΩejjer Maltin, ilmi©ja ta’ San Pawl fostna. Fl-ewwel pa©ni hemm introduzzjoni konçiΩa dwar x’fih il-Kumpless Wignacourt li jinsab biswit il-Grotta ta’ San Pawl u l-Knisja tal-Parroçça ddedikata lil San Pawl, u li ji©bor fih il-Grotta, kif ukoll il-katakombi u ©abra ta’ xelters tat-Tieni Gwerra Dinjija. Il- MuΩew Wignacourt hu mag˙ruf ukoll b˙ala l-Kulle©© min˙abba li kien ir-residenza u l-kunvent fejn kienu jg˙ixu l-kappillani tal-Ordni li setg˙u jg˙addu g˙all-Grotta mag˙quda mal-kunvent minn passa©© ta˙t l-art. Hawn ma tonqosx l-istorja ta’ dan il-palazz barokk u millisba˙.

M’g˙andux jonqos lentratura tal-Kulle©© b’xog˙ol sabi˙ tad-diversi arkati fuq ix-xellug li jag˙tu g˙ad-dawl Il-Grotta ta’ San Pawl tal-©nien, bi sfond f’tarf il-kuridur l-istatwa anWara l-introduzzjoni tika ta’ San Pawl fll-ktejjeb janalizza d-diir˙am li qabel kien versi partijiet tal-MuΩmal-faççata tal-Knisja ew. Jibda bil-Grotta u ta’ San Pawl. F’dan ilPeterPaulCiantar jissemmew g˙add ta’ kuritur hemm ukoll pellegrina©©i u personkamra li ti©bor fiha dialitajiet kbar li Ωaruha, fosthom iΩ-Ωew© Papiet (San Ìwanni versi xog˙lijiet tal-iskultur Rabti Anton Agius. Pawlu ll, u l-Papa Emeritus Benedittu 16) li ˙addnu l-istatwa Il-ktejjeb jispjega wkoll is-sular ta’ fuq tal-MuΩew Wignacourt ta’ San Pawl mog˙tija mill-Gran Mastru Manuel Pinto de Fon- fejn hemm id-dar tar-Rettur u diversi xog˙lijiet kbar tal-arti, seca. Hemm ukoll ritratti mill-isba˙, fosthom l-altar ta’ San fosthom pitturi mill-isba˙ ta’ diversi perijodi minn artisti kbar Pawl li wie˙ed isib f’din il-grotta li fiha l-qaddis Patrun ta’ fosthom Preti, Stefano Erardi u Favray, il-kappella privata u lMalta g˙ex g˙al tliet xhur. medaljun ta’ Alessandro Algardi li juri qtug˙ ir-ras ta’ San Wara niltaqg˙u mas-Santwarju ta’ San Publiju (fuq il-Grotta) Pawl (tard fis-seklu 17). Interessanti ˙afna wkoll il-mapep, xog˙ol tal-fu˙˙ar u muniti b’tag˙rif dwar din il-knisja tal-Ordni u ritratt tat-titular… wie˙ed mill-isba˙ ta’ Preti bis-Salib tat-tmien ponot (il-Salib li ˙afna minnhom ©ew mog˙tija lill-muΩew min-Nutar tal-Kavallieri) fuq sider il-Madonna t˙addan it-tarbija Ìesù Francesco Catania li kien benefattur kemm tal-Knisja ta’ San Pawl kif ukoll tal-muΩew. mag˙ha. Hemm is-sala tal-Ordni fejn il-Kavallieri kienu jiltaqg˙u biex Tag˙rif ukoll dwar il-katakombi (jew a˙jar il-post tad-dfin) ta’ ta˙t il-MuΩew li tid˙ol g˙alihom mill-entratura. Dawn jid- jiddiskutu diversi ˙ti©ijiet tal-Ordni, u wkoll il-kamra li fiha dominaw din il-parti tar-Rabat u je˙duk lura sa tliet sekli qabel paramenti sagri antiki u mill-isba˙, xog˙ol fuq il-fidda, kif Kristu. Fil-ktieb, ir-ritratti mill-isba˙ me˙uda minn angoli in- ukoll l-Altar tar-RepoΩizzjoni li dari kien jintrama fil-Grotta. Tag˙rif u ritratti tar-relikwi u fuq kollox tal-altar li jien insesoliti jΩidu mal-interess. jja˙lu speçjali u storiku Xellug: U˙ud mill-esebiti fil-MuΩew jΩidu jΩejnu lktejjeb. Dan ta’ Wignacourt. Ta˙t: l-entratura hu l-uniku altar li fadal g˙all-katakombi fl-Ewropa li kien jin©arr fuq ix-xwieni tal-Ordni waqt il-©lied biex fuqu jsir il-quddiesa. L-altar tax-xwieni jg˙aqqad din il-wirja presti©juΩa filMuΩew Wignacourt. Nissu©©erixxi lill-qarrejja li tinteressahom l-istorja ta’ Malta, partikolarment dawk li jg˙ixu barra l-pajjiΩ, li jiksbu kopja ta’ dan il-ktejjeb mag˙mul b’mod professjonali. Fih minjiera ta’ tag˙rif li kull Malti li jinteressa ru˙u f’art twelidu g˙andu jkollu.

12 The Voice of the Maltese

Tuesday November 22, 2016

Roundup of News About Malta

Muscat-Medvedev discuss investment cooperation P

ledging to take business ties between Malta and Russia to a new level, Maltese Prime Minister Joseph Muscat started to implement his promise during a meeting with Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev in Moscow where the two sides discussed investment cooperation as well as cooperation in the spheres of culture and education. During Muscat’s visit to Moscow, a deal was signed between the Domain Academy – a Maltese private educational centre - and the National Research University, as a result of which, as of 2018, 300 Russian students would be coming to study in Malta. In a statement, the government said that the Russia university had spent months searching for a European country in which to offer higher-level courses, and ultimately chose Malta because it is a stable country and a “centre of excellence in the educational sector”. The historic meeting between the two Prime Ministers of the two countries, the first since 1992 follows Muscat’s pledge at a Malta-Russia business forum to seek closer business ties between the two countries, arguing that they “have a lot to offer each other” He said that the mere fact that the business forum was being held was proof that the two sides want to strengthen their bilateral commercial relations. Meanwhile, the talks in Russia also allowed for the strengthening of relations and prospects of developing bilateral relations, between Malta and Russia in particular cooperation in the trade-and-economic and investment spheres of tourism, culture and

Prime Ministers Joseph Muscat (left) and Dmitry Medvedev watchs on Louis Grech and a Russian official sign one of the bilateral agreements

According to the Russian governmental press service, Russian-Maltese traditionally friendly relations have been going on for over 300 years, and next year the 50th anniversary of establishing diplomatic relations between the two countries education. Bilateral agreements in these will be celebrated. sectors were also signed. Issues treated during the meeting also inNoting that it is a Eurozone country and cluded ways to expand inter-departmental part of the EU single market, and that a new contacts and humanitarian cooperation. logistics centre is in the pipeline, the MalConsidering Malta’s preparations for tese Prime Minister called on Russian busi- chairing the Council of the European Union ness people to invest in Malta. in the first half of 2017, the two PMs discussed the current conflicts in Syria and Libya and other pressing international issues, first of all Russia’s relations with EU. The Russian media reported that the two sides also exchanged views on prospects for overcoming negative factors in bilateral Profs. Oliver Friggieri, Maltese poet, novelist, tal-Malti’s gold medal for his contribution in the cooperation in different spheres, literary critic, and author of innumerable books dissemination of the Maltese language. including decreasing trade Making the presentation of the Ìie˙ l- turnover caused by EU’s sanchas become the first recipient of the Akkademja Akkademja at the Palace in Valletta, President tions imposed on Moscow. In of Malta, Marie-Louise Coleiro Preca said she 2015, the volume of trade was most satisfied with this new initiative and turnover fell by 18% to $2.5 bilfelt honoured to be presenting the medal to a lion. person who has distinguished himself in this Tass News Agency said that dissector. Friggieri deserved the award for his con- cussions also touched on projects tribution to the Maltese language, she said, in energy, agriculture and hotel adding that the award would be an inspiration business that could considerably to other award recipients in the coming years. strengthen economic and investAddressing the gathering after receiving the ment ties between the two counmedal, Profs Friggieri encouraged unity among tries. the Maltese people, and thanked the President Joseph Muscat was accompafor the work she is doing in this area. Friggieri, 69, has published many of his works nied by Deputy PM Louis Grech, that included novels, poems and over literary and Foreign Minister George works that have been translated in various lan- Vella, and a trade delegation that also held discussions with its guages. Russian counterpart.

300 Russians to come study in Malta 2018

Oliver Friggieri awarded medal for his contribution to the Maltese language

The Voice of the Maltese 13

Tuesday November 22, 2016

Roundup of News About Malta

Malta aims to 'restore faith' in EU

- European Commission chief says Malta ‘a small country but with great ambitions’

he Maltese cabinet was in Brussels last week for meetings with EU institutions to work on agenda for Malta's upcoming Presidency of the European Council during the first half of 2017 with the aim of ensuring the long term sustainability of the bloc and restoring faith in the European project, government officials have said. Malta may be the EU’s smallest member state but European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker is convinced that the Maltese presidency of the European Council will be a success. He believes Malta was prepared in the best way possible to take over the presidency: “Malta is a serious country Malta's Prime Minister Joseph Muscat (L) is and down to earth; a small country welcomed by European Council President Donbut with great ambitions,” he said. ald Tusk (R) prior to their meeting in Brussels He said he was convinced that Malta’s presidency would be a successful policy to youth unemployment. He said six months because Malta would not be that for its first EI presidency since joining putting domestic concerns at the top of its the EU, Malta will have “no delusion of agenda. He said that he did not hope for grandeur with respect to the presidency, and would be focusing on getting things results but expected them. Meanwhile, Prime minister Joseph Mus- done and making sure that Europe procat told journalists in Brussels that Malta gresses on the issues that matter. Malta has set six priorities: migration, sewas a "natural bridge builder" and would "make sure that Europe truly progresses curity, single market, social inclusion, neighbourhood policy, and a final one of on things that matter". He discussed with Juncker a number of particular concern to the island, the marissues that the presidency would be facing, itime sector. Referring to the Brexit vote in June and from migration to defence and external

the recent election of Donald Trump in the US, Muscat said that the lesson to draw was that “a great deal of energy must be put not only on listening to people but also acting on people's concerns”. Muscat told journalists that the EU needed to “understand better legitimate concerns from our colleagues in the eastern euro side”, and that he would “try to come up with workable solutions”. On his part, Malta's parliamentary secretary for the EU presidency Ian Borg set out the main lines, saying that the focus would be on “legitimate concerns and expectations of Europeans citizens”, and that Malta would be “careful to avoid unnecessary tensions and not to create suspicion”. “It would be folly to think a complete redesign of Europe is on the cards,” he said at a conference organised by the European Policy Centre think-tank. He said the EU needed the “courage to review and reform when we need to do so, and to remove or improve stagnant concepts and thinking”. But he added that opening up treaties “would divert precious resources”. He added that Malta would give priority to addressing the EU migration crisis. “People are demanding action, we cannot afford a complacent EU,” Borg said.

Most IIP citizens opt for property in Sliema, St Julian’s Security, stability in the Mediterranean he most popular locations with foreigners June 2016, 95 are either in Sliema or St JuT seeking to purchase or lease property as per lian’s. Twelve properties were purchased in requirements by the Individual Investor Pro- Sliema and nine in St Julian’s, while 46 leases a priority for Malta gramme (IIP) to acquire Maltese citizenship are were made in Sliema and 28 in St Julian’s. t the end of Sliema and St Julian’s, with 20% purchasing The value of the 27 properties – that also inand 80% of the applicants opted to lease prop- cluded two in Valletta, and one each in Mel- Aan EU Couerty. lieha, Swieqi, Ta’ Xbiex and Sannat in Gozo - ncil meeting for A report by the IIP Regulator, tabled in parliament by the Justice Minister Owen Bonnici indicated that out of the 134 properties purchased or leased in the 11 months between July 25 and-

Ryanair 10 years in Malta - from 2 to 42 destinations elebrating ten years of service in Malta, C Ryanair’s chief commercial officer David O’Brien said the airline the low-cost

carrier that started with just two routes in 2006, and now flies to 42 destinations and makes 140 flights a week is planning to carry over two million passengers next year. It has also decided that as of next year, it is to place a new aircraft – the fourth - in its Malta base, which means an investment of another €100 million on the island.

that amounted to over €28 million, averaged €1.05 million. The other property leased to foreigners was, five in Swieqi, four each in Mellie˙a, St Paul’s Bay, and Marsalforn (Gozo), two each in Ibra©, San Gwann and Xemxija, and one each in Attard, Ba˙ar ic-Cag˙aq, GΩira, Madliena, Mqabba, Naxxar, Ta’ Xbiex and Ûabbar. In the case of leased property, the rental value for the duration of the five-year contract is projected to be over €13 million, averaging €125,346.14 per contract, the Regulator said. In the period under review, the regulator approved a total of 241 applications for Maltese citizenship, while 52 were rejected. On average, the number of applications received per month ranged between 34 and 44. The number of dependants amounted to 1,186 – on average, each application contained one main applicant and three dependants.

Ministers of Defence in Brussels Minister for Home Affairs and National Security, Carmelo Abela reaffirmed Malta’s political commitment to security and stability in the Mediterranean and the EU’s Southern Neighbourhood. The meeting discussed the state of play of EU civilian and military security operations in the Central Mediterranean. He added that Malta’s leading commitment to security and stability in the Mediterranean and the EU’s Southern Neighbourhood would be a priority at the upcoming Maltese Presidency of the Council of the EU.

14 The Voice of the Maltese

Tuesday November 22, 2016

St˙arri© u tbassir L

-elezzjoni fl-Istati Uniti tal-Amerka u dik ta’ Brexit (ir-referendum dwar il-˙ru© tal-Ingilterra mill-Unjoni Ewrpeja) taw daqqa ta’ ˙arta lis-sistema ta’ st˙arri© ippublikati minn Ωmien g˙allie˙or fil-midja. Dan billi fiΩ-Ωew© kaΩi dak li kien imbassar ma se˙˙x, u fl-Istati Uniti reba˙ l-elezzjoni presidenzjali, Donald Trump minflok kif kien imbassar, Hillary Clinton, filwaqt li fl-Ingilterra tal-“Iva” reb˙u fuq tal-“Le”. IΩda dan ma’ qatax qalb dawk li jag˙mlu l-ist˙arri©, u l-ist˙arri© baqa’ jsir, u çert li se jibqa’ jsir. Fuq kollox hawn minn jaqla’ ˙obΩu ta’ kuljum minn dan. U f’Malta propju fl-istess ©img˙a kellna l-publikazzjoni ta’ Ωew© st˙arri© f’Ωew© gazzetti differenti. Dawn kienu, dik li sikwit ikollna - tal-Malta today u l-ie˙or talMalta Indipendent. It-tema ewlenija taΩ-Ωew© st˙arri© kienet direttament jew indirettament il-politika. G˙alkemm fil-kaΩ tal-Malta Independent dan kien aktar mifrux u ttratta diversi temi fosthom it-traffiku, il-korruzzjoni, l-ekonomija, l-impjiegi, eçç. Li hu interessanti li miΩ-ew© st˙arri© ˙are© li l-Prim Ministru attwali, Joseph Muscat g˙adu igawdi aktar appo©© millpoplu mill-Kap tal-OppoΩizzjoni Simon Busuttil; u li jekk issir elezzjoni llum ilPartit Laburista jer©a’ jirba˙ l-elezzjoni... Attwalment skont l-ist˙arri© tal-Maltatoday, Joseph Muscat qed jg˙addi lil Simon Busuttil b’seba’ punti, filwaqt li dak talIndipendent jag˙ti vanta©© akbar lill-Prim Ministru, ji©ifieri 40.9% lil Muscat u 31.2% lil Busuttil. Fejn tid˙ol l-elezzjoni, skont il-Malta

today is-sitwazzjoni qeg˙da hekk: Partit Laburista: 32.8%; Partit Nazzjonalista: 29.49%, ji©ifieri differenza ta’ 3.3% favur il-PL. Interessanti l-fatt li meta wie˙ed jg˙odd lil dawk li mhux deçiΩi u dawk li mhux se jivvutaw l-ammont jitla’ g˙al 33%. Ir-riΩultat skont il-Malta Independent huwa kif jidher hawn ta˙t:

Meta mbag˙ad il-Malta Indipendent ne˙˙iet lil dawk li “ma jafux lil min se jivvutaw” jew “mhux se jivvutaw” ir-riΩultat kien hekk: PL: 52%, PN: 44.3%, Alternattiva Demokratika: 2.7%; Partit Demokratiku: .5%

Temmen l-ist˙arri©? gur li ˙add ma jista’ jkun çert li rÛ riΩultat tal-ist˙arri© jirrifletti r-realta’. Infatti dawk stess li jag˙mlu l-ist˙arri© jg˙idu li dan jista’ jvarja b’4% ‘l hawn jew ‘l hemm. Biss wie˙ed ja˙bat jemmen lil dawn l-ist˙arri© g˙ax ir-riΩultat li jo˙ro© minnhom huwa tassew qrib. Id-differenza bejn il-partiti fiΩΩew© st˙arri© hija ta’ madwar 3.3%, filwaqt li dawk li “ma jivvutawx” jew mhux deçiΩi huwa ta’ 30.18%, filkaΩ li tal-Malta Independent u ta’ 33% g˙all-Malta today. Bla dubju ta’ xejn jekk irriΩultat tal-elezzjoni jkun hekk, ikun ifisser li filwaqt li l-Partit Laburista se jkun tilef xi 25,000 vot, dawn ma jkunux marru fuq ilPartit Nazzjonalista. Jista’ jkun li jmorru jew fuq dawk li mhux se jivvutaw, inkella dawk li mhumiex deçiΩi, jew fuq ilPartit Demokratiku ta’ Marlene Farrugia, g˙ax attwalment il-Partit Nazzjonalista, bejn wie˙ed u ie˙or baqa’ fejn kien.

if stqarr il-Kap tal-OppoΩizIżda... Kzjoni, Simon Busuttil, dak li se˙˙ fl-elezzjoni presidenzjali tal-Istati Uniti u firReferendum ta’ Brexit, jista’ façilment ji©ri f’Malta. U hawn g˙andu mitt ra©un.. g˙ax kollox jista’ ji©ri, g˙alkemm mhux kul˙add jammetti dan.

Il-Mexxejja politiçi: fl-ist˙arri© llum, meta qeg˙din f’era fejn il-mexxejja tal-Partit jinImenta fluwenzaw sewwa lill-votanti, wie˙ed ta’ min jikkuftit dwar x’˙are© mill-ist˙arri©.

Kif g˙idna l-mexxej tal-Partit Laburista, Joseph Muscat, baqa’ fuq quddiem b’seba’ punti, iΩda fl-istess ˙in naqqas mill-popolarita’ meta mqabbel ma ftit wara l-elezzjoni... sa˙ansitra naqas sew fost dawk li qalu li huma Laburisti. Allura tg˙iduli kif id-differenza bejn iΩ-Ωew© mexxejja baqg˙et daqshekk sinifikanti? Ir-ra©uni hi sempliçi: ˙afna minn dawk li ma baqg˙ux jappo©©jaw lil Muscat, m’g˙addewx il-fiduçja tag˙hom f’Simon Busuttil, iΩda qed jg˙idu li tilfu l-fiduçja fiΩ-Ωew© mexxejja. Allura minkejja t-telf li ©arrab Muscat, Busuttil mhux talli ma ggwadanjax talli wkoll mar ftit lura. Dan iwassal g˙al çerti kummenti minn dawk li jkunu pronti jikkummentaw dwar l-ist˙arri©. Kif jg˙id l-Editorjal tal-Malta Independent ( 17.11.2016): “pundits ran to the comments board pointing fingers at Simon Busuttil. Some took the opportunity to stone his skill and credibility sowing doubt in his ability to lead his party to victory

while others simmered in disbelief as they saw their leader shrink in popularity when they expected him to shoot through the roof following a string of scandals Joseph Muscat u Simon Busuttil from the Labour camp. Cheap political analysts that flock together on social media nowadays immediately offered their free advice. The leader of the PN should call it a day and make way for someone with better charisma, they lectured.” Sintendi dawn huma l-kummenti ta’ dawk li malli tidher storja jaraw x’jiktbu. Imma dawn il-kummenti wie˙ed ma jistax jarmihom g˙al kollox meta tqis li ftit kien hemm min ikkummenta dwar il-fatt li anke Muscat mar lura. Intemm ng˙id li fil-fehma tieg˙i dan huwa biss st˙arri©, li fuq kollox mhux bilfors jirrifletti r-rejalta’...

The Voice of the Maltese 15

Tuesday November 22, 2016

Il-korruzzjoni versus Ekonomija b’sa˙˙ita?!?!? K

emm effetwat lil dan ir-riΩultat il-kampanja qawwija, minna˙a tal-Partit Nazzjonalista flimkien ma’ parti sostanzjali talmidja, dwar il-korruzzjoni? Skont l-ist˙arri© tal-Indipendent, meta r-rispondenti ©ew mistoqsija dwar dak li l-aktar jinkwetawhom, dawn po©-©ew fuq quddiem il-koruzzjoni (19.4%) u wara l-iskandlu talPanama (11.4%) – b’kollox aktar minn 30%. Mela m’hemmx dubju li din il-kampanja kellha effett. IΩda mbag˙ad meta’ l-istess nies ©ew mistoqsija jekk hemmx xi ˙a©a li tinkwetahom – mistoqsija differenti minn ta’ qabilha billi did-darba ma kellhomx lista x’jimmarkaw, u allura kellhom l-g˙aΩla li jg˙idu li ma kien hemm xejn x’jinkwetahom, ˙are© dan ir-riΩultat: (Eara stampa xellug) Dan juri li l-ma©©oranza ta’ dawk li wie©bu qed jg˙idu li g˙alihom il-pajjiΩ mixi sew. Sa˙ansitra kien hemm aktar li huma m˙assba dwar is-sitwazzjoni tat-traffiku milli mill-koruzzjoni. Il-Panama Papers lanqas biss jissemmew. Wie˙ed ma jistg˙a©ibx b’dan ir-riΩultat meta jqis is-sitwazzjoni ekonomika b’sa˙˙ita u li qed tikber b’rata qawwija aktar minn kull ta’ pajjiΩ ie˙or fl-Unjoni Ewropeja, l-g˙add ta’ mpjiegi dejjem jikber, tant li l-g˙add

Malta u l-ajruplani tal-ba˙ar

ost l-oqsma li fihom Malta qed F teççella, hemm is-settur tal-avjazzjoni u jidher li hemm prospetti sbie˙ g˙al din l-industrija. Dan deher waqt il-˙ames edizzjoni tal-hekk mag˙rufa b˙ala l-BOV Aviation Outlook li fiha, b˙al dejjem, ˙adu sehem fiha dawk li g˙andhom x’jaqsmu dirett mal-avjazzjoni. Fil-preΩenza tal-Ministru tat-TuriΩma Edward Zammit Lewis li wkoll indirizza l-konferenza, intqal li fl-a˙˙ar snin Malta rat Ωieda fl-industrija tal-avjazzjoni tant li

ta’ dawk qeg˙da qatt ma kien baxx daqs f’dawn iΩ-Ωminijiet... fil-qosor donnu li fil-pajjiΩ hawn dak li jissejja˙ il-‘feel good factor”. U x’aktarx li huwa propju dan li qed iwassal biex il-Partit Laburista g˙adu fuq quddiem fit-ti©rija politika. Maltin li qed ji©u kkurati

Il-Georgia tirba˙ il-JESC

ara ©img˙a f’Malta fejn ©ew W imdawra ma’ g˙add ta’

postijiet storiçi u o˙rajn interessanti, it-tfal minn 17-il-pajjiΩ, 16 mill-Ewropa u l-Awstralja wrew it-talent tag˙hom fil-lejla finali tal-European Junior Song Contest (JESC) fis-Sala tal-Mediterran g˙all-Konferenzi fil-kapitali Maltija bil-kantanta ta’ 10 snin mill-Georgia, Mariam Mamadashvili (fuq) tirba˙ l-edizzjoni b’239 punt, b’Mzeo Il-©urija esperta wriet is-sodisfazzjon tag˙ha g˙at-talent offut, tant li punt poΩittiv li ˙are© kien dak li ntqal minn wie˙ed minnhom, ji©ifieri li l-g˙aΩla finali kienet diffiçli minhabba l-wirjiet tat-tfal kantanti. It-tieni post kisbitu l-Armenja b’232 punt. Segwit l-Italja b’209. L-Awstralja li tat log˙la punte©©, 12, lil Malta, spiççat il-˙ames b’202 punt, 11 aktar mill-kantanta Maltija Christina Magrin li kisbet is-sitt post. Il-votazzjoni saret minn tliet sezzjonijiet, tfal, adulti u esperti li kollha po©©ew lil Georgia fuq quddiem. Fit-tmiem Mariam riedet it-tir bil-fer˙ u tant kienet emozzjonata li lanqas fel˙et tkanta mill-©did. Fl-a˙˙ar irnexxielha u ©iet ippreΩentata bit-trofew mill-Maltija rebbie˙a s-sena l-o˙ra, Destiny.

qed tattira organizzazzjonijiet internazzjonali li jidhru lesti li jibdew joperaw minn Malta, fosthom dawk tal-manutenzjoni, ir-riçerka u l-iΩvilupp u wkoll ilproduzzjoni ta’ apparat g˙all-ajruplani. Fost kollox ˙afna ˙adu gost jisimg˙u li hemm cans li Malta ssir hub importanti g˙all-ajruplani tal-ba˙ar (sea planes), minn fejn kumpaniji jkun jistg˙u joperaw titjiriet lejn G˙awdex, imma wkoll aktar ‘l bog˙od, lejn gΩejjer u pajjiΩi ©irien. Din il-˙idma tista’ Guaranteed cheapest rates sse˙˙ grazzi g˙all-esperjenza All vehicles in NRMA road Service li d-direttorat Low holding Deposit tal-Avjazzjoni Çivili f’Malta Discount for weekly rentals kiseb dwar kif Shuttle service to the Airport jista’ jit˙addem dan is-servizz. Phone: 9622 2208 Mob: 0418 405 271

Leo’s Rentals Vehicle Rentals Leo’s Vehicle

(Aktar tag˙rif fil˙ar©a li jmiss)

102 Kildare Rd Blacktown NSW 2148

16 The Voice of the Maltese

Tuesday November 22, 2016

A quick glimpse at Australia

Sad moment for democracy

Demonstrators in Sydney this month calling for increased acceptance of refugees.

slim majority of Australian Senators A voted against the opportunity for the people to have their say on changing the

Refugee deal with US depends on Trump

he United States and Australia have agreed to a one-off refugee resettlement deal for people on Manus Island and Nauru, however, American immigration expert Niels Frenzen has warned that Donald Trump is likely to tear up Australia’s refugee resettlement deal with the United States unless the US gets something significant in return. Speaking in Canberra alongside Immigration Minister Peter Dutton, Mr Turnbull said the deal would only apply to those currently on Nauru and Manus Island and not to any new asylum seeker boat arrivals. Authorities hope to begin moving people to the United States by early next year. The long-awaited breakthrough will see the 1800 detainees encouraged to return home, seek resettlement in the US or face an indefinite stay in the Nauruan community. Those who do not accept the resettlement deal with the US are set to be sent to Nauru and provided a 20-year visa to stay on the island or return to their country of origin. Australia will, in turn, accept refugees from a processing centre in Costa Rica.

The deal was finalised with the Obama administration. There are some doubts about this deal being accepted by the incoming Trump administration The Federal Government has been talking with the United States, Canada, Malaysia and New Zealand about resettling refugees from Manus Island and Nauru. In a statement, the United Nations Refugee Agency (UNHCR) welcomed the agreement but said it was not a party to it. The organisation added that it remained "gravely concerned" about the fate of all vulnerable individuals in Papua New Guinea and Nauru. "Appropriate solutions must be found for all of them," it said.

Marriage Act. Sophie York, spokeswoman for Marriage Alliance said the vote was a sad moment for democracy and only underlined the threats to freedom of speech and other consequences that would come as result of any change to the law. “We have been warning now for some time that changing the Marriage Act would have consequences,” said Ms. York. “These consequences include attacks on freedom of speech and the continued radical changes to sex education in our schools”. “The Senators who voted ‘no’ have sent a very clear message on free speech to the Australian community - you are not entitled to have a say; you cannot be trusted to have a say. How as a country have we arrived a point where we are not able to have a debate about what is currently the law in this country and many others? “The plebiscite may have been lost in the Senate, but the debate continues. The loss of gender from our birth certificates, attacks on freedom of speech, the introduction of even more radical sex education via the Safe Schools program - these are among the consequences of changing the Marriage Act” said Ms. York “Marriage Alliance and our tens of thousands of supporters around the country will continue to engage with the community on these important issues.”

The meaning of Remembrance Day

riday November 11, marked the 98th Anniversary of the Armistice and is F known as Remembrance Day. On Monday November 11, 1918 at 11 am the guns of the Western Front fell silent after more than four years of continuous warfare. A minute of silence is dedicated to the deceased, especially for soldiers who died

fighting to protect the nation. Remembrance Day originally called Armistice Day is not a public holiday in Australia. On November 11 each year many Australians stop what they are doing at exactly 11 am in their local times to dedicate a minute of silence for those who died in the war, especially soldiers during World War I. Many people wear artificial poppies on the day, and key political figures make speeches in remembrance of the nation’s fallen heroes. Services are held at 11 am in Canberra and at other war memorials in suburbs and towns across the country, at which the “Last Post” is played by a bugler and a one-minute silence is observed. Remembrance Day has been partly eclipsed by ANZAC Day as the national day of war commemoration. On the first anniversary of the armistice, in 1919, one minute's silence was instituted as part of the main commemorative ceremony. After the end of World War II in 1945, the Australian and British governments changed the name to Remembrance Day as an appropriate title for a day that would commemorate all war dead.

The Voice of the Maltese 17

Tuesday November 22, 2016

A quick glimpse at Australia

The issue of dual citizenship Seeking asylum

ormer PM, Tony Abbott's eligibility to be in parliament could come under the spotlight if the Australian Senate supports a review sought F by independent senator Derryn Hinch who said: “I foreshadow I will lodge a notice of motion that there should be a review of all senators' and members' eligibility based on their citizenship at the time they were elected this year and in previous elections,” Senator Hinch said. Although he did not specifically mention Mr. Abbott by name, the Victorian senator wrote an article on his blog in August questioning the former prime minister's eligibility. Mr. Abbott was born in England, held a British passport as a university student and has held an Australian passport since 1981. When the issue came up two years ago, Mr. Abbott's office issued a statement saying: “The prime minister is an Australian citizen and does not hold citizenship of any other country.” However, Senator Hinch said Mr. Abbott should produce a dated copy of his British citizenship revocation, which would confirm whether it was revoked before his election as an MP in 1994. The issue of dual citizenship has claimed the seats of several members of parliament, including former One Nation Senator Heather Hill, Liberal MP Jackie Kelly, and Nuclear Disarmament Party Senator Robert Wood. It was also debated in NSW parliament in the case of Hon John Aquilina who was born in Malta and therefore was a citizen of that country as well. Members of Parliament cannot hold citizenship of another country.

Working Holiday visa he Australian Government is considering options to extend the Australian T Working Holiday visa - including reducing the cost by $50 starting January 2017. It will go down from $440 to $390. The visa will be available for people aged 19 to 35, extending the age limit from 30 to 35. People from various countries such as France, Canada and Belgium are eligible. It will also become possible to work for an employer for up to a year, instead of only six months, as long as you're not working in the same location for more than six months. But it's not all good news. Last month the government announced it would amend the controversial 32.5% backpacker tax announced earlier this year. The new bill asks for backpackers to be taxed at a 19% rate, from the first dollar. The government will also start taxing backpackers' superannuation at a rate of 95% when they leave the country. The Department of Immigration and Border Protection says the visa timeframes, legislative requirements and engagements with partner countries are being considered and the current eligible age (18 to 30 years) will remain in place for the time being.

is not illegal

n a statement published in the CN Cath News, Bishop Vincent Long OFM Con: Australian Catholic Bishop delegate for Refugees said: “The announcement by Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull and Minister for Immigration Peter Dutton that the government will introduce proposed legislation banning those who have arrived in Australia by boat from July 2013 onwards from ever being able to apply for a visa to Australia is deeply disappointing. “Seeking asylum even by boat is not illegal. It is a basic human right. Not content with demeaning them, the Australian government now want to introduce laws that will ban them from ever coming here. “The motives for these measures, in light of the current situation on Manus Island and Nauru, and in light of the bigger challenges facing Australia, are questionable at best Bishop Vincent Long and sinister at

worst. Domestic advocates and international agencies have been appalled by the conditions under which asylum-seekers live and the effects on their health, spirits, and self-respect. “To single out and punish further a small number of people who came by boat, even if they are found to meet the refugee definition is deliberately cruel and unAustralian. “It betrays the tradition, status, and character of the country that we are proud of – a richly resourced country with a big heart for migrants and refugees. “I urge all Australians to reject these cruel and unnecessary measures. We must find a more just, humane and effective way of dealing with the complex issues of seeking asylum and refugee protection. Inflicting more pain and harm to a small group of people who have caused us no harm is not worthy of all fair dinkum Australians. “I appeal to all political leaders to resist this latest mean-spirited move against asylum-seekers and to reclaim the reputation of a decent, humane, and generous country; it is the kind of country that refugees like myself are indebted to and proud to call home.”

18 The Voice of the Maltese

Tuesday November 22, 2016

The Future of Maltese Folksong (Part 1)

Manuel Casha and his book (inset) Maltese Traditional Music of G˙ana and Prejjem'

Profs MauriceCauchi

or the vast majority of us, Maltese folk-singing (G˙ana) is at best a closed book, a genre that we cannot understand. At worst it is a monotonous wail practiced in backward villages in the past, and soon to disappear. In past centuries in Malta, Manuel Casha reflects, ‘G˙ana was an expression of the common people (ilpopolin). It was the voice of the working classes and the peasant communities. G˙ana was the voice and the expression of the illiterate masses and their way of protesting in their own vernacular. Most importantly, G˙ana has always served to reflect the period in time in which it was sung’. He compares the practice of G˙ana in Malta with that of the medieval minstrel singing about the events of his time. Ghana has been used to draw attention to issues varying from petty squabbles to religious-political situation that had evolved at various times in Malta. It has really never been the subject of serious discussion and analysis at an academic level. It is therefore refreshing to see this publication by Manuel Casha that invites us to have a new and unprejudiced look at what G˙ana really stands for. He himself states that he started to write this book ‘with the intention of understanding the techniques, ethics, traditions and customs of this music and the community that engages in it, as an outsider looking in’, and he invites us to do likewise. It is not often that a book dedicated to Maltese folk singing (G˙ana) comes to hand, and for this we have to thank Manuel Casha who has strived hard for decades to ensure that this unique form of self-expression is not lost forever. As he says in his introduction, ‘the soul and psyche of a nation are often embodied in its folkloric past’. This type of folk singing was limited

The first of a three-part series to a certain aficionados, and was frowned upon by the educated elite. It is not surprising therefore that it was foreigners who published what is arguably the best collection of Maltese folksong (by Bertha Ilg and Hans Stumme in Germany) over a century ago. It has been stated that singing preceded speech in the development of human interaction. It is certainly likely that G˙ana was the first attempts at Maltese literature and versification. In this book Casha explains the background of this art form, and how it has filled a niche within the lifestyle of those who, while not usually over-educated, can yet express themselves so eloquently in song. One good definition of G˙ana could well be: Working class men enjoying themselves in song. This emphasises the origin of the singing, highlighting the fact the it was originally invented by unschooled and illiterate but highly intelligent men who needed a poetic outlet to express their feelings and to entertain their friends. There is nothing unique about this development. All people around the world have the same needs to develop their own style of expressing them. The author compares Maltese G˙ana as a musical form similar to Blues music in America, Flamenco in Spain, and Rebitika in Greece or Fado in Portugal, all of which form part of a global musical heritage. He goes so far as to predict that ‘once G˙ana music is discovered univer-

sally, outside of the Maltese archipelago, it will contribute a great deal in telling the story of the contemporary development of Mediterranean music, as we know it today’. With the massive wave of migration that took place in the immediate post-war period many folksingers left Malta to settle in places like Australia and elsewhere. They brought with them their guitars as well as their love of G˙ana, which they enjoyed to display, to entertain their friends, in their homes, or even garages, to remind themselves of the Malta they had left behind and still hankered for. By the mid 20th century thousands of Maltese emigrated to other countries in search of a better life, carrying with them their musical heritage in the countries of their settlement. It is Interesting to note how G˙ana in Australia might have diverged from that in Malta. Over the past half-century, Malta has had a very close contact with the outside world, and this has had a dramatic effect on the language spoken in towns and villages alike. On the other hand in Australia, Maltese language has been put in deep freeze, and has retained the characteristics and dialects that were standard in Malta more than half a century ago. It is refreshing to hear young children using their limited Maltese vocabulary expressed in unmistakable dialect derived from the village or town where their parents came from, and where such dialects have all but disappeared. Continued in the next issue

Tuesday November 22, 2016

The Voice of the Maltese 19

Mort niltaqa’ ma’ San Mikiel

ont ilni ntella’ u nniΩΩel jekk is-sajf li g˙adda nitbieg˙dx, imqar g˙al ftit jiem, minn dil-©awhra f’nofs ilMediterran biex inserra˙ ftit il-menti mill-istorbju u l-monotonija tal-˙ajja. Imma da˙˙altha f’rasi li nitlaq. Fejn? Sqallija. Mela fil-bidu tal-2015 mir-ra˙al (?) ta’ Sant’Angelo di Brolo, provinçja ta’ Messina, ˙are© avviΩ ta’ konkors talpoeΩija kemm bit-Taljan kif ukoll bl-Esu semmewh: “Poesia da tutti i KarmenuMallia peranto cieli/Poezio el ĉiuj ĉieloj.”(bit-Taljan u blKarmenu Mallia (xellug) jirçevi l-premju ming˙and Esperanto). U g˙ala dat-titlu biΩ-Ωew© lingwi? G˙ax is-sena ta’ is-sindku ta’ Sant’Angelo di Brolo, Basilio Caruso qabel il-Comune ta’ Sant’Angelo di Brolo semmewh: “Città dell’Esperanto”. Imma ˙ej it-triqat hug˙amluli bit-Taljan, semmejtilhom Fil-qosor, fettilli nid˙ol g˙al dal-kon- ma mserrpin ta˙t xulxin u biex tg˙addi poeΩija li kont tg˙allimt bit-Taljan kors b’poeΩija bl-Esperanto u semme- minn-hom trid bilfors ikollok karozza, meta kelli g˙axar snin u li tibda biljtha: “Balado pri Poeto”(Ballata fuq inkella jekk tinΩilha bil-mixi ma tit- kliem: “Bella Italia, amata sponda” Poeta) u bit-terza rima b’kollox jekk lag˙hiex Ωgur. Post sabi˙ imma (Italja sabi˙a, xatta ta’ m˙abba), jog˙©bok. Mill-poeΩiji kollha li da˙lu stramb. f’qalbi splodiet il-kelma Malta flok Issa fejn jid˙ol San Mikiel hawn? Italia u qalbi g˙ajtet: “Bella Malta g˙all-konkors, kemm bit-Taljan kif ukoll bl-Esperanto, tieg˙i ©iet l-ewwel. G˙ax dar-ra˙al hu ddedikat lil dan l- amata sponda”. Tant ˙adu gost bijja Dal-konkors isir ta˙t l-awspiçi tal- Arkan©lu u biex jonorawh sa anke or- sa stednuni nkun fost il-©urija talmuΩew tal-arti u konkors tal-poeΩiji li sar aktar kmieni Federazzjoni Taljana tal-Esperanto u ganizzawlu tal-Comune di Sant’Angelo di Brolo. semmewh: Museo dell’Angelo, post din is-sena. Hu mmexxi minn Giuseppe Campolo ˙elu g˙alkemm çkejken. Dan mhu xejn ©did g˙alija. L-ewwelBarra ma tara lil ˙add. Imma meta nett xbajt nid˙ol g˙al konkorsi ta’ li fil-konkors ma jimxix b’ismu imma b’isem bl-Esperanto: “Samideano” li ltqajna fis-sala g˙all-premjazzjoni, poeΩija kemm f’Malta kif ukoll barra hemmhekk ©ew. Sala artistika g˙all- u ©ieli rba˙t u wkoll ˙adt l-ewwel. tfisser wie˙ed tal-istess ideal. Óafna esperantisti jsej˙u ’l xulxin a˙˙ar g˙alkemm çkejkna. Imma l-aktar g˙ax mhix l-ewwel Laqg˙uni ferm u tg˙idx kemm ˙adt darba li kont fuq bord ta’ ©udikanti hekk, g˙ax huma tal-istess ˙sieb li lEsperanto hu lingwa li tista’ tiswa gost, mhux li rba˙t l-ewwel premju f’konkorsi ta’ poeΩija. ˙afna biex t˙affef it-toqol tal-lingwi u imma li isem Malta beda ji©ri minn L-a˙˙ar li kont (g˙amilt sitt snin) biex tintuΩa internazzjonalment. Dan fomm g˙al fomm. Ir-riΩultat ta’ dal- kien fil-bord ta’ ©udikanti tal-konkors kien l-ideal li g˙alih ˙olqu l-awtur konkors deher fuq kemm-il rivista fi internazjonali tal-poeΩija bl-Espertieg˙u, it-Tabib Ludvik Lazarus Za- Sqallija, u Malta kienet hemm ma’ anto li torganizza l-Universala Esismi. Kull meta lma˙t kopja ta’ dawn peranto-Asocio kull sena. menhof. Il-post Sant’Angelo di Brolo hu mill- ir-rivisti fuq l-internet, qalbi ˙abbtet X’irrid ng˙id? Li kif kont bsart, lil isba˙, biΩΩejjed ng˙id li hu mibni bil-fer˙ meta rajt isem pajjiΩi. G˙alija San Mikiel iltqajt mieg˙u sewwa. ’Il xxuxxat fuq Ωew© g˙oljiet quddiem dak a˙jar mill-premjijiet li tawni. wiççu ma rajtux, ix-xabla li g˙andu U meta sej˙uli fuq il-palk g˙all-pre- f’idu ma rajthiex, lix-xitan ta’ ta˙tu xulxin kollha si©ar u fin-nofs g˙addemju, u we©ibt g˙al xi mistoqsijiet li lanqas. Imma dellu rajtu, ˙assejtu jja x-xmara. fin-nies li ltqajt mag˙hom, nies d˙ulin b˙alna. Tel (02) 9622 7799 Mela dakinhar tal-premjazzjoni blacktown@breakresqet xwej˙a fuqi. Qaltli li fi Ωmienha awaytravel.com.au kienet g˙alliema Sant’Angelo di Brolo www.breakawaytravel.com.au u bla ma staqsejtha xejn qaltli minn A proud sponsor of The Voice of the Maltese ta˙t l-ilsien: “Dottore Mallia, io non Breakaway Travel 94 corner of Main & Campbell Streets, Blacktown NSW credo che San Michele esiste”. Wi©ibtha ...... for all your travel needs. biss: “In persona non, ma credo ch’egli website: www.breakawaytravel.com.au esiste sulle labbra degli abitanti di SanAnnounces: t’Angelo, no?” (materjalment le, imma Two Fund Raising Tours 2017 organised by fuq ix-xofftejn tan- nies tal-post iva, mhux hekk?) u tbissmitli fil-waqt li The Friends of Providence House NSW ˙aditli b’idi. Tour 1: 12-night cruise from Syd – NZ – SYD Lejla kulturali li tatni sodisfazzjon departing 1st February 2017. kbir u ferr˙itni. Imbag˙ad ji©i l-filosfu Schopenhauer u jg˙id-lek: “Human life Tour 2: 16-day Fly/Tour/Cruise. Departing 25th May 2017. must be some kind of a mistake.” Touring Venice, Florence, Rome with a Forsi qed titkellem g˙alik, sur filosfu. Mediterranean Cruise and tour finishing in Malta. G˙alija u g˙al min jaf kemm nies, dal-kliem ma jg˙oddx u ma jfisser For more information call Jim Borg on 96367767/0418825591 xejn. Kliem pessimist g˙all-a˙˙ar. Karen or Noel at Breakaway Travel on 9622 8899 Insomma, lil San Mi-kiel ˙assejtu jdur sew-wa ma’ djuli dakinhar, imma x-xitan ma ˙assejtux tafux. is proudly sponsored by Breakaway Travel, Blacktown Tg˙id beΩa’ minni? Forsi g˙ax ma kontx minn hemm?

20 The Voice of the Maltese

Tuesday November 22, 2016

Tag˙rif dwar il-kitba Maltija

ktar regoli u tag˙rif uffiçjali dwar kif wie˙ed g˙andu jikteb ilMalti, ma˙ru© mill-Kummissjoni fi ˙dan l-Akkademja talMalti. G˙al(Inkomplu bit-tag˙rif hekk li dwar it-38 regola) niktbu L-ittri a, j u w b˙ala konsonanti huma ittri konso- jon˙or u nanti dg˙ajfa: waqt li l-erbg˙a u g˙oxrin l-o˙ra m h u x huma ittri konsonanti s˙a˙. ion˙or, L-ittri konsonanti j u w meta jissie˙bu ma’ vokali jara u ji©i li jag˙mlu dittong (jin˙assu f’le˙en ta’ Ωew© ittri): mhux iara, wera u mhux uera, jisma’ u mhux iisma’, meta mbag˙ad jinxorbu f’le˙en wie˙ed isiru vokali tfajla u mhux tfaila, g˙awwe© (g˙aw-we©) u mhux twal. g˙auue©, dg˙ajjef (dg˙aj-jef) u mhux dg˙aiief jew G˙alhekk j bil-vokali e mag˙ha ssir ej. dg˙aijef, ©ej u mhux ©ei, sew u mhux seu (kif sewwa u "w " e " " ew. mhux seuua). G˙alhekk infissru wkoll illi minn: G˙alhekk fit-taqsim ta’ dawn il-kliem naraw li sew bejr (ej) tnisslet bîr (bijr) l-ittra j kemm l-ittra w jidhru u jin˙assu b˙ala konfqejr (ej) " fqîr (fqijr) sonanti: taj-jeb, qaj-jem, bqaj-na, ja-ra, jis-ma’, jon-for, rej˙ (ej) " rî˙ (rij˙) wa-qa’, dawwar, saw-war, kif ukoll ©ej, ˙aj, sew, mlew, ˙ewt (ew) " ˙ût (˙uwt) tfew. sejr (ej) " sîr (sijr) trejq (ej) " trîq (trijq) Aktar regoli fil-˙ar©a li jmiss. tewt (ew) " tût (tuwt). ID-DISGÓA U TLETIN REGOLA UΩa d-dizzjunarju Malti L-ittri j u w jinkitbu j u w (ittri konsonanti) u mhux *Jekk tkun trid tiççekja l-kitba, it-tifsir tal-kliem Malti i u u, meta qabilhom jew warajhom ikollhom vokali u/jew it-traduzzjoni g˙all-IngliΩ tag˙mel sew jekk li mag˙ha jissie˙bu fil-le˙en ta’ dittong (b˙all-ittri j u u f’Jam u Deus tal-Latin). tibda tuΩa id-dizzjunarju tal-Maltin stess online. Dan ji©ri sew fil-bidu kemm ukoll ©ewwa u f’tarf ilDan issibu fuq is-sit: www.maltesedictionary.org.mt kelma f’taqsima ta’ kelma.

SBS Radio to launch Services Review Public Consultation

rom November 14 last to Sunday December 11, SBS Radio will be conducting a public consultation on the criteria it is proposing for the SBS Radio Services Review, calling on audiences, communities and stakeholders to provide feedback. In conjunction with new Census data SBS has committed to regularly reviewing and updating the schedule every five years to ensure it continues to reflect the needs of communities in Australia today. Regularly updating the schedule enables it to better service the largest communities with culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds, and offer services to emerging and high-needs communities. The criteria will be used, in conjunction with the 2016 Census

Tinteressak il-kitba u trid tippubblika?

arrejja li j˙ossu li g˙andhom talent g˙all-kitba, Q l-aktar bl-Ilsien Malti, imma mhux biss, jew li jkunu jridu li kitbiet tag˙hom ji©u ppublikati f’The

Voice of the Maltese, qed ji©u m˙e©©a jibag˙tu l-kitbiet tag˙hom, li ja˙sbu li jkunu ta’ interess g˙al qarrejja o˙ra b’email f’dan l-indirizz : maltesevoice@gmail.com

data, to determine which languages are provided by SBS Radio services. The way in which those services will be delivered will be determined in 2017 by SBS, taking into account changes in audience listening habits, the need to support audience demands for anytime, anywhere news and information via digital platforms and the changing demographics of Australia’s diverse communities. SBS Director of Audio and Language Content, Mandi Wicks said that SBS has developed clear and logical draft criteria for reviewing and updating its Radio’s services, and all feedback would be taken into account before the criteria is finalised in order to ensure that an objective and transparent process is applied, and that SBS delivers on its Charter commitments. SBS will run both English and translated recorded notifications to inform audiences of the SBS Radio Services Review and the public consultation process. SBS Radio service’s last review was conducted over 2012-2013. That was the first major review in 18 years. At the time, SBS committed to reviewing the schedule in line with the release of each Census. The Selection Criteria is due to be finalised in March 2017 with the new schedule to launch before the end of 2017. The draft Selection Criteria has been published and feedback can be left via sbs.com.au/consultation.

The Voice of the Maltese 21

Tuesday November 22, 2016

C mmunity N ews Co ommunity ew s

Renato u Mary Rose Mallia jferr˙u lill-Maltin fi Brisbane

l-kantant popolari Malti Renato f’wa˙da mir-rappreΩentazzjonijiet li IHawn flimkien mal-kantanta Mary Rose Mallia qed jag˙tu fl-Awstralja. jidher fid-dinner dance fl-Oxley Bowls Club, fi Brisbane organizzat

mill-Assoçjazzjoni Maltija Awstraljana ta’ Queensland, bl-appo©© talAssoçjazzjoni tal-Gold Coast fejn ferr˙u lil madwar 120 ru˙.

MBSG NSW’s AGM confirms committee for another year It was a good day enjoyed by all during the Annual General Meeting of the Maltese Bowlers Social Group of NSW at the Rosehill Bowling Club on November 13 when the members present confirmed last year’s committee for 2016/2017. At the end of a productive meeting the club’s patron Mr. Lino Vella who acted as the Returning Officer announced the outcome. Afterwards all present were in-

vited for the AGM lunch and the monthly game of lawn bowls. The committee members for 2016/2017 are: President: Victor Fenech, V/president & PR: Mary Pace-Feraud, Secretary: Tony Pace-Feraud, Treasurer: Carmen Samuel. Members: Charles Cassar, Carmen Mifsud, Lilian Attard (Bowls organiser), and Victoria Bezzina (Social organiser).

Óamrun Association Ltd ABN: 22 080 314 156 Se jorganizzaw

Carols by Candlelight is-Sibt 10 ta’ Diçembru fil-5.00pm Jie˙u sehem il-Kor tal-G˙aqda Kulturali ta’ NSW b’g˙anjiet tal-Milied bil-Malti u l-IngliΩ Ikun hemm ukoll Il-Priedka tat-Tifel u x-Xena tan-Nattivita` mit-tfal. Ikun preΩenti wkoll Santa Claus li jqassam ir-rigali lit-tfal. Se tkun lejla ta divertiment g˙all familja kollha

Ejjew u gibu r-rigali g˙at-tfal tag˙kom Tag˙rif: George Zahra: 0407 434 651, jew il-klabb: 9838 1111

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

Learn Maltese!

Classes are available for students from six years to adults at all levels of ability in the Maltese language. We have trained and experienced teachers qualiﬁed in language teaching and with Maltese study credentials. Learn the Maltese language, the culture, lifestyle, cuisine, traditions and about the amazing history of the island. Teachers urgently needed. Paid positions

For more information and enquiries Phone 9601 2189 Or email: malteselanguageschoolnsw@hotmail.com Supported by the Minister of Education and Training and the NSW Community Languages Schools Programme. Pictured the committee: Standing (from left): Charles Cassar, Lilian Attard, Victoria Bezzina and Carmen Mifsud. Sitting: Carmen Samuel, Victor Fenech, Mary Pace-Feraud and Tony Pace-Feraud

Member of the NSW Federation of Community Language Schools of NSW; Member of the Federation of Maltese Language Schools of Australia; Supported by 16 Maltese associations aﬃliated with the MCC of NSW. The Maltese Language School of NSW is a Not-For-Proﬁt organisation.

22 The Voice of the Maltese

Tuesday November 22, 2016

Community News Tune In to Radio and Television

Maltese Radio Programmes MELBOURNE, on 3ZZZ 92.3FM or on www.3zzz.com.au. Mondays 5pm, Fridays 5pm, Saturdays 10am.; Last Wednesday each month at 1pm. MELBOURNE on 98.9 North West FM, every Friday 6.00 - 7.00p.m. and Mondays 7.00 to 8.00pm. Presenter: Emmanuel Brincat. MELBOURNE: STEREO 974 (93180930): 97.4FM Wed (Maltese Magazine) & Thursday (Mer˙ba): 6.00pm to 8.00 pm Co-ordinator – Ray Anastasi In SYDNEY, listen to the MCC radio programmes on 2GLF FM 89.3. Thursdays 2p.m. to 4p.m. Martese Caruana presents Golden Mix. Available on demand. Follow same procedure as for MCC programmes, except select programe in reference. In BRISBANE listen to the Maltese Programme on 4EB on Tuesdays 6.00 8.15am; Sundays 4.15pm to 5.15pm UNCLE SAM DJ (Maltese Radio) tune in to link: www.unclesamdj.com Listen to John Borg & Ronnie Borg every Saturday at 1.00 p.m. on RADIO 2RRR 88.5FM or on the Internet www2rrr.org.au ON DeMAND

The SBS MALTESE NEWS

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

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

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

Day Care Maltese Groups meetings in NSW

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

Maltese Seniors Central Coast

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

Daceyville Maltese Seniors

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

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

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

Maltese of Bankstown

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

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

Share it with The readers of The Voice If you have a story to tell that you believe could make interesting reading and you would like to share it with The Voice of the Maltese readership, get in touch with us by email at: maltesevoice@gmail.com

La Valette Social Centre Cherry picking CHERRY PICKING BUS TOUR TO ORANGE

TUESDAY December 6: 6.am: Bus leaves Blacktown Centre; 6.30 a.m.: Leaves Greystanes. Lunch at Orange RSL at own expense For information: Frances: 0412 320432 or Club.

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

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

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

The Voice of the Maltese 23

Tuesday November 22, 2016

C Co om mm mu un ni it ty y N Ne ew ws s Kull qalb trid o˙ra

iex tipproduçi magazine b˙al dan, li wara kollox hu frott tal-passjoni li g˙andna biex inwasslu t-tag˙rif lillMaltin barra minn art twelidhom, ma jin˙tie©x biss xog˙ol u ˙in, imma wkoll spejjeΩ. Biex jittaffew u˙ud mill-ispejjeΩ nippruvaw insibu sponsors ˙alli jg˙inuna. G˙ad m’g˙andniex biΩΩejjed minnhom, imma bdejna, u ta’ min jag˙tihom ˙ajr. Kull qalb trid o˙ra, g˙alhekk in˙e©©u lill-qarrejja biex i©ibu dan quddiem g˙ajnejhom u kemm jista’ jkun juΩaw is-servizzi u/jew jixtru lprodotti ta’ dawk li qed jirreklamaw fil-u/jew jisponsorjaw il-magazine.

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

IL-MALTESE BOWLERS SOCIAL GROUP TA’ NSW •Jistiednu nisa u r©iel Maltin li j˙obbu l-lawn bowls biex jing˙aqdu mag˙hom, jie˙du sehem fil-log˙ob u jag˙mlu ˙bieb ©odda. • Jilqg˙u wkoll lil dawk li jixtiequ jitg˙allmu jilag˙bu dan l-isport. Dawn jing˙ataw lezzjonijiet b’xejn. • Jilag˙bu log˙ba darba fix-xahar fir-Rosehill Bowling Club u klabbs o˙ra. • G˙al aktar tag˙rif çemplu lis-segretarju, Tony Pace-Feraud (0400 376 607) jew email lil: maltesebowlersnsw@hotmail.com Il-logħba li jmiss hi il-Ħadd 11 ta' Diċembru fis-10:00am. Wara jkun hemm l-Annual Awards Presentations u l-ikla tal-Milied filClub

Maltese Community Council of NSW Inc. Invitation for celebrations marking Fr. Claude Borg’s 65 years of priesthood

he Maltese Community Council of NSW is offering its support in organising Fr. Claude Borg MSSP’s celebration of 65 years to the priesthood, a milestone in his pastoral care towards Maltese migrants in Australia. The Cardinal and the current Bishop of Parramatta will be invited to the celebration, a concelebrated Mass at Horsley Park Parish Church on Sunday Dec. 11 at 11.30 am. Fr Claude was the first Maltese parish priest at Horsley Park in the sixties. After Mass, there will be light refreshments at the Marion Hall. One is kindly asked to bring a plate to share on this joyous occasion. This is a formal invitation for associations to promote and lend their support in making this milestone, in Fr Claude’s priestly career, a memorial occasion. More details: John Beale: 0416 449 816 or email john@korenbeale.com

Printed copies of The Voice of The Maltese to a number of inquiries, we wish to inform readers Ihardofn response The Voice of the Maltese magazine that we can now supply copies in colour of the magazine to our readers who requst

it, at a price. Therefore, anybody interested in acquiring copies of the (printed) magazine is kindly requested to get in touch with us personally or by email to: maltesevoice@gmail.com. The magazine can also be delivered by post at a price to any state in Australia. As the cost of postage varies from state to state, one is kindly requested to get in touch with us to work out the details. Óamrun Association Ltd ABN: 22 080 314 156

CELEBRATE 2017 WITH US!!! New Years Eve Dinner Dance Saturday December 31 from 7.00pm at the Hamrun Club premises Enjoy a three-course meal (drinks to be purchased at the bar) Entertainment for the night to be provided by the Duo Charlie and Frank, and also a floor show from Kaytlyn Vella and her Sisters Donations: Adults $45; Kids U/12: $20 For more information: George Zahra 0407434651 or the Club 98381111

Tajjeb tkun taf

-g˙aqdiet tal-Maltin li jkunu jridu jag˙mlu xi avviΩi u/jew li jirreklamaw f’The Voice of the Maltese huma m˙e©©a biex jg˙arrfu littmexxija ta’ The Voice bix-xewqa tag˙hom minn kmeni. Barra minhekk, jekk ikunu iridu jibag˙tu xi materjal g˙all-pubblikazzjoni jin˙tie© jag˙mlu dan mil-inqas ©img˙a qabel il-pubblikazzjoni.

24 The Voice of the Maltese

Tuesday November 22, 2016

Sports Malta goalkeeper Hogg and Zach Muscat block a goalbound shot by Benjamin Verbic, scorer of Slovenia’s only goal. (Photo Christine Borg)

U/21s let slip two-goal advantage to draw 2-2 in friendly vs Cyprus

eeping the Maltese flag flying in football are the Under 21s. They followed their fine performances in the European Championship qualifiers to draw 2-2 in a friendly in Malta against Cyprus. The Under 21s had obtained a record-breaking tally of 11 points, in the Euro Championship qualifiers, but now there’s a new look about them as five of the players in that team are now ineligible as they are over the age. The new team that hosted Cyprus in a friendly in the friendly could have done even better led by 2-0 with goals by Kurt Zammit and Kyrian Nwoko but, then let over slip that lead in the second half as Cyprus ncreased their efforts and eventually drew.

Two home defeats for Malta

laying home or away does not make any difference for Malta’s national football team it seems. The outcome is always the same and consistency prevails - defeats all the way. The most current ones at the Ta’ Qali National Stadium resulted in a 10 defeat against Slovenia from Group F of the European Qualifiers for the FIFA 2018 World Cup, and the 2-0 in the friendly international against Iceland four days later. One need be honest and say that though the latest performances were not that bad, they were not good, but there’s no positivity in defeat, particularly when playing at home with all the advantages one normally associates with a home team in front of a home crowd. Malta has played four matches in the current edition of the World Cup qualifiers and still has to put points besides its name in the group The record so far is four defeats from four matches (two home and two away), conceding 10 goals and scoring only one. Against Slovenia Malta went down to a goal by Benjamin Verbic a minute into the second half. Slovenia had the better of the exchanges and could have won by an even bigger margin had they taken their chances. Malta also had some scoring op-

portunities but Slovenia deserved the win that took them to the runner-up position in the group, two points behind England. Then Malta hosted Iceland in a international friendly that was meant to serve as preparation for the national team’s next commitment from the 2018 FIFA World Cup European Qualifiers against Slovakia in March at Ta’ Qali and the return against Slovenia away in June. Iceland decided the match in front of a very poor crowd with two second half goals, through Arnor Ingvi Traustason two minutes into the session, and Sverrir Ingason on 73 minutes. The positive to emerge from the game was that Michael Mifsud set a record of 123 appearances for

Malta when he was brought on as substitute in the second half. Mifsud made his national team debut in February 2010 against Albania. He broke the previous record set by David Carabott. He has also played some matches in the A-League two years ago with Melbourne City . In the last two years, since March 2015 the national team has played 18 matches, registering 15 defeats two draws and a win. Four of the defeats occurred in the current edition of the World Cup qualifiers and six in the European Championship qualifiers. The only non-defeats were in friendly internationals, a solitary 2-0 win at home over Lithuania, and two draws, 2-2 against Azerbaijan in Malta and in 1-1 in Estonia.

Valletta beat Sliema in top game

n the resumption of play and O the start of the second round of Malta’s Premier League, after the stoppage for the international fixtures, there was little change in the league ladder with the top three, Balzan, Hibernians and Valletta all winning their outings. Champions Valletta were involved in the top game against Sliema W. and narrowly beat them 2-1. Birkirkara are struggling in fourth place. They dropped two more points in their quest for the title and even came within whiskers of losing against St Andrews who led 1-0 until stoppage time when B’kara’s substitute saved their blushes with the levelRESULTS – DAY 12 ler. Hibs Balzan v Mosta 1-0 d e f e a t e d Hibernians v Hamrun S. 4-1 2-1 Valletta v Sliema W. H a m r u n Birkirkara v St Andrews 1-1 c o n v i n c - Floriana v Pembroke 2-1 ingly 4-1 1-0 Tarxien v Gzira U

A-League: Sydney FC drop first points but stay top For the first time this campaign league leaders held on to their six-point lead over City who like Sydney FC failed to collect maximum point and- Sydney had also won their round 6 game. dropped their first points in 1-1 away draw against Standing P W D L Pts Brisbane Roar on Day 7, however, their coachRESULTS – DAY 7 1-1 Sydney FC 7 6 1 0 18 Graham Arnold hailed the result at Suncorp Sta- Brisbane v Sydney FC dium on Saturday night as their best performance W. Sydney v Melbourne C 1-1 Melbourne C 7 4 1 2 12 Wellington v Melbourne V pos of the season. 3-1 Brisbane R 7 3 3 1 11 Perth G. v Adelaide I described it as a “fantastic performance”, Newcastle J v Central Coast 1-1 Perth Glory 7 3 2 2 10 Melbourne V. 7 3 1 2 8 adding, “Performance-wise it’s probably our best DAY 6 West Sydney 7 1 4 2 6 Sydney FC v Perth G. 4-1 performance of the season. Newcastle J. 7 1 3 3 6 As nearest challengers Melbourne City also Melbourne C v Newcastle J 2-1 Wellington 7 2 0 4 5 Adelaide v Brisbane 1-1 drew, with a similar 1-1 result at Western Syd- Melbourne V v W. Sydney 3-0 Cent. Coast 7 1 3 3 5 ney, no damage was done to the leaders as they Central Coast v Wellington 0-2 Adelaide 7 0 2 5 2