Senior Times (May 2017) by Times of Malta

SENIOR TIMES May 2017

Malta’s monthly newspaper for the elderly

The age oF acTive ageing The large majority of older persons in Malta are experiencing successful and productive lifestyles. SEE PAGES 6 & 7

FaTima message, 100 years laTer SEE PAGES 22 & 23

Fishing For memories Fiona Vella meets fisherman Ġanni Xuereb. SEE PAGES 20 & 21

SENIOR TIMES ‒ May 2017

EDITOR’S WELCOME

IN THIS ISSUE

Here comes the sun

hat I love about summer is the way that, when you close your eyes, your mind does a David Blaine and out of a hat, conjures up images of a deserted beach, dusted with sand as white and fine as icing sugar. The sun is dancing on the waves like a million Nijinskys, underwater life bursts with the magic of a thousand fireworks and you start thinking that a siesta is a good idea. Luckily for us, these imaginary postcards are not far from reality, with local beaches offering a spectrum that goes from the big sandy smile of Għajn Tuffieħa to the frowning, Nordic noir drama of Mġarr ix-Xini. The only missing element is the quietness – but only during the day. Wait until the sun is setting and the families have packed their leftovers and towed their children back home, and you will find a quiet spot on the beach. Then do nothing – just pick a focal point on the distant horizon and allow your eyes to lose focus and drown in the blues, whites and greens. Listen to the sea whispering an irresistible invitation to dip, first a tentative foot, and then your whole being into it. And allow your mind to retire to a blissful mood, simmering with memories of childhood summers. Memories of hunks of chunky bread heavy with tuna, capers, olives and basil, dripping oil; hours holding a fishing rod waiting for the gentle tug of a tiny fish; the sizzle of burnt arms and neck; the endless days which never seemed to end; the eventual return, with a vengeance, of school days; and the realisation that there are few things more beautiful than a Maltese summer.

Stanley

SENIOR TIMES

3. Sib il-qawwa

MAY 2017

4. Learning new lessons

EXECUTIVE EDITOR Stanley Borg E-mail: seniortimes @timesofmalta.com

Joseph Sammut had an exciting and fulfilling career in education. He introduced Erasmus to Malta and took part in the crucial changes in education system. He shares his most important life lessons with Alina Anisimova.

CONTRIBUTORS Alina Asinimova Carmel Baldacchino Tonio Bonello Joe Busuttil George Cini Anton B. Dougall Christine Galea Charlotte Stafrace Fiona Vella

6. The age of active ageing

PUBLISHERS Allied Newspapers Limited Strickland House, 341, St Paul Street, Valletta VLT 1211. www.timesofmalta.com DESIGN Krista Aquilina SALES Marion Muscat Tel: 2559 4208 E-mail: marion.muscat @timesofmalta.com

Il-qawwa tirbaħ fuq kull għadu, jgħid Tonio Bonello.

The large majority of older persons in Malta are experiencing successful and productive lifestyles, Marvin Formosa says.

8. I will be sincere with Trump – Pope 9. Bdiet is-sħana Anton B. Dougall jipprepara ikliet ħfief għas-sajf.

11. How much is too much? Is all the effort to have a perfect wedding alienating couples from marriage, asks Christine Galea from the Cana Movement.

12. D-Day veteran claims skydive record at 101 By Johanna Carr, Press Association

14. Games and competitions

16. Why creativity has no boundaries Elderly people should be encouraged to find a voice and be given space for new and creative exploration, Charlotte Stafrace says.

18. Brand loyalty Charles Borg inherited his father’s passion for Morris and Austin cars, Joe Busuttil says.

19. What Strait Street wore Author George Cini, who has penned two books about Strada Stretta, introduces yet another character: Ġużi of the Cairo Bar, who started to cross-dress aged 14.

20. Teach a man how to fish… Fiona Vella meets fisherman Ġanni Xuereb.

22. Fatima 100 sena wara... il-messaġġ għadu validu? Dak li talbet il-Madonna mit-tfal ta’ Fatima jista’ jkun validu għalina llum ukoll, jgħid Dun Jonathan Farrugia.

24. The match of the century When Malta was drawn against England in 1971, it was just the start of a dream, Carmel Baldacchino recalls.

28. The right vision Optometrist Jerome Gabarretta explains why your eyes are the window to your general health.

SENIOR TIMES ‒ May 2017

OPINJONI Mhux faċli li tiġġieled għal ġustizzja, għal verità.

Sib il-qawwa Il-qawwa tirbaħ fuq kull għadu, jgħid Tonio Bonello.

ollox għandu prezz. Issaħħa, il-forza, ir-rieda, ilvalur, il-prinċipju, allura lqawwa, dawn ilkoll jiġu frott ħafna tbatija. Konsegwenzi li jiġu fuqna għal xejn għajr għax ma nimxux mal-kurrent. Għax forsi ma naslux li nogħġbu jew noqogħdu għal dak li jgħid wieħed jew oħra. Għax nippruvaw ngħixu ħajja ġusta, kif jixraq f ’soċjetà ċivili. Nerġa’ ntenni. Kollox għandu prezz. Il-magħruf leġġenda Nelson Mandela biex żamm mal-prinċipji tiegħu ħallas b’mhux anqas minn 20 sena priġunerija. Oħrajn batew il-ġuħ. Tfjaliet u nisa kienu stuprati. Ħafna tilfu, mhux biss promozzjoni, iżda saħansitra l-istess impjieg tagħhom. Dan għax emmnu f ’dak li dejjem qaltilhom qalbhom, ruħhom, il-kuxjenza. Ħasra iżda li dawn, f ’soċjetà konsumista, kummerċjali, artifiċjali, virtwali bħal m’għandna llum, dawn il-persuni

b’tali karatteristiċi qajla għadek issibhom. Jekk hawn aktar, mhux bogħod li jiġu estinti. Xejn sigriet. Ftit ġimgħat ilu biss fakkarna l-ġrajja tal-passjoni ta’ Kristu. X’hemm wara din l-istorja li, anke jekk għaddew elfejn sena, bħal donnu għadha daqstant friska u ħajja magħna? L-ingredjent hu dak li għadu attwali llum. Il-qawwa. Ġesù Kristu ma kienx faċli. Qatt ma għomodha. Il-prinċipji; ‘iva’ jew ‘le’. Magħna jew kontra tagħna. “Jekk ma jilqgħukomx f ’ismi, farfru lqorq tagħkom mit-trab u itilqu. Morru f ’belt oħra li tilqagħkom.” Ċar u tond. “Kif għamiltu mill-wesgħa quddiem it-tempju t’Alla, suq kummerċjali? U jingħad li Kristu qatt ma rrabja daqs dakinhar tant li qabad kull ma kellhom, xeħtilhom kollox mal-art u ma straħx qabel ilkoll ħallew is-sit battal. Però ta’ dan ħallas prezz. Tliet snin biss wara li ħareġ jistqarr ħajtu, triqtu

u fehmtu dwar l-ipokriti u l-kbarat talpoplu, tawh is-salib, għereq l-għaraq tad-demm, għaddewh minn passjoni sa ma sallbuh fuq is-salib, u ħallewh bla qatra demm f ’ġismu. Tgħid mhix din hi l-istorja ta’ wħud fostna li ġġieldu u għadhom jiġġieldu għallonestà? Mhux dawn huma, forsi f’dawk laktar kuntesti metaforiċi wesgħin kemm trid, l-esperjenzi qarsa ta’ ħajjitna. Forsi hawn, f ’dawn il-gżejjer, ħadd ma jissallab fuq salib, iżda konvint illi hawn ħafna li kienu u għadhom qed jgħixu l-istess ġrajja tal-imsallab! Il-qawwa hi l-ġlieda, xi drabi ta’ kuljum, ta’ kull siegħa, ta’ kull minuta.

Tista’ tkun fil-familja, fuq il-post taxxogħol, bejn il-ħbieb. Tista’ tkun ġlieda għal dritt, għal ġustizzja, għal verità. Veru, xejn m’hu faċli, iżda l-istorja tgħallem li kull ġlieda dejjem intemmet b’tellief u rebbieħ. Ġrajjiet elfejn sena ilu juru li l-qawwa rebħet fuq kull għadu. Kuraġġ. M’intix waħdek. Il-paċi miegħek. Tonio Bonello huwa l-editur ta’ Veterani, pubblikazzjoni ta’ kull xahar maħruġa mit-Taqsima Informazzjoni u Komunikazzjoni tad-Direttorat għallAnzjanità Attiva u Kura fil-Komunità.

SENIOR TIMES ‒ MAY 2017

INTERVIEW

Learning new lessons Joseph Sammut had an exciting and fulfilling career in education. He introduced Erasmus to Malta and took part in crucial changes in the education system. He shares his most important life lessons with Alina Anisimova.

oseph Sammut recalls how he met his wife Martha in Valletta in the summer of 1967. At the time, both were young school teachers and they would spend their free time at one of the more popular spots: the Upper Barrakka Gardens. There they would meet new people while engaging in pleasant conversation. “There was no television so the only option – other than staying home – was to go for a walk in Valletta,” Martha says. “And there were no nightclubs,” Joseph adds. “Though we did go to the cinema occasionally.” Joseph and Martha’s dating days didn’t last for long and they celebrated their wedding on August 15 of that same year. “It was the middle of summer vacation for teachers and we had another month and a half to prepare our house before going back to work,” Joseph says. Later, Joseph went back to teaching and Martha had to leave her job, having the main responsibility for the home and later, for their child. “Back then, women couldn’t continue to work once they got married. They had to resign to make way for other teachers,” Joseph explains. “It seems strange today, but that was the idea back then.” The couple, who are now 77 and 74 years old, will celebrate their 50th wedding anniversary this summer. For Martha, there is no particular secret to making a marriage work for so long, other than tolerance, respect and love. Joseph says, “In my opinion, in any type of relationship, you have to give all of yourself and you take as much,” Joseph adds. Martha supported Joseph through his successful career in the education sector, something that has been his passion ever since he qualified as a teacher. “In the 1950s and 60s, the education sector was undergo-

Joseph and Martha Sammut will celebrate their 50th wedding anniversary this summer. PHOTO: MATTHEW MIRABELLI

ing dramatic changes,” Joseph says. “Malta was newly independent and had to change economically to survive. I feel proud to have played a part in those efforts.” In the late 1960s, the Educational Guidance Unit was set up within the Department of Education, and after receiving his training abroad, Sammut was ready to start his career as a counsellor in secondary schools. “It was a completely new idea and people used to ask me what guidance was. And I had to explain that at the age of 16 people needed to have some information about what career to pursue.” When Joseph retired, the government asked him to introduce the European Union education programmes such as Erasmus and Leonardo da Vinci. Joseph eagerly accepted – however, it wasn’t an easy task as at that time young people didn’t know what to expect from the programmes.

A man who has dedicated his career to teach others acknowledges the importance of learning something new every day “It was difficult,” he admits. “It was new and so we had to explain it again and again. We asked students to come back and tell their friends what Erasmus was. We managed to introduce these programmes and they became increasingly popular with hundreds of students.” As Joseph looks back on his career, he admits that he was very lucky. “In 1992, I was even chosen for the award as worker of the year,” he says. Even though retired, Joseph still draws satisfaction from his career: “After so many years I still meet people on the

street who thank me for what I did for them.” Nowadays, Joseph and Martha are residents at the Roseville care home in Attard. “This area is one of the best in Malta. And we have a very important neighbour as the president of Malta lives just two doors away,” Joseph says. Martha shows me the light and airy room where they have been living for one year now and the balcony overlooking the beautiful gardens. Joseph has to use a wheelchair and this was the main reason why the couple moved to Roseville.

“This does limit my mobility,” he says. “However, I still manage to go out at least once a week.” He is also adamant to never stop enjoying life. “Life is not meant to be spent in bed,” he says. “There is always something new to do and to learn,” Joseph says. A man who has dedicated his career to teach others acknowledges the importance of learning something new every day. “I haven’t come to Roseville to just sit down and read – I am here for rehabilitation,” he says, adding that he truly admires the work of doctors, nurses and carers of Roseville, and physiotherapy seems to be a step in the right direction. “They all work very hard,” Joseph says. “Physiotherapists always give me plenty of encouragement. I can walk the whole corridor and back. This doesn’t seem much but for me, it is a great achievement.” ●

SENIOR TIMES ‒ May 2017

NEWS

Is a sense of guilt justified?

t one time in our lives we have all suffered a degree of guilt, when we feel we are failing a loved one. At times we get this nagging feeling that we could have done more for them or that we should have tried more. All in all it is a feeling of letting someone down and that no matter how much you tried you did not manage to fulfil what was expected. This feeling is regularly encountered when talking with relatives who are contemplating long-term care for their relative in a care home. Most are exhausted from physically taking care of their parents, others from the psychological worry that their parents are no longer safe at home as they may be falling more than usual or are starting to forget things like switching off a gas hob. Most are overrun with guilt because they cannot do it anymore. They feel guilty because they feel an obligation to care for their parents who after all cared so much for them. Some are riddled by all this guilt and thoughts and wish they could do more. But in reality could they? At one point carers may reach burnout. The juggling of caring for an elderly relative who may at times be very dependent, while working and having a family of their own is no mean feat. Often because of all these challenges, stress in the carer increases and they come to a stage where balancing everything is impossible. Notwithstanding this, it is still very hard for them to stop and to admit that they cannot cope anymore. The choice of a care home is therefore not an easy one. Relatives need to be listened to for any concerns they have and one has to empathise with them when they explain the quandary they are in about having their elderly relative’s care passed on to strangers. They need to feel they can trust the home they have chosen and that the staff working in the home are caring and knowledgeable. The questions going around in their head, although at times not expressed, may be numerous. Will their needs be

met in a timely manner? Will they be eating properly? And above all that they will be treated with the respect and dignity they deserve? Relatives need to be reassured that putting their elderly relatives in long-term care does not represent any failure from their end. On the contrary when choosing a care home like Simblija Home, they are placing their loved ones in a home where good quality care caters for different clients of various dependencies, presents a safe, beautifully decorated environment and a place where they can socialise and be part of a community. What they are in fact doing is giving their elderly relatives good quality care and putting them in the hands of professional and caring people. Research has often found that relative involvement in long-term care is positive and leads to quality of life and quality of care of residents (Gaulgler 2008). Simblija Care Home believes in relatives being involved by forming a partnership between staff and relatives. The home has therefore implemented open visiting hours and continually involves relatives in loved ones’ care by holding discussions with them, informing them of progress, and making sure they are an integral part of the residents’ care plan. After all who more than those who have cared

for their loved ones for years? This in turn gives relatives a sense of still being an integral and valuable part of a resident’s life. Putting loved ones in longterm care does not mean abandoning them. What it means is that they have now passed on that care to profes-

sionals to help them care for them. When relatives come to terms with this reality, and see that their loved ones are being cared for in comfort and are getting professional care, then they can find peace. The guilt subsides because they realise they have taken a decision in the best interest of their loved

ones. A decision which has not excluded them out of their loved ones’ lives, but on the contrary, it has given them all the facilities to be an integral part of their lives, in partnership with professionals and carers within homes like Simblija where their loved ones may reside. ●

SENIOR TIMES ‒ MAY 2017

AGEING

OS M

The age of active ageing

Older men and women in Malta boast the highest healthy life expectancy in the whole of the European Union.

IN MA R V

R FO

The large majority of older persons in Malta are experiencing successful and productive lifestyles, Marvin Formosa says.

lot of water has flowed under the bridge since, in their anticipation of a Turkish invasion, the Order of St John perceived older persons as ‘useless civilians’ and proceeded to evacuate them to Sicily. Nowadays, there is a broad consensus in Malta that older persons constitute an important resource, as they contribute directly and indirectly to the national and regional economy, while also serving as a key source of human capital. Suffice to say that while Maltese society included 26 per cent of the total population aged 60-plus in 2015 (111,281 persons), only around four per cent resided in care homes or longterm care facilities. Hence, while there is no doubt that a significant number of older persons, especially those aged 80-plus, are recipients of a range of social and health care services, the large majority of older persons in Malta are experiencing successful and productive lifestyles.

The government’s decision to transform the day centres for the elderly into centres for active ageing was also a reflection of the sign of the times It is therefore no surprise that the present epoch is being referred to as the ‘age of active ageing’. In comparison to the past millennium, older persons are increasingly turning their backs on the traditional practice of disengaging from civil society. This is shown in the rising number of older persons engaged in full- and part-time employment, volunteering organisations, and leisure activities. Indeed, in the past decade the number of older workers in Malta has increased at a faster rate than the average European Union figures, as more

persons above the statutory retirement age seek to continue participating in the labour market both to maintain their lifelong occupational identity and disposable income for consumption spending. Concurrently, the National Statistics Office reported that some 22 per cent of persons aged 65-plus are engaged in formal voluntary work. One typical organisation that evidences the potential of older persons to lead active lifestyles is the University of the Third Age (U3A) which operates from four centres (Floriana, Sliema,

Vittoriosa, and Għajnsielem) and includes some 700 members. The U3A organises study-modules on various topics – ranging from democracy and human rights, the Maltese legal system to Valletta chapels and shrines – while also organising bimonthly outings. The government’s decision to transform the day centres for the elderly into centres for active ageing was also a reflection of the sign of the times. Centres ditched the daily bingo sessions in favour of offering older adults various opportunities to remain physically, mentally and socially active through public discussions, cultural excursions, and instrumental and expressive programmes of learning such as ICT and languages respectively. Malta’s public policy on ageing welfare is also innovative as far as active ageing is concerned in that it does not exclude frail older persons from the possibility of leading dynamic lives. Suffice to say that both Malta and Gozo now include dementia activity centres.

SENIOR TIMES ‒ May 2017

Rather than simply viewing persons with dementia as patients who need constant informal and formal care, such centres offer them opportunities to remain physically, mentally and socially active by engaging in dementia-friendly activities. Each centre offers a varied programme of activities which include outings, a variety of games, and fourth age learning programs. In parallel, one finds a number of active ageing programmes being currently organised in public and private care homes for older persons that include visual art dialogues, cookery sessions, crossfit exercises, and flower arrangement classes. The implementation of these policy strategies is bearing fruit in that older men and women in Malta boast the highest healthy life expectancy in the whole of the European Union (EU). Moreover, while the EU registered a 1.7 percentage change in the improvement of the ‘capacity and enabling environment for active ageing’ in the 20102014 period, Malta registered a 6.1 percentage change. Such a result is largely due to much public investment in geriatric, rehabilitative and community care services which enable the average older persons to continue living at home for a longer time. Popular policy initiatives

included the carer at home scheme which enables older persons to select and employ full-time qualified carers, with government reimbursing up to €5,200 annually, and introducing domiciliary physiotherapy, occupational therapy and podiatry for older persons living in the community. Of course, the Maltese nation should not rest on its laurels, as there is still much work to be done. Not only should the existing range of services be strengthened, but there is also a need to go beyond the straightjackets of traditional active ageing policy. For instance, one notes that the current discourse on older people’s needs and citizenship in Malta is framed by a narrow heteronormative perspective, hence marginalising LGBTIQ people, but whose specific concerns and the implications of their sexual identities on citizenship in later life should no longer be neglected. Moreover, there is urgent need to enact policy stresses the right to a respectable death, where older persons with terminal illness are treated with dignity, allowed to die in familiar surroundings and in the company of close relatives and friends. ● Dr Marvin Formosa PhD (Gerontology) is Head of the Department of Gerontology, Faculty for Social Wellbeing, University of Malta.

SENIOR TIMES ‒ May 2017

NEWS

Pope Francis waves as he arrives to lead the Regina Coeli prayer in Saint Peter’s Square at the Vatican on May 14, 2017. PHOTO: REUTERS.

I will be sincere with Trump – Pope

ope Francis said last week he would be “sincere” with US President Donald Trump over their sharp differences on subjects such as immigration and climate change when the two hold their first meeting at the Vatican later this month. But the pope also told reporters aboard a plane returning from Portugal that he would keep an open mind and not pass judgement on Trump until first listening to his views at their meeting on May 24. “Even if one thinks differently we have to be very sincere about what each one thinks,” he said in a typically freewheeling airborne news conference. “Topics will emerge in our conversations. I will say what I think and he will say what he thinks. But I have never wanted to make a judgement without first listening to the person.”

The Pope’s meeting with the US president could be potentially awkward given their diametrically opposed positions on immigration, refugees and climate change, which he told reporters on the plane “are well known”.

“disgraceful” for a pope to question his faith. The two men also disagree strongly about climate change. Trump signed an executive order dismantling Obama-era environmental legislation.

Even if one thinks differently we have to be very sincere about what each one thinks Last year, in response to a question about then-candidate Trump’s views on immigration and his intention to build a wall along the US border with Mexico, Pope Francis said a man with such views was “not Christian”. Trump, who grew up in a Presbyterian family, shot back saying it was

Pope Francis has made defence of the environment a key plank of his papacy, strongly backing scientific opinion that global warming is caused mostly by human activity. Still, Pope Francis said he was willing to find common ground with Trump. “There are always doors that are not

closed. We need to find the doors that are at least partly open, go in, and talk about things we have in common and go forward, step by step,” he said. Trump will visit the Vatican during a tour of the Middle East and Europe that will also include a meeting in Sicily of the leaders of the Group of Seven leading economies. Pope Francis is a head of state as well as being leader of the world’s 1.2 billion Roman Catholics. Such meetings allow for an exchange of views on world affairs as well as the chance for Pope Francis to encourage ethical solutions to world problems. About 21 per cent of Americans, or 70 million people, are Catholic. Washington has had full diplomatic relations with the Vatican since 1984, when President Ronald Reagan saw Pope John Paul, a Pole, as a crucial ally against communism. ●

SENIOR TIMES ‒ May 2017

TisJir

Bdiet is-sħana

Anton B. Dougall jipprepara ikliet ħfief għas-sajf. insalaTa Tar-ross

Dawn ir-riċetti meħudin mill-ktieb Fil-Kċina m’Anton: Ikel Bnin Għall-Kontroll tal-Kolesterol (BDL Publishing).

Għandek bżonn: 300g ross basmati • 300g qamħirrun • 300g piżelli • Bżaru aħmar • Mgħarfa żejt tażżebbuġa • Mgħarfa ħall • Kemmun • Bżar u melħ Kif issajjar: Għalli r-ross, saffih u kessħu sew. Għalli l-piżelli u qamħirrun ġo borma żgħira, saffihom tajjeb u poġġihom ġo skutella biex jiksħu. • Aħsel il-bżaru u qattgħu f ’biċċiet żgħar. • Qiegħed ir-ross ġo dixx kbir u fond. Jekk trid tista’ tuża skutella ftit baxxa. • Żid il-ħaxix kollu mar-ross. Roxx ftit bżar u melħ u żid iż-żejt u l-ħall. • Ħawwad tajjeb mingħajr ma tfarrak ir-ross. • Dan id-dixx jista’ jisserva bħala platt waħdu jew inkella kontorn.

Tonn mixwi u insalaTa Tal-paTaTa Għandek bżonn: 2 biċċiet tonn • 300g asparagu • 300g patata • 2 sinniet tewm • Flieli u meraq tal-lumi • Ftit stragun • Ftit kappar • Kuċċarina żejt taż-żebbuġa • Bżar frisk Kif issajjar: Naddaf it-tonn. Qaxxar il-patata u qattagħha biċċiet. Qaxxar it-tewm u qattgħu flimkien mal-kappar. • Saħħan it-taġen jew grilja. Ixwi t-tonn għal żewġ minuti fuq kull naħa. Meta jkun sar, poġġieħ fuq platt kbir u żejnu bil-flieli tal-lumi. • Qiegħed it-tewm, kappar, meraq tal-lumi u żejt ġo skutella u ħawwad tajjeb. • Għalli lasparagu sakemm isir, qattru tajjeb u ferrex ftit żejt fuqu. Għamel l-istess bil-patata. • Servi t-tonn flimkien malinsalata tal-patata u asparagu.

SENIOR TIMES ‒ May 2017

DENTAL CARE

Young and healthy with diseased teeth!

s dentists we see all sorts of dental problems. These patients fall mainly into two categories. There are those patients who suffer from developing cavities and others with gum disease. Dentists are very quick to point their finger at poor oral hygiene, but is it always to blame? Of course we see patients with very dirty teeth and yes this is a cause of holes in their teeth and inflamed gums. However we also see patients who have dirty teeth and yet never require a filling. Others who keep their teeth very clean still need fillings. Predispositions and genetic traits also play a part. Predispositions include certain medical diseases and conditions resulting in a compromised immune system. These might include diabetes, HIV infections and leukaemia. Other risk factors such as the use of tobacco and poor oral hygiene, stress and certain diets also affect the condition of your gums and teeth. With gum disease and tooth cavities, the best preventive advice dentists can deliver, is to maintain very good oral hygiene, visit the dentist once or twice a year, use floss and stay away from tobacco and other risk factors. Remember, in almost all cases gum disease and tooth cavities can be prevented. Ask your dentist. ●

Norma

A CASE SCENARIO A young woman in her late forties presents herself with mobile upper central incisors. The teeth have inclined forward and look longer than they ever have. The in-between spaces have increased and the teeth appear rotated. She is concerned that these two teeth will fall out by themselves. She also experiences pain on biting. Radiographs show generalized bone loss throughout her dentition with deep pockets around most of her teeth. However, apart from these two very mobile teeth, most other teeth were stable with little or no mobility. • The treatment started with the stabilization of the teeth and gums. The gums

DR JEAN PAUL DEMAJO IS A DENTAL AND IMPLANT SURGEON. HE HAS TRAINED IN LONDON AND WORKS IN PRIVATE PRACTICE IN MALTA.

required deep sub-gingival scaling and root planning. This is performed under local anaesthetic eliminating any discomfort by the dental hygienist; a very important member of the dental team. The upper central incisors were too diseased and therefore had to be removed. The teeth were extracted and immediately replaced with two dental implants with simultaneous bone grafting. A provisional fixed resin-bonded bridge was cemented and used during the healing process of the implants. Four months later the implants were exposed and ceramic crowns fixed onto the implants. The patient was placed on a maintenance program and reviewed regularly.

Extra-oral before treatment showing anterior teeth splinting with wire to reduce mobility

Extra-oral after removal of teeth and placement of temporary bridge

Extra-oral after placement of final implant ceramic crowns

SENIOR TIMES ‒ May 2017

OPINION

How much is too much? Is all the effort to have a perfect wedding alienating couples from marriage, asks Christine Galea from the Cana Movement.

The wedding day brings two people together into a beautiful lifelong covenant.

sions are conducted by long-married couples who are dedicated and willing to share with the future newly-weds, their own experience of marital life. These couples serve as role models and are committed to sharing the beauty – and struggles – of their own marriages in order to prepare several young engaged couples for the eventualities of their future. In some cases, they are also willing to continue serving as mentors in order to encourage them to reflect upon the persons they wish to become, as well as to help them connect in a more profound way with, and continue getting to know better, the heart of the precious person who they will spend the rest of their life with. One might ask: what qualities are required to be a marriage mentor? Certainly, it is helpful, and a mentor may be more effective, if they are formally trained for the task, but some of the qualities required may be inherent. One also needs to be a good listener and deeply committed to mission; must be honest and open, and not afraid to speak plainly, but with compassion; willing to learn and not only to teach; must be prepared to live by example, and above all, dedicated to making a success of one’s own marriage.

The months, even years NE GA before the LEA wedding are a time to begin working, preparing and planning for the marriage one hopes to build CH

e might as well face it – the wedding season is in full swing. Indeed, May and June are reputed to be two of the most popular months for couples to tie the knot. And why not? The weather is normally absolutely beautiful during late spring and the scorching summer heat is still at bay, so the couple can set their minds at rest where that is concerned. Yet there are several other factors which they need to take into consideration if they wish their wedding to be a success: booking a stylish reception hall, making sure that every detail is perfect – from the flowers, music and food to invitations and photos – and so much more. There is no doubt that the wedding day is a huge deal for the couple and their nearest and dearest. It’s a time of celebration and fellowship. But above all, it’s that moment in time that reflects the sacred union between the bride and the groom, when they commit themselves to one another for life. But although it is indeed a day that is worthy of festivity, is there a possibility that our society has taken it too far? People of my generation can clearly remember a time when no matter how big or small weddings were, they were certainly less expensive to organise, and certainly much more of a family endeavour than they have become in recent years. Our mothers painstakingly stitched and sewed clothes for the entire wedding party, grandmas baked and decorated the cake, sisters and aunts put together the wedding souvenirs. Today, the fashion for extravagant weddings has seeped into our culture in an extraordinary way and the concept of achieving the so-called ‘perfect wedding’ has taken over completely; so much so that, in some cases, it is keeping the couple from focusing upon what really matters – the actual marriage itself. So, yes, it’s fine to get excited about the dress and the reception, but not at the expense of the marriage: the months, even years before the wedding are a time to begin working, preparing and planning for the marriage one hopes to build. In Malta, engaged couples – certainly those who wish to be married in the Church – are obliged to follow the Cana Marriage Preparation Course, and although there are some who are reluctant to attend, the feedback achieved from those who followed the course is positive and encouraging. One of the advantages of this course is that ses-

Yet mentoring isn’t about having a perfect marriage. No one’s marriage is perfect, but the important thing is that the marriage is ‘growing’ through the efforts of the spouses. There are many people who, in their later years, may serve as such mentors to their own children and even grandchildren, or other family members. Who better than a loving mother, father or grandparent may guide the younger members of their family who are approaching marriage, to place their priorities in the correct order and focus upon building a solid and sound mar-

riage,

rather than simply planning a fancy wedding which, amazing as it may turn out to be, might possibly not last longer than the honeymoon, unless the couple commit seriously to making the marriage work. Mentors may offer some guiding principles that should lead the way in determining how much money should be spent on the wedding. Many couples are already burdened with great financial hardships in setting up their new home – which in itself puts a great pressure on the relationship – and a costly wedding only adds to this strain. Responsible and prudent financial management should be exercised in the way a couple spend their money for this celebration, because such choices play a vital role in determining their financial perspective as a married couple. Indeed the wedding day is a rich and joyous time in the life of every couple. By all means, the wedding should be meticulously organised, but more importantly the rest of their life should be just as meticulously planned, because the wedding day brings two people together into a beautiful lifelong covenant called marriage. Now that’s something worth celebrating. ●

SENIOR TIMES ‒ MAY 2017

NEWS

D-Day veteran claims skydive record at 101 By Johanna Carr, Press Association

Bryson William Verdun Hayes is the oldest person in the world to skydive.

D-Day veteran who jumped 15,000ft from an aeroplane has become the oldest person in the world to skydive – at the grand old age of 101 and 38 days. Bryson William Verdun Hayes, known as ‘Verdun’, smashed the current world record on Sunday, completing a tandem skydive with three generations of his family at an airfield in Honiton, Devon. Speaking as he touched down, the former lance corporal in the Royal Signals said “hooray” while adding that he was feeling “absolutely over the moon” at completing the challenge. The great-grandfather only tried skydiving for the first time last year when he reached 100 but breaking the British record for the oldest skydiver was not enough for him. Mr Hayes, who said a parachute jump was something he had wanted to do since he turned 90 – but was talked out of it then by his late wife – was determined to take the world record and beat its previous holder, Canadian Armand Gendreau who skydived in June

2013 aged 101 and three days. When asked how he was feeling prior to Sunday’s jump, Mr Hayes, who needed a helping hand to navigate his way into the aircraft, replied with a stoic “alright” and said he was “absolutely” looking forward to the experience.

He’s made up his own mind that he wants to do it again The widower took to the skies with 10 members of his family at Skydive Buzz in Dunkeswell, all raising money for the Royal British Legion. The youngest skydiver was Stanley, 16, Mr Hayes’ great-

SENIOR TIMES ‒ May 2017

grandson, while his grandson Roger, 50, son Bryan, 74 and great-granddaughter Ellie, 21, were also among those who took the leap. Speaking prior to the skydive, his daughter, Lin Tattersall, said: “He’s made up his own mind that he wants to do it again, and I am extremely proud of the reasoning behind it.” Mr Hayes, who hails from Croyde in Devon, served in the Army during the World War II and was presented with a legion d’honneur for his heroic actions in Holland, Belgium, Germany as well as in Normandy, France. He was named Verdun after his father Joseph Hayes, who served in World War I as a sapper with the Royal Engineers and who fought during the Battle of the Somme, wrote home to his pregnant wife Mary from the front line, suggesting they call their child Verdun in honour of the 1916 battle. Mr Hayes himself loyally served as a signaller and a wireless operator for the Royal Signals during various World War II battles.

He returned to Normandy in 2016 as a beneficiary of the Royal British Legion’s Remembrance Travel arm. During the war, Mr Hayes sustained shrapnel injuries to his ribs and hands after being involved in an explosion that killed his friend, Sgt Edgar Robertson. He said: “How I came home from World War II, I do not know. I was so near to the edge of everything. “I lost any amount of friends in no time at all really. I just didn’t think I would ever return home.” A spokesman for the Royal British Legion said Mr Hayes would now be celebrating with a glass of champagne. He said: “We are very proud of Verdun’s achievements and his family’s support for the Royal British Legion and the money raised recognises the service and sacrifice made across all generations of the British Armed Forces. “The money raised will help support individuals as well as families from across the generations of our armed forces community.” ●

SENIOR TIMES ‒ MAY 2017

CRYPTIC CROSSWORD

EASY CROSSWORD 1

31. Among (4) 32. Lawyer (8) 33. Sibling (6)

6 7

7 8

11 14

DOWN

1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 8. 9. 12. 13. 15. 18. 19. 20. 21. 22. 23. 24. 25. 26. 27. 28. 30.

16 20

30 31

32 33

ACROSS 1. 7. 8. 10. 11. 14. 16. 17. 19. 21. 22. 23. 26. 28. 29. 30.

A back seat (6) Being inexperienced, you get some things wrong (8) A sportsman’s small slipper (4) Searched for somewhere to sleep (6) - plus! (6) Does Adam’s have steadier consumers? (3) Ready to drink a bit of porter (5) Noted vessel made of glass (4) Mythical animal hunted by Poles aboard ship (5) She makes pink noise (5) The first bit of pretentiousness upsets him (5) He, a politician, associates with a dope! (4) The five at the Pentagon? (5) Even an idiot has no love lost for it (3) One cosily covered? (6) As nurses go for surgeons, are these chaps similarly spoilt? (6) 31. Catalan name? (4) 32. Is there less foul play in one? (8) 33. Something handled by Father Time (6) DOWN 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 8. 9. 12. 13. 15. 18. 19. 20. 21. 22. 23. 24. 25. 26. 27. 28. 30.

Seize the chance to make a break higher (4,2) Darts player’s favourite drink? (6) Viewed as I’d mentioned (4) Ignorant girl somewhere in Herts (7) It’s religiously read (5) Female extraterrestrial flat out on the bed (5) The sort of shark that mangled Nola? (4) Gosh, which half of the horse is it? (3) Animal of the camel kind? (3) Noise coming from the engine room at five (5) In TV, say, you only get a small picture (5) Maybe he nearly failed to make that movie? (5) So, on Tuesday, he’s apt to get drunk (3) Everybody has an excellent right to it (3) Make unoriginal noises (7) Go softly, softly around the Orient (3) Name a novice in a wildly hairy situation (6) Educationally, a noted heavyweight (4) A position, that is, for a delivery man (6) It’s difficult, being inflexible (5) One of those holding up the boat (5) There’s nothing in turning left (3) Treats a spy as a mercenary? (4)

APRIL ISSUE SOLUTIONS: ACROSS: 4. Figure 7. Free will 8. I’d-ling 10. A-do-pt 13. Peel 14. Lima 15. TaRN 16. Leg 17. R-ail 19. Tier 21. Di’s-pa-rage 23. Hash 24. Call 26. May 27. Crew 29. O-Pal 32. Da-I-s 33. Poise 34. Wide-NS 35. King Cole 36. Sh-ant-y. DOWN:1. Off-a-L 2. V-eno-M 3. Twit 4. Flier 5. G-all 6. Ringer 9. De-NT-al 11. Dip 12. Paris 13. P-a-L-aces 15. Ti-p 16. Lee 18. A-shca-n 20. Igloo 21. D-a-y 22. Raw 23. Ham-is-H 25. G-as 28. Ri-sky 30. Piton 31. Le-v-er 32. Dean 33. Pigs.

17. 19. 21. 22. 23. 26. 28. 29. 30.

ACROSS 1. 7. 8. 10. 11. 14. 16.

Trifles (6) Winner (8) Wound mark (4) Savoury snack (6) Hardy (6) Consumed (3) Indian monetary unit (5)

Leaf of a book (4) Present age (5) Cant (5) Tendon (5) Entreaty (4) Man’s name (5) Couple (3) Bully (6) Incendiary liquid (6)

Drinking vessel (6) Leave (6) Land measure (4) Corrupt (7) Confused situation (3-2) Unify (5) Hitch (4) Primate (3) Purchase (3) Wait on (5) Ramshackle dwelling (5) Informed (5) Number (3) Condensation (3) Prejudice (7) Be seated (3) Students (6) Burden (4) Protective covering (6) Swindle (5) Sharp (5) Weir (3) No votes (4)

APRIL ISSUE SOLUTIONS: ACROSS: 4. Reject 7. Headache 8. Miners 10. Smile 13. Pine 14. Menu 15. Rots 16. Bed 17. Pail 19. Tier 21. Ting-a-ling 23. Bind 24. Rile 26. Fin 27. Raid 29. Play 32. Mess 33. Store 34. Sinewy 35. Emeralds 36. Mishit. DOWN: 1. Chasm 2. Satin 3. Safe 4. Remit 5. June 6. Career 9. Instil 11. Met 12. Lupin 13. Polaris 15. Rig 16. Beg 18. Andrew 20. Inept 21. Tin 22. Lid 23. Bikini 25. Car 28. As yet 30. Lowly 31. Yeast 32. Mesh 33. Sari.

WORD SEARCH N

Acids Adobe Afraid Albums Allots Asked Atoms Boated Brown Bugle

Burial Bursar Consultations Darkly Dismay Docks Downed Drive Flush Forge

Galore Hissed Hunch Husks Lousy Mushes Newton Number React Rides

Rural Scaly Scarfing Sewage Shaft Shawl Sloped Thudded Torso Unset

SENIOR TIMES ‒ MAY 2017

COMPETITION

Richard Ellis Archive and Book Distributors Limited (BDL).

Ngħidu kelma QWIEL MALTIN U XI JFISSRU Min ma jġarrabx il-ħażin ma jafx it-tajjeb. If you don’t experience hard times, you will never appreciate good times. Id-dinja tgħallmek aktar minn imgħallmek. The world will teach you more things than your teacher ever will.

L-Għamja jew Bin l-Assassin ta’ l-Imdina by Emilio Lombardi.

Illum jien u għada int. It’s my turn today, but it will be yours tomorrow. Bil-flus ħadd ma jixtri ilġenna. No amount of money will buy you heaven. Min iħobb ibati. He who loves suffers.

Presenting the past This month, we are once again giving away a set of 12 replica prints by Richard Ellis. To win, identify the locations (street and city) of the photograph on this page and send your answers via e-mail to seniortimes@timesofmalta.com or by post to ‘Senior Times Competition’, Allied Newspapers Limited, Strickland House, 341, St Paul Street, Valletta VLT 1211. The first correct answer that we receive will win a set of 12 replica prints by Richard Ellis. The second and third runner-up win one of the above-mentioned books, courtesy of Book Distributors Limited (BDL).

Kliem ġdid

Il-Pesta tal-1676 by Joseph Micallef.

The winners of the March Senior Times Richard Ellis competition are Manuel Grech (wins a set of 12 replica prints by Richard Ellis), Antonia Spiteri (wins a copy of Wiġi u t-Teżori ta’ Kemmuna by Monica Gatt) and Carmen Mamo, (wins a copy of Il-Misteri tat-Tabib Gustav Harding by Elio Lombardi.).

Kull lingwa tirrifletti l-użanzi, xewqat, u taqlib li kull poplu jgħaddi minnhom. Skond ilpaġna tal-Facebook ‘Kelma’, li jieħu ħsieb Michael Spagnol, għalliem fl-Università ta’ Malta, dawn il-kliem, u ħafna oħrajn, qed isiru ferm popolari.

Tinstagramma Meta tieħu ritratt bil-mowbajl tiegħek u ttellgħu fuq lapp Instagram.

SUDOKU Fill in the grid so that every row, every column and every 3x3 box contains the digits 1 through 9

8 4

6 9 4 8

Tinnerdja

2 9

4 3 9 6 1 5 8 7 2

6 2 5 4 7 8 9 1 3

1 8 7 3 9 2 5 4 6

2 5 1 9 6 7 4 3 8

3 4 6 5 8 1 2 9 7

9 7 8 2 4 3 1 6 5

7 1 3 8 5 9 6 2 4

8 9 4 7 2 6 3 5 1

5 6 2 1 3 4 7 8 9

3 8 2 1

9 6 4

3 1 6

1 6

Mill-kelma ‘nerd’, jew xi ħadd illi jqatta is-Sibt flgħaxija ġewwa jistudja.

Kejkina Id-diminuttiv tal-kelma ‘kejk’. Tista’ tkun muffin jew cupcake.

SENIOR TIMES ‒ MAY 2017

AGEING

Why creativity has Elderly people should be encouraged to find a voice and be given space for new and creative exploration Charlotte Stafrace says.

etting creative with seniors has been an eye-opening experience. I first looked at how I could possibly connect with this group and drafted out a ‘list’. That list changed and evolved and ACTive Age was born. ACTive Age is a project which aims to work with older adults to keep them active, both physically and mentally. Initially, I developed this project to apply the theatre skills I learnt over many years to an area I was not very familiar with – the ageing sector. My primary interest was to broaden my set of skills through interaction with a new audience, finding a niche, but ultimately doing something enjoyable. The older I get the more I believe in the motto, albeit clichéd, that life’s too short not to enjoy what you do. I’ve held many jobs in my life, some creative, others mundane. However, I’ve always been happiest milling around or being totally immersed in projects within the arts sector. I’ve worked with diverse age groups, from adults to toddlers, and have also forayed into the world of disability arts. I felt the sector of ageing and older adults could open up opportunities for exploration, and plenty of stories. I was not wrong. ACTive Age ascribes to the philosophy that individuals can learn and grow throughout their lives. There is a lot of interesting research which explores how the brain can retain its plasticity well into our older years. Many still have misconceptions about whether older adults can be engaged. Yet, there is a common conclusion across various studies: if you work the body and brain, they get stronger. Ignore them, and they get weaker.

Charlotte Stafrace leading a session in a home for the elderly.

I have attended several courses and workshops about how to help elderly people remain active and engaged and I follow regularly what is happening globally on the ageing sector front. Looking at the tried and tested activities being run in senior state institutions abroad, it is clear that more creative people are being employed in an effort to shift established attitudes towards the care of the elderly, bringing a ray of sunshine into the day of senior persons in a home setting.

Collecting objects from the past helps in recollecting memories

If you work the body and brain, they get stronger. But if you ignore them, they get weaker

Thinking creatively how to reach out and connect is at the fore of ACTive Age. Michael C. Patterson, a brain health expert and founding principal of Mindramp Consulting says: “Creativity involves challenge and effort that, like the hero’s journey, results in a transformation and reinvention of self.” Creativity leads to learning which in turn can stimulate the mind and enable further creativity and learning.

Where does one start? I’ve worked with different groups in day care and home settings, and I also have a regular group within the private health sector, with whom I engage on a weekly basis. It is always a slow start with any new group and the initial sessions are devoted to trying to get the group to accept me. By understanding and respecting older adults as lifelong learners, new challenges can be achieved. As the engaged creative person, my role is to draw on the participants’ experience and knowledge, connect to other participants, and acknowledge everyone’s input in a bid to create new experiences and new outcomes. So, what happens in a session? After getting to know the group, we might listen to some familiar music and move or sing to it, or both (yes you can create movement even when seated).

SENIOR TIMES ‒ May 2017

no boundaries The elderly can be engaged in various ways.

As our life expectancy keeps extending, the ageing sector is growing, and there is a lot of work being done to keep older people involved Finding the right themes to develop is important – not everyone can or wants to talk about the war. So, identifying the varying needs early on, making people feel comfortable to connect and work with them is key. Once you set your ‘playground’ scenario, most seniors enjoy some form of improvisation, as this can bring laughter or create an opportunity to clown about. In small

groups, a session works best when it is tailor-made. Today’s older adult can be engaged in different ways. In various day care centres and elderly people’s homes, tombola features often as a way of doing something with their time. But tombola is not a real solution to engage people. Ultimately, it depends on whether we see seniors as just followers or whether they should be encouraged to find

a voice or be given space for new exploration. In this series of articles, I will be sharing some tried and tested ways of engaging seniors, whether being fully immersed retelling a story, moving to music, reminiscing about days past, simple exercises, or writing a poem. As our life expectancy keeps extending, the ageing sector is growing, and there is a lot of work being done to keep older people involved but more could be explored. ACTive Age aims to keep projecting ideas forward, collaborating, and I hope to personally keep on learning. The most important thing I have learnt is that ACTive Age has an important role to play in this sector and that people from a creative or performance arts background are being engaged globally for the flair they can bring in the area. ●

The various projects I have worked on, together with other creatives, have been funded through local funding mechanisms. The NGO I form part of, Theatre Anon Arts Foundation, and others I partner with, Integra and The Critical Institute have been awarded funding from Premju Tal-President, Creative Communities, Travel Grants within Arts Council Malta, as well as Malta Community Chest Fund Foundation. The funded projects have been supported by the Directorate for Active Ageing and Community Care/Ministry for the Family and Social Solidarity. Follow us on Facebook, ACTive Age Malta www.activeagemalta.org

SENIOR TIMES ‒ May 2017

CARS US

UT TI L

Brand loyalty

J OE B

Charles Borg inherited his father’s passion for Morris and Austin cars, Joe Busuttil says.

ver since he can remember, Charles Borg was surrounded by either Morris or Austin cars, as his father Joseph was obsessed with these brands. He had two old vehicles for daily use, a 1952 Morris 8 as well as a Baby Austin, the latter being a rare two-door 1958 model. The father was always ferrying his large family of four boys and two girls around in these cars, and when the eldest, also named Joseph, got his driving licence, the father bought him an Austin Farina. The latter, Charles quickly points out, is still in his brother’s possession. Constantly surrounded with this Morris and Austin aura eventually affected Charles, who throughout his life has had a long procession for these two marques flitting in and out of his possession every few years. Like a good chip off the old block, his first car was a 1956 Morris Traveller. “I saw it at a car hire garage in Fleur de Lys and I was immediately attracted to it,” he recalls. “As can be expected, when I went to see it, my father came along for his valuable advice and guidance, and it was on his recommendation that I finally bought it.” The Traveller was in quite a good condition, and Charles kept it for 10 years, driving it on a daily basis. His next car was a 1956 smoke grey Morris 1000 fourdoor saloon which he used for two years before he sold it and replaced it with a 1954 Wolseley 444. “This metallic gold vehicle had a mahogany dashboard, complete with clock and valve radio. Another highlight was its elongated chrome grill,” points out Charles. “It was a rare model, having been garaged for a long period of time by the heirs of a police officer. I have never seen such a model in Malta.” Despite its rarity, the restless Charles eventually exchanged it for a 1958 Baby Austin van – something that he still regrets

The Morris 8 engine is now purring perfectly, and Charles is proud that he does all the mechanical work himself to this very day. It soon made way for a 1956 two-door Morris Minor 1000. “Unlike the previous vehicles, this Morris stayed with me for a very long period, from 1978 to 1996. It was an old warhorse, strong and stable, despite the constant use. I even taught my two children how to drive on it. In fact, my daughter Maria kept it.” The next model was a 1984 Morris Marina estate van. The yellow vehicle was used daily until 2010, when Charles passed it on to his brother Michael. In the meantime, he bought a 1960 Austin Farina, which unfortunately was stolen from outside his home, and never found. Some years ago, he also bought a dilapidated 1958 Austin A35 which he saved from a scrap yard in Qormi. Having a garage space problem, he left it covered from the elements in a relative’s field in Gharghur, and then started bringing it back to life. However, lack of time meant that he had to give up in the end, and he sold the partly restored vehicle.

Charles is very knowledgeable about the history of the Morris marque, which began in 1912 when William Morris, a bicycle manufacturer, moved from the sale, hire and repair of cars to their manufacture. Assembling vehicles from brought in components, the entrepreneur eventually took off, soared to success, and became the UK biggest car manufacturer. In 1952 William Morris – now Lord Nuffield – merged with his old rival, the Austin Motor Company, to form the British Motor Corporation. That Charles is deeply enamoured of Morris motors is also reflected in the fact that he now owns three brand models. In his Ħamrun garage, one finds a 1958 olive green Morris 1000 convertible. Designed by Alex Issigonis, more than a one and a half million were manufactured between 1928 and 1972, coming out as twodoor, four-door and convertible models. In the 1950s, a wood panel framed estate known as the Traveller was developed – Charles has a 1963 version of this model.

The third model in the garage is a 1953 four-door Morris 8, which he is still working on. “It was in a very bad condition when I bought it,” he explains. “A lot of rust had to be removed and the floor panels had to be replaced. New parts for the engine were sourced and it was not easy to trace the replacements. In particular I had to be quite resourceful to get the wheel cylinders of the braking system as well as the chrome lining of the grille.” The Morris 8 engine is now purring perfectly, and Charles is proud that he does all the mechanical work himself. He says that when the technical tasks become complicated, he leaves the garage, forgets all about it, and then resumes his efforts much later. “This kind of work really relaxes me – in a way it takes me back to my childhood, when I used to be involved with my father when he was indulging in similar activities.”

His son Marco takes after his father and grandfather – he has inherited their love of the four-wheeler and technical knowhow, and also earns his living running his own car service garage. Despite being totally besotted with the Morris marque, there is an exception to be found in Charles’s garage, for he also owns a 1978 metallic blue Fiat 132. His son alerted him when it came on the market, and Charles said that it was too good an opportunity for him to turn it down. Being a long time member of the Old Motors Club, he takes part in most of the events and enjoys the camaraderie as well as the networking and exchange of technical information between the members. Charles is quick to point out that in many cases, it was their sound advice and knowledge that helped him through a mechanical impasse on a restoration job. ● www.oldmotorsclub.com

SENIOR TIMES ‒ May 2017

MEMORIES

What Strait Street wore GE O R

saw and decided to run away from home. I was brought up by my aunt, mum’s sister, Carrie, in a farmhouse in Marsa. I was so happy there. To think that I came down here (Strait Street) and went off the track.” How do you mean, Ġużi? “I was about 12 years old and had never lived with mum. I came here because granddad lived down this side of Valletta. When he died, I moved into the small room in

a tenement house where he used to live. As you leave the two flights of stairs at the lower end of Strait Street, you find yourself at Due Balli. That’s where the room was. “Then I started working in a coffee shop earning £1 a week,” Ġużi says as he breaks into a broad smile, his full head of hair, salt and pepper, backcombed neatly. “ The shop was run by Ġilardu. He had a small shop

along the steps I told you about in Strait Street. “I used to run around taking orders and delivering tea and coffee to the neighbouring outlets. I worked between two in the afternoon and eleven at night. I earned tips as well and attended the state primary school at the Auberge de Baviere.” School was important because one learned how to speak English.

“I didn’t learn English at school. I learned English because I used to hang out at the bars and there one met Englishmen mostly. I picked up the language by catching a word here and there. Then I started working in the bars. Down this way (the Gut) I worked in three of the bars, the Sunderland, the New York and then I took over a small bar called the Four Sisters.” ●

This excerpt is from the book, Strada Stretta: ‘The Gut’ which for many years lit up Valletta (2013). The author may be contacted on gcini400@gmail.com or on 9943 0578. There’s a Facebook page on Strada Stretta where you can share your memories and learn about the other facets of the street: https://www.facebook.co m/Strada-Stretta449008088636143/ Interviews were transcribed verbatim by the author.

Rita Sultana, Ġużi’s mum, behind the counter at the Cairo Bar. On the left is a well-known tailor known as Pulis who had an outlet in Strait Street. The woman on the right next to the sailor is Ġużi’s sister, Jessie.

“E

verybody knows me as Ġużi of the Cairo Bar. The bar belonged to my mother, Rita known as ‘il-Ġinġrija’ because she was blond. My family hails from Marsa but my mum ran away from home when she was about 18, maybe younger, to start working in Strait Street. “She started at the Victoria then moved to New Life, the Majestic and the Cinderella. But mainly she worked at the New Life Music Hall. At the time, women wore evening dresses when they hosted men at the bars.” What made your mother come down this street? “Maybe she had come down here one day, liked what she

CI N

Ġużi of the Cairo Bar aged 23.

Author George Cini, who has penned two books about Strada Stretta, introduces yet another character: Ġużi of the Cairo Bar, who started to cross-dress aged 14.

SENIOR TIMES ‒ MAY 2017

NOSTALGIA

Teach a man how to fish… Fiona Vella meets fisherman Ġanni Xuereb.

met Ġanni Xuereb in his large garage in Xewkija, Gozo. He had gone fishing at 4:00am and returned in the afternoon with two boxes of bogue which he caught with the fish baskets that he had made. Nowadays, at the age of 78, he is only able to catch small fish and he does it as a hobby. He was known as ‘il-Pipi’ because he had been smoking pipes since he was a child. At least, up to his great-grandfather, his ancestors were all fishermen. “I was born during World War II, a time when it was dangerous to be a fisherman. My father told me that there were fishermen who were injured or even killed during the war when they were targeted by enemy planes. “Yet even with this very present danger they had to go out at sea, otherwise they would not eat. Because of these risks, fishermen did not dare to go out very far and there was always someone on land to give the alarm by raising a flag if the air-raid siren rung out. In that case, the boats would turn back to harbour immediately.” More absent than present at school, from a young age he already went to fish with his family. When he was 12, he left school and started to work as a fisherman. “By now, I know Malta’s coast inch by inch and I can tell you how deep the sea is wherever we stop,” he told me proudly and defiantly. In those days, you had to find a way how to equip your boat and if necessary, you had to make your own tools. As a

young child, Ġanni learnt how to construct fish traps from reeds which they found in the countryside. “I learnt by watching my father doing them. That was a time when nobody would sit with you to teach you how to do something. “You had to take the initiative, follow what the others are doing and then try to copy them. With enough passion and patience, you would eventually succeed.” During our discussion, he explained that there were different types of traps designed to catch different types of fish and octopuses. For the latter, the traps had to be constructed with iron-wire or otherwise the octopus would smash them and escape. “In order to lure octopus in the trap, we place some discarded fish or bread. You may not always be successful in catching an octopus, yet most of the time, each trap will provide you with one or two. Once an octopus gets in the trap, it won’t be able to come out. Yet there are instances when a moray will get inside the trap to eat it and then instead of the octopus, you will find the

moray. And mind you, it is good to eat too!” I noticed some massive traps which were hanging from the ceiling of his garage.

His wife had to go to the police station when there was bad weather and she would phone the fish market in Malta to check whether her husband had arrived there

“We use those traps for picarel. I have constructed them some three years ago. We fish with them by tying them at the bottom of the sea, then leave them there during the night and return to collect them the next morning. The traps would be lying on the floor and we would put no bait in them. The picarel seem to swim inside them just out of simple curiosity and then they won’t be able to come out. For some reason, only that type of fish is caught with that trap.” Ġanni recalls the time when he did not have a truck in order to carry those massive traps. Therefore, he would

place them inside each other, then he would enter into them himself, carry them on his back, and walk down from Xewkija to Marsalforn. In his days, fishermen had no means of communication which are available today. No radios or mobiles on boats and no telephone at home. His wife had to go to the police station when there was bad weather and she would phone the fish market in Malta to check whether her husband had arrived there. While mentioning his wife, I must say that Ġanni had quite a hard time to marry her, both because she was his second

SENIOR TIMES ‒ May 2017

PHOTOS: ENRICO FORMICA, MIRANDA PUBLISHERS

DOWN MEMORY LANE

cousin, and also because of a particular tradition which existed back then. “There was the tradition that for a month after the wedding, the married woman would remain to live in her parents’ home and she would not go to her new home with her husband straight away. So when our wedding party was over and all the guests had left, I told my wife Helen ‘Shall we go home?’ Yet her mother was waiting for this and

replied ‘Eh! She will be staying with us today. She won’t come with you for now.” “However I did not intend to accept this! ‘Now that she is mine, she will have to come with me,” I said to her mother. “If she is not coming with me today, then you can keep her and she will stay with you!’ And I got my way,” Ġanni told me as he laughed heartily and went to bring a family photo which showed him and his wife together with their 10 children.

Ġanni is lucky that all his nine sons have become fishermen like him and a few of them have learnt how to construct the fish traps by watching him at work. Yet the rate of people working as fishermen is dwindling as the years gone by. And people who are still able to construct fish traps are even rarer. ●

Time has an uncanny way of stealing things by simply fading them away from us. As we struggle to hold on to today’s fast paced world, some of us are simply left behind and the rest will only notice their loss when they are gone. A close look at the core areas of our villages and towns will reveal a bygone world hidden behind closed doors of abandoned old shops which once were so popular. Their discoloured signs displaying the name of the business in large lettering and that of the original owner in smaller ones seem eager to remind us of their presence. One of the main aims of Miranda Publishers’ latest publication Disappearing Malta: Crafts, Trades and Traditions 360˚ is to safeguard the memories of our dying local customs and the lives of those who were involved in them. Even if it is impossible to stop the steady advance of progress from making some of these crafts, trades and traditions no longer in demand, their documentation in narrative and pictures will defy their oblivion.

SENIOR TIMES ‒ MAY 2017

RELIĠJON

Fatima 100 sena wara... il-messaġġ għadu validu? Dak li talbet il-Madonna mit-tfal ta’ Fatima jista’ jkun validu għalina llum ukoll, jgħid Dun Jonathan Farrugia.

it-13 ta’ Mejju 1917, tlett itfal minn Fatima qalu li raw mara “tiddi aktar mix-xemx u li minnha kienu ħerġin raġġi ta’ dawl isbaħ u aktar qawwijin minn dawk li joħorġu minn tazza tal-kristall mimlija ilma jleqq meta tintlaqat mir-raġġi tax-xemx”. Il-mara għamlet appuntament mat-tfal biex jibqgħu imorru jiltaqgħu magħha għal sitt xhur, kull 13 tax-xahar. Waqt li r-raħal ta’ Fatima u lbqija tal-Portugall kellhom reazzjonijiet differenti għal dak li kienu qed jgħidu t-tfal, eluf u eluf ta’ nies bdew iżuru l-post fejn seħħew id-dehriet. Id-dehriet ta’ Fatima rċevew ir-rikonoxximent uffiċċjali mill-Knisja Kattolika fl-1930 u baqgħu magħrufin l-aktar għas-sigrieti li l-Madonna qalet lit-tfal, għall-miraklu tax-xemx u għall-viżjonijiet apokalittiċi li raw it-tfal waqt id-dehriet. Iżda ftit jiftakru l-ewwel ordni li l-mara tiddi tat lit-tfal flewwel dehra nhar it-13 ta’ Mejju 1917 kienet biex jitolbu r-rużajru kuljum għall-paċi fiddinja u biex tispiċċa l-gwerra. It-tema tar-rużarju bħala talb ta’ interċessjoni terġa’ tfiġġ f ’dehret oħra: fit-13 ta’ Ġunju għall-istess raġuni u fid19 ta’ Awissu għall-ġid tal-midinbin. Naturalment il-ħafna teoriji li ħarġu fuq is-sigrieti, speċjalment it-tielet wieħed, kienu ferm aktar attraenti milli kienet l-istedina għattalb tar-rużarju, u forsi hu għalhekk li ftit li xejn tinħass ir-rabta bejn dawn iddehriet u t-talb għall-paċi. Iżda dak li hu l-aktar attraenti mhuwiex dejjem l-essenzjali! It-talb għall-paċi għadu jgħodd għalina llum? Żgur li dawk li huma lakbar minna fl-età jiftakru żmien meta t-talb kellu rwol ferm aktar

importanti fil-ħajja ta’ kuljum milli għandu llum. Bla dubju ħafna jifrakru ż-żmien meta rrużarju kien jingħad fil-familja kuljum. Illum l-istorja hija għal kollox differenti, mhux biss għax it-talb m’għadux moda (speċjalment ir-rużarju... ripetizzjoni monotona għal 50 darba tal-istess talba!), imma wkoll għax ftit li xejn għadu possibbli għall-familji illi jsibu ħin biex joqgħodu flimkien, aħseb u ara biex jitolbu flimkien. Iżda li kieku kellna nqabblu ċ-ċirkustanzi taddinja fl1917 ma’ dawk tallum fl-2017 forsi nieħdu ħjiel biex naraw kemm fil-fatt dak li talbet ilMadonna mittfal jista’ jkun validu għalina llum ukoll. Fl-1917 iddinja kienet għaddejja minn gwerra li

fiha mietu nies aktar milli mietu fil-gwerer l-oħra li saru qabel. Iż-żgħażagħ tal-Portugall kienu telqu għall-gwerra ftit ġimgħat qabel bdew iddehriet u kien hemm il-biża ġustifikata li mhux se jerġgħu jiġu lura. It-talb għall-paċi mitlub mill-Madonna kien marbut proprju ma’ din iċċirkustanza ta’ gwerra li fiha kienet tinsab l-Ewropa. Illum, mitt sena wara, ma ninsabux ‘uffiċċjalment’ fi gwerra dinjija... imma nistgħu ngħidu li ninsabu fil-paċi? Ma naħsibx. Apparti linstabilità politika preżenti f ’diversi pajjiżi, speċjalment filLvant nofsani, ma nistgħux niċħdu li d-dinja tinsab maqbuda f ’xibka ta’ biża minħabba l-ħafna attakki terroristiċi ta’ kull xorta li minn żmien għal żmien isiru f ’pajjiżi

differenti u li dejjem qed iħallu aktar u aktar vittmi innoċenti. Bdejna fl-2001 bl-ajruplani jittajru fit-torrijiet fi New York u bqajna sejrin sa żmienna b’bombi fl-istazzjonijiet f ’Londra, trakkijiet isuqu għal fuq innies fi Franza u fil-Belġju u sparar fir-ristoranti u ħwienet fl-Awstralja. Mhix gwerra bejn il-pajjiżi, imma hija gwerra bejn l-ideoloġiji. Li hu żgur huwa li

Ħafna jiftakru ż-żmien meta r-rużarju kien jingħad filfamilja kuljum

fejn tinżera l-biża – u dawn lattakki jnisslu l-biża kullimkien, mhux biss fejn isiru – hemm il-bniedem jitlef il-paċi. Allura ma qiegħed isir xejn biex din il-paċi tant mixtieqa minn kulħadd terġa’ ssir realtà? Ma ngħidx li ma qiegħed isir xejn: isiru kungressi internazzjonali u protesti u laqgħat bejn il-kapijiet tal-istati; naraw xhieda ta’ sapport reċiproku bejn stat milqut minn xi attakk u dawk ta’ madwaru u anke jsiru appelli ma’ kullimkien biex niġġieldu t-terroriżmu ħalli nħassruh mid-dinja. Imma fejn wasalna? Il-fatti juru li ma wasalniex wisq ‘il bogħod. Il-problema jista’ jkun hi li lbniedem kullma jmur dejjem qiegħed jiddependi aktar fuq il-kapaċitajiet tiegħu biss. Alla tneħħa kompletament millistampa u ħadd ma jaqagħlu f ’rasu biex waqt li jimpenja ruħu bil-ħeġġa kollha fil-

SENIOR TIMES ‒ May 2017

Pope Francis leads the Holy Mass at the Shrine of Our Lady of Fatima in Portugal on May 13, 2017. PHOTOS: REUTERS/TONY GENTILE

ħidma għall-paċi, iżid ma’ din il-ħidma intenzjoni fit-talb tiegħu wkoll. U din hi l-lacuna. Tgħid mitt sena ilu t-tmiem tal-ewwel gwerra dinjija seħħ minħabba t-talb ta’ dawk li semgħu mit-tfal ta’ Fatima? Min jaf... Tgħid jekk illum nisimgħu mill-messaġġ ta’ Fatima u nerġgħu nibdew nitolbu rrużarju kuljum id-dinja għad

fl-aħħar tgħix fil-paċi? Min jaf. Imma x’nitilfu billi nippruvaw? Wara kollox l-ebda dehra oħra tal-Madonna ma kienet daqshekk immarkata blimportanza tat-talb għall-paċi! Forsi ma tkunx ħaġa ħażina li fil-mumenti kwieti li jkollna, speċjalment jekk issa ninsabu rtirati, niftarku f ’dak li kien moda fi tfulitna, u nerġgħu nibdew nitolbu għall-paċi. ●

SENIOR TIMES ‒ MAY 2017

SPORT

The match of

the century Malta’s captain Joe Cini exchanging banners with England’s captain Allan Mullery.

o event in the history of Maltese football has had such a tremendous build up as the meeting between Malta and England in 1971. This was with good reason, seeing how the game on the island was introduced, fostered, and developed by the British. Listening to veterans who followed the game from its infancy, one hears of the exploits of this or that service team. Names like the Garrison Artillery, the Worcesters, the Rifle Brigade, the Benbow, the Malaya, and of course the old Duncan are mentioned with nostalgia. The English influence crept into the Maltese game, not only in the style of play, but also in the administration of the game on the island. Before the war British gentlemen exerted their influence on the running of the MFA, while British referees controlled nearly all matches played in Malta. There are also on record many instances when Service trainers and masseurs were engaged by Maltese clubs. On other occasions, service players ‘guested’ for civilian teams in titanic battles against visiting foreign teams. Famous British clubs like Tottenham Hotspurs, Arsenal, Manchester United, Ipswich Town, Chelsea, Norwich, and Portsmouth all made historic visits to the island. Only one thing was missing – never in the 100-odd year history of the game had a British representative side visited the island. This was something which every Maltese enthusiast waited for. The game had progressed a lot from the days of the Mile End. Malta became independent and took its place among the nations of the world. All that remained, now, was the ultimate test against its former master. I remember quite clearly the great wave of enthusiasm which hit the island in the summer of 1970 when it became known that Malta had been drawn against England, Switzerland, and Greece in the European Cup of Nations. In those days, I was serving in the RAF and, when Frankie Camilleri gave the news to an unbelieving nation on television, I was having a drink at the mess with the Sliema and Malta centre-

When Malta was drawn against England in 1971, it was just the start of a dream, Carmel Baldacchino recalls.

half Eddie Darmanin. The latter went mad with joy when he heard the news. He expressed the feeling of every player in the national squad with his leaps of joy. One does not always get the chance of playing against England at Wembley Stadium. Of course, Darmanin was not the only one to be delighted with the news. The MFA and the stadium management saw this match as a God-given chance to fill their coffers. Plans were made to improve the pitch and to increase the ground’s capacity. The MFA, on the other hand, appointed Carm Borg as national coach and embarked on an ambitious training programme for the squad. In the meantime, the news that Malta would be playing against England aroused the interest of the British press. The Evening News of January 23 carried an article by Victor Railton which gave the views of Sir Stanley Mathews on Maltese football. Mathews described the forthcoming match as a ‘minefield’ because, in his opinion, many traps awaited the England team. He said that the pitch could be very difficult and warned Sir Ramsey that the worst time on this pitch was midway through the game when the sand flew all over the place. Shooting from outside the penalty area, he said, was a waste of time. The Evening News said that the Malta-England clash was regarded as the greatest event in the island’s soccer history. Reg Drury of the News of the World warned Ramsey not to take any chances believing that Malta were no pushovers. Frank McGhee of the Sunday Mirror gave a detailed description of the conditions the England team would meet at the stadium. He said, however, that this should not, of course, affect the result of the match. England should be able to field any of five different teams and still win comfortably. Finally, Ken Jones of the Daily Mirror, writing about the possible

Malta’s captain Ronnie Cocks and England’s captain Bobby Moore leading the teams out of the tunnel at the famous Wembley Stadium.

This match has since become part of football history

exclusion of Bobby Moore from the England squad, commented: “The match in Malta is one which will demand the elimination of careless error rather than the need to cope with potential threat.” In the meantime, Malta opened their Nations Cup programme on Sunday October 2, 1970 with a deserved draw against Greece. Amongst the large crowd at the stadium was Sir Ramsey. The Greeks at the time were one of the emerging soccer nations. They had just missed qualifying for the Mexico World Cup and were considered by the experts as a force to be reckoned with. As the game against England approached the MFA and the stadium management made great efforts to make the organisation of this memorable occasion as perfect as possible. In January, 1971 they called a press conference to clarify certain aspects of the event. Everyone agreed that the biggest ever crowd would be present irrespective of the weather conditions and that the pressure on the police regarding parking, queues and general crowd control would be enormous.

It was therefore agreed that the immediate area around the ground would be closed to traffic and that the open areas behind the Nicholl Ground and the road around Ta’ Xbiex and other open spaces around Msida right up to Valletta would be used as a parking area. There was also the important factor of crowd safety in and out of the ground. Tackling these problems in good time helped in no small way the smooth running of the organisation on an occasion which was unique in the history of local football. It would certainly be difficult to organise such a game nowadays at Ta’ Qali. Therefore, one can imagine the difficulties faced by the authorities to organise the event in a small ground as the Empire Stadium situated as it was in the heart of the busy Msida, Gzira and Sliema traffic. By January 20, 1971, 13,000 tickets were sold and the enclosure tickets which were selling at £1 each were already sold out on the second day of the bookings. All the reserve seats were sold out as well leaving only the ground tickets which cost 12s 6d (€1.20). These prices were high for those days. The stadium management originally intended to issue 37,000 tickets for the

SENIOR TIMES ‒ May 2017

match but it was forced, for security reasons to decrease the total to 30,000. This was still an extraordinary total when at the best of time the stadium could accommodate about 20,000 spectators. The hour of truth arrived on Wednesday, February 3, 1971. For days on end the match was the centre of conversation. As the day approached, the excitement gripped the heart of every Maltese. All the tickets were sold out well before the match, and the police declared the area around the stadium as a traffic-free zone. The match was scheduled to start at 3pm but the gates were opened at noon. By 10am long queues could be seen outside the stadium. Buses worked overtime while cars converged on the stadium from the remotest part of the island. Two hours before the start of the match the ground was already packed with more than 30,000 supporters and hundreds of others perched dangerously in every possible vantage point around the ground. It was a long wait but the crowd soon found ways to while away the time. They pelted the England cheerleader with oranges and chanted offensive slogans against the English. No one could blame them considering the offensive remarks which appeared in a section of the British press calling the Maltese a bunch of Spanish waiters. This match has since become part of football history. It is common knowledge how the Maltese rose to the occasion, holding the mighty English team to a narrow 0-1 defeat. A lot has been written about this match. It is not my intention to add to this volume, but to give a general idea of the game, and to avoid falling into the trap of over sentimentalising Malta’s performance, I shall give Rex Brian’s report of the match which appeared in the Daily Sketch of February 4, 1971: “A 35-minute goal by Martin Peters beat plucky Malta, a whistling Austrian referee, and a hysterical crowd in the sunny Gzira Stadium here today. But it was mighty close.” England was outplayed by this inspired bunch of part-timers in the first-half and were not much better in the second. Sir Ramsey’s campaign to win the European Nations Cup nearly collapsed as soon as it began. This was a

test of nerve for a reshaped England side and they just passed. Roy McFarland, never far from the swarthy Cini, was the surest of the four new caps. Colin Harvey and Martin Chivers had quiet debuts. Joe Royle was more aggressive and gave England muchneeded bite in a patchy second-half. The old firm provided the stars. Alan Mullery ran with all his perky zest and he and Peters, the classiest player on this sandy waste, gave England the midfield grip which won the day. But the screaming 30,000 crowd, with thousands more crowded on the balconies of nearby houses took some beating. They booed every England mistake and jeered every pass back. Mullery and his men soon found another hazard. Within five minutes Royle was penalised when he did not go within a yard of the goalkeeper and Chivers was pulled up for a legitimate long throw. For the first half, the referee was as big a homer as Bill Shankly at Anfield on a Saturday afternoon. Chivers headed over from a Peters’ free-kick, but Malta’s close passing game was beginning to click. And when England scored it was against the run of play. Norman Hunter gathered the ball on the edge of the area, passed-or perhaps miss-kicked to Peters, who hit a leftfoot ground shot which bobbed on the sand before creeping inside the diving Mizzi’s left-hand post. England had a nasty moment when Arpa headed towards the net and Emlyn Hughes belted the ball away. Chivers should have crushed these cheeky Maltese a minute after the restart. He collected a bad back-header and had only the goalkeeper to beat from five yards. He had time to bring the ball down but headed tamely into Mizzi’s arms. Rex Brain conveniently forgot to mention the great save which Gordon Banks made off Joe Cini a few minutes from the end. At the end of the game there was great rejoicing in the Malta dressing room. The players, coach and officials celebrated what was a moral victory against the world champions. The final word is reserved for Austrian referee, Mr Marschall who said that he never imagined that the Maltese could play such good football. He

England coach Sir Alf Ramsey with his Maltese counterpart Carm Borg during one of England’s training sessions at the Empire Stadium.

The English cheerleader made his customary tour of the ground before the game. The Maltese however, were not amused and he was pelted with oranges.

said that he was astonished and that in the closing minutes Malta could have scored the equaliser. Marschall praised the players sporting spirit and the crowd’s behaviour. He concluded that Malta should be proud because after all England are always a great team. The next day the Maltese and English headlines were all for Malta. On April 18, 1971, the Maltese football party arrived in Lucerne after an arduous pullman trip from Coverciano in Italy where they had undergone a week’s intensive training for their second leg match against Switzerland. The dream which Malta had lived through during the first part of its European adventure ended abruptly three days later. Seventeen terrible minutes sent Malta’s football prestige reeling in Lucerne. Those 17 minutes were a nightmare for goalkeeper Freddie Mizzi who had to pick the ball from the net five times before he was substituted by Ċensu Borg Bonaci. During its short stay in Italy the national team played a friendly match in Florence against the amateur team, US La Fondiara. Unfortunately, a detailed report of this match does not exist. All that we know is that the MFA XI won 3-1. The English team lining up before the start of the game.

In the return match against England at Wembley Stadium it was one-way traffic. There was a big disparity between the two teams. The Maltese were aware of this and their only objective was not to be humiliated. They tried to keep possession but the razor-sharp tackling of the English penned them in their own area for long stretches. Gordon Banks was a forlorn figure in his goal and he only touched the ball twice from back-passes. However, one had to admire the bravery of the Maltese lads who, despite the huge odds against them, battled on up to the final whistle. It is true that Malta lost five-nil with goals from Martin Chivers (2), Francis Lee, Clarke and Lawrer but the huge goal figures predicted by the British Press did not materialise. The Maltese certainly had nothing to be ashamed of as the BBC match commentator said in his report: “Malta did not seem punchdrunk or shoddy, playing on the unfamiliar lush turf of Wembley. For a team not accustomed to play on turf pitches, it has been a very good game for them. They fought and fought and you in Malta should be proud of these players who are really holding up the name of Malta here at Wembley.” ●

SENIOR TIMES ‒ May 2017

NEWS

De Valette’s dagger explored in Heritage Malta’s exhibition

e Valette’s Dagger is a much-awaited exhibition organised by Heritage Malta as part of the events marking Malta’s 2017 EU Presidency. This prestigious artefact is on loan from the Louvre Museum, Paris, and is thus returning to Malta for the first time since 1798. De Valette’s Dagger also forms part of the events linked to the capital city of Valletta. Last year Malta commemorated the 450th anniversary since the laying of the first stone of the city of Valletta, while next year Valletta will be the European Capital City of Culture. The return of de Valette’s poniard will have a very important and historical link to these events. This exhibition is another hallmark in the series of high standard exhibitions organised by the national agency.

The exhibition is divided in three sections. The first part of the exhibition explains why the sword and dagger were presented to Grand Master Jean Parisot de Valette after the victory of the Great Siege. These gifts were important to the Order because of the symbolism portraying the need to defend the faith and the territory. In fact in March, 1566 the Order’s Council established that September 8 is celebrated annually as the day of victory, and must include a procession in which the sword and poniard ‘of the religion’ were held unsheathed by a page during the festivities. Apart from King Philip II and Grand Master de Valette, French General Napoleon Bonaparte also had direct relationship with the dagger. After the Order surrendered the Maltese islands to the French, Napoleon kept the dagger to

PHOTO: HERITAGE MALTA

himself till his death. The sword was sent to Paris and kept at the Bibliotheque Nationale. The second part of the exhibition focuses solely on the dagger. Although the sword could not travel without causing permanent damage due to complex conservation problems, the sword will be ‘present’ in the same section with

the dagger. Visitors will be able to view a 3D model of de Valette’s sword suspended in mid-air. The sword will be projected in its proper dimensions and will be constantly rotated along its longest axis to show all its 360-degree details. In the last section the visitors can read general information about the dagger and the

sword. This section poses questions about these two ceremonial weapons. A fully illustrated catalogue has also been published to accompany the display. It includes interesting information about de Valette’s dagger and sword, their importance and significance and recounts stories surrounding these two ceremonial weapons. Other selected and related exhibits from the national collection will feature in this exhibition. De Valette’s Dagger is held at the National Museum of Archaeology till July 9. The opening hours are from 9.00am till 6.00pm, last admission at 5.30pm everyday. Admission included in the museum’s regular ticket price. For more information and other events organised by Heritage Malta visit www.heritagemalta.org or follow the official Facebook page. ●

Il-missjoni fil-qalba tal-fidi nisranija

l-aħħar ġranet ta’ Mejju u lewwel ġranet ta’ Ġunju (Mit 29 ta’ Mejju sat-3 ta’ Ġunju) tkun qed tiltaqa’ f ’Ruma lAssemblea Ġenerali tal-Opri Pontifiċji Missjunarji, illum magħrufa wkoll bħala MISSIO. Madwar 140 pajjiż ikunu rappreżentati permezz tad-Direttur Nazzjonali tal-pajjiżi rispettivi tagħhom. Il-Papa jkun rappreżentat permezz tal-Kardinal Prefett tal-Kongregazzjoni għall-Evanġelizzazzjoni talPopli illi bħalissa huwa l-Kardinal Fernando Filoni. L-OPM jagħmlu parti minn din il-kongregazzjoni li għandhom r-responsabbiltà tal-ħidma talKnisja Kattolika fl-artijiet kollha talmissjoni. MISSIO, illi tinsab f ’dawn il-140 pajjiż li jattendu għall-Assemblea, trid tiġbor fondi biex issostni din il-ħidma missjunarja tal-Knisja mxerrda maddinja kollha. Bħalma fi żmien il-Għid nisimgħu u nirriflettu fuq l-oriġini tal-fidi Nisranija kif kienet prattikata mill-ewwel komunitajiet insara ta’ żmien lappostli, din is-sena se jsiru taħditiet u riflessjonijiet fuq l-oriġini tal-Opri Missjunarji Pontifiċji, li issa għandhom qrib il-mitejn sena. Din l-idea ġiet ispirata mid-diskors ta’ Papa Franġisku li għamel waqt it-talba

Maly (magħrufa bħala Lily) tirringrazzja l-poplu Malti u Għawdxi waqt laħħar żjara ta’ Missio fil-Cambodia. tal-Anġelus fil-Ġurnata Missjunarja ta’ Ottubru tas-sena l oħra. Huwa fakkarna li: “Illum huwa żmien ta’ missjoni u fl isess ħin żmien ta’ kuraġġ. Kuraġġ biex insaħħu l-valuri li qed nitilfu, kuraġġ

biex nerġgħu nkabbru dik il fiduċja li lħidma missjunarja tagħtina ħafna frott. Kuraġġ biex niftħu qalbna għal kulħadd. Kuraġġ biex inwasslu ttagħlim Nisrani, għalkemm mhux neċessarjament biex nikkonvertu n nies. Kuraġġ biex niġġieldu l-ħażen, għalkemm forsi mhux dejjem jirnexxilna nirbħuh.” Fuq dan id diskors l-Assemblea ser tiffoka fuq it tema: ‘Il-Missjoni fil-Qalba tal-fidi nisranija.’ Wara din ir riflessjoni, l-Assemblea bħal kull sena tirċievi r rendikont talfondi miġbura matul is sena 2016 mill pajjiżi kollha u kif dawn ser jiġu mqassma fil-pajjiżi tal-missjoni skont eluf ta’ talbiet għal proġetti fl-istess pajjiżi. Minn ġimgħat qabel issir preżentazzjoni ta’ dawn it-talbiet (permezz talinternet) għall-evalwazzjoni u kummenti tad-diretturi nazzjonali, u wara li jiġu diskussi u kkunsidrati xi oġġezzjonijiet li jistgħu jsiru, l Assemblea tappoġġja d-distribuzzjoni tal-fondi. Malta hija kkunsidrata bħala waħda mill-pajjiżi l-aktar ġenerużi għall-missjoni. Din is-sena d-dħul kien inqas mis-sena l oħra minħabba li ftit kellna dħul ġej minn legati. Ħafna drabi dħul imħolli bħala wirt lill-Uffiċċju Missjunarju jagħmel differenza kbira. Iżda rridu ngħidu wkoll li għalkemm d-

dħul mill wirt qed jonqos, il-fondi minn benefatturi għall-proġetti diretti biex jisponsorjaw proġetti speċifiċi qed jikber. Il-fondi ta’ Missio Malta miġbura matul is-sena 2016 li ser jiġu mqassma mill-fondi universali huma dawn: għattixrid tal-fidi u proġetti oħra, €408,562; għall-proġetti marbuta mat-tfal, €98,115; u għall-formazzjoni tas-seminaristi, €164,674 Matul l Assemblea MISSIO wkoll iqassam mijiet ta’ intenzjonijiet ta’ quddies lil diretturi mill-Afrika u mill-Asja, biex jiġu megħjuna saċerdoti f ’parroċċi fqar. It-talba għal din l-għajnuna hija enormi minħabba li llum il-maġġoranza assoluta tas-saċerdoti fil-missjoni huma jew mill-istess pajjiż jew ġejjin minn pajjiż ieħor ta’ missjoni. Hekk għandek ħafna saċerdoti Indjani min-naħa t’ isfel tal pajjiż li huma missjunarji fin-naħa ta’ fuq tal-Indja jew fl-Afrika. Il-programm tal-Assemblea matul issitt ijiem ikun mimli daqs bajda. Imma forsi l-isbaħ waqtiet tagħha huwa waqt l-intervalli, waqt l-ikel u waqt xi passiġġata fil-post filgħaxija wara l-ikel meta tiltaqa’ ma’ diretturi ġejjin minn kull pajjiż tad-dinja u taqsam magħhom il-ħajja tal-Knisja f ’pajjiżhom, il-ħidma missjunarja u x’nistgħu nitgħallmu mingħand xulxin mill-ħidma tagħna. ●

SENIOR TIMES â&#x20AC;&#x2019; May 2017

SENIOR TIMES ‒ May 2017

HEALTH

The right vision Optometrist Jerome Gabarretta explains why your eyes are the window to your general health.

hat routine eye care tests should one do and what is involved? Periodic routine eye tests play an important role in your general health checkup. Depending on your age and general health, there are different time intervals where these tests should be carried out. Generally it is important to have a routine eye test once every two years. However certain groups of people may need routine eye exams on a more frequent basis. Children, for instance, need regular monitoring. Of particular importance are children with a family history of amblyopia (lazy eye) or strabismus (squint). Children very often are not aware of problems with their sight and these might go undiagnosed for months or even years. Early detection is key to successful treatment. Other groups of people who need regular monitoring are those over 40 years of age who have a family history of glaucoma, those over 60 years of age, and those who suffer from diabetes. Your eye care professional (optometrist, opthalmologist, orthoptist) will use a wide variety of tests and procedures to examine your eyes in order to supply you with a prescription for spectacles if needed and an overall picture of the health of your eyes.

Your eye care specialist will pay particular attention to screening for certain conditions which are more prevalent with age Are there specific tests for people aged 60 and over? For those people aged 60 and over, your eye care specialist will pay particular attention to screening for certain conditions which are more prevalent with age.

What are the main conditions affecting elderly people? Your eyes are the window to your general health. During retinal assessment, signs of both common ocular and general health conditions can be detected. The most common diseases we look out for are diabetes, vascular disease, glaucoma, macular degeneration as well as pterygium. Diabetics are at risk of developing diabetic retinopathy, a retinal complication due to uncontrolled blood sugar levels or longstanding diabetes. Diabetic retinopathy can lead to sight loss if left untreated – therefore, a yearly eye retinopathy screening is a key part of your diabetic care. Cataracts is when with age, the transparent lens within our eye may become cloudy causing a blurring of vision. Glaucoma is a group of eye diseases that damage the optic nerve (the nerve which connects the eye to the brain). These are mainly caused by high intra ocular pressure. Age-related macular degeneration is a condition that affects your central vision. The macula is found at the centre of the retina, where incoming rays of light are focused.

Pterygium – referred to in Maltese as qarnita – is a tissue growth on the cornea or conjunctiva generally caused by exposure to UV light. Which of these conditions are caused by lifestyle choices and which are due to age? And what lifestyle choices would you recommend? Lifestyle choices do contribute to certain ocular conditions. Your diet, for instance, plays an important role. Foods rich in vitamins C and E, zinc, lutein, zeaxanthin, and omega-3 fatty acids are good for eye health as well as general health. Your diet should include greeny products such as broccoli, kale and spinach as they contain a natural source of lutein and zeoxanthin which are fundamental nutrients for the macula. People suffering from or having a positive family history of dry age related macular degeneration are very often recommended ocular supplements that have high concentrations of these ingredients. Smoking contributes to a number of major health problems, including heart disease, stroke and cancer. But many people do not know that smoking also

Optika Opticians offers a wide variety of services and products aiming to maintain optimum vision and ocular health. All three outlets located in Sliema, St Julian’s and Rabat offer routine clinical eye examinations using modern technology to detect any problems at an early stage. Optika Opticians also provides its customers with the most advanced products with regards to spectacles, sunglasses, contact lenses and cosmetic eye care products so as to offer customers a complete service. For more information visit www.optika.com.mt.

affects your vision. Smoking increases your risks of developing cataracts and age-related macular degeneration. It is simple – the more you smoke, the higher the risk you face. What are the risks of self-diagnosis and self-care with regards to eyesight? Many conditions and diseases are initially symptomless but are treatable if diagnosed early enough. ●