Senior Times (March 2018) by Times of Malta

SENIOR TIMES MARCH 2018

Malta’s monthly newspaper for the elderly

on loVe and ToleranCe When you age, what mottos do you live by, day by day? SEE PAGES 4 & 5

Beyond redempTion? SEE PAGE 14

In-namra ta’ Pio Borg għall-affarijiet tal-knisja

The Thrill of The old Michael Mallia and his son Nicky nurse a love of vintage classics. SEE PAGES 20 & 21

SENIOR TIMES ‒ MaRch 2018

IN THIS ISSUE

SENIOR TIMES MARCH 2018

4. On love and tolerance When you age, what mottos do you live by, day by day? I recently came across an older adult Ġużeppi Fenech, chatting to some residents in a home, sharing wise words with whoever comes his way. I too was intrigued and stopped to listen, says Charlotte Stafrace.

EXECUTIVE EDITOR Stanley Borg E-mail: seniortimes @timesofmalta.com CONTRIBUTORS Carmel Baldacchino Tonio Bonello Joseph Busuttil Christine Galea Charles Scerri Charlotte Stafrace Fiona Vella PUBLISHERS Allied Newspapers Limited, Triq L-Intornjatur, Mrieħel BKR 3000. www.timesofmalta.com

6. Learning to understand Local research has shed light on the fear of dementia in older Maltese adults, says Charles Scerri.

7. Sbuħija li tkellmek In-namra li għandu Pio Borg għall-affarijiet tal-knisja ilha ġejja litteralment minn twelidu, tgħid Fiona Vella.

DESIGN Christian Busuttil SALES Marion Muscat Tel: 2276 4331 E-mail: marion.muscat @timesofmalta.com © 2018. All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part without written permission of the publishers is prohibited.

10. Down memory lane From the ravages of war to local village life, Senior Times and Bay Retro celebrate Malta’s pretty past.

14. Beyond redemption? Although the path to redemption is difficult, it is not impossible to follow, says Christine Galea from the Cana Movement.

15. Ġenji umli L-umiltà ta’ Ġorġ Agius taħbi qalb kbira, jgħid Tonio Bonello.

16. More than a football ground The Mile End Ground represented the greatest era in the history of Maltese football, says Carmel Baldacchino.

19. Hatch a cunning cake What came first, the chocolate or the egg? Bake an Easter cake to find out.

20. The thrill of the old Judge Michael Mallia and his son Nicky nurse a love of vintage classics, Joseph Busuttil from the Old Motors Club says.

SENIOR TIMES â&#x20AC;&#x2019; MaRch 2018

NEWS

Ageing well through social engagement

lder persons living in the community can engage in a variety of social activities. They might attend mass, imbibe coffee or tea from the local snack bar, have a chat with their neighbours, and catch up with their nieces and nephews after school hours. Many even participate in more organised activities, such as arts and crafts, exercise classes or volunteering. Such engagement enables older individuals to feel included and valuable, further embracing a positive well-being. In fact, research shows that a prerequisite for active and successful ageing is having a supportive environment endowed with positive social relationships, communal involvement and social inclusion. Moreover, when seniors are living within the community, they tend to spend more time with people from younger generations. This enables them to participate in inter-generational activities, possibly allowing for traditions to transmit from one generation to the next, and

thus, fostering inter-generational solidarity. Considering the above-mentioned benefits, the Government is committed to provide services that address the challenges that older adults face when living in the community. Services vary from providing daily support, household maintenance, recreations to professional therapy. To name a few schemes, the Department of Active Ageing and Community Care provides handyman services, meals-on-wheels, home help, and occupational and physiological therapy. Additionally, the 28 active ageing centres around Malta and Gozo ensure that older adults participate in a diversity of activities and events. Older persons interested in requesting for assistance or engaging more in leisure activities may call Government Information Service on freephone 153. Source: https://www.birmingham.ac.uk/Documents/ research/ policycommission/healthy-ageing/7-What-older-people-and-communities-are-contributingupdated.pdf

SENIOR TIMES ‒ MARCH 2018

MeMOries

Ġużeppi and Jessie as young lovers.

On LOVE and TOLERANCE When you age, what mottos do you live by, day by day? I recently came across an older adult Ġużeppi Fenech, chatting to some residents in a home, sharing wise words with whoever comes his way. I too was intrigued and stopped to listen, says Charlotte Stafrace.

I On their wedding day.

met Ġużeppi Fenech during activity sessions at St Vincent De Paul Residence which are currently being run as part of a creative theatre project with Toi Toi Creatives in collaboration with Active Age Malta. Ġużeppi was quick to tell me he was the oldest in the group of 10, but at age 92 and although walking with the aid of a frame, he has a glint in his eye and a sharp brain. I asked how he feels at 92. He said he has been blessed with good genes. “My grandmother made it to 100”, he laughed. He tells me he does movement exercises when he wakes up. Any other tips, I wondered? Ġużeppi was quick to tell me that he has always tried to take life one step at a time, keeping away from unnecessary stress. Although he shies away from technology as he claims he’s too old for it now, he said he has always kept an active brain in other ways. I noticed on various occasions that he, like a lot of older adults I meet, love a good chat and really enjoy socialising. Having someone actually stopping by to have a chat can make such a difference, especially in a communal residential environment. As a young man, he used to be a printing inspector at the Government Printing Press. “I kept abreast of current affairs – I used to love discussing all kinds of topics with the other civil servants, and I was a wizard at fractions. I was responsible for a staff of 23”, he added proudly. I asked if he missed no longer being employed. He was quick to say that he would “prefer to be still working”, however he feels that being

employed for 35 years was indeed a long journey. So how does one keep his brain alive in a residential home surrounded by others who, let’s face it, might not necessarily be in the best of spirits or are afflicted by all kinds of ailments. “I enjoy listening to discussions, and I often voice my opinion. I do crosswords however my eyesight is now failing – before I used to love reading but today it’s difficult”. Ġużeppi likes books on general knowledge and on the changing times, on technology – how it has changed the world he knew – and on the weather. “Did you know that there exist 48 different types of wind?”, he asked. “And out of all these, there exist eight types which are the most important of all”. The first time I played some classical music during the activity session, Ġużeppi told me immediately he had a great love for the theatre… opera in particular. “Growing up, I was surrounded by music”, Ġużeppi was quick to tell me. “I was lucky to have frequented the Opera House in Valletta with my mum and aunt. We used to afford sitting in the auditorium – it felt special being there”. He went on to describe how plain the old Opera House was from the inside, remembering its large chandelier as a main feature, and its red velvet curtains “which were huge”. Well, they must have looked huge to a boy aged seven! He remembered the names of his favourite operas… La Traviata, Rigoletto, Il Trovatore and Nabucco. He mentioned some of the foreign soloists who had performed there and described the choirs made up of

Maltese performers, as well as the competition that existed between two prominent impresarios at the time – one bringing in a company to do Othello and another bringing in a famous mezzo-soprano to play the title role in Carmen. So, what other passions filled Ġużeppi’s life? He started telling me about his love for cooking, and here his eyes welled up with tears. He spoke about his late wife who, besides being the love of his life, also taught him how to cook. He recounted how minestra was the first dish that he learnt to cook. “I thought I would be given a break after all the chopping… and I even forgot to stir it from time to time”. Needless to say, the minestra ended up burnt, however Ġużeppi went on to learn from his mistake and enjoyed other adventures in the kitchen, with his beloved wife supervising lunch or dinner. During another activity session centred around the theme of ‘love moments’, Ġużeppi brought me a photo which was

SENIOR TIMES ‒ MARCH 2018

Ġużeppi Fenech – a positive man.

very dear to him – a photo which was made up of two separate photos of him and wife in their heyday. We talked about how he had met the love of his life – Jessie. He told me how the guys would wolf whistle at her! He mentioned a tender yet funny story of when they first met. Jessie asked him his name, to which he quickly replied Ġużeppi Fenech (rabbit). Jessie burst out laughing since she was called Jessie Theuma (garlic)! “Għalek qbilna”, exclaimed Ġużeppi. He told me that he had to ask Jessie out on various occasions before she finally accepted. During one particular moment, he looked me in the eyes and Ġużeppi fishing with his son Dennis in St Paul’s Bay.

told me about the pain he still feels when he remembers his dear wife who, in late stage dementia, would no longer call him by name. He asked me “Do you have any idea how it feels not to be recognised by the person who you would have shared everything with during the course of your life?” His childhood was taken up with fishing in the summer – the family had a summer house behind the Sirens waterpolo club in Buġibba. He remembered catching small fish called Żabri – they used to go fishing next to the church close by. He also had an allotment in the vicinity of Wardija, a small green space where he cultivated aubergines and tomatoes. I asked Ġużeppi if his childhood was a happy and peaceful one. “Well, it wasn’t a bed of roses. I was one of four children… two brothers and two sisters. I lost my brother and one of my sisters when they were still very young. Quickly recomposed, he talked about his joy of finally becoming a father “I’m very proud of my son, Dennis, who I still see every week”. Ġużeppi thinks he was greatly influenced by his parents who were honest and humble folk. During our conversation, he remembered how he was a great mimic, and how

he just loved to sleep. “I still do!” Some things don’t change. At this age, what are the regrets or circumstances you wish could have been different? I asked Ġużeppi. He said he would have liked to have

continued with his schooling in order to become a teacher, however everything was disrupted during the war. “There was a lot of poverty and fear”, for many years to come. So, he took up an apprenticeship in

the printing business with his uncle. “I would have loved to learn the accordion. I also wish I still lived at home but circumstances changed that, so I try to look positively at my life here at St Vincent De Paul. What’s the point of making a big fuss out of things that can’t be changed?” he quizzed me philosophically. When our interview was over, I noticed that two other residents were waiting patiently to ask him something. I asked them if Ġużeppi regularly helps them out. “Oh yes, he’s always assisting us, either explaining to us how something works or translating something to the foreigners that work here”, was the answer I got. It’s time for Ġużeppi to have lunch, but before leaving, I ask him how he manages to stay so positive. He says he has always tried to look for possibilities rather than impossibilities in life. He still abides by such a rule. He said he’s always been courteous and that has helped him make a lot of friends. “I’ve always believed in being honest and living the true meaning of loving those around me, without distinction or judgement. The two most important things which have kept me ‘safe’ are my strong belief in love and tolerance”. Sounds simple, doesn’t it?

SENIOR TIMES ‒ MaRch 2018

DEMENTIA

Learning to understand Local research has shed light on the fear of dementia in older Maltese adults, says Charles Scerri.

ementia is a common brain condition in old age characterised by progressive loss of cognitive abilities and independent function. Symptoms commonly associated with dementia are loss of memory, impaired communication and problems with everyday activities. Several diseases cause dementia with Alzheimer’s disease accounting for approximately 70 per cent of all dementia cases. Currently, over 47 million people worldwide are living with dementia. This figure will almost double every 20 years, reaching 74.7 million in 2030 and 131.5 million in 2050. In Malta, the number of persons with dementia in 2015 accounted for approximately 1.5 per cent of the total population. This figure will reach 3.3 per cent – which is equivalent to 13,000 individuals – by 2050. Considerable effort is being directed towards improving public awareness of dementia in Malta. Indeed, one of the objectives of the National Strategy for Dementia in the Maltese Islands, launched in April 2017, is to increase public awareness with educational campaigns aimed at different age groups and sectors of society.

The effectiveness of awareness campaigns has been reported in various studies abroad, in which knowledge about possible dementia symptoms were correctly identified by the majority of the respondents. While such campaigns may be helping in raising awareness, older adults may find the information provided as being confusing or too technical. Moreover, older adults are less knowledgeable than middleaged adults and perceive their learning needs related to health as the most important compared to other learning needs. Developing targeted training programmes about dementia for older adults that address their learning needs and concerns could thus help in reducing this knowledge gap. Training programmes can also act as a means to promote healthy lifestyle behaviours including the control of heart disease which is an important risk factor in dementia. Increasing public awareness may also have a significant effect on the fear of dementia, commonly referred to as dementia worry. Together with cancer, dementia is one of the most feared conditions among the elderly. Besides age, there may

be other predictors that increase dementia worry. These include gender, being exposed to persons with dementia such as being a caregiver or having a family history of the condition, subjective memory complaints, perceived likelihood of developing the disease, having a lower level of education and lower self-perceived health. With this in mind, a group of researchers from the University of Malta recently embarked on a research project investigating whether raising awareness and improving knowledge of dementia in older adults with no history of memory impairment through a training programme had any significant influence on their fear of dementia. The 16-hour programme included topics on defining dementia, description of the symptoms, understanding diagnosis, discussing risk and protective factors, reviewing drug and non-drug interventions, caregiving aspects and service provision. The programme was delivered to participants who, at the time of the study, were members of the University of the Third Age (https://www.um.edu.mt/u3a). The latter was first conceived by Pierre Vella in 1973 to realise a permanent educational pro-

gramme for older people in close relations with other age groups, to promote gerontological research programmes, and complete initial and permanent education programmes in gerontology. A questionnaire consisting of a number of questions on dementia knowledge and fear was distributed to participants prior to the beginning and at the end of the training programme. Any differences in performance between the two time points were recorded and analysed. The results were very interesting. The majority of participants attended the training programme mostly because they wanted to learn more on dementia or else they had a family member with dementia. Following the training programme, dementia knowledge increased significantly, especially the knowledge on risk factors and caregiving issues. Fear of dementia, which was the lowest with the oldest age group, did not change following training programme completion. This is somewhat unexpected considering that the risk of developing dementia increases significantly with age. It may be that individuals above a certain age may have the impression that there is a cutoff point beyond which dementia cannot occur. This couldn’t

be further from the truth and continues to add on the need of increasing awareness about the high prevalence of dementia among this age group. It is also worth mentioning that fear of dementia may be triggered as a result of misinformation. Numerous studies abroad have indicated that anxiety on one’s health status is related to inaccurate reports spread by the media. Evidence exists of confusing media reports about cognitive health which can have a negative impact on diagnosing dementia early enough. What this study also found was that besides training, other measures might be necessary to reduce dementia worry in the elderly. This may include counselling sessions and an increase in supportive services including those promoting awareness and understanding of dementia. The author wold like to thank the participants to this project and Dr Anthony Scerri who acted as the study lead investigator. Prof. Charles Scerri PhD (Dundee) is associate professor at the Department of Pathology, University of Malta, and national focal point on dementia.

SENIOR TIMES ‒ MARCH 2018

RELIĠJON

Sbuħija li tkellmek In-namra li għandu Pio Borg għall-affarijiet tal-knisja ilha ġejja litteralment minn twelidu, tgħid Fiona Vella.

io Borg illum jgħodd l-74 sena. Huwa kollezzjonist ta’ bosta affarijiet reliġjużi. “Nista’ ngħid li n-namra għallaffarijiet tal-knisja qiegħda f ’demmi għax jien twelidt ġewwa l-kennierja ta’ San Duminku l-Belt fi tmiem it-Tieni Gwerra Dinjija,” qalli filwaqt li tbissem meta rani ninħasad. IlBelt kienet ibbumbardjata b’qilla kbira f’dawk iż-żminijiet. Madankollu wħud mill-Beltin baqgħu jgħixu hemmhekk u lkennierji kienu joffru rifuġju waqt dawn l-attakki.”

“Apparti minn hekk, missieri u zijuwi kienu sagristani filknisja ta’ San Duminku u allura jiena u ħija konna deħlin u ħerġin hemm ġew. Niftakar ukoll li meta kont żgħir konna mmorru għand in-nanna li kienet toqgħod Santa Venera. Hemmhekk kien hemm iddrawwa li jarmaw monti li kellu sezzjoni ddedikata littfal: għas-subien kien ikun hemm statwi tal-festa u għallbniet kienu jbiegħu għamajjar żgħar tal-injam. “Ma kienux xi affarijiet elaborati imma ta’ tfal li konna,

Il-mudell tal-artal tas-sepulkru ta' Santu Wistin.

SENIOR TIMES ‒ MaRch 2018

RELIĠJON

konna niġġennu fuqhom. Kienu statwi jiswew ftit li xejn, magħmula mit-tafal u miżbugħa bil-kulur tat-tibjid għax dak iż-żmien ma kienx hemm żebgħa. Imma tiskanta kif, affarijiet bħal dawn jidħlu f ’qalbek u jibqgħu fik matul ħajtek kollha.” Bla dubju San Duminku huwa għal qalbu ħafna. “Għandi 14 il-biċċa li juru episodji mill-ħajja ta’ San Duminku, fosthom l-aktar vara riċenti li turi lil San Duminku ma’ San Franġisk. Statwa oħra għażiża ferm li għandi ta’ San Duminku se tagħlaq mitt sena fl-2020. Din sabet ruħha għandi wara li missieri xtraha mingħand ħuh qabel mar lAwstralja. Hija biċċa xogħol unika u formidabbli maħduma kollha fl-injam, apparti minn xi aċċessorji tagħha li huma tal-fidda. Bil-pedestall b’kollox hija għolja metru.” Meta fl-1986 tnisslet lGħaqda Dilettanti Mudelli ta’ Knejjes, Borg kien wieħed mill-ewwel membri tagħha. “Fil-gwerra konna tlifna ħafna oġġetti prezzjużi, speċjalment fl-inħawi tal-Belt u lKottonera li ġarrbu ħafna ħsara. Għalhekk konna fuq ixxwiek biex insiru nafu dwar ilftit li kien għad fadal, filwaqt li ttamajna li nkunu nistgħu

Statwa tad-Duluri li kienet tintrama fil-gabbana.

nerġgħu nagħtu r-ruħ lil dax-xogħol tal-mudelli talknejjes. Bi pjaċir ngħid li lgħaqda mhux talli rnexxielha tqajjem mill-ġdid l-interess f ’das-snajja, talli poġġiethom fuq pedestall. “Illum qegħdin madwar 300 membru u tliet kwarti minnhom huma żgħażagħ, kollha kemm huma bil-pika dwar min ser jaħdem l-aqwa biċċa xogħol. Xhieda ta’ dan huma l-bosta wirjiet tal-Ġimgħa l-Kbira li jittellgħu madwar lirħula u l-bliet tagħna.”

Ma stajtx inħalli l-istorja u l-artiġġjanat tiegħu jintilfu Kull sena, għal żmien ir-Randan, l-Għaqda ttella’ wirja bixxogħolijiet ta’ wħud millmembri. Borg qatt ma jonqos milli jipparteċipa, kull darba b’materjal differenti. “Ormaj għandi biex nimla’ mużew,” stqarr bi kburija, għalkemm anki b’sens ta’ malinkonija. “Huwa dnub li bosta mill-kollezzjonijiet tiegħi

jinsabu magħluqin ġol-kaxxi jew wara l-bibien tal-armarji għax ma nsibx fejn narmahom ħalli nurihom lin-nies. Almenu dil-wirja annwali tagħtini żvog fejn inkun nista’ naqsam daxxogħolijiet tiegħi mal-oħrajn.” Dis-sena dil-wirja kellha ssir qabel iż-żmien sabiex tagħmel parti miċ-ċelebrazzjonijiet talftuħ tal-Belt Valletta bħala lKapitali Kulturali tal-Ewropa. “Did-darba, il-wirja saret għand il-patrijiet Agostinjani. Allura deherli li kien bix-xieraq li nagħżel li nesebixxi mudell tal-artal tas-sepulkru li dari kien jintrama fil-knisja ta’ Santu Wistin, li llum saret parroċċa. Fatt interessanti hu illi din il-minjatura nħadmet minn Carmelo Rodo li oriġinarjament kien ajk mal-patrijiet Agostinjani imma mbagħad kien ħareġ u aktar tard iżżewweġ u bena familja. “Għal bosta żmien, meta kien għadu ajk, Rodo kien jarma l-artal tal-knisja u għalhekk kien jafu bl-amment minn tarf sa tarf. Madwar 30 sena ilu, hu ddeċieda li jibni dal-mudell fuq dak li kien jif-

takar dwaru u sintendi ħadmu b’ċertu preċiżjoni bħal kif kien fir-realtà. Meta sirt naf li Rodo ħalliena, ikkuntattjajt lil martu u rnexxieli nixtri dalmudell minn għandha sabiex jifforma parti mill-kollezzjoni vasta tiegħi. B’hekk, għalkemm

Statwa tal-Aċċjomu li kien jintrama fil-gabbana

l-artal ta’ Santu Wistin m’għadux jintrama b’dal-mod u akkost li Rodo ħalliena, għad għandna dal-mudell prezzjuż biex ifakkarna dwar dak li kien jeżisti madwar 60 sena ilu.” Minbarra li jikkollezzjona loġġetti nfushom, Borg jiġma’ wkoll il-ġrajjiet tagħhom. “Dan is-sett tal-Ġimgħa lKbira li qed tara hawnhekk ukoll se jagħlaq mitt sena fl2020. Li kieku rajt kif kien meta akkwistajtu, kont tgħidli miġnun għax ċertu statwi kienu saru qishom karta peress li kienu merfugħin f ’post umdu. B’paċenzja kbira, nixxifthom waħda waħda fuq il-bejt u rtukkajthom millinqas possibbli biex ma nneħħilhomx l-antikità. Trid tkun taf għaliex xtrajtu sett bħal dan? Għax ma stajtx inħalli l-istorja u l-artiġġjanat tiegħu jintilfu! “Għandek tkun taf li dawn huma l-istess statwi li tant snin ilu kienu jiġu armati madwar il-gabbana li llum għadha tinsab fl-istess post, fi Triq Merkanti biswit il-KonKatidral ta’ San Ġwann. Listatwi nħadmu minn Carmelo Tabone mill-Furjana li kien imlaqqam il-Perċita. Il-gabbana kienet ta’ ċertu Carmelo Fenech u kien ibiegħ ir-ruġġata minnha. Fiż-żminijiet talĠimgħa l-Kbira, peress li kienet ottagonali, ġo kull arkata kien jarma statwa ħalli jesebihom lill-pubbliku. Kien jibda jarma fl-Erbgħa tat-tniebri u mbagħad iħallihom hemm ilĦamis u l-Ġimgħa filwaqt li sSibt iżarma kollox biex għallĦadd jerġa’ jiftaħ bir-ruġġata.

SENIOR TIMES ‒ MARCH 2018

Sett ta' vari antiki.

Tant kien akkanit u dilettant ta’ dawn l-affarijiet li f ’dawk ittliet ijiem kulħadd kien jaf li Carmelo kien jorqod fuq pultruna fil-gabbana stess li ma jmorrux jisirqulu l-istatwi!” Fuq mejda minnhom, ġewwa post il-Belt fejn Borg iqatta’

ħafna mill-ħin tiegħu jaħdem fuq il-kollezzjonijiet tiegħu, hu kellu sett ta’ statwi ta’ profeti maħduma mill-kartapesta. “Iflihom ftit ħa tara kemm huma sbieħ! Ara kemm huma espressivi u kull wieħed bissimboli tiegħu. Snin ilu nżebgħu kulur il-ġebel imma issa żmienhom għamluh u qed indurhom ftit biex nerġa’ nagħtihom ir-ruħ.” “Illum jien pensjonant. M’għandi xejn fid-dinja ħlief lil marti, lil uliedi u lil dawn ilkollezzjonijiet. Imma dawn biżżejjed biex jagħmluni kuntent. Ħsiebi dejjem kif se nakkwista aktar xogħolijiet bħal dawn ħalli ma nħallihomx jintilfu u niġborhom filkollezzjoni tiegħi. Nixtieq ferm li kelli aktar opportunità biex nesebixxihom ħalli nuri lill-pubbliku x’wirt kulturali għandna aħna l-Maltin. Nitħasseb ukoll x’għad isir mill-kollezzjonijiet tiegħi ġaladarba jgħaddi ż-żmien tiegħi ukoll.” Min jixtieq jikkuntattja lil Pio Borg jista’ jagħmel dan billi jikkuntattja lill-Għaqda Dilettanti Mudelli ta’ Knejjes fuq Facebook, inkella permezz ta’ dan l-indirizz: 37, Triq ilLvant, Valletta.

Pio Borg mas-sett tal-profeti.

Pio Borg ma' statwa ta' Kristu mejjet. RITRATTI: FIONA VELLA

SENIOR TIMES ‒ MaRch 2018

PhoToS Summers gone by at Mellieħa Bay.

Valletta’s old railway station tunnel makes a good air raid shelter during the darkest days of World War ii.

Down memory lane From the ravages of war to local village life, Senior Times and Bay Retro celebrate Malta’s pretty past.

Market Street in Floriana around 100 years ago. PhoTo: Mario SCheMBri/ Bay reTro

PhoToS CourTeSy oF Bay reTro

Cars battle the floods after heavy rain in Msida more than 50 years ago Spinola Bay in 1953.

PhoTo: Tony PaCe/Bay reTro

The beauty of Mistra Bay captured decades ago.

SENIOR TIMES â&#x20AC;&#x2019; MaRch 2018

A postcard from 1935 showing a couple sitting on St Barbara Bastions in Valletta. Photo: tony PAce/BAy RetRo

King George VI inspects a guard of honour of the Royal Malta Artillery at the custom house in Valletta in 1943. Swimmers lap up the Maltese sunshine at GÄ§ar Lapsi in 1944.

A small boy smokes a cigarette while his dinner cooks on an improvised stove in a bombed street in Valletta in 1942.

SENIOR TIMES ‒ MaRch 2018

CRYPTIC CROSSWORD 1 8

1 8

EASY CROSSWORD 3

DOWN

1. Glossy fabric (5) 2. Meat retailer (7) 4. Objectives (4) 5. Counting frame (6) 6. Warning device (5) 7. Expression of greeting (5) 9. Weapon (3) 12. Surgeon’s stitches (7) 14. Hill (3) 16. Is fond of (5) 17. Address the public (5) 19. Green-eyed (7) 20. Chasm (5) 21. Of punishment (5) 23. Patterns on a zebra (7) 24. Pleasure craft (6) 25. Consume (3) 27. Cavities (5) 28. Cuts into cubes (5) 30. Melodies (5) 32. What is owed (4) 33. Flipper (3)

21 22

23 24

34. Walking sticks (5) 35. Narrow brooch (3) 36. Gem (5) 37. Belief (5) 38. Direction (5)

9 11

ACROSS 3. Was out for the rest of the night (5) 8. A letter or two for transport (5) 10. The answer, once again, is to do your job (5) 11. She may have partnered Den as a girl (3) 12. A personal piece of punctuation (5) 13. One giving endless pleasure as a pet? (4,3) 15. If still in bed, it means you can’t return the ball (3,2) 18. The hill to the right (3) 19. Walk a short way then take a bus (6) 21. He disperses hot air for nothing (7) 22. Start to make music with some women (4) 23. If easy, is it like a piece of cake? (4) 24. Tried to redraw maps then showed the way (7) 26. It’s silly to be spiteful to a slow starter (6) 29. What you shouldn’t be in central Axminster (3) 31. One adjusting the piano (by radio?) (5) 32. Little more than a mere suspicion? (7) 34. It may exude, naturally (5) 35. Dirty dog? (3) 36. A photo finish (5) 37. Swiss guard? (5) 38. A shot at emulating Charlie Lamb (5) DOWN 1. One of no importance to Oscar Wilde? (5) 2. Where a Londoner, possibly, gets a hearty kiss? (7) 4. Illicit gain from a sacking? (4) 5. Quick to show a professional’s not upset (6) 6. Cornet piece arranged for male voice (5) 7. Cumulus, say, could be dispersed (5) 9. Fled from tyranny (3) 12. Growing evidence of a motor missing (7) 14. Utterance duplicated in the Coroner’s records (3) 16. Weary, with anger at heart (5) 17. Steps may be taken to control them (5) 19. A high pass in geography (7) 20. Love-in-a-mist, recently watered (5) 21. One tough guy amid the many (2-3) 23. Like a jumping bean (7) 24. Distressing pressure? (6) 25. The chap left a note (3) 27. Like the hair of the dog, mostly? (5) 28. Short cut from Battersea (5) 30. Move like a drunken churl (5) 32. Mineral used in ceramic art (4) 33. Edited incisively (3) FEBRUARY 2018 ISSUE SOLUTIONS: ACROSS: 1. Ye-men 6. Strew 9. Viola-te 10. Steel 11. Ramon 12. Salem 13. Recedes 15. Sir 17. Amid 18. Stucco 19. Beach 20. Backer 22. Sum-O 24. O-CH 25. B-L-oater 26. Skill 27. Video 28. Pi-e-ty 29. A-not-her 30. Jeans 31. Penny. DOWN: 2. E-steem 3. Eve-Ned 4. Nil 5. Alias 6. Strewth 7. Team 8. Erot-ic 12. Sever 13. Ra-M-bo 14. C-inch 15. Scout 16. Rotor (rev.) 18. Scull 19. Beckons 21. Active 22. Satire 23. Melt-on 25. Blots 26. Sea-N 28. Pep.

37 38

34 36

ACROSS 3. Spanish snacks (5) 8. Indistinct (5) 10. Sinks one’s teeth into (5) 11. Sound of annoyance (3) 12. Bedaub (5) 13. Syrupy cough medicine (7) 15. Musical instrument (5) 18. Spicy (3)

19. Younger in years (6) 21. Studies (7) 22. Ale (4) 23. Chair (4) 24. Pieces of small shot (7) 26. Sunglasses, slang (6) 29. Rowing blade (3) 31. Compact, firm (5) 32. Having a sense of duty (7)

FEBRUARY 2018 ISSUE SOLUTIONS: ACROSS: 1. Edits 6. Bitch 9. Richard 10. Ocean 11. Oozes 12. Banal 13. Flannel 15. Fit 17. Less 18. Rebate 19. Alien 20. Needle 22. Deli 24. Gas 25. Limited 26. Mason 27. Often 28. Heeds 29. Similar 30. Alpha 31. Stare. DOWN: 2. Docile 3. Trains 4. Sin 5. Shoal 6. Broaden 7. Idol 8. Credit 12. Belle 13. Fling 14. Ashes 15. Facet 16. Tepid 18. Resin 19. Albania 21. Earful 22. Divert 23. Leader 25. Logic 26. Mesh 28. Has.

WORD SEARCH S

Abuses Assets Bared Broil Choked Cookie Crack Cubes Eagerly Elegance

Galas Gently Hence Insider Invert Kneeling Lasts Meeting Nearer Orator

Paunchy Pieces Portent Rallies Rends Sassiest Scent Scurry Skids Snare

Spill Stags Thong Torrid Tractor Transformation Tubas Unpacked Veneer Voids

SENIOR TIMES ‒ MaRch 2018

THE STORY OF MALTA

COMPETITION

Climbing the Bookshelves by Shirley Williams

R E V IS E D E DI T I O N

Folklor Minn Malta - L-Imnara by E.L. Begbie

Historic Times

This month, we are giving away three bestselling paperbacks. To win, tell us the date when the above The Sunday Times of Malta front page was published. Send your answers via e-mail to seniortimes@timesofmalta.com or by post to ‘Senior Times Competition’, Allied Newspapers Limited, Triq L-Intornjatur, Mrieħel BKR 3000. The first three correct answers that we receive win a paperback each. Last month’s winners are George Cutajar, who wins a copy of Malta (A Brief History) by Joseph S. Abela, and Joseph Bonanno, who wins a copy of L-Għama ta’ Lourdes by Emilio Lombardi.

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

1 7 8 2 9 4 3 5 6

6 5 4 7 3 1 8 2 9

2 9 3 5 8 6 7 4 1

8 6 5 4 1 9 2 7 3

4 1 2 3 7 5 6 9 8

9 3 7 8 6 2 5 1 4

5 4 6 1 2 8 9 3 7

3 2 9 6 4 7 1 8 5

7 8 1 9 5 3 4 6 2

Taste of Malta by Anton B. Dougall

1 2 7

8 3 9

8 4

9 9 2 3 5

8 1 5 4

5 8 2 7 1 8

Price €14

SENIOR TIMES ‒ MaRch 2018

OPINION

There are no bounds to forgiveness.

Beyond redemption?

T C HR I S

Although the path to redemption is difficult, it is not impossible to follow, says Christine Galea from the Cana Movement.

uring the Lenten season, some of us tend to reflect more than usual upon the sacred mysteries of our Catholic faith. Many ‘R’ words, such as resurrection, repentance, renewal, redemption, spring to mind. My penchant for words and their definition led me to reveal three meanings for the word ‘redemption’. From a business point of view, it is to regain possession of something in exchange for payment; in Christian theology, ‘redemption’ refers to the deliverance of Christians from sin. But since I’m not very conversant with financial matters, and there are those who would try to explain away God with the brush of a hand, my thoughts will rest upon the third sense of the word: ‘redemption’ as an act of atoning for a fault or a mistake.

One of my favourite books is Khaled Hosseini’s The Kite Runner, which relates the story of two friends, Hassan and Amir, who enjoy kitefighting. One day, when Hassan is cornered by bullies, Amir hides in the shadows, too afraid to run to the rescue of his best friend. While Hassan is abused, Amir pretends that he never saw a thing. Following the incident, the two boys, who were once like brothers, are torn apart by a wall which now separates their friendship. The Kite Runner is not the only literary example of redemption. What about Fantine, in Victor Hugo’s Les Miserables? She is convinced that she is unlovable after having crossed the line in society to work as a prostitute. Or Gehrin, in Michael Fletcher’s dark series (not quite my cup

of tea), who abandons a horrible mission to ultimately love and serve? I think that we have all, at some point of our lives, acted in a similar fashion, or done things which we are certainly not proud of. Not just by doing something wrong but rather,

As humans, we are inherently neither good nor evil, but we display an equal capacity for both

even by the very fact of neglecting to do something good, something which may have helped a situation to become better. Yet nobody is beyond redemption. What a fine example Jesus Christ offers us of this when he redeemed the penitent thief at the very last moment before his death. As humans, we are inherently neither good nor evil, but we display an equal capacity for both. When we do something wrong or harmful, we tend to rationalise and argue to the point of persuading ourselves that our actions are justified, framing the situation in such a way as to make our conduct more palatable; but we can never completely escape the notion that our behaviour was simply not acceptable. We live with guilt for a long time and ponder over whether we ought to offer an apology or not: will

we ever be forgiven for our mistake? The longer we ruminate over it, the more we risk losing faith in our own goodness and this lowers our self-esteem. There are no bounds to forgiveness, and although the path to redemption is difficult, it is not impossible to follow. It takes courage to painfully recognise our wrong-doings and accept full responsibility for them. Once we determine never to make the same mistake and apologise to those concerned, then we may find ourselves on the road to recovery and acceptance. So, are there events and choices which you have made that haunt you? Were Hassan and Amir ever reunited? What became of Fantine? Read the books and find out. I’m sure you’ll be pleased to discover that redemption remains a possibility for us all.

SENIOR TIMES ‒ MaRch 2018

oPinjoni

Ġenji umli L-umiltà ta’ Ġorġ Agius taħbi qalb kbira, jgħid Tonio Bonello.

il-lokalitá tal-Birgu, f ’dar qadima iżda miżmuma tajba nsibu jgħixu żewġ anzjani. Ġuża, illum tgħodd mat-80 sena u ħuha Ġorġ li f’Lulju li ġej se jkun qed jagħlaq l-età sabiħa ta’ 92 sena. Ġuża, xogħlha proprja ħajjata prima, għadha taħdem sal-lum waqt li filgħaxija flok tintefa’ fuq pultruna biex tistrieħ, toħroġ minn darha, xemx u xita biex tmur tgħallem il-Mużew. Ilha fil-Mużew sa minn ċkunita. Fil-bidu jgħallmuha u aktar tard tgħallem. Iżda bħal li kieku dawn l-impenji mhux biżżejjed, Ġuża tagħmel aktar minn dan ukoll. Fil-ftit ħin li jkollha ċans id-dar iżżomm ħafna affarijiet, għal popolin aktarx magħrufa bħala imbarazz u li minnhom toħloq il-ġmiel ta’ ornamenti u dekor ta’ ġeneru reliġjuż biex dejjem ikollha xi tqassam.

Ġejjin minn familja kbira li raw ma’ wiċċhom x’taf toffri lgwerra, il-ġuh, il-mard u nnuqqas ta’ mezzi, Ġuża u Ġorġ jgħixu ħajja tassew modesta, jgħaddu b’dawk l-anqas mezzi possibbli u qajla jafu x’inhi ‘tablet’ jekk mhux b’referenza għal xi pillola. Ġorġ mhux b’anqas. Fi ċkunitu xtaq ħafna li jitgħallem liskola iżda kif kienet prattika dak iż-żmien, peress li hu kien ilkbir, ħarġuh mill-iskola biex jgħin lil familja. Hekk mill-bank tal-kotba sab ruħu fuq karrettun bi ħmar quddiemu ġej u sejjer ilpitkalija jiġbor xogħol il-bdiewa u jmur jara kif se jbiegħu flisqaqien dojoq tal-Birgu. Bħal oħtu, Ġorġ qatt ma kellu sabar joqgħod sieq fuq sieq iħares. Fil-bidu kien beda jieħu ħsieb ċimiterju fil-viċin u jara li ma jkun jonqsu xejn. Aktar tard iżda, Ġorġ daħal

Ġorġ Agius, magħruf bħala ‘tal-Mużew’. FotogrAFijA: tonio Bonello

jaħdem it-tarzna għax, skont kif kienu jgħidu; “Kien jiflaħ għax-xogħol”, u allura, flok iċċimiterju sab mezz ieħor kif jgħin lis-soċjetà wara x-xogħol. Il-ħajja ta’ Ġorġ ma kienet xejn faċli. Għadda xejn anqas minn erbgħin sena jħott lixkejjer tas-siment minn fuq bastimenti kbar tal-merkanzija li kienu jidħlu x-xatt. Dan ix-xogħol iebes iżda ma żammux milli jibqa’ attiv matul ilkumplament tal-ġurnata.

Hekk Ġorġ skopra li għandu talent. Dak li jqabbel. U kelma ġġib lill-oħra. Ħaġa wara l-oħra u beda jmur fil-każini u fl-istparijiet idur in-nies, ifarraġ, jikkonsla, jitlob, iwassal xi ċajta, però wkoll xi tagħlima fil-format uniku tiegħu, dak ta’ taqbila. Hekk sar magħruf bħala Ġorġ li jqabbel u llum, ilMaltin u l-Għawdxin jafuh ilkoll, anke jekk bniedem daqstant sempliċi u bla skola, iżda ta’ qalb kbira u umli.

Ġuża u Ġorġ jgħixu ħajja tassew modesta, jgħaddu b’dawk l-anqas mezzi possibbli u qajla jafu x’inhi ‘tablet’ jekk mhux b’referenza għal xi pillola

Tonio Bonello huwa l-editur ta’ Veterani, pubblikazzjoni ta’ kull xahar maħruġa mit-Taqsima Informazzjoni u Komunikazzjoni tad-Direttorat għall-Anzjanità Attiva u Kura fil-Komunità.

SENIOR TIMES ‒ MaRch 2018

SPORT

More than a football ground A

The Mile End Ground represented the greatest era in the history of Maltese football, says Carmel Baldacchino.

t the start of the 1911-12 football season, while the league competition was being held at the Athletic Ground in Marsa, a new ground was being built at Blata l-Bajda. The project was financed by three Maltese gentlemen: Anthony Attard, Rafael Borg and Alfred Sultana. The idea however, was probably fostered by notary Francesco Schembri Zarb. The first steps towards the erection of the ground was taken on September 27, 1911. The construction was under the supervision of F.M. Caruana, land surveyor and architect. Under his supervision, the ground soon began to take shape. It was not an easy task as the surface was very irregular, thus necessitating much digging and carting of material from one place to another. The difference in the level from the lowest to the highest point was more than nine metres. Rock had to be cut from the upper part of the ground and a retaining wall 13 metres long and nine metres high had to be built to retain the removed material. Forty-eight poles, each 16 metres high, were erected around the area and galvanised wirenetting was stretched between them to prevent the ball from being kicked into the adjoining fields. The playing pitch was 75 yards by 115 yards, while a draining system was laid down underneath the pitch in the English way. It must have been an excellent system because old timers claimed that the playing pitch was always in perfect playing condition even after heavy storms. As the ground reached completion, the owners wisely decided to pass the running of the ground to people who knew first-hand the game of football. A committee was formed to run the ground with notary Schembri Zarb as president, Dr J.J. Bellante, LL.D., vice president, R.J.D Cousin, P.A.A, secretary, John Attard, treasurer, and F.M. Caruana, P.A.A, Frank Stivala, KOMRM, Alfred Gatt, RMA, Philip Pulicino, LL.D., Vincent Camilleri, Renzo Flores, and Ġużi Miggiani, members. The ground was soon to become the showcase for Maltese football and for the next two decades, all the important

The Mile End Ground shortly after its inauguration.

Francesco Schembri Zarb came up with the idea of building the Mile End Sports Ground. A keen football enthusiast, he was secretary of the ground’s managing committee.

games in the Maltese football calendar were played there. The Mile End was nothing spectacular, but for those days, it was quite adequate. It covered the area now occupied by Maria Regina School. It had a row of wooden benches for the spectators, while on the other side there was a small enclosure. A stone wall surrounded the enclosure and on both sides of it, there were three rows of steps. The entrance was from behind the enclosure, on the side where nowadays there is the Labour Party headquarters. There was nothing to stop the spectators from running on to the pitch whenever they felt like it. This happened quite frequently, and it was the cause of many serious incidents. Every time a goal was scored, frantic supporters would enter the pitch to hug and kiss the players. Sometimes, especially when they did not agree with the referee’s decision, the

spectators would invade the pitch and refuse to leave, so that the game would have to be abandoned. Despite these setbacks, the Mile End Ground represented the greatest era in the history of Maltese football. Everything was primitive, yet it was so fresh and inspiring. The referee for these matches would enter the pitch from the enclosure wearing parts of his service uniform, or whatever else was available. It was quite common for the referee to wear a raincoat or to even to carry an umbrella. This very often came quite handy for the official to ward off angry players and supporters. Many times, he had to run for his life to the relative safety of the enclosure! On big occasions, the players would group in front of the enclosure to be photographed. On such occasions, a service band would play popular marches and selections from operatic favourites. Then the game would start amid the cheers and shouts of the spectators. Hats and caps would fly in the air whenever a goal was scored. It was all good fun, especially when the Maltese played against the Services. The Mile End Sports ground was officially opened on January 12, 1912 with a friendly match between the King’s Own Malta Regiment and the Army Cup Winners, the Northamptonshire Regiment. The ground was to be inaugurated a week before but an unusual storm accompa-

nied with strong gale winds hit the island, leaving behind it widespread damage. The opening game of the famous old ground was played on a Friday afternoon in glorious weather. The pitch was in excellent condition and the enormous crowd of spectators could, thanks to the layout of the ground, all enjoy a splendid view of the game. Before kick-off, the two teams and the ground committee were photographed in a group, with Colonel Briffa in the centre. Unfortunately, as far as I know, no copies of this historic photograph have survived. Colonel Briffa, as was the cus-

SENIOR TIMES ‒ MaRch 2018

Every time a goal was scored, frantic supporters would enter the pitch to hug and kiss the players

The King’s Own Malta Regiment of Militia were the first team to play at the famous Mile End Sports Ground. On January 12, 1912 they lost 1-3 against the Northamptonshire Regiment.

tom in those days during such occasions, kicked off for the Militia, which was practically made up of the best Maltese footballers of the era. The Northants immediately won the ball and attacked. They made a combined rush up the field but the shot at goal went wide. The free kick was given but the Norhants won the ball and once again went forward. They looked like scoring but Pawlu Borg, the Militia goalkeeper, was called upon to deal with a very difficult shot, which he saved in style. The Maltese then made a fast counter-attack but without success because the referee ruled them offside. It was now the Northants turn to attack but luck was against them. Two good shots, which seemed destined to hit the target, scraped the bar. But the soldiers were not to be denied. After 20 minutes of fast, attacking play they scored their first goal. The Maltese replied with some fine attacking football but it was the Regiment who, against the run of play scored their second goal.

Two goals down at half-time, the Maltese tried to turn the tide in their favour. They threw everything they had in one huge assault at Moffatt’s goal. The English goalkeeper however, made some splendid saves. Midway thought the first half; the KOMRM scored a goal, which brought the partisan Maltese crowd to its field. The Militia kept pegging away at the soldiers’ defence to score the equaliser. However, as is often the case in such situations, it was the Englishmen who scored, making the final score 3-1 in their favour. The final whistle ended a very enjoyable afternoon. It was the start of the Mile End era, the greatest in the history of Maltese football. The era of the Mile End reached its peak during World War I when the famous old ground was used extensively by the Maltese and the British Services. Apart from the competitions organised by the Malta Football Association, many prestigious charity matches were played. Those were occasions to watch, as the upper crust of Maltese society mingled with the big brass of the Army and Navy to patronise the occasion. It must have been something like Ascot Day as the ladies displayed their latest headwear and the gentlemen dressed up for the occasion. In April 1921 the British Government, on the recommendation of the Royal Commission which visited Malta after the June 7, 1919 riots, granted Malta its self-

A group photograph of Ħamrun Spartans and the Royal Garrison Artillery, taken in front of the enclosure of the old Mile End Sports Ground. Those were the good old days of Maltese football, when a charity match or even a friendly would attract huge crowds to Blata l-Bajda.

government. 1921-22 was the last season of the Mile End Sports Ground before football was transferred to the Empire Sports Ground. At the start of the season, the Prince of Wales arrived in Malta as the representative of his father King George V to open the new Maltese Parliament. The Prince arrived on the battle cruiser HMS Renown. The Renown had a very good football team and as soon as they arrived in Malta, they asked to play a friendly match against Floriana. In those days, the Greens enjoyed a fine reputation with Service personnel who spread the fame of the Maltese team far and yonder. The match was arranged, and the Prince presented a cup engraved with his coat-of-arms to the winner. The match was played on November 1 at the Mile End and was won by Floriana 1-0. The Prince of Wales Cup is one of the finest pieces in Floriana’s trophy collection. The last league championship to be played at the Mile End kicked off on November 13, 1921, with the game between Valletta United and Ħamrun Old Lions which ended in a 4-1 victory for Valletta. The Malta Police FT took part in the competition for the first time. This team was led by the great Gejtu Psaila il-Ħaċċa. The best game of the competition was that between Valletta United and Floriana. This game had a big bearing on the destination of the title. Valletta had in their ranks Vlasitchenchenski, a Russian goalkeeper who in this game performed miracles for Valletta. Floriana won 2-0 to bag the championship but the score would surely have been much bigger were it not for the Russian’s great goalkeeping exhibition. The last competition played at the Mile End was the Cousis Shield. As luck would have it, the two rivals Floriana and Sliema Wanderers avoided each

other until they reached the final. This game drew to the Mile End the biggest crowd of the season. The game was played on May 14, 1922. Eddie Conti opened the score for Sliema but Charlie Hedley scored the equaliser for Floriana. Extra-time was given but the score remained unchanged. The game was replayed the following weekend. This time, Joe Tabona scored first for Floriana. Late in the second period, Sliema gained a free-kick. Caruana took the kick. The ball went to Ruggieru Friggieri of Floriana who, it seemed, had all the time in the world to clear but he chose to leave the ball to his goalkeeper. Gejtu Azzopardi was taken by surprise and he let the ball go past him into the net! This freak goal was the cause of a lot of trouble in Floriana’s camp. Friggieri was accused of letting the ball go past him on purpose. The great Floriana fullback did not take this criticism lightly. He left the club and vowed that he would never play again for Floriana. Everyone expected that the second replay would be held on the following Sunday, May 28, but Floriana were not available to play because on that Sunday they were touring Tunis. Sliema insisted that the replay should be held on the appointed date or not at all. When Floriana left for Tunis, Sliema hung up their boots for the season. The MFA should have insisted with the clubs to finish the match, but instead decided that the game would be replayed at the start of the new season. To make matters worse, the Council imposed the condition that the clubs had to make use of the same 11 players used on the May 21 match. When the season commenced Ruġġieru Friggieri signed for Floriana who, according to this condition, could not play in the final. Sliema refused to honour the fixture. Floriana were given a walkover. It was a sad end to a fine season. The Cousis Shield final was the last big match played at the Mile End. During its best years, which incidentally coincided with the ‘Golden Age of Maltese Football’, the Mile End hosted nine championships and eight cup-tie competitions. But all good things must come to an end and with the opening of the Empire Sports Ground in 1922, the old ground was destined to lose its importance. For its remaining years, it was used for less important competitions and occasional political meetings.

SENIOR TIMES ‒ MaRch 2018

NEWS

Malta Philharmonic Orchestra celebrates its 50th anniversary

he Malta Philharmonic Orchestra is celebrating half a century of music as it gets ready to mark its 50th anniversary next month. It began life as the Manoel Theatre Orchestra on April 1, 1968, made up of the musicians which had formed part of the “C-in-C” orchestra of the Royal Navy’s Mediterranean Fleet, which had just been wound down. The orchestra remained under the Manoel Theatre’s wing until 1997, when it became an independent ensemble under the title of National Orchestra of Malta. It was expanded into a full-size symphony orchestra in 2008, assuming its present name in the process. Since the anniversary falls on Easter Sunday, the Malta Philharmonic Orchestra will be marking its celebrations on the following Saturday, April 7, with a spectacular concert featuring the works of the great Leonard

Bernstein on the centenary of his birth. Under the direction of Wayne Marshall and with the participation of its own chorus

(established only last year), as well as nine soloists, the highlight of the concert will be an extensive selection of music from Bernstein’s celebrated

musical West Side Story, a retelling of Romeo and Juliet set in New York City. The orchestra will also be performing Chichester Psalms and the

Overture and Suite to the operetta Candide. Tickets to this concert are available on showshappening.com

SENIOR TIMES ‒ MaRch 2018

RECIPE

Hatch a cunning cake What came first, the chocolate or the egg? Bake this Easter cake to find out.

H YOU WILL NEED: For the chocolate sponges 200ml vegetable oil, plus extra for the tin 250gr plain flour 6 tbsp cocoa powder 2 tsp baking powder 1 tsp bicarbonate of soda 280gr soft light brown sugar 250ml buttermilk 2 tsp vanilla extract 3 large eggs

For the nest 200gr marshmallows 100gr butter, chopped into chunks 2 tbsp cocoa powder 75gr salted pretzels, crushed 4 shredded wheat biscuits, crushed chocolate eggs, to decorate For the icing 150gr slightly salted butter, softened 2 tbsp cocoa powder 300gr icing sugar 4 tbsp milk

eat oven to 180°C. Oil and line two 20cm round cake tins. Add the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, bicarb, sugar and a large pinch of salt to a bowl. Mix with a whisk until you have a fine mix. Whisk the oil with the buttermilk in a jug. Stir in the vanilla and eggs, then pour the wet ingredients into the dry and mix until there are no more streaks of flour. Divide the mixture between the tins and bake for 25 minutes. Test the cakes by inserting a skewer into the centre – if there is any wet mixture on the skewer, return the cakes to the oven for five minutes more, then check again. Leave the cakes to cool in the tins for 15 minutes, then transfer to wire racks to cool fully. Next, make the nest. Clean one tin and line it with some oiled baking parchment. Put the marshmallows and butter

in a heatproof bowl and microwave on high for one minute, stirring halfway through. Continue microwaving in 20second blasts until you get a runny mixture. Stir in the cocoa, pretzels and shredded wheat until well combined. Tip the mixture into your lined tin and use the back of your spoon to create a nest shape. Leave to cool at room temperature for a few hours, or chill in the fridge if you need it to set faster. To make the icing, beat the butter, cocoa, icing sugar and milk together until smooth, adding a splash more milk if the mixture is too stiff. Assemble the cake by stacking the sponges with icing in between, topping with more icing and the nest. Fill your nest with as many chocolate eggs as it will hold, then serve. It may be easier to cut the cake if you remove the nest – you can then chop the nest into chunks and serve alongside the cake.

SENIOR TIMES ‒ MaRch 2018

CARS

The thrill of the old

SU TT

Judge Michael Mallia and his son Nicky nurse a love of vintage classics, Joseph Busuttil from the Old Motors Club says.

J OS E

n life, it is said that to fully benefit from your hobby, you should indulge in a pastime that is totally unrelated to your full-time job. Judge Michael Mallia, who has recently retired from the bench after serving almost three decades, first as magistrate and then later as judge, has followed that maxim to the letter. A self-taught enthusiast in the technical side of the fourwheeler, Judge Mallia had no family member to look up to in that direction. “Even my father Paul came quite late in life to acquiring a driving licence and subsequently a car,” he says. “However, one of the thrills of my childhood growing up in a residence in Merchants Street, Valletta, was to go up on the roof and watch naval vessels and air force planes. The sheer pleasure derived from watching their movements stirred in me a technical thirst and curiosity about how machines worked, and I started buying related literature like the Hayes manuals.” A number of practical cars in the modern mould were eventually bought by Judge Mallia for everyday use. However, one day in 1983, while passing by the former Canadian Brothers showroom in Birkirkara, his eyes fell on a Triumph GT6, and it was love at first sight.

“I acted on impulse and bought it, maybe because a little earlier, I had acquired a manual of the same marque. This Mark II model had come out from the production line of the Marsa Car Assembly in 1969, and although tatty, was in a reasonable condition.” The Triumph GT6 had a sleek fastback design with an opening rear hatchback, the work of Giovanni Michelotti for Standard Triumph, that produced three models between 1966 and 1973. The Mark II was a significant improvement on the Mark I, which suffered handling problems, so the newer model featured a reengineered rear suspension. Other improvements included a new cylinder head, camshaft and manifolds for the

two-litre, six-cylinder engine, and a raised front bumper. Initially, Judge Mallia left the classic car as bought, but later, he re sprayed it in its original golden sand colour, a coating which he states was not in the British Leyland standard list, but which the Maltese company had acquired a licence to use. Subsequently he also had the cylinder head decarbonised, while the upholstery was replaced in the original beige colour. In 1986, Judge Mallia bought another classic car, an orange coloured Triumph Spitfire Mark III, from Stephen Micallef. Similar to the GT6, it was also assembled at the Marsa plant and came out in 1968. He describes this acquisition as having been just about roadwor-

thy, needing minimal repairs. He harnessed it as a family car for a number of years, before handing it over to his son Nicky on his 18th birthday. Being brought up on a healthy diet of old motors, Nicky was obviously delighted at having realised his childhood dream of possessing a classic car, but being deeply involved in his studies, he decided to garage it. After five years, he was given a choice – either restore it or sell it. He opted for the former. “In a way, I was very naïve. Scrutinising my manuals, I dismantled it in one week. But it was like opening a Pandora’s box, as a significant degree of rust became very apparent. I had to leave it for another four years, when after qualifying as an architect and coming into a little bit of money, I could proceed with rust removal, panel beating and spray, and engine overhaul, all tasks carried out by professionals,” explains Nicky. However, father and son worked together regularly well into the night on various other tasks like the suspension, transmission, and fuel lines. The whole project lasted one year, with the Spitfire – another Michelotti creation – now in metallic British racing

The classic grew on him and he became emotionally attached green colours. Such was their satisfaction with the finished classic that Nicky has already participated with it in two Valletta Grand Prix editions. In 2007, the attention of Judge Mallia was again drawn to the Canadian Brothers showroom, where a Bertone X1/9 was lying in wait. “Again, I was immediately impressed by this rare car in Malta, a convertible, fun classic vehicle,” he admits. This 1498cc Versione Speciale 1984 model, sporting a two-tone silver and grey metallic body with red leather upholstery, was in good condition, and with the exception of some work on the electronic system, very little was done to it. He says that now, he goes out more in the Fiat than in the GT6. The X1/9 was a two-seater sports car designed by Bertone and initially manufactured by Fiat, and later by the designer himself, between 1972 and 1989. The monocoque body had a distinctive wedge shape, a long flat body

SENIOR TIMES ‒ MaRch 2018

PHOTOS: TONY VASSALLO, OLD MOTORS CLUB

with central indentation, and pop up headlights. In 2008, while working in Brussels, Nicky saw a 1973 MGB for sale on the website of Classic Car UK. Acting on impulse, he caught a train from the Belgian capital to Cornwall. The conifer greencoloured classic with matching upholstery made his heart skip many a beat. He bought it and was soon driving it to the port of Southampton. “The MGB was in good condition, had not been garaged and so remained functional. However the exterior looked in need of urgent attention, and despite having insurance, I lacked breakdown cover and the ensuing vibrations worried me as I drove through the English countryside.” Nicky and the MGB arrived safely and the vehicle was soon shipped to Malta. Initially, he thought of selling it, but the classic grew on him and he became emotionally attached. He used it for one year for weekend drives. A small accident involving the mudguard saw him initially embarking on a small repair job,

but one thing led to another, and now both father and son are actively engaged on another nut and bolt restoration project. Before assuming the responsibility of high legal office, Judge Mallia in the 1980s was the last chairman of the Vehicles Collectors Club, which on its demise, gave rise to the Old Motors Club. After a number of years, he became an OMC member, where he has been participating regularly in events, including the annual trips to Sicily. On retiring from the bench earlier this year, he was elected OMC chairman. As to his vision for the club, Judge Mallia states that he has found a very valid and functional structure, including a unique, newly restored clubhouse, various events and activities, and a polished monthly publication. He says that all committee members know their tasks, and his main role is coordination. His target is to attract new members, especially the younger generation, through the social media, as well as to continue to build and consolidate the existing set-up.

SENIOR TIMES ‒ MARCH 2018

NEWS

Ħamsin ġrajja mill-Missjoni Id-direttur ta’ Missio, Mons Salvinu Micallef.

ejn l-aħħar ta’ Marzu, Missio se jniedi ktieb b’ħamsin ġrajja miktuba minn 50 missjunarju u missjunarja Maltin u Għawdxin. Filfatt, il-ktieb ser ikun jismu Ġrajjiet: Minn fomm missjunarji Maltin u Għawdxin. Dawn ħutna missjunarji, li ħafna minnhom għadhom għaddejjin bil-ħidma tagħhom f ’diversi pajjiżi tal-Afrika, lAsja u l-Amerika t’Isfel, jagħtuna esperjenza, jew ġrajja, waħda minn dak li għaddew minnu matul is-snin twal jaħdmu fil-missjoni. Ġrajja li turi minn xhiex jista’ jgħaddi, jew ma’ xhiex jista’ jiltaqa’ missjunarju f ’dawn l-artijiet u, ħafna drabi, b’riskju għal ħajtu jew saħħtu. Imma dawn huma wkoll ġrajjiet li jagħtuna ħjiel tal-ħidma li twettqet minn dawn ħutna matul is-snin u l-frott li qed jinħasad minn din il-ħidma.

Ġrajjiet li jeħduna fil-ġungla, fid-deżert, fl-irħula u fl-ibliet ta’ ħafna pajjiżi fejn in-numru ta’ Nsara qiegħed dejjem jikber, imma fejn għad hemm ħafna faqar u inġustizzji. Fl-istess waqt, ġrajjiet li juruna kif dawn il-missjunarji jħabbtu wiċċhom ma’ kundizzjonijiet u sitwazzjonijiet ferm differenti

minn dawk ta’ Malta, fosthom li jridu jaħdmu ma’ nies ta’ twemmin differenti minn tagħhom u, ħafna drabi, fejn l-Insara huma f’minoranza. Matul dawn l-aħħar sentejn, Missio kien f ’kuntatt ma’ dawn il-missjunarji biex jiġbor il-materjal għal dan il-ktieb, li jinkludi ritratti ta’ dawn ħutna

waqt ix-xogħol tagħhom ta’ evanġelizazzjoni u għajnuna soċjali u edukattiva. F’dan il-ktieb insibu ġrajjiet miktuba minn isqfijiet, saċerdoti, patrijiet u sorijiet u anki lajċi li għamlu snin twal jew ħajjithom kollha fil-missjoni. Bir-raġun ngħidu li l-frott talħidma tagħhom huwa frott l-

isbaħ u l-aqwa kontribut li Malta tat lill-umanità mxerrda mad-dinja kollha. Aħna rridu nirrakkomandaw il-qari ta’ dawn il-ġrajjiet. Żgur li min jibda jaqra l-ewwel ġrajja jkun irid imur għal li jmiss jew għal ġrajja oħra, sakemm jaqra l-ħamsin ġrajja. Żgur ukoll li dan il-ktieb ser jgħin lil kull min jaqrah biex jifhem iżjed il-kobor u ssbuħija tal-altruwiżmu. Missio jixtieq jirringrazzja lill-missjunarji kollha li tawna ġrajja minn ħajjithom u lil dawk kollha mill-istaff u volontiera li ħadmu u għenu għall-pubblikazzjoni ta’ dan il-ktieb. Pero l-ħidma ta’ Missio ma tieqafx hemm. Nhar it-Tnejn 19 ta’ Marzu, Missio ser tkun qed ittella’ xandira ta’ 12-il siegħa bi ġbir għall-missjoni biex missjunarji Maltin u oħrajn imxerrda mat-trufijiet kollha tad-dinja ikunu jistgħu jwettqu l-proġetti tagħhom. Int tista’ tkun parti minn din il-ħidma billi ċċempel fuq 51602062 għal donazzjoni ta’ €10, 51702063 għal donazzjoni ta’ €15 u 51802064 għal donazzjoni ta’ €25. Tista’ ukoll tibgħat SMS fuq 50618820 għal donazzjoni ta’ €6.99.

The Schranz Family of Artists – A Journey of Rediscovery

he Schranz Family of Artists – A Journey of Rediscovery is an exhibition marking the bicentenary of the Schranz artists’ family arrival in Malta in 1818. This exhibition, hosted at Fort St Elmo for the next three months, gives the visitor the unique opportunity to view various artistic works under one roof of the Schranz family spanning over four generations. This exhibition is hosting over 170 works of art ranging from oil paintings,

watercolours, pen-and-washes, pencil and pen drawings, books, lithographs and photographs. The final selection was arrived at after a year and a half of rigorous sifting of well over 400 works. A susbstantial number of exhibited works are coming from private collections and from public art collections, both locally and abroad. This exhibition dispels the long established impression that paintings by the Schranz artists are limited to naval and run-of-the-mill topographical subjects

of Malta, since their repertoire of subjects extends to portraiture and landscape. It also casts light on the Schranz artists legacy, perpetuated by the many students who attended art classes in a number of studios in Valletta. The exhibition will also shed light on an extremely interesting revelation about Antonio Schranz’s unknown photographic skills, making him one of the world’s earliest photographers. The Schranz Family of Artists – A Journey of Rediscovery is another hall-

mark in the series of high standard exhibitions organised by Heritage Malta, in collaboration with the Schranz family and the Schranz Bicentenary Committee. It will remain open till mid-July 2018 and admission is included in Fort St Elmo’s regular ticket price. The fort opens daily between 9am and 5pm (last admission at 4.30pm). From April 1, the fort will remain open till 6pm (last admission at 5.30pm).

SENIOR TIMES â&#x20AC;&#x2019; MaRch 2018

SENIOR TIMES ‒ MARCH 2018

DENTAL CARE

Wanting a change! A n elderly patient walks in for a long overdue check-up, sits on the dental chair and says “Dott, I have no major problems in my mouth but I wish you to tell me how I may improve my teeth”. This is a very common scenario. Unfortunately, a lot of patients are still irregular attendees and only visit the dentist when in pain or when they wish to have a major overhaul. The dentist asks a few questions on what ideas they might have and how they wish to walk out following the termination of their treatment. Although a lot of these patients wouldn’t be in pain, they would be putting up with a lot often forgetting the true comfort of the dentition they once had. At times, on examination one sees large cavities, broken teeth and signs of inflammation, yet the patient is still comfortable. Occasionally there are no cavities, no inflammation, yet patients aren’t quite comfortable with their mouth. Below is a list of ailments that often go unnoticed without causing pain but may still lead to discomfort and poor quality of life:

▪ Food packing. ▪ Bleeding gums. ▪ Mobile teeth. ▪ Halitosis. ▪ Inability to eat evenly on both sides. ▪ Inability to eat chewy or hard food. ▪ Maligned or crooked/crammed teeth. ▪ Short tooth stubs. ▪ Colour mismatch. ▪ Asymmetrical smile.

Most of these ailments can easily be treated while others might require more complex procedures to solve. There is no good reason as to why one must put up with any level of discomfort. Teeth are a major front for communication, socialisation and general well-being. Teeth stand right behind our mouth and together produce a horrible or lovely smile. The latter has a large influence on our confidence and quality of life. Ask your dentist for help.

A CASE SCENARIO A gentleman in his mid-60s wishes to improve his appearance. He does not suffer from much, with the exception of some sensitivity due to exposed roots following recessed gums. He has otherwise a healthy albeit heavily restored dentition. He is unhappy with the colour and the general appearance of his teeth. His upper teeth appeared too prominent

DR JEAN PAUL DEMAJO IS A DENTAL AND IMPLANT SURGEON.

for his liking, pointing out that he cannot see his bottom teeth. Following a lengthy consultation noting each of the patient’s wishes, it was decided to veneer and crown many of his upper heavily restored teeth. The aim was to improve their appearance, line them up better, improve the level of biting and make the lower teeth more visible.