Heard in the hive

Quite a good gathering attended a Colombian evening which was held recently at the Preluna Hotel, Sliema.

In a short welcoming speech, Albert V. Rutter, honorary consul of Colombia, said that this was the fifth Colombian evening which has now become a biennial event. Such an occasion helps to enrich one's knowledge of Colombia and its people.

Mr Rutter was very pleased to note the good number of Colombian students studying English in Malta, and thanked the European Centre of English Language Studies who are most helpful with the students.

As a special guest, Mr Rutter was pleased to welcome Antonio Schembri, Malta's honorary consul in Colombia. Mr Schembri is Colombian, but his ancestors are of Maltese origin.

Prior to the welcoming speech, guests had to opportunity to listen to the voices of the Coro Tonos Humanos of Medellin, Colombia, who placed first in this year's Malta International Choir Festival organised by the Malta Tourism Authority. A big applause was extended to the Colombian choir in appreciation of their success.

Mr Rutter stated that Colombia is a fascinating country; like any other country it has its problems, but the efforts of the government and people are helping in no small way towards the position of Colombia today.

Politically speaking, there is no other country in the records of Spanish American evolution so profoundly born for civilian lifestyles than Colombia, and it is truly a marvel that the birth of a country oriented towards representative democracy would occur. Colombia has never had a military coup.

The country also has an astonishing diversity of flora and fauna. These include some of the world's rarest and most beautiful orchids, with coffee plantations and flowers, that, drifting to the ground, perfume the valleys.

The plantations produce the thickly headed berries, red to dark purple, that are roasted and ground in the preparation of the black beverage, very rightly proclaimed as the best coffee in the world.

Before concluding, Mr Rutter wished success to all the Colombian students of English in Malta and expressed his thanks and appreciation to the Colombian ambassador in Rome, who is also accredited to Malta, Fabio Valencia Cossio and his embassy staff; Diego Pisano, international and economic adviser of the Federacion Nacional de Cafeteiros of Colombia; Nicholas Rueda of the FNC European Office; and Cecilia Espinosa, director of the Tonos Humanos Choir.

He also thanked consul Antonio Schembri, the management of the Preluna Hotel, in particular Joe Preca; the Malta Police Force, in particular the Immigration Department; Assistant Police Commissioner Andrew Seychell; Inspector Denise Mula and her staff; Andrew Mangion, CEO of the European Centre of English Language Studies, with a special mention to Ana Acevedo; Mary Borg and family, coffee dealers in Malta, the Colombian community, the executive committee of the UNESCO Club (Malta) and everyone who made the event possible.

Special guests included President Emeritus Guido de Marco, Tourism Minister Francis Zammit Dimech, and Edmund Rutter.

Mr Schembri expressed his pleasure at being of service to the people of Malta and Colombia. He thanked Colombia's honorary consul in Malta, Mr Rutter, for his co-operation, and promised to continue encouraging Colombian students to learn English in Malta.

After watching two short videos about Colombia, guests were invited to view some attractive posters and were treated to Colombian coffee.

BoV donates books to the Salesians

Bank of Valletta recently donated a number of books to the library of the Salesian School in Sliema. The books were presented by Edward Grech, manager of BOV's Preluna Towers branch in Sliema, to Fr Charles Cini, SDB, librarian of the school.

Presenting the books, Mr Grech said that BoV branches play an active role within the communities in which they operate, not only by providing financial services but also by participating in the cultural and social life of the community.

"BoV is delighted to make this donation of books to the Salesian School library. Our contribution will help enrich the library's collection, directly benefiting the all the students who make use of this library in the course of their studies," he concluded.

Fr Cini thanked Bank of Valletta for the donation and said that these books will help the Salesians of Don Bosco to continue to promote the love of art and culture.

People

Professor Albert Caruana, Ph.D., from the Centre for Communication Technology at the University of Malta, recently returned from a three-month Fulbright fellowship in the United States.

He was nominated Fulbright Scholar for the 2004-2005 academic year to lecture and collaborate on research at the Department of Marketing, College of Business Administration, at San Diego State University.

The Fulbright Scholar Programme is the flagship international educational exchange programme sponsored by the US government. Each year some 800 faculty and professionals from over 130 countries receive Fulbright Scholar grants.

During his stay at SDSU a main focus of the research undertaken by Professor Caruana was the development of an instrument to measure an integrated marketing communication orientation.

Empirical testing in the field is currently under way with a view to finalisation and publication in the near future. His visit also provided an opportunity to conclude a number of research papers that had been under way for some time with colleagues at other US universities. These have now been completed and submitted to a number of refereed marketing journals.

Professor Caruana received his Ph.D. in Marketing from Henley Management College, Brunel University, UK. He is currently also Adjunct Professor of Marketing at Curtin University in Perth, Western Australia, and Visiting Professor of Marketing at the Università degli Studi di Bologna.

In 2000, he was Commonwealth Research Scholar at Manchester Business School.

Professor Caruana has lectured in Australia, France, Italy, New Zealand, Singapore, USA and the United Kingdom at Master's and doctoral levels. His current research interests include services marketing and marketing communications.

He has published numerous articles in refereed journals that include the Journal of Business Research, Journal of Services Marketing, European Journal of Marketing, and the International Journal of Advertising. His research has received a number of prestigious awards.

During the first part of his visit to San Diego as a Fulbrighter, Professor Caruana was accompanied by his wife RoseMarie and their two daughters, Colette and Janelle.

Dr Marilou Ciantar, B.Ch.D (Hons), M.Sc. (Lond.), Ph.D. (Lond.), ILTM, MFDS RCS, MFD RCSI, has recently been successful in examinations qualifying her as a Specialist Fellow of the Faculty of Dental Surgery of the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland (FFD RCSI) in Oral Surgery with Oral Medicine.

Dr Ciantar graduated from the Faculty of Dental Surgery, University of Malta. She then read for an M.Sc. degree in Periodontology (at the Eastman Dental Institute, EDI, University College London, UCL) and is on the specialist General Dental Council register (UK).

She subsequently read for a Ph.D. in Microbiology (also at the EDI, UCL), her researching focusing on patients with periodontitis and diabetes mellitus.

During her research she wrote her own research grants and was awarded various prizes in support of her research namely: the prestigious Shirley Glasstone Hughes Memorial Prize (awarded by the British Dental Association), the SmithKline Beecham Research Award (twice), the Procter and Gamble Research Award (twice) both awarded by the Oral & Dental Research Trust (UK) and the Eli Lilly Diabetes Award.

During her Ph.D. she was appointed clinical lecturer in Periodontology at the Eastman Dental Institute.

Dr Ciantar has five papers and a book chapter arising from her Ph.D., these being in addition to other papers published in clinical and scientific journals.

Since finishing her research, Dr Ciantar has undertaken clinical training posts in Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery in the UK. Earlier this year she was awarded the Eastern Region Junior Papers Day Prize for her presentation: "Merkel Cell Carcinoma: a case report".

Dr Ciantar is the daughter of Lawrence C. Ciantar, C.Eng., FIEE, Eur. Ing., MOM, and of Ivy Ciantar of Sta Lucija.

October Ferrari/Olympus winners

MR S. SCICLUNA of Birkirkara and Ms M. Bugeja of Qrendi are October's lucky winners of the Ferrari/Olympus Lottery organised by Attard & Co. Ltd.

The last two participants with a Ferrari/Olympus camera were drawn last month and will be announced later.

The Ferrari Digital Model 2003 is a special limited-edition model developed and introduced to celebrate Olympus' sponsorship of the Ferrari Scuderia Formula One Racing Team. It is the first and only digital camera in the world currently sanctioned by Ferrari SpA. Only 10,000 units will be produced worldwide.

The Ferrari Digital Model 2003 is based on the all-weather Olympus Mju 400 Digital. It is designed to reflect the beauty and quality that are hallmarks of Ferrari craftsmanship.

The President and Mrs Fenech Adami's engagements December 12-19

Tomorrow
10 a.m. The President reviews a guard of honour by the Armed Forces of Malta, followed by a march past on the occasion of Republic Day, on the Palace Square, Valletta.
11 The President presides over the investiture ceremony on the occasion of Republic Day at the Grand Council Chamber at the Palace, Valletta.
7.30 p.m. The President hosts a reception on the occasion of Republic Day at the Gozo Ministry Hall, Victoria.

Tuesday
9 a.m. The President and Mrs Fenech Adami attend Mass for school children and are presented with donations in aid of the Malta Community Chest Fund at Freedom Square, Valletta.

Wednesday
9.50 p.m. The President leaves Malta for Viterbo, Italy.

Thursday
9.30 a.m. Mrs Fenech Adami attends a presentation ceremony of piggy banks in aid of L-Istrina at St Catherine's School, Pembroke.
5.30 p.m. The President inaugurates the exhibition of paintings by Mattia Preti entitled Mattia Preti: Il Taglio della Luce in Viterbo.

Friday
1.50 p.m. The President arrives at Malta International Airport.
6.30 The President inaugurates an exhibition of paintings by John Grima at St James Cavalier Centre for Creativity, Valletta.
7.30 The President and Mrs Fenech Adami attend a fund-raising concert, organised by the Malta Cancer Foundation at the Manoel Theatre, Valletta.

Saturday
9.55 a.m. The President delivers Christmas and New Year's greetings as part of the Milied Flimkien 2004 Campaign, at Freedom Square, Valletta.

For your diary

The Grupp Ruh Socjali Mostija and the philanthropic oraganisation Talent Mosti are organising a show of plants, in aid of Mosta families in need, at Marquis Mallia Tabone Farmhouse today and tomorrow 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. For more information phone Mosta councillor Mario Sammut on 9947-4935.

Ward u ZgHar is organising an outing to the car exhibition which is being held by the Old Motors' Club tomorrow. The group will meet in front of Mdina gate at 2.30 p.m.

The Ladies International Society is holding a Christmas lunch at the Skyroom of the Preluna Hotel, Sliema, on Thursday at 12.30 p.m. For more information phone Dorothy Cassar on 2144-2075.

The Support for the Franciscan Missions Group is organising a Christmas lunch, in aid of the Franciscan missions in Honduras, in Marsascala on Monday, December 20. Tickets cost Lm4.90 for adults and Lm3.25 for children under 10. For more information phone Edwin Attard on 2123-0862.

Fr Alexander Bonnici, OFM Conv., will deliver a lecture on "The story behind Franciscan artistic works" at St Francis Oratory in Melita Street, Valletta, on December 27 at 6 p.m. The lecture is part of a monthly series, "Discovering Valletta", organised by the Malta Historical Society.