Heard in the hive

The Republic Street Business Community Association recently hosted its annual dinner at the Casino Maltese, Valletta.

Among the guests were Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi and Mrs Kate Gonzi, Opposition Leader Alfred Sant, newly appointed Archbishop Mgr Paul Cremona, Ministers Francis Zammit Dimech and Austin Gatt, Parliamentary Secretary Tonio Fenech, members of the business community and officials of major business institutions.

The late Victor Fenech Azzopardi, chairman of the association, outlined the major achievements of the past two decades since he set up the RSBCA and thanked the main institutions, including Government, for co-operating to enable Republic Street to find its deserved place in the country.

Paul Fenech presented a memento to Mr Fenech Azzopardi for his contribution and he was thanked for leading the association for all this time. Mementoes were also presented to the Prime Minister, the Opposition Leader and the incoming Archbishop.

Maltese wins Overseas Fashion Photographer of the Year

Joseph Zammit, 37, a specialised wedding photographer, has been awarded the title of Overseas Fashion Photographer of the Year 2006 by the Society of Wedding and Portrait Photographers (SWPP) and British Professional Photographers Association (BPPA).

Throughout last year Mr Zammit won over 30 SWPP merit awards in various categories. At a gala night held last month in England attended by thousands of international delegates a slide show was shown featuring all his winning images throughout 2006.

Mr Zammit started as a professional photographer 17 years ago. Over the years he has attended various intensive overseas photographic training courses to enhance his professional, photographic, technical, artistic and business skills as well as to embrace advances in technology.

He was awarded the common seal of the Master Photography Association in January 1998 and also gained the distinction of Licentiate of the association in the category of portrait. In October 2005 he attended a digital seminar on "Adobe Photoshop CS2" led by the international speaker Martin Evening. Today he owns and runs a fully digital portrait studio with the help of three members of his family and three employees. He is a full member of the Malta Institute of Professional Photography (MIPP).

Spiteri - Galea

The marriage took place recently at St Mary's parish church, Attard, between Audrey Spiteri (B.Ed. Hons.), daughter of Alfred and Adelina Spiteri of Attard, and Alan Galea, son of Dominic and Marthese Galea of Msida.

Fr Gordon Refalo, rector of Swatar church, and Fr Jimmy Bonnici celebrated nuptial Mass. The ceremony was witnessed by Dr Moira Farrugia, MD, MRCP, DCH (Glas), the bride's sister and Matthew Galea, the groom's brother. The duties of best man were carried out by Michael Spiteri, the bride's brother and Anton Xuereb, the groom's uncle.

The bride was attended by her sister-in-law Miriam Spiteri as maid of honour and Giulia Farrugia and Joy Grech Fleri Soler as flower-girls. Andrè Scicluna, Kyle Xuereb and Shaun Xuereb were pageboys, while Kurt Attard Biancardi was ring-bearer.

The bride wore an ivory satin and silk organza gown with crystal silver beads and lace appliqués and a hand-made beaded mantilla.

A reception was later held at Villa Mdina, Naxxar. The couple spent their honeymoon in Jamaica, London and Paris.

For your diary

A card party in aid of the Little Sisters of the Poor is being held in the Skyroom of the Preluna Hotel, Sliema, on Wednesday, from 10 a.m. For bookings call Blanche Martin on 2133-0387.

Yana (You Are Not Alone) is holding a day's outing to Qawra on Wednesday. For more information contact George (289-2359 or 1955-4655), Austin (2145-3742 or 9944-6627) or Rita (2165-3366 or 1944-5675).

Ward u ZgHar is holding a country brothers night at Buskett Roadhouse on Friday, from 8.30 onwards. For more information, phone 9947-2868, 7953-9234, 7904-8745 or 9947-9246.

The Malta Floral Club is having a card/games party on Tuesday, February 13, at 10.30 a.m. at the Plaza Hotel, Sliema.

Members and their friends are asked to book early by phoning Lily de' Conti Manduca on 2135-4160 or Monica Chetcuti on 2148-8089.

Australia Day

The High Commissioner of Australia, Jurek Juszczyk, and his wife Malgosia on January 25 hosted the first Australia Day reception since their arrival in Malta towards the middle of last year.

Hundreds of guests, led by President and Mrs Eddie Fenech Adami, packed Villa Rizq, the High Commissioner's official residence in San Pawl tat-Targa.

They included many distinguished guests, members of the Australian community, officials of the Maltese-Australian Association and the Friends of Australia Association, and at least two international celebrities - Billy Connolly, the Scottish stand-up comedian, actor, musician and presenter, who has a house in Sannat, Gozo, and Australian pianist Robert Weatherburn, who not only played the two national anthems on the piano at the end of the formal speeches, but also performed part of his own composition, Dreamtime Suite, inspired by the Aboriginal way of life.

Also present were Maltese artist Giuseppe Schembri Bonaci, whose current exhibition at St James Cavalier, opened as part of Australian Cultural Week, was inspired by Aboriginal art, and his Russian-born wife Vera.

Mr Juszczyk, in his speech, remarked that migration formed the basis of the multicultural society which is Australia today. This was particularly true of its relationship with Malta, with which Australia has common links through the Commonwealth and the United Nations.

He expressed his satisfaction that Malta had sent its largest contingent ever to the Commonwealth Games held in Melbourne last March, winning a silver and a bronze.

There were also strong commercial ties, typified by the decision by World Aviation Systems, which is run by a Maltese-Australian, Leslie Cassar, to open a call centre with Air Malta at MIA. Mr Cassar received due recognition of his efforts to foster Maltese-Australian commercial links in the Republic Day honours last December.

Mr Juszczyk also referred to the Australian Cultural Week at St James Cavalier, which included an Australian film festival featuring six award-winning films.

The High Commssioner said that a few months after taking up his Malta post he and his wife feel very much at home here, and that they have made a good start. He then proposed a toast to the President and people of Malta.

Replying to the toast, President Fenech Adami said that in a letter he had written to outgoing Archbishop Joseph Mercieca, who for 30 years was the head of the Maltese Church, he had remarked that he too had occupied high Constitutional positions for 30 years.

He had become Leader of the Opposition in 1977 and Prime Minister ten years later; in 1996 he had again become Leader of the Opposition. In 1998 Dr Fenech Adami again became Prime Minister, and was elected President of the Republic in 2004.

He had thus been attending Australia Day receptions for 30 years in one capacity or another. This day, January 26, has a special significance for Australia since it marked the 219th anniversary of the day an English fleet under Captain Arthur Philip arrived at Sydney Cove and set up the colony of New South Wales, marking the first British settlement in Australia.

Prime Minister John Howard, earlier that day, in his Australia Day speech at the National Press Club, had described Australia as "a unique blend of individual freedom, community spirit and national unity". And indeed it was; the country had inherited from Britain respect for human rights, the community spirit was evident in the way so many different cultures lived together, while national unity was something which all countries celebrated.

The Maltese presence in Australia was significant, and those who had acquired dual citizenship were proud of being Australians too. With Australia, Malta had a strong ongoing relationship, President Fenech Adami said, before proposing a toast to the Queen and to friendship between the peoples of Malta and Australia.

The President and Mrs Fenech Adami's engagements - February 5-11

Tomorrow
10 a.m. The President receives Mgr Philip Anyolo, Bishop of Homo Bay in Kenya, on a courtesy call at the Palace, Valletta.

5.30 p.m. Mrs Fenech Adami presides over a committee meeting of the President's Ball at San Anton Palace, Attard.

Tuesday
7.30 p.m. The President and Mrs Fenech Adami attend a recital by Belgian pianist Daan Vandewale at the Manoel Theatre, Valletta.

Thursday
7 p.m. The President presides over the launching of Charles Dalli's The Medieval Millennium, by Midsea Publications at Bir Miftuh Chapel, Gudja.

Friday
10 a.m. The President receives Dr Bruno Marziano, president of the province of Syracuse, on a courtesy call at the Palace, Valletta.

10 Mrs Fenech Adami presides over a meeting of the Malta Community Chest Fund working committee.

11 The President receives Noel Kinsella, Speaker of the Canadian Senate, accompanied by a group of senators on a courtesy call.

Saturday
9 a.m. The President and Mrs Fenech Adami attend Pontifical Mass by Archbishop Paul Cremona on the feast of St Paul Shipwrecked at St Paul's church, Valletta.

6.30 p.m. The President, accompanied by Mrs Fenech Adami, inaugurates Spinola Gardens in St Julian's.

Sunday
5.30 p.m. The President and Mrs Fenech Adami attend a concelebrated Mass led by Archbishop Cremona on World Day of the Sick at Mosta parish church.