Former Chief Scout’s tribute

The news of the passing away of President Emeritus Guido de Marco shook not only those who were close to him, but also those who did not know him so closely.

So much has been said about him that it is difficult to gather everything into a few words, except to say that he was a gentleman in every sense of the word.

I was fortunate enough to have known Prof. de Marco personally. Before I knew him, I also knew his father, who was a clerk at the Lyceum at Ħamrun where I was a student.

Later, when I joined the Public Service, I came across Prof. de Marco on several occasions. At one particular meeting, we were sitting opposite each other. During the meeting I could observe him with pencil in hand drawing on a piece of paper. When the meeting was over he presented me with my caricature which he had drawn.

I was also fortunate enough to be the Chief Scout of the Scout Association of Malta when Prof. de Marco was President and I had the honour to ask him to accept to be the patron of the association.

We used to meet regularly at various scouting activities and events, whether these were at national or at local level. He used to look forward to such events especially the Annual Scout and Guide Parade in Valletta and the Founder’s Day event at Island Headquarters at Floriana.

Besides President Emeritus Ċensu Tabone, who was a Scout in his younger days, Prof. de Marco was the second President to be also a member of the Scout Association. He was proud that in his younger days he was a Cub with the St Aloysius College Scout Group and used to make this known to one and all on each and every occasion.

Not only this, but whenever and wherever we met, either in private, in public officially or not, he was always ready to extend his left hand in true scouting tradition when it came to shake hands. He always kept to the principle “once a Scout always a Scout”.

At its Island Headquarters in Floriana the Scout Association still treasures the Presidential pennant that Prof. de Marco used to carry on his official car and that he presented to me on behalf of the ­association when he completed his term of office as its patron.

His close association with the Ħamrun Scout Group is also of significance and it was a pleasure to see the group giving him their last respects when the funeral cortege passed through their town. He was always present as their guest of honour at their annual scouting event during Christmas.

During the last few days it has been said that with his actions Prof. de Marco made a significant difference to many.

This leads me to recall the theme that the association adopted for its first centenary in 2008: ‘Make a difference … we do’. Prof. de Marco lived this motto throughout his life.

Whenever we met, he never forgot to also ask me about my mother, whom he knew.

To his wife Violet and his children Giannella, Fiorella and in particular Mario, with whom I have also had the opportunity to work closely over the last months, go my sincere and deep condolences.

I shall miss that left handshake.