Members of a cross-section of society received National Awards this morning in the Republic Day investiture ceremony at the Palace this morning. The awards were conferred by President George Abela.
The national awards were conferred as follows:
National Order of Merit - Companion
Prospero Grech - theologian.
National Order of Merit - Officer
Alfred Bonnici - former MP.
National Order of Merit - Honorary member
Timothy Rowland Morley - Orthopaedic surgeon
National Order of Merit - Members:
Victor Aquilina, former editor The Times; Carmelo Camilleri, confectioner; George Camilleri, dental surgeon; Nicholas de Piro D'Amico Inquanez, historian; Ethel Farrugia - actress; Achille Mizzi, author; Michael J Schiavone, former editor Il-Mument; Francis Stivala, pioneer in the development of the language schools sector in Malta; Gejtu Vella, former general secretary, UHM;
Medal for Service to the Republic
Grace Attard, teacher and president, National Council of Women; William Chetcuti, shooter; Thomas Cremona, cancer survivor who took part in the Row for Cancer campaign and rowed the Atlantic; Enzo Gusman, entertainer; Paul Haber, artist; Rosa Micallef Judge, musician; Carmelo Vella, footballer with Melita Football Club, Australia and journalist.
BIOGRAPHIES
PROSPERO GRECH K.O.M.
Prospero Grech was born in 1925 in Vittoriosa . He studied at the Lyceum and served as gunner in the University Home guard during the war. In 1943 Grech joined the Augustinian Order and seven years later was ordained at San Giovanni Laterano in Rome.
Fr Grech studied philosophy at St. Mark’s Priory, Rabat and theology in St. Monica’s College, Rome. He graduated Doctor of Theology from the Gregorian University, Rome (1953), obtained a Licentiate in Sacred Scripture from the Pontifical Biblical Institute, Rome (1954) and a Diploma in Educational Psychology from Fribourg, Switzerland (1951). Fr Grech conducted research in Semitic languages at Oxford (1957-58) and Cambridge (1958-59) Universities.
In 1959 Fr Grech was appointed lecturer at the Augustinian Theological College, Rabat. He also served as secretary at the Vatican vicarate and professor at the Augustine Institute, Rome. In 1970 together with Fr Agostino Trap, Fr Grech founded the Istituto Patristico Augostinianum, Rome and served as its President (1971-1979). He is a member of the Societas Studiorum Novi Testamenti (SNTS) and member of the Pontifical Biblical Commission. Grech lectured for over thirty years at the Pontifical Biblical Institute in Rome on hermeneutics. He was professor of Biblical Theology at the Lateran University, Rome, Counsellor to the Sacred Congregation for the Doctrine of
Faith and Secretary of the Maltese Augustinian province. He was also nominated Apostolic Visitor for seminaries in India.
Fr Grech has various articles and pubblications and has presented lectures on the Bible, hermeneutics and patristics. He organised or took part in various meetngs both locally and internationally on the same subjects.
Fr Grech has lectured at the Accademia dei Lincei in Rome and at the Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche and collaborated with the Enciclopedia Italiana Treccani.
ALFRED BONNICI U.O.M.
Born in St Julians, Dr Bonnici received his education at St Aloysius College, the Lyceum and the University of Malta where he graduated BPharm (1954), MD (1958) and MA (Melit) in 2011. In 1973 he graduated at The Royal Air Force Institute of Aviation Medicine (UK).
Dr Bonnici is an aviation medical consultant acting for most international aviation agencies, having been appointed for the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), in the United States of America, a senior aviation medical examiner in 1968, and for the Civil Aviation Authority in the United Kingdom in 1972, chairman of the Malta Civil Aviation Medical Board (1975) and since 1974 Chief Medical Officer of Airmalta.
Dr Bonnici was also highly active in politics. In 1962 he was elected to parliament on behalf of the Partit Nazzjonalista and served as Speaker of the House of Representatives (1966-71). He was re-elected in 1971 and was a representative for the Council of Europe (1965-66, 1972-76) serving in various committees and as secretary to the parliamentary group (1964-66, 1971-76). In 1966, Dr Bonnici was nominated president of the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association.
Dr Bonnici is President of the Malta Philatelic Association, Fellow of the Royal
Philatelic Society London, and editor of the Malta Philatelic Society Journal.
He is the author of “Half Penny Malta Queen Victoria Yellow” in ‘The Postal
History and Postage Stamps of Malta’ compiled by the Malta Study Circle of
UK and was awarded gold medals in Philatelic exhibitions in Vienna,
Barcelona, Milan, Rome and Tokyo.
In 1997, Dr Bonnici was ordained Knight of Magisterial Grace in The Sovereign Military Hospitaller Order of St John of Jerusalem, of Rhodes and of Malta.
TIMOTHY ROWLAND MORLEY M.O.M.
Born in 1939, Morley was educated at Wellington College before going to
Cambridge University to read medicine.
He qualified as a Doctor of Medicine in 1963 and after two years as Junior
Doctor he was appointed as the first rotating surgical registrar at
Southampton. For the next three years he trained in General Surgery, VascularSurgery, Neurosurgery and Orthopaedics. During this time he passed the Fellowship of the Royal College of Surgeons.
On becoming an orthopaedic surgeon he was appointed as a Registrar at the
Royal National Orthopaedic Hospital at Stanmore. Subsequently, Dr Morley was appointed as the Senior Surgical Officer and in 1974 Consultant Orthopaedic Surgeon at King’s College Hospital.
Dr Morley specialised as a children’s spinal surgeon with particular interest in
Scoliosis. Having worked at King’s College Hospital he was appointed as a
Consultant Orthopaedic Spinal Surgeon at the Royal National Orthopaedic
Hospital in 1978. Dr Morley travelled all over the world demonstrating and
teaching new techniques together with designing and developing new spinal
implants.
Dr Morely was President of the British Scoliosis Society and the Orthopaedic
Section of the Royal Society of Medicine. He has also acted as Regional
Specialist Advisor to the Royal College of Surgeons.
Dr Morley first came to Malta 30 years ago. He started to run clinics in Malta in 1985 and operated on a regular basis on children with spinal deformity working closely with the local spinal orthopaedic surgeons.
Dr Morley has now retired from operating but spinal surgery is now being
practised at Mater Dei Hospital.
VICTOR AQUILINA M.Q.R.
Born in Sliema in 1942, Mr Aquilina joined Malta Allied Newspapers in 1964
as a reporter. He also served as features editor, and later deputy editor.
Aquilina has been writer for The Times since 1971. He was also Malta
correspondent for the Associated Press and United Press International.
Mr Aquilina was appointed editor of The Times in 1993, and on his retirement
from the post in 2003 was appointed editorial adviser for the newspaper. As
editor, Mr Aquilina is credited with giving the newspaper a new, modern direction
and with contributing to higher standards in Maltese journalism in the English
language.
Mr Aquilina is a former secretary of the Malta Branch of the Institute of Journalists (UK), and of Allied Newspapers and Progress Press Workers’ Union, and a member of the International Press Institute.
In May 2010, Mr Aquilina received the Institute of Maltese Journalists’ Gold
Award in recognition of his contribution to journalism. Aquilina should also be
commended for his objectivity, fairness and ethical standards in journalism.
CARMELO CAMILLERI M.O.M.
Born in Valletta in 1954, Mr Camilleri is the fourth generation of C. Camilleri &
Sons – popularly known as Camilleri tal-Ħelu. When Mr Camilleri took over the
business in 1980, the business had only four employees. Through his initiative, Camilleri Group has diversified and today it has more than 320 employees the majority of whom are women.
Mr Camilleri is Managing Director of Camilleri Group of Companies that is composed of C. Camilleri & Sons Limited, Camilleri Establishments Ltd, Camilleri Trading Ltd, C. Camilleri & Sons (Catering) Ltd, Camilleri Trends Ltd and Camilleri Holdings Ltd. The business has also expanded in Libya.
This year, Mr Camilleri, as Managing Director of the Camilleri Group, was chosen as finalist for the Entrepreneur of the year by the European Business Awards and was awarded the prestigious Ruban D’Honneur.
Mr Camilleri’s social life has involved him with a number of corporate and
business entities. He was Secretary and later also President of the General &
Retailers Union (1980-1989), Member on the Valletta Rehabilitation
Committee (1999-2008), Director of Go Mobile Communications Ltd and Go
Mobile Ltd (2001-2007), Director of Maltacom (2005-2006), Director of
Innovate Software Limited (2005- 2006), Director of Coreswitch Ltd (2005-
2006), Director Holiday Malta Co. Ltd (2006-2008) and Director Water
Services Corporation since 2008.
As a vivid proud Valletta citizen, Mr Camilleri involves himself in the City’s
social activities. He was a Committee Member, Treasurer and President of
Valletta FC (2000-2007), Governor of Valletta Alive Foundation (2004-2008)
and as from 2008 a Committee Member and presently President of the Società Filarmonica Nazionale La Valette.
GEORGE CAMILLERI M.O.M.
Born in Valletta in 1936, Dr Camilleri received his education at the Lyceum and later at the University of Malta where he qualified Bachelor of Dental Surgery (1957). He subsequently continued his postgraduate education, obtaining a HDD (1959) from Glasgow and a FDSRCS (1960) from Edinburgh. He was awarded Hon Fellowships in Dental Surgery from the Royal College of
Surgeons and Physicians of Glasgow (2002) and of the Royal College of
Surgeons of England.(2011).
He was awarded the Gran Croce al Merito Melitense of the Sovereign Military Hospitaller Order of St John in 2005.
Dr Camilleri was awarded the Quintin Hogg research fellowship at the Royal
College of Surgeons of England (1962-64). He served as consultant dental
surgeon with the public health services (1964-1970) and as senior dental
surgeon (1970-81). He was appointed professor of dental surgery at the
University of Malta (1964-78 and 1987-2001) and served as dean (1970-78,
1987-1992).
He is presently a Visiting Professor in Dental Surgery at the University of Malta and an Honorary Senior Research Fellow in the Unit of the History of Dentistry, Dental Institute, King’s College, London. Dr Camilleri served as president to both the Association of Surgeons and Physicians of Malta (1973-74) and the Dental Association of Malta (1985-89).
Dr Camilleri research interests are on the history of dentistry in Malta with
particular focus on the early Maltese dentists and on dental archaeological
remains at the National Museum of Archaeology. Since his retirement
Camilleri has been engaged in voluntary work with various Non-Government
Organisations.
NICHOLAS DE PIRO D’AMICO INGUANEZ M.O.M.
Born in St Julian’s, De Piro is the ninth baron of Budach, KM. He was
educated at Worth Preparatory School and at Downside, United Kingdom.
De Piro opened Casa Rocca Piccola, originally built in the 16th Century for
Don Pietro La Rocca, a Knight of Malta. Casa Rocca Piccola is the network of
underground passages and tunnels cut out of the rock over its 400 year history.
Marquis De Piro has held various appointments and worked ostensibly to protect the cultural heritage of Malta. He served as a council member of the Poetry Society of Cheltenham; is a founder member of Fondazzjoni Patrimonju Malti, a member of the Committee of Privileges of the Maltese Nobility, rector of the Archconfraternity of the Most Holy Rosary; a past Chancellor of the MalteseAssociation of the Order of Malta; and a nominated past member of thegovernment committee of guarantee of Malta’s cultural heritage. He is presently a council member of the Malta Council for Culture and the Arts (MCCA).
Marquis De Piro produced a number of publications on historical heritage of Malta including The International Dictionary of Artists who Painted Malta and The Temple of the Knights of Malta. Many of his writings features in the volume Treasures of Malta whilst he contributed with over seventy articles for Malta This Month.
ETHEL FARRUGIA M.O.M.
At a young age Ethel Farrugia was already interested in the theatre and actedwith many local companies including the MADC.
After she joined the British Council, she was stunned when Sir Arthur Waugh,
Head of the Commonwealth visiting Malta told her “on your young shoulders I
leave the responsibility of the future of Music and Drama in Malta”.
Ms Farrugia furthered her studies at the Bristol Old Vic Theatre School and Bristol University Drama Department where she trained as an actress and followed courses in music and singing. In 1962 Farrugia obtained a diploma as an Associate of the Drama Board, London.
She worked briefly with the Nottingham Playhouse, the Theatre Royal
Windsor, and the Aldwych in London. She later toured in Shakespeare’s “The
Winter’s Tale” and Moliere’s “The Misanthrope”. In 1967 Farrugia appeared in
the Edinburgh Festival in “A Midsummer Night’s Dream” and in Molière’s
“Scapin”.
Farrugia also worked for BBC TV and has appeared in the 20th Century film “The Magus” starring Anthony Quinn and Michael Cain. She worked hard for the establishment of the Manoel Theatre as Malta’s National Theatre. She set up the Manoel Theatre Club, and organised for the first time a professional Drama Course. This was the beginning of the Manoel Theatre School of Dramatic Art.
She was adjudicator on various local films, drama festivals as well as playwriting competitions. For many years, Farrugia was on the panel of judges for Rediffusion Malta for local radio plays.
In the field of music Farrugia organised monthly vocal and instrumental
concerts in the British Council premises later establishing a full scale
symphony orchestra to perform in the Radio City and the Manoel Theatre, later to become the Malta National Orchestra.
ACHILLE MIZZI M.O.M.
Born in Zabbar in 1939, Mr Mizzi was educated at the De La Salle College, the Seminary and the University of Malta.
Mizzi started his career as a teacher in Government elementary schools(1958-1962). He joined the Customs Department as an Officer in 1963. In 1988 Mr Mizzi was posted at the Ministry of Education and Culture, where he was involved in the organization of cultural activities. He formed part ofgovernment delegations to ILO, UNESCO and the Council of Europe. Mr Mizzi was appointed assistant head of department (1992), special assistant (1994) and official secretary to the President of Malta (1996), a post he held till 2000.
In 1995, Mizzi was made Commendatore dell’Ordine al Merito della
Repubblica Italiana and honoured with the Croce dell’Ordine al Merito
Melitense of the SMOM. Three years later he was appointed member on the
Executive Council of the Russian Centre for Science and Culture and in 1999
he was awarded the Russian State Diploma and a commemorative medal for
merit and appreciation for his contribution to the Bi-centenary of Pushkin. In
2001, the Zabbar Local Council awarded him Hieħ Ħaz-Zabbar in recognition
of his literary and civic merits.
Mizzi was a co-founder of the Moviment Qawmien Lettetarju of the sixties. In 1968 he was accepted as member, and eventually became the President (1994-2000), of the Akkademja tal-Malti. He published seven books of poetry. He received an honourable mention in various foreign publications and is represented in all local major anthologies. Mizzi won the Malta Government Literary Award in 1994, 1999 and 2008.
He has been acclaimed as one of the leading Maltese poets. His poetry is full of existential angst and discusses fundamental human issues that show concern for the predicament of humanity.
MICHAEL J. SCHIAVONE M.O.M
Born in Senglea, Mr Schiavone received his education at St Augustine College andthe Archbishop’s seminary. He graduated BA (Hons.) from the University of Malta in 1990.
In 1968 Mr Schiavone joined the Allied Malta Newspapers while in 1969 he
moved to the National Press, today MediaLink Communications. He was
appointed the first editor of In-Nazzjon Tagħna in 1970 and editor of Il-
Mument ten years later.
Following his appointment as director of Pubblikazzjonijiet Indipendenza
(PIN) in 1989, Schiavone produced more than 300 publications. Together with Dr Charles Briffa, Schiavone is the editor of the Maltese cultural series of 100 volumes Il-Kullana Kulturali, and 15 volumes of Kullana Għat-Tfal.
Schiavone is presently editing 18 volumes of the religious-cultural series by
Tony Terribile, Teżori fil-Knejjes Maltin.
Mr Schiavone is the author of three books about the history, statistics and results of the Maltese general elections since 1849, and two volumes about the first local councils. His publications also include the Maltese Biographies of the Twentieth Century co-edited with Louis J. Scerri, and the two volumes of the Dictionary of Maltese Biographies in 2009. Schiavone was also the editor of L-Eku.
Between 2000 and 2011, not less than 30 publications produced by PIN and
edited by Briffa and Schiavone were awarded various prizes by the National
Book Council. In 2007 Schiavone was awarded the Special Lifetime Award for
his contribution to the Maltese Book by the National Book Council, and in
2011 he was awarded the Gold Award of the Maltese Journalism Awards by
the Institute of Maltese Journalists.
For a number of years Mr Schiavone also formed part of the judging panel of the BPC Award to Journalists.
FRANCIS STIVALA M.O.M.
Born in Sliema, Francis Stivala read for a Bachelor of Science, a Bachelor of
Arts (Honours) in Economics and a Master of Science in Mathematics and
Computing at the University of Malta.
Mr Stivala is the pioneer in developing the English as a Foreign Language (EFL) profession and industry in Malta. To date, well over one million international students of all ages have come to Malta to study English. Through his vision,foresight and unceasing involvement, Stivala’s determination became what is now an organised and well established leading segment of Malta’s tourism profile that employs thousands across the various service sectors of the English language stay and contributes no less than €200 million annually to the local economy.
Mr Stivala started to build this venture on professional lines when he was an active student leader within the Student Representative Council (SRC/KSU) just over 40 years ago. He took the Council’s National Student Travel Service (NSTS) to new heights and was instrumental in transforming it into the National
Student Travel Foundation (NSTF). He sought to retain the original
philanthropic character of NSTF as an international educational entity at the
service of all students and youths with a strong corporate social responsibility that consistently awards travel bursaries, runs non-formal educationalprogrammes and extends into the restoration and preservation of Malta’s national heritage.
Throughout his tenure at NSTF,Mr Stivala has made a name for Malta in the
international student and youth educational travel community and among
governmental and international tourism organisations. For over 35 years, he
served as board member and chairman of a multitude of international
associations, federations and trusts where he introduced significant changes
and advancements. Among his current international responsibilities, Mr Stivala is Chairman of the Congress of the World Youth, Student, Educational Travel Confederation which embraces a diverse membership from over 60 countries world-wide.
GAETANO VELLA M.O.M.
Born in 1960, Mr Vella proved to be a proficient trade unionist that eventually served as Secretary General of the Union Ħaddiema Magħqudin for a number of years.
Mr Vella started his career in the hospitality industry prior to joining UĦM as a member in March 1982. Vella was later called to sit on the Executive
Committee of the Private Sector Section within the Union. He not only proved himself but emerged as an energetic and forward looking trade unionist. Somuch so that in 1989 Vella was appointed the first Secretary for the Hotels,Food and Beverages Section of the Union. He continued to advance further within the Union and eventually became a General Council member. In 1998 Mr Vella was elected Secretary General of the Union Ħaddiema Magħqudin, a position he relinquished in October 2011.
Mr Vella represented the UĦM on various committees, boards and authorities both locally and internationally, including the Occupational Health and Safety
Authority, the Malta European Union Steering Action Committee, the
Employment Relations Board and the Foundation for Human Resources
Development. Vella also represented the UĦM on the Malta Council for
Economic and Social Development.
Mr Vella has actively participated in various conferences, seminars and public
debates both locally and internationally and can be credited with strengthening workers’ right and social dialogue in Malta.
GRACE ATTARD M.Q.R.
Grace Attard, a teacher by profession, is a dedicated voluntary worker in
various spheres. She is serving her second term as President of the National
Council of Women. During her presidency, the Council was also established as a Centre of Learning in ICT, Empowerment of Women, and Lifelong Learning Programmes.
Ms Attard is a regular contributor to local media on social policy and gender
issues, particularly on the early detection of domestic violence and the
promotion of gender equality in political and economic decision-making.
Through research and dialogue with social partners, she has submitted
proposals for family-friendly and social security measures to increase the
participation of women in the labour force.
She chaired the Working Group on Gender Equality Legislation (2004), and
Domestic Violence Legislation (2006), and was a member of the Working
Group on Early Childhood Education and on Legislation on the Voluntary
sector.
She has been a member of the EU Commission Advisory Committee on
Gender Equality, working on women in the media, the role of men in gender
equality, and women in research and science.
Ms Attard was very active in raising awareness of participative democracy in civil society during Malta’s pre-accession period to the European Union. For the past six years she has been representing the Malta Civil Society on the
European Economic and Social Committee.
Attard is an expert in the European Gender Institute, member of the Malta
Council for Economic and Social Development (MCESD) Civil Society and
the National Consultative Council for Enterprise, and is the co-chair of the
Committee on Women in Research and Science within the Malta Council for
Science and Technology (MCST).
WILLIAM CHETCUTI M.Q.R.
Born in 1985 and a resident of Manikata, Chetcuti practically won all the local double trap competitions organised by The Malta Shooting Sport Federation and was sponsored by the Malta Olympic Committee to participate in a number of overseas encounters.
In 2001, at the age of 16, Mr Chetcuti won his first silver and gold in seniors at the GSSE (San Marino) and the Mediterranean Shooting Championship (Malta) respectively.
His success continued between 2002 to 2004 when he won a bronze in the
Double Trap at the Manchester Commonwealth Games, and silver in juniors at the European Championship in Italy. He won gold in, seniors during the GSSE games (Malta), in juniors during the European Championship (Cyprus) and at the International Junior Grand Prix. He placed fourth at the European
Championship (Czech Republic) and ninth at the Athens Olympics and broke
both a European Record and a World Record.
Between 2005 and 2010, Chetcuti won bronze at the Mediterranean Games
(Almeria) and at the Melbourne Commonwealth Games, and silver in juniors at
the European Championship, the ISSF World Cup (Belgrade) and in the
Mediterranean Games (Pescara).
He won gold at the World Juniors Championship (Germany) and the GSSE (Andorra). Chetcuti participated in the ISSF World Cup (Brazil), placed fourth in Dubai, eight in the Beijing Olympic Games, and sixth in the ISSF European Championship (Cyprus), and a finalist in the European Championships held in Cyprus and Russia.
In 2011 Chetcuti had a string of successes. He won gold in the ISSF World
Cup (Beijing); came first in the Italian Double Trap Championship and in the
Malta International Double Trap Grand Prix; third in the International Double
Trap Grand Prix (Italy), finalist in the European Championship and fifth in the
ISSF World Championship both held in Belgrade; and qualified in the ISSF
World Cup in Abu Dhabi.
Between 2002 and 2009 Mr Chetcuti was voted as the Maltese Sportsman of the year for no less seven times.
THOMAS JULIAN CREMONA M.Q.R
Born in 1988, Mr. Thomas Julian Cremona had to undergo treatment for
leukemia at a very tender age. Since the age of 8 years,Mr Cremona has shown apositive disposition to sport and participated in various athletic events on behalf of St. Patrick’s Athletics Club.
Initially, Cremona focused on ‘sprint’ events, then ‘middle-distance’ events
followed by a ‘half-marathon’ and a ‘full-marathon’. Cremona also participated in a few biathlons besides venturing into mountain-bike racing.
Cremona participated in philanthropic events that included swimming from
Gozo to Malta and taking part in the LifeCycle Challenge 2006 to raise funds
for the local renal unit.
A month after he sat for his final session of the ACCA examinations, Cremona
started his Row4Cancer campaign in preparation of his attempt to row across the Atlantic. Concurrently, he strove successfully to break a 20-hour world record on the Concept2 rowing machine. This record was acheived in
Plymouth England. Cremona delivered the 24-hour world record on the
Concept2 Longest Continual Row in Malta on 12 December 2010.
As part of the six-man crew of Sara G, Cremona broke the world record for the ‘fastest Atlantic row in a monohull’ as duly recorded by the Ocean Rowing Society International and the Guinness World Records. The crew rowed 2,753 nautical miles from Tarfaya, Morocco to Barbados, West Indies in 33 days 21 hrs 46 minutes from 5 January to 8 February 2011. They spent 33 days, 21 hours and 46 minutes on the sea.
Mr Cremona is a source of inspiration for youths, particularly those facing difficult moments in their lives, and cancer patients and survivors of this illness.
ENZO GUSMAN
Born in Sliema and educated at the Lyceum and the University of Malta,
Mr Gusman joined Barclays Bank in 1965 and pursued a career in banking in
Malta and Canada, where he settled in 1979. Whilst in Canada he was
promoted to Manager and worked for a number of banks.
Gusman is an avid broadcaster. He was the first disc-jockey to include Malteserecords on Radio and takes a keen interest in promoting Maltese artists. In 1968 he started with Redifussion and in 1980 he worked with CHIN Radio/TVbased in Toronto, Canada. He returned to Xandir Malta in 1991 and then proceeded to Bay Radio, PBS, Super One, Radio 101, NET TV and Calypso Radio.
He started taking part in Festivals in 1960 aged thirteen. He won various
Festivals including Canzoni d’Oggi, Festival della Canzone Napoletana, Malta
Song Festival, Malta Folk Festival and L-Għanja tal-Poplu. Gusman’s other
awards include second place in the Alexandra International Festival in Egypt
(1972), Best Singer at Olympiade de la Chanson in Greece (1972), First Prize
at the Golden Orpheus Festival in Bulgaria (1976), Best Performer at the
Turkiye International Festival fit-Turkija (1976) and Best Singer at Castlebar
Festival in Ireland (1986).
Mr Gusman’s self-penned hit songs include Fil-Pjazza tar-Raħal, śepp u Grezz, Fis-Sewwa jew fid-Dnewwa, śomm Idejk Fuqna, Għax Għadni Nħobbok, Telefonata mingħand il-Mulej, Illum il-Festa Tagħna and Agħtini Pint’Oħra amongst others.
Mr Gusman has taken part on a voluntary basis in innumerable philanthropic
events and fund-raising marathons, both in Malta and Canada.
PAUL HABER M.Q.R.
Born in Xewkija, Mr Haber established himself in the art scene with his first
exhibition at the National Museum in 1972. However, his formal studies and
practice had started much before. From a young age and through the influenceof his father Peter, Haber spent most of his spare time working with his hands making creative objects. Haber was brought up to appreciate the wonders of nature, especially the exotic beauty of life under waters in his favourite Mgarr ix-Xini where he spent his summers as a young man.
Leaving his family home in Gozo, where the art scene consisted of a few artists working in churches, he entered the Government School of Art in Malta. Mr Haber won scholarships to Italy and the UK, gaining a locally-unprecedented degreein ceramics which had become his preferred medium of self-expression. His earliest works in ceramics date to 1962, when a UK ceramist had been brought over to conduct a pottery course for art teachers.
Mr Haber’s career as a ceramist consists of three aspects, that of educator first and foremost, leaving a perceptible influence on many of today’s students and ceramists; the founder of Alka Ceramics Studio producing fine artistic ceramics for the export market especially the USA, and finally as an
exceptional artist who gave another dimension to the medium of ceramics. His sculptural ceramics are original creation of seemingly outstanding simplicity which renders the works so much more powerful in a most outlandish combination of strength and beauty.
ROSA MICALLEF JUDGE M.Q.R.
Rosa Micallef Judge started her music career in Malta obtaining the Licentiate of the Royal Schools of Music. She continued her studies as an Associated Board Scholar in Pianoforte and Harp at the Royal Academy of Music in London.
In 1970 she was appointed Hon. Representative in London for the Manoel
Theatre, and was later Chairperson of the Hospital Committee for Maltese
patients undergoing treatment in London. On her return to Malta in 1972, she was appointed Hon. Representative of the Associated Board of the Royal
Schools of Music. She was the first woman member to be appointed on the
Commission for Higher Education under the Darendorf Commission, and
Member of the Council of the MMDNA under Sir Gerald Creasy.
She has been invited by the governments of Italy, France, Turkey, former
Czechoslovakia and Finland to observe the music facilities available in these
countries. She was a member of the Council and Hon. Secretary of the
Community Chest Fund from 1977 to 1994. She is an Associate Board Music
Scholar, an Associate of the Royal Academy of Music and an Honorary
Member of the Royal College of Music.
In 1982 she was created Cavaliere dell’Umanità by the Società Internazionale
dell’Unione Cavalleria Cristiana of Italy. In 1993 she was invested Cavaliere
dell’Umanità Marchesa of the Holy Roman Empire whilst in 1994 she as
invested Chevalier dans l’Ordre Des Arts et Des Lettres. In 1998 she was
bestowed as Dame of the Military Hospitaller Order of St Lazarus of Jerusalem in the grade of Compatriot of Merit (MMLJ).
CARMELO VELLA M.Q.R.
Vella was born in Paola in 1936. Later his family moved to Birzebbuga
and then to St. Julians where he spent his formative years. In 1954 Mr Vella migrated to Australia.
Mr Vella’s association with Malta Eagles dates to the year of the team’s formation in Sydney in 1955. Then, in 1956 the club amalgamated with the Melita Football Club when Vella was the club’s President. Vella served as the Melita Football Club President, coach and even goalkeeper. He is now honoured as Life Member. His love for soccer led him to the world of journalism when in 1957 he helped to produce a magazine called Soccer Light.
His journalism took a further step in the early 1960s when he was Sports Editor for the Sydney-based Malta News. In 1961, when the popular newspaper, The Maltese Herald, commenced publication, Vella had his own column on sports.
In 1971 Mr Vella took over as editor and has become sole owner of the newspaper since 1983.
On the 28 July of this year, the Maltese Herald celebrated 50 years from its
first publication.
In 1999 Mr Vella was made a Member of the Order of Australia (AM) for his
services to the Maltese community by the Federal Government.