Charles Cremona’s eyes lit up and his face broke into a grateful smile as Valletta Cruise Port CEO John Portelli presented him with a gift as a token of appreciation for regularly giving cruise liner tourists such a hearty send-off.
Sitting in Mr Portelli’s office together with his beaming wife Consiglia, Mr Cremona was not encumbered with the large Maltese flag which has become synonymous with him. For every time a cruise liner courses in or out of Grand Harbour, the 70-year-old unfailingly appears on the roof of his apartment block to cheerfully wave the Maltese flag at the passengers.
“We first got to know about your commendable practice when we came across the article in the newspaper,” Mr Portelli told the Cremonas, referring to a report in The Times.
“We wish there were more like you who acknowledge the cruise liners and the tourists. Such little things go a long way in leaving a positive impression on tourists”.
Mr Cremona expressed his fondness for the majestic Grand Harbour, recounting how he used to watch the frigates of the Royal Navy sail in and out of the harbour when he was still a child.
He promised to keep waving out the cruise liners for as long as God granted him strength. He was then presented with a set of four limited edition prints of the colourful doors leading to the 16th century warehouses and two vouchers to be redeemed at any Valletta Waterfront outlet or restaurant.
Together with his wife, Mr Cremona was shown around the premises, including the small chapel built during Grand Master Pinto’s reign and dedicated to the Holy Family’s flight into Egypt.
He was also shown a copy of a painting depicting Grand Harbour by Celia Borg Cardona, given to Pope Benedict XVI as a memento of his visit to the Valletta Waterfront in 2010.
“That’s where I would be,” Mr Cremona said, indicating the block of apartments clearly visible in the painting.
“It’s a pity we weren’t aware of you at the time,” Mr Portelli told him.
“We would have included you and the painting would have been complete”.