Wistin Abela, former Labour deputy prime minister, died on January 20, aged 80.

Wistin Abela, a Mintoff loyalist from the Labour stronghold of Żejtun was elected to Parliament in every election from 1966 to 1992 and occupied a number of ministerial posts from 1971 to 1987.

In 1975, soon after the Mintoff government took over broadcasting Mr Abela said broadcasting would be used to create a “Socialist generation”. Mr Abela was responsible for a number of State owned corporations such as Air Malta, Telemalta and Xandir Malta.

James Gollcher, chairman Gollcher Group, died on February 16, aged 86.

James Gollcher was instrumental in expanding the company which is today at the forefront of the maritime, international transportation and travel sectors in Malta.

During his long business career, Mr Gollcher also served as a council member of the Chamber of Commerce and a director of the National Bank of Malta, Sea Malta, Middlesea Insurance and Express Trailers.

Karl Vella, cancer campaigner, died on February 16, aged 37.

Cancer campaigner Karl Vella, who worked at Mater Dei Hospital, left behind a legacy of inspiration for fellow sufferers. Mr Vella’s spirit of solidarity was always evident – through his work with children at hospital, as a union shop steward for nursing-aides and later when he stood by the side of fellow sick people. Despite being in great pain, he would comfort fellow sufferers till the very end.

Victor Griffiths, professor of surgery, died on March 28, aged 93.

A professor of surgery, Prof. Victor Griffiths was considered to be one of Malta’s most gifted medical personalities. He was an expert diagnostician and a technically gifted thyroid, prostate, breast, stomach, biliary and colonic surgeon.

Prof. Griffiths played a prominent role in the development of the medical school and served as its Dean for a number of years. In 1998 he was made an Officer of the Order of Merit for his services to medicine in Malta.

A keen anglophile in 2002 was awarded an honorary MBE for promoting relations between the UK and Malta in medicine, culture and education.

Albert Bonello du Puis, former Sliema mayor, died on April 7, aged 81.

Albert Bonello du Puis was a popular former Nationalist Party mayor of Sliema (from 2006 to 2009). He had also served on the Sliema council for two terms as deputy mayor (in 1997 and 2003).

Nestor Jacono, Malta’s oldest Olympian, died on May 4, aged 89.

Taking to athletics when still a student at St Edward’s College, Nestor Jacono later became Malta’s undisputed number one sprinter. He was chosen as the sole competitor to represent Malta at the first post-war Olympic Games held in London in 1948.

George Cutajar, popular human rights lawyer and PN activist, died on May 14, aged 52.

George Cutajar was a long-time activist with the Nationalist Party and took a particular interest in human rights in his legal work. Dr Cutajar was especially active within the PN in the 1980s when democracy was under threat. During this period he was a victim of a bomb attempt on his life.

Teddy Borg, well-known sports commentator, died on June 18, aged 78.

Teddy Borg well known for his love of yachting and he was an avid sportsman and sports journalist. Mr Borg was head of the sports department at One TV and a regular contributor on sea sports for Times of Malta covering an array of prestigious events.

Paul Attard, former Education Ministry permanent secretary, died on June 24, aged 72.

Paul Attard died under tragic circumstances after falling from a height of one storey as he left a reception. Mr Attard was permanent secretary at the Education Ministry at a crucial time before Malta’s accession to the EU and was the presenter of the popular religious television programme Dawl il-Ħajja.

A devout Catholic, Mr Attard was also president of the St John’s co-Cathedral Foundation. He also served as an education ministry consultant, president of the board of governors at Mcast and chairman of the Public Service Commission.

Anton Cassar, veteran left-wing journalist, died on June 30, aged 90.

Anton Cassar was the first editor of the General Workers’ Union newspaper l-Orizzont, which he set up in 1962. He began his career with Il-Berqa (then published by Allied Newspapers) in 1946 and later joined Union Press. Well known for his pro-Labour journalism, he established l-Orizzont as the leading left-leaning newspaper with a wide working class readership.

He was later awarded a medal for his service to the Republic (Midalja għall-Qadi tar-Repubblika) and honoured with the Institute of Journalists’ Gold Award in Journalism.

Mariucca Micallef Grimaud, well-known flower artist, died on June 30, aged 85.

Mariucca Micallef Grimaud won more than 30 international awards for her works and lectured hundreds of students in the art of flower arranging. In Malta she was awarded the Ġieħ ir-Repubblika and the Gold Medal by the Malta Horticultural Society for her contribution to the art of flower arranging.

Maurice Tanti Burlò

Cartoonist for Times of Malta and The Sunday Times of Malta, died on December 10, aged 78.

Maurice Tanti Burlò began drawing cartoons for Times of Malta and The Sunday Times of Malta in October 1977 to “get back at [Dom] Mintoff” for the way Telemalta employees, such as him, were suspended without pay for supporting doctors, nurses and bankers on strike.

Mr Tani Burlò (or his chosen pseudonym, Nalizpelra) could be witty, deadly serious, trivial and devastating. He was considered to be an artist with a razor-sharp eye that enabled him to compress all he wanted to say in just a few strokes, though he could be elaborate and expansive.

He won the BPC Award to Journalists when the cartoons section was first introduced in 1998 and again in 2002.

Judge Gino Camilleri, died on July 20, aged 64.

Mr Justice Gino Camilleri insisted on carrying out his duties as a judge despite suffering from ill-health. He was considered a distinguished member of the judiciary who always expressed a sense of justice and humanity in the interests of society.

Appointed a magistrate in 1983, he became a judge in the Superior Courts 12 years later, sitting in the First Hall of the Civil Court until his death. He had also served as president of the Malta Olympic Committee.

Alexander Cachia Zammit, former Nationalist health and labour minister, died on July 30, aged 89.

Alexander Cachia Zammit was a PN Żejtun stalwart and former labour and health minister in the George Borg Olivier governments from 1962 to 1971.

A family doctor, he successfully contested the elections for the first time in 1955.

After the 1971 election, which the PN lost, Dr Cachia Zammit and his late brother Lawrence were accused of stealing government documents and had to face a trial by jury. The jurors unanimously returned a not guilty verdict.

Dr Cachia Zammit was appointed Ambassador to the Holy See in 1987 and in 1992 he was made an Officer of the National Order of Merit.

John Camilleri, former aide to Eddie Fenech Adami, died on September 5, aged 67.

John Camilleri, credited with Eddie Fenech Adami’s rise in the Nationalist Party, was a backroom operator who loved politics but shunned the limelight. He formed part of the small group of people within the PN who successfully turned the party towards the centre-left and made it appealing to working class voters.

Mr Camilleri served as Dr Fenech Adami’s private secretary for 14 years – 10 when the latter was Leader of the Opposition and four when he was Prime Minister.

After leaving the Office of the Prime Minister, he served in a number of roles including chief executive of the Malta Trade Fairs Corporation, chairman of Telemalta, executive director of AŻAD, and CEO of the Employment and Training Corporation.

David Chircop, Net Television cameraman, died on September 26 aged 41.

David Chircop, who also served as Net TV’s head of operations, died after a seven year battle with cancer.

The Institute of Maltese Journalists described Mr Chircop as an example of professionalism in journalism who highlighted the suffering of people in wars and natural disasters such as in Kosovo and Sri Lanka.

Joseph Apap Bologna, retired magistrate, died on October 19, aged 66.

Joseph Apap Bologna, who had only retired from the bench in 2013, was regarded as a magistrate with a great sense of humanity who believed in forgiveness and rehabilitation without diminishing the values of public order and victim protection.

Dr Apap Bologna was a member of the Permanent Commission against Corruption and chaired the mental health review tribunal.

Mannie Spiteri, veteran broadcaster, died on October 21, aged 79.

Well-known broadcaster Mannie Spiteri died suddenly in a small studio he had built in his house, where he still recorded radio programmes.

Mr Spiteri’s long career included stints as a productions officer with the Broadcasting Authority, head of television programmes at Malta Television, a senior account executive with BPC International, head of Radio and TV Malta, chairman of PBS and general manager of RTK and the Media Centre.

He was awarded the National Order of Merit for his services to broadcasting in 1999.

John Manduca, former diplomat, journalist, broadcaster and author, died on November 7, aged 87.

John Manduca, who was Malta’s High Commissioner to the UK between 1987 and 1990, played an important part in restoring and improving relations with the UK in the aftermath of the Dom Mintoff and Karmenu Mifsud Bonnici years, when Anglo-Maltese relations were rocky.

He had a long and diverse career in which he was deputy editor of Times of Malta, chief executive of the Broadcasting Authority, manager of Malta Television Service, managing director of the Rediffusion Group of Companies and director-general of the Confederation of Private Enterprise. He was also an author of a number of books on Malta.

In 2003 he was presented with the Gold Award for his contribution to professional journalism and in 2010 he was made a member of the National Order of Merit. Mr Manduca resigned as a member of the Broadcasting Authority in 1981 in protest against the lack of impartiality in broadcasting under the Mintoff government.

Lino Spiteri, former Labour finance minister, died on November 14, aged 76.

Lino Spiteri, a veteran Labour politician with a sharp analytical mind was well respected across the political divide even though he was a Cabinet minister in the Dom Mintoff and Karmenu Mifsud Bonnici governments in the 1980s. In an interview with The Sunday Times of Malta when he turned 70 he said he was “ashamed” at some of the things that had taken place during that period but stressed he used to make his point of view heard internally.

An Oxford educated economist, he held a number of senior ministerial roles namely Minister of Economic Affairs and Finance (1996-97), Minister of Trade and Economic Planning (1983-87) and Minister of Finance (1981-83).

Mr Spiteri was first elected a Labour MP in 1962 at the height of the politico-religious dispute when party officials were interdicted by the Church. As a result of this, he was forced to marry inside the church sacristy. In 1992 he lost the Labour Party’s leadership race to Alfred Sant.

He was best known for resigning as finance minister in 1997 less than a year into Alfred Sant’s short-lived Labour government of 1996 – 1998 over his opposition to the removal of VAT and the freezing of Malta’s EU application.

Mr Spiteri was also a respected author and a regular columnist with Times of Malta and The Sunday Times of Malta.

George Fenech, chairman of the Tumas Group, died on December 2, aged 63.

George Fenech, the chairman of Tumas Group of companies will be remembered for his brilliant entrepreneurial skills as well as for his charitable works.

Mr Fenech was the driving force who channelled the Tumas Group into new areas of activity, particularly the hotel and gaming sectors. He was one of the main promoters of the timeshare industry both locally and abroad.

Under Mr Fenech’s guidance, the Tumas Group undertook the construction and management of the Portomaso project and other major real estate projects.

 

Mary Rose Bonello, veteran actress, died on December 3 aged 80.

Mary Rose Bonello will be particularly remembered for her role as the grandmother in the TV series Simpatiċi. Her long career started in 1952 on the stage and she never looked back except for a break when her family was young. Her first appearance on television was playing the part of Rożi in Wenzu u Rożi.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Abraham Galea, leading psychiatrist, died on December 4, aged 84.

Throughout his medical career Abraham Galea fought hard to remove the stigma surrounding mental illness. Thanks largely to him people no longer feel ashamed to admit that they are suffering from mental ill health.

Despite having a very successful career both locally and abroad he retained his humble character. He was also considered to be accessible, supportive and able to defuse tense situations, helped by his ironic sense of humour.

Sr Doreen Cuschieri, headmistress of St Dorothy’s senior school, died on December 18, aged 68.

Sr Doreen Cuschieri had been headmistress of St Dorothy’s senior school since 1986 and steered the school through the troubles of the 1980s and later the move from Mdina to Żebbug.

She entered the congregation aged 16 and was widely praised for her cheerful character. In 2006 she became Provincial of the Sistrs of St Dorothy in Malta and England.