On Thursday September 7, FOI president Adrian Bajada unveiled an oil painting of former FOI president, the late Chev. John Parnis England, which was kindly donated to the FOI by his family.

Mrs Margaret Parnis England, her sons Nicholas, Stephen and Robin, daughter Joanna, and FOI council members were present for the unveiling.

In a short speech, Mr Bajada recollected how John Parnis England had been elected to the FOI council for 19 years during the Seventies, Eighties and Nineties, serving as vice-president for three years between 1978 and 79 and 1982 and taking the helm as FOI president in 1986 and 1987.

His years as president were characterised by the determination of the new Nationalist government to liberalise trade to improve consumer choice while the FOI was guarded in its reaction, insisting on the need to examine the effects on local market oriented industry.

Industry was desperate to have obstacles removed and the FOI also worked on formulating its own ideas for a new incentive package to industry, the review of government-induced costs and a realistic exchange rate. Mr Bajada thanked the Parnis England family for their kind gesture.

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