2008: obituaries
MaltaMedia remembers a number of people who passed away during 2007. Their lives made a significant impact on the Maltese way of life.
Robert Naudi
(Died: 16 April 2008)
Dr Robert Naudi was a medical doctor and a politician.
He was born in Msida on 23 November 1936 and after his primary school years he attended St Aloysus College. He pursued his studies at the University of Malta and on 22 March 1962 graduated from this University as a medical doctor.
Dr Naudi’s involvement in youth organisations led him to enter the Maltese political scene and in 1971 contested the general elections for the first time on the Seventh District on behalf of the Workers Party but was unsuccessful. However, in 1976 Dr Naudi managed to make it to Parliament contesting the elections on the Ninth District this time on behalf of the Malta Labour Party. He retained his seat in Parliament in the elections of 1981.
Throughout his life, Dr Naudi used all the means at his disposal to help the needy. As a General Practitioner and a politician he was exposed to the suffering of the poor and the sick in the Community. He was renowned for his charitable acts and effective intervention to ease the pain and suffering of the patients and citizens who needed his help. During his years in Parliament, he constantly promoted the cause of the needy in his constituency and elsewhere
After he retired, he continued to practise as a GP and became active within the Charismatic Movement
Dr Robert Naudi married Jane Farrugia in March 1976. Their two daughters are Tanja and Marie Claire.
Emanuel Fiorentino
(Died: 13 January 2008)
Chev. Emanuel Fiorentino was a teacher, arts critic and the author of various publications focusing of Maltese fine arts.
Emanuel was born in Birkirkara on 7 of October 1946 but during the worst days of the war, his family was relocated to Cospicua. At the University of Malta he started pursuing a course of medicine but later decided to abandon his medical studies to focus on a career as a teacher. Meanwhile, he succeeded to graduate from the University of London where he read for a degree in the History of Art. Emanuel continued studying and acquired various diplomas including a diploma in Mediterranean Studies as well as a science diploma.
Chevalier Emanuel Fiorentino was a Member of the Equestrian Order of the Holy Sepulchre of Jerusalem. He was the resident arts critic for the Sunday Times of Malta until 1975. Among Fiorentino’s publications are his authoritative works on Giuseppe Cali 1846-1930 (1991) and Willie Apap 1918-1970 (1993).
Joseph M. Gerada
(Died: 30 January 2008)
Joseph Gerada was ex-UHM president and a former health and safety officer.
Mr Gerada would have turned 61 on the 27th of May. He served as UHM president between 1995 and 1998, vice-president between 1978 and 1980 and between 1994 and 1995, and as health and safety officer between 1998 and 2005. He had been active in the union since 1973. Joseph M. Gerada also represented the UHM on the BICC.
In a statement issued by the trade union, the UHM said: “The work carried out by Joseph M. Gerada in the trade union sector was one of exemplary commitment during which he put the interests of the workers first and foremost.”
Carm Lino Spiteri
(Died: 9 February 2008)
Carm Lino Spiteri was an architect and politician.
He was born in Valletta on the 9th of September 1932 and acquired the nickname Ċumpaq as a schoolboy at The Lyceum during a physics lesson where he gave the wrong answer to his teacher who exclaimed that the young Carm Lino had simply replied ċum-paq-pum, which is to say without thinking. The nickname stuck with him throughout his life and he was quite proud of it.
Spiteri graduated in Architecture in 1955 from the University of Malta, where he was also active in student politics. He then specialised in public health in London but returned to Malta to work as an architect, building a solid reputation as one of the foremost consultants in his field. He was involved in hundreds of construction projects, including the Malta International Airport at Gudja.
In 1970 he was approached to run for Parliament by both the Nationalist Party and the Malta Labour Party. After his personal friend Dr Daniel Micallef chose to stand with the MLP on the district which included his home town of Mellieha, Spiteri decided to enter the fray on behalf of the Nationalist Party in the 1971 General Election. He was elected and returned to the house of representative in 1976, 1981 and 1992. He was not successful in retaining his seat during the 1987 election and eventually left politics in 1996 after he failed to win his seat again.
During his tenure in Parliament he served as whip for the Nationalist Party. He was very respected by his political adversaries, particularly because he was known for his honesty. He shocked both government and opposition members in 1992 when he called the newly established Planning Authority a "monster" during a speech in the House.
Mr Spiteri was President of the Victoria Band Club in Mellieha for 35 years.
In 1996 he was honoured with a commemorative medal marking the 75th anniversary since the introduction of Self Government in Malta.
Ġemma Portelli
(Died: 21 February 2008)
Ġemma Portelli was one of Malta’s most popular actresses of the 20th century.
She was born on 30 September 1932 in Valletta. Ġemma attended St Joseph High School in Rabat and eventually changed over to St Catherine High School in Sliema.
At a tender age, she was already being cast in radioplays broadcast on Rediffusion.
This was the beginning of a long illustrious career for Ġemma. Her sister, Connie and her brother, Lino were her companions on radio during these early days. Soon, Ġemma was instrumental in setting up a foursome whose ambition was to put on all-round performances on radio and the theatre. The quartet was made up of Ġemma, her sister Connie and two young lads, Paul Portelli and Richie Azzpardi who eventually became their respective husbands. In 1957, Ġemma sought greener pastures and became involved with the legendary Radju Muskettieri performing next to the immortal Charles Clews and Johnny Catania. For long years, Radju Muskettieri brought joy, laughter and happiness into the homes of the Maltese people. Ġemma’s fate was sealed.
During the sixties Ġemma and her husband Paul started performing as a duo calling themselves The Bluebirds. The Bluebirds toured Malta and Gozo with their popular repertoire of songs and comic sketches that used to split their audiences’ sides with laughter. The duo Ġemma and Paul soon became household names and loved by all and sundry.
Perhaps Ġemma’s biggest success was her brilliant interpretation of Ġoma in Lino Grech’s social teleseries ‘F’Baħar Wieħed'. Another highlight of her brilliant career was the television series ‘Fuq Tlieta Toqgħod il-Borma’ featuring Ġemma Portelli at her best as an all-rounder.
Ġemma loved Australia: she visited downunder four times, and accompanied by her husband, Paul, toured around the country playing to full houses and filling the hearts of the Maltese-Australian community with joy and happiness – and an overdose of nostalgia. As if not to lose contact with her beloved migrant audiences she was a regular contributor in the Maltese Herald, a Sydney-based weekly paper.
Ġemma kept on working, both on stage and on radio and television, until the end of her life. During most of the scenes in her last appearance on television in Ħorrox Borrox, Ġemma had to perform sitting most of the time due to her frail physical state.
For her life-long career as an entertainer who succeeded to take an entire nation by storm with her inimitable talent, Ġemma Portelli was honoured with Ġieħ ir-Repubblika.
Ġemma and Paul had a son, Martin who lives in the USA, and a daughter, Kora.
Albert Rizzo
(Died: 29 February 2008)
Albert Rizzo, who served as Gzira’s Mayor for several years, was an auctioneer by profession but is best known as a swimmer of outstanding talents whose feats have been recorded in the Guinness Book of Records.
Albert was born in Gzira on 24 September 1947. He attended St Monica Primary School and later the Nautical School where he qualified as a radio officer.
He owed his love for swimming and the urges to pursue the attainment of world class swimming records to his grandfather, the legendary Turu Rizzo who etched his name in Maltese sport history when he swam across the channel between Malta and Sicily. Thanks to the constant encouragement by his promoter, Willie Apap, Albert decided to accept trying to beat his grandfather’s record of spending 68 hours in the water. On 25 September 1980, Albert succeeded to clock up 72 hours immersed in an open sea - a world record that was recognised by the Guinness Book of Records. To date, Albert is the only Maltese who has managed to get a mention in the ‘Book’. This was a triumphant moment for Albert who was declared the Sportsman of the Year for 1980.
This was not the end of Albert Rizzo success story: Albert broke his own record twice, in 1983 when he clocked up 108 hours and one year later, in 1984, with an amazing 132 hours in the water.
For some time, Albert was President of the Gzira Football Club. In 1994 he contested the elections for the Local Council of Gzira and was elected. He eventually became Gzira's Mayor, a position he retained for several years. Before passing away, he was re-elected to the Council. Albert was well known for his civic contribution to Gzira and for his philanthropic work.
Albert Rizzo was married to Mary Borg and had four children.
Ebba von Fersen Balzan
(Died: 16 March 2008)
Ebba von Fersen Balzan was an artist and philanthropist.
She was born 30 August 1957 in Darmstadt, Germany. Ebba arrived in Malta in 1986 and soon became a naturalized citizen through marriage.
Her first exhibitions in Malta date back to 1989. The very first one was organized by Alternattiva Demokratika at the Phoenicia Hotel, which was soon followed by another exhibition at the Museum of Fine Arts in Valletta. Various collective and individual exhibitions followed both in Malta and abroad.
During the decades she lived in Malta, Ebba was the officer in charge of the Friedrich Ebert Stiftung's operations in Malta for many years. Many Maltese benefited from the various educational programmes and activities sponsored or financed by this foundation.
In the last few years before her death, she had shown a keen sensibility to the plight of undocumented immigrants by encouraging the Centre of Labour Studies at the University of Malta to conduct a research project on this issue. Just a few months before she passed away she accepted an invitation to visit the Open Centre at Marsa in connection with this project.
Ebba von Fersen was married to Malta Today editor Saviour Balzan. She died at Mater Dei Hospital, aged 50.
Sir Anthony Mamo
(Died: 1 May 2008)
Sir Anthony Mamo was Chief Justice, Governor-General and first President of the Republic of Malta.
Sir Anthony was born in Birkirkara on 8 January 1909 and educated at the Archbishop’s Seminary and the Malta University where he graduated BA (1931) and LL.D (1934). As the first student in the course, he was awarded the Government travelling scholarship and the Bugeja scholarship which enabled him to take short courses at London University and the University of Perugia.
After joining the public service, Sir Anthony found himself working on a revised edition of all the Laws of Malta under the chairmanship of Judge William Harding in 1936. In 1942, Mamo joined the attorney-general's office as crown councel. By 1955, he had advanced to the post of deputy attorney general, a position he held until 1956. He served as chief legal adviser under four prime ministers - Sir Paul Boffa, Dr Enrico Mizzi, Dr Ġorġ Borg Olivier and Dom Mintoff.
Sir Anthony was professor of criminal law at the University of Malta (1943-57) and for many years served as a member of the Senate and president of the University Council. For his contribution to higher education, the University conferred on him the degree of D. Litt (honoris causa) in 1966.
During this period of his illustrious career, Mamo was awarded various high ranking honours: the OBE (1955), the appointment as Honorary Queen’s Councel (1957), the nomination of knight of grace of the Venerabel Order of St John (1962) and knight bachelor (1960).
In 1957 Mamo was appointed Chief Justice and president of the court of appeal. In 1964 be became the first president of the constitutional court. Mamo was appointed the first president of the court of criminal appeals in 1967.
In 1962 Sir Anthony was appointed acting governor pending the arrival of the new British governor. In 1971 he was appointed governor general, the first and only Maltese citizen to hold that office. Mamo was unanimously elected by the Maltese Parliament the country’s first President when Malta was declared a Republic in 1974.
In 1993 Sir Anthony was awarded the honour of ‘Sieheb il-Gieh’, the highest honour in the Order of Ġieħ ir-Repubblika.
Sir Anthony Mamo passed away at the age of 99. He was married to Margaret Agius (popularly known as 'Lady Mamo') and they had two daughters, Josephine and Monica, and a son, John.
Mike Spiteri (Kilin)
(Died: 8 July 2008)
Mike Spiteri alias Kilin was a prolific author of prose and poetry.
Kilin was born in Rabat on 29 August 1917. He received his education at the Lyceum and immediately after his matriculation exams in 1934 he joined the civil service, first
as a customs officer.
Kilin published a series of five booklets on the chapels in the Maltese countryside. Wayside Chapels (1966) is the English version of the first book in this famous series. Throughout the series, Kilin includes dainty pencil drawings of each of the chapels that feature in his books.
Kilin’s first tentative venture to write poetry and short stories was his publication Burdati (1970), immediately followd by Burdati 71 (1971). In his collection of essays in Tlikki Tlikki ma’ Wenzu (1972) and its sequel Hawn Aħna, Wenz (1991), Kilin registers his conversations with his beloved portable radio, Wenzu, during walks in the countryside. With Wenzu he confides his musings and laments about the fast disappearance of Malta's characteristic enviroment and popular customs.
In Fuq l-Għajn ta’ San Bastjan, who many consider as his best work, Kilin reminisces about his life in the twenties and records his blissful childhood memories. His three prize winning novels, l-Għafrid (1975), Tmint Ijiem fi Dragunara (1984) and It-tapit imsaħħar (1995) are proof of Kilin’s versatily in choice of subject matter, style and literary mood.
Kilin’s interests were varied and included music, painting, chess and the theatre. He passionately loved the Spanish language and spent long hours studying, teaching and translating from Spanish. But most of all he loved the Maltese language and thoughout his literary career, he championed the cause of his native language and harshly criticised the bad use of Maltese especially by the print based and electronic media.
Johnny Privitera
(Died: 19 July 2008)
Johnny Privitera was a football player.
Johnny Privitera, better known as Il-Ġemel, was born in Sliema on 27 January 1940. His passion for football started when he attended the Sliema Primary School where he formed part of his school’s team that, for three consecutive years, managed to win the Malta Primary School Football Chapionships.
He joined Sliema Wanderers making his first-team debut when he was only 17. For the Wanderers, Privitera played 10 games during the 1959-1960 season after which he swapped teams and moved on to play for Paola’s Hibernians FC. In season 1960-61, he helped Hibernians to win the league championship and, a year later, the FA Trophy. On the international scene, Privitera led his team to impressive displays against Manchester United, Spartak Trnava and Real Madrid in European competitions. For Hibernatians, between 1959 and 1974, Privitera featured in 178 fixtures.
Besides winning full international honours for Malta during 1962 and 1971, Johnny captained the Maltese national team against Austria. His last game for the national team was the famous game against England at the Gzira Stadium in 1971 which England won 0-1.
Privitera was renowned for his modern style of play based on the innovative coaching tactics of Herrera. Due to his short vision, Johnny worn special plastic glasses when playing and eventually started using contact lenses.
In season 1968-69, Privitera was voted Malta’s footballer of the year.
After his retirement, Johnny did not abandon the game and became involved in coaching at the Marsa Educational Sports Centre. He also coached various teams competing in the minor divisions. He spent his last years before he passed away providing coaching service to the Nursery of his beloved Hibernians.
Johnny Privitera was married to Catherine Bonnici.
Manwel Borg
(Died: 5 August 2008)
Manwel Borg was a radio broadcaster whose name is mainly associated with Italian songs and music.
Manwel was born in Valletta on 21 May 1951. When he joined Rediffusion at the age of sixteen he started looking for ways how to penetrate the broadcasting world on the basis of his expertise about Italian music. At the national broadcasting station he started meeting all the radio presenters on the island as well as having at his disposal one of the best music libraries in Malta.
His break came in 1980 when he started co-producing with radio DJ Twanny Scerri a Saturday weekly programme dedicated to Italian music and sports reportage. This programme stayed on the air for almost 28 years and Manwel dedicated all his spare time to cultivate his broacasting niche and increase the stature of his programme, especially by the introduction of elements like exclusive interviews with Italian pop singers. Soon Manwel and Twanny became recognised as the local authority on Italian pop music. With the advent of every San Remo Festival and other major Italian song festivals like Festival Bar, they put on special editions of their programme and presented in-depth coverage of the events, thus providing a comprehensive service to Italian music fans in Malta.
Among his proudest achievements as a radio producer was a series he co-produced with Toni Sant in 1990 marking John Lennon's 50th birthday and the tenth anniversary since his murder in New York. The 13-part series featured several interviews with Maltese poets, songwriters, and journalists giving a Maltese perspective on the life of the famous musician.
On Radio Malta he eventually had his own programme entitled Tema, wholly dedicated to Italian music. In Tema, Manwel played titles from Italian hit parades of the past, mostly LPs and 45s which he had in his personal collection and the PBS library.
Often, Manwel was invited to sit on Jury Panels to adjudicate song entries to Festivals. One last such involvement before he passed away after a short illness was as a member of the jury in the elimination phase for the 2007 Malta Song for Europe.
Ġorġ Dougall
(Died: 3 October 2008)
Ġorġ Dougall was a Maltese broadcaster based in London.
Dougall was born in Sliema in 1947. He emigrated to England aiming to pursue a career in drama and broadcasting. Ġorġ studied at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama and after graduation succeeded to thread the boards interpreting several roles in England. He also did some stage design for some English playhouses.
But his main ambition was to work for Auntie – the British Broadcasting Corporation. His dream was fulfilled in 1956 when, after successfully finishing a course at BBC, he commenced broadcasting on the Corporation’s world radio service a daily five-minuter in Maltese featuring news from London of particular interest to Maltese radio listeners. Punctually every evening at 6.55pm local time, Ġorġ Dougall went on air with his Din hija Londra from BBC in London to Maltese homes via Rediffusion; the programme kept going for many years and was only wound up in 1982 when the Rediffusion Group of Companies terminated their broadcasting service in Malta.
Some important coverages included Malta’s declaration of Independence in 1964, the 1966 edition of the world cup tournament that was staged in England, the death of Sir Winston Churchill in 1965, the British elections of 1970 and 1974 when Edward Heath and Harold Wilson were elected prime ministers respectively.
The 'golden age' of Din Hija Londra was the excellent and comprehensive coverage Ġorġ Dougall provided in 1972 during the tough negotiations between the Maltese and the British governments related to the end of the colonial era in Malta. Ġorġ's London reports about the development of the high level talks between Maltese Prime Minister Dom Mintoff and British Segretary of State Lord Carrington were first hand renditions of one of the most colourful and fateful periods of Maltese history.
In 1999, Ġorġ Dougall was awarded Ġieħ ir-Repubblika for his service to Malta.
Karl Chircop
(Died: 12 October 2008)
Dr Karl Chircop was a medical doctor and a politician.
Karl was born in Attard at Saint Catherine's Hospital on 7 August 1965. He received his education at De La Salle College, the New Lyceum and the University of Malta from where he graduated as a doctor of medicine in 1988.
Chircop inherited his socialist principles from his father and since his University days he showed clear signs of his aspirations to be active in the fight for the cause of social justice. As a student he was a member of the Għaqda Żgħażagħ Laburisti.
Dr Kirkop was a keen sports and dance enthusiast. He was engaged as a team doctor of the Hibernians Football Club u was an avid supported of Liverpool.
He entered politics in 1987 and his popularity and reputation as the good-natured smiling GP earned him a strong client base in his constituency. When he contested the 1996 general elections he had no problems being elected to parliament. At 31 years of age, Karl was the youngest deputy elected from the fourth district.
Dr Chircop was immediately appointed as Head of the Maltese Delegation for the Council of Europe. In the Council he was appointed member of the Committee of Social Affairs and the Committee of Economic Affairs. Besides attending the plenary sessions, Dr Chircop also attended various conferences abroad as Head of Delegation.
In 1998, he was re-elected to parliament registering twice as much first count votes as he obtained in the previous election. He was appointed shadow minister for Social Policy.
Late in 2008 Karl was admitted at Mater Dei Hospital and in spite of a series of medical interventions, both local and overseas, he passed away in October.
Dr Karl Chircop was married to Adriana and they had four children: Jan, who is a medical student, Francesca, Christian and Keith.
Anton Agius
(Died: 19.October 2008)
Anton Agius was a sculptor and a painter.
He was born at Rabat, Malta on 1 December 1933. Agius commenced his art apprenticeship under Joseph Galea, Vincent Apap and Emvin Cremona. Between 1950 and 1953 he studied art at the Malta Society of Arts, Manufacture and Commerce, in Valletta and continued his studies at the School of Arts under Ġorġ Borg. In 1957 he won a Malta government scholarship at the Scuola del Nudo dell'Associazione Artistica Internazzionale at the Accademia di Belle Arti in Rome, and to St Martin’s School, where he was awarded the national diploma in design, modelling, sculpture and letter cutting.
Anton came back to Malta in 1961 and he was determined to find an original approach to his artistic truth. He used to visit places like Ġnejna to examine rock formation, look for fossils, and analyse the shape of vines and olive trees. These media were the basic inspiration during Anton’s early phases of his career.
In 1968, Anton exhibited a number of his works. During this phase of his work, Anton’s artistic expression was fast developing into pure abstract. His creativity was always looking solely for forms. Later, Anton changed his style since he came to the conclusion that abstract art was not satisfying him as an effective means of communication with his audiences. At this point, Anton Agius’s style went through a dramatic change but was only another facet of the versatility of his unique talent.
Anton worked as an emergency teacher in various secondary schools. For ten years he taught sculpture at the Malta School of Arts.
Agius’s works are to be found in private collections in many parts of the world. Willy Brandt and Colenel Gaddafi possess some of Agius’s works of art. Among the artist’s major works are the Workers Monument at Msida, the 31 March 1979 Monument at Vittoriosa, the monument of 'Dun Mikiel Xerri u Sħabu' in Valletta, the monument of Mgr G. Depiro at Rabat, the statue of Manwel Dimech at Valletta, the statue of Ġużè Ellul Mercer at Dingli, the statue commemorating the victims of the Sette Giungno riots in Valletta, the bust of President Anton Buttigieg at Qala, Gozo, and the sepulchral work Kurċifiss ta’ Llum for the Dominican Order.
Anton Agius has been honoured with several prizes and awards for his artistic achievement, including First Prize in the Human Rights Art Exhibition held in 1968 at the Malta National Museum, the Onoroficenza Per Meriti by the Associazione Culturale Amici di Pan of Florence in 1979, the Artist of the Year award in 1980 and in 1982 the Targa d’Oro by the Associazione Nazionale Artistica Culturale of Italy. In 1999 he was awarded First Prize in the International Art Biennale of Malta. In 2006 he was awarded a Gold Medal in recognition for his achievements in the Arts by the Malta Society of Arts.
Anton was married to Mary Louise and they had three sons, two of whom are dead. Their third son is named Anton after his father.
Salvinu Schembri
(Died: 14 December 2008)
Salvinu Schembri was a footballer.
Salvinu was born in Sliema on 21 October 1923. He received his education at the Salesian College in Sliema.
Schembri was a product of war. Barely in his teens when hostilities broke out, he was drafted into the Army. In those days, the Maltese Regiment had a formidable team. Many of the best Maltese players of the era were in uniform and most of them served in the RMA.
During the war, many British professional football players were serving in Malta and Schembri could not have had a better apprenticeship.
After the war, Schembri joined the Sliema Athletics with whom he played for two seasons before joining Valletta in 1945. Schembri was the superstar in his team’s two wins of the league championships between 1945 and 1948. In 1953 he joined Sliema Wanderers and was the mastermind behind the Blues securing several league championships.
Salvinu was one of the most honoured players of his time. An automatic choice for the national team, he played 35 times for the MFA XI. In 1956 he had the honour of leading the team in Malta's first-ever international against Austria. He went on to play two more international matches before he retired in 1961.
Throughout his career he scored a total of 100 goals and played 209 games in the championship. With MFA XI he played 25 fixtures, and was always the backbone and inspiration of the Maltese national team.
After his retirement, Salivinu took up coaching u in 1973 led Gzira United to win the FA Trophy.
Schembri had a daughter, Margharet and two sons, Ronnie and Eric, both following their father’s footsteps. Ronnie plays for Gzira United and Eric with Sliema Wanderers. Eric’s son, Andre does his grandfather proud because after a career in Malta, he is currently playing for Carl Zeiss Jena in Germany.
Evelyn Bonaci
(Died: 15 December 2008)
Evelyn Bonaci was a politician.
She was born in Sliema on 29 November 1916. Bonaci pursued further studies in piano and music.
Bonaci lived among politicians. Her first experience of the trappings of politics was when she acted as the foremost canvasser for her husband Louis, better known as Ġiġi in the 1953 and 1955 elections on the MLP ticket.
In 1961, Bonaci helped Agatha Barbara establish the women’s section within the MLP. She was later president of the women’s section of the Birkirkara MLP club and later on a member of the national executive committee.
She continued to work in the Birkirkara constituency and was pushed to contest the 1966 elections by Dr Albert Hyzler. She was elected in the 1971 and 1976 elections.
In 1995, Evelyn Bonaci was made officer of the National Order of Merit (MOM).
She was married to Louis and they had five children: Tessie, Alfred, Winnie, John and Nadia.
This page was compiled by Mario Axiaq, Albert Marshall and Toni Sant.
MaltaMedia remembers a number of people who passed away during 2007. Their lives made a significant impact on the Maltese way of life.
Robert Naudi
(Died: 16 April 2008)
Dr Robert Naudi was a medical doctor and a politician.
He was born in Msida on 23 November 1936 and after his primary school years he attended St Aloysus College. He pursued his studies at the University of Malta and on 22 March 1962 graduated from this University as a medical doctor.
Dr Naudi’s involvement in youth organisations led him to enter the Maltese political scene and in 1971 contested the general elections for the first time on the Seventh District on behalf of the Workers Party but was unsuccessful. However, in 1976 Dr Naudi managed to make it to Parliament contesting the elections on the Ninth District this time on behalf of the Malta Labour Party. He retained his seat in Parliament in the elections of 1981.
Throughout his life, Dr Naudi used all the means at his disposal to help the needy. As a General Practitioner and a politician he was exposed to the suffering of the poor and the sick in the Community. He was renowned for his charitable acts and effective intervention to ease the pain and suffering of the patients and citizens who needed his help. During his years in Parliament, he constantly promoted the cause of the needy in his constituency and elsewhere
After he retired, he continued to practise as a GP and became active within the Charismatic Movement
Dr Robert Naudi married Jane Farrugia in March 1976. Their two daughters are Tanja and Marie Claire.
Emanuel Fiorentino
(Died: 13 January 2008)
Chev. Emanuel Fiorentino was a teacher, arts critic and the author of various publications focusing of Maltese fine arts.
Emanuel was born in Birkirkara on 7 of October 1946 but during the worst days of the war, his family was relocated to Cospicua. At the University of Malta he started pursuing a course of medicine but later decided to abandon his medical studies to focus on a career as a teacher. Meanwhile, he succeeded to graduate from the University of London where he read for a degree in the History of Art. Emanuel continued studying and acquired various diplomas including a diploma in Mediterranean Studies as well as a science diploma.
Chevalier Emanuel Fiorentino was a Member of the Equestrian Order of the Holy Sepulchre of Jerusalem. He was the resident arts critic for the Sunday Times of Malta until 1975. Among Fiorentino’s publications are his authoritative works on Giuseppe Cali 1846-1930 (1991) and Willie Apap 1918-1970 (1993).
Joseph M. Gerada
(Died: 30 January 2008)
Joseph Gerada was ex-UHM president and a former health and safety officer.
Mr Gerada would have turned 61 on the 27th of May. He served as UHM president between 1995 and 1998, vice-president between 1978 and 1980 and between 1994 and 1995, and as health and safety officer between 1998 and 2005. He had been active in the union since 1973. Joseph M. Gerada also represented the UHM on the BICC.
In a statement issued by the trade union, the UHM said: “The work carried out by Joseph M. Gerada in the trade union sector was one of exemplary commitment during which he put the interests of the workers first and foremost.”
Carm Lino Spiteri
(Died: 9 February 2008)
Carm Lino Spiteri was an architect and politician.
He was born in Valletta on the 9th of September 1932 and acquired the nickname Ċumpaq as a schoolboy at The Lyceum during a physics lesson where he gave the wrong answer to his teacher who exclaimed that the young Carm Lino had simply replied ċum-paq-pum, which is to say without thinking. The nickname stuck with him throughout his life and he was quite proud of it.
Spiteri graduated in Architecture in 1955 from the University of Malta, where he was also active in student politics. He then specialised in public health in London but returned to Malta to work as an architect, building a solid reputation as one of the foremost consultants in his field. He was involved in hundreds of construction projects, including the Malta International Airport at Gudja.
In 1970 he was approached to run for Parliament by both the Nationalist Party and the Malta Labour Party. After his personal friend Dr Daniel Micallef chose to stand with the MLP on the district which included his home town of Mellieha, Spiteri decided to enter the fray on behalf of the Nationalist Party in the 1971 General Election. He was elected and returned to the house of representative in 1976, 1981 and 1992. He was not successful in retaining his seat during the 1987 election and eventually left politics in 1996 after he failed to win his seat again.
During his tenure in Parliament he served as whip for the Nationalist Party. He was very respected by his political adversaries, particularly because he was known for his honesty. He shocked both government and opposition members in 1992 when he called the newly established Planning Authority a "monster" during a speech in the House.
Mr Spiteri was President of the Victoria Band Club in Mellieha for 35 years.
In 1996 he was honoured with a commemorative medal marking the 75th anniversary since the introduction of Self Government in Malta.
Ġemma Portelli
(Died: 21 February 2008)
Ġemma Portelli was one of Malta’s most popular actresses of the 20th century.
She was born on 30 September 1932 in Valletta. Ġemma attended St Joseph High School in Rabat and eventually changed over to St Catherine High School in Sliema.
At a tender age, she was already being cast in radioplays broadcast on Rediffusion.
This was the beginning of a long illustrious career for Ġemma. Her sister, Connie and her brother, Lino were her companions on radio during these early days. Soon, Ġemma was instrumental in setting up a foursome whose ambition was to put on all-round performances on radio and the theatre. The quartet was made up of Ġemma, her sister Connie and two young lads, Paul Portelli and Richie Azzpardi who eventually became their respective husbands. In 1957, Ġemma sought greener pastures and became involved with the legendary Radju Muskettieri performing next to the immortal Charles Clews and Johnny Catania. For long years, Radju Muskettieri brought joy, laughter and happiness into the homes of the Maltese people. Ġemma’s fate was sealed.
During the sixties Ġemma and her husband Paul started performing as a duo calling themselves The Bluebirds. The Bluebirds toured Malta and Gozo with their popular repertoire of songs and comic sketches that used to split their audiences’ sides with laughter. The duo Ġemma and Paul soon became household names and loved by all and sundry.
Perhaps Ġemma’s biggest success was her brilliant interpretation of Ġoma in Lino Grech’s social teleseries ‘F’Baħar Wieħed'. Another highlight of her brilliant career was the television series ‘Fuq Tlieta Toqgħod il-Borma’ featuring Ġemma Portelli at her best as an all-rounder.
Ġemma loved Australia: she visited downunder four times, and accompanied by her husband, Paul, toured around the country playing to full houses and filling the hearts of the Maltese-Australian community with joy and happiness – and an overdose of nostalgia. As if not to lose contact with her beloved migrant audiences she was a regular contributor in the Maltese Herald, a Sydney-based weekly paper.
Ġemma kept on working, both on stage and on radio and television, until the end of her life. During most of the scenes in her last appearance on television in Ħorrox Borrox, Ġemma had to perform sitting most of the time due to her frail physical state.
For her life-long career as an entertainer who succeeded to take an entire nation by storm with her inimitable talent, Ġemma Portelli was honoured with Ġieħ ir-Repubblika.
Ġemma and Paul had a son, Martin who lives in the USA, and a daughter, Kora.
Albert Rizzo
(Died: 29 February 2008)
Albert Rizzo, who served as Gzira’s Mayor for several years, was an auctioneer by profession but is best known as a swimmer of outstanding talents whose feats have been recorded in the Guinness Book of Records.
Albert was born in Gzira on 24 September 1947. He attended St Monica Primary School and later the Nautical School where he qualified as a radio officer.
He owed his love for swimming and the urges to pursue the attainment of world class swimming records to his grandfather, the legendary Turu Rizzo who etched his name in Maltese sport history when he swam across the channel between Malta and Sicily. Thanks to the constant encouragement by his promoter, Willie Apap, Albert decided to accept trying to beat his grandfather’s record of spending 68 hours in the water. On 25 September 1980, Albert succeeded to clock up 72 hours immersed in an open sea - a world record that was recognised by the Guinness Book of Records. To date, Albert is the only Maltese who has managed to get a mention in the ‘Book’. This was a triumphant moment for Albert who was declared the Sportsman of the Year for 1980.
This was not the end of Albert Rizzo success story: Albert broke his own record twice, in 1983 when he clocked up 108 hours and one year later, in 1984, with an amazing 132 hours in the water.
For some time, Albert was President of the Gzira Football Club. In 1994 he contested the elections for the Local Council of Gzira and was elected. He eventually became Gzira's Mayor, a position he retained for several years. Before passing away, he was re-elected to the Council. Albert was well known for his civic contribution to Gzira and for his philanthropic work.
Albert Rizzo was married to Mary Borg and had four children.
Ebba von Fersen Balzan
(Died: 16 March 2008)
Ebba von Fersen Balzan was an artist and philanthropist.
She was born 30 August 1957 in Darmstadt, Germany. Ebba arrived in Malta in 1986 and soon became a naturalized citizen through marriage.
Her first exhibitions in Malta date back to 1989. The very first one was organized by Alternattiva Demokratika at the Phoenicia Hotel, which was soon followed by another exhibition at the Museum of Fine Arts in Valletta. Various collective and individual exhibitions followed both in Malta and abroad.
During the decades she lived in Malta, Ebba was the officer in charge of the Friedrich Ebert Stiftung's operations in Malta for many years. Many Maltese benefited from the various educational programmes and activities sponsored or financed by this foundation.
In the last few years before her death, she had shown a keen sensibility to the plight of undocumented immigrants by encouraging the Centre of Labour Studies at the University of Malta to conduct a research project on this issue. Just a few months before she passed away she accepted an invitation to visit the Open Centre at Marsa in connection with this project.
Ebba von Fersen was married to Malta Today editor Saviour Balzan. She died at Mater Dei Hospital, aged 50.
Sir Anthony Mamo
(Died: 1 May 2008)
Sir Anthony Mamo was Chief Justice, Governor-General and first President of the Republic of Malta.
Sir Anthony was born in Birkirkara on 8 January 1909 and educated at the Archbishop’s Seminary and the Malta University where he graduated BA (1931) and LL.D (1934). As the first student in the course, he was awarded the Government travelling scholarship and the Bugeja scholarship which enabled him to take short courses at London University and the University of Perugia.
After joining the public service, Sir Anthony found himself working on a revised edition of all the Laws of Malta under the chairmanship of Judge William Harding in 1936. In 1942, Mamo joined the attorney-general's office as crown councel. By 1955, he had advanced to the post of deputy attorney general, a position he held until 1956. He served as chief legal adviser under four prime ministers - Sir Paul Boffa, Dr Enrico Mizzi, Dr Ġorġ Borg Olivier and Dom Mintoff.
Sir Anthony was professor of criminal law at the University of Malta (1943-57) and for many years served as a member of the Senate and president of the University Council. For his contribution to higher education, the University conferred on him the degree of D. Litt (honoris causa) in 1966.
During this period of his illustrious career, Mamo was awarded various high ranking honours: the OBE (1955), the appointment as Honorary Queen’s Councel (1957), the nomination of knight of grace of the Venerabel Order of St John (1962) and knight bachelor (1960).
In 1957 Mamo was appointed Chief Justice and president of the court of appeal. In 1964 be became the first president of the constitutional court. Mamo was appointed the first president of the court of criminal appeals in 1967.
In 1962 Sir Anthony was appointed acting governor pending the arrival of the new British governor. In 1971 he was appointed governor general, the first and only Maltese citizen to hold that office. Mamo was unanimously elected by the Maltese Parliament the country’s first President when Malta was declared a Republic in 1974.
In 1993 Sir Anthony was awarded the honour of ‘Sieheb il-Gieh’, the highest honour in the Order of Ġieħ ir-Repubblika.
Sir Anthony Mamo passed away at the age of 99. He was married to Margaret Agius (popularly known as 'Lady Mamo') and they had two daughters, Josephine and Monica, and a son, John.
Mike Spiteri (Kilin)
(Died: 8 July 2008)
Mike Spiteri alias Kilin was a prolific author of prose and poetry.
Kilin was born in Rabat on 29 August 1917. He received his education at the Lyceum and immediately after his matriculation exams in 1934 he joined the civil service, first
as a customs officer.
Kilin published a series of five booklets on the chapels in the Maltese countryside. Wayside Chapels (1966) is the English version of the first book in this famous series. Throughout the series, Kilin includes dainty pencil drawings of each of the chapels that feature in his books.
Kilin’s first tentative venture to write poetry and short stories was his publication Burdati (1970), immediately followd by Burdati 71 (1971). In his collection of essays in Tlikki Tlikki ma’ Wenzu (1972) and its sequel Hawn Aħna, Wenz (1991), Kilin registers his conversations with his beloved portable radio, Wenzu, during walks in the countryside. With Wenzu he confides his musings and laments about the fast disappearance of Malta's characteristic enviroment and popular customs.
In Fuq l-Għajn ta’ San Bastjan, who many consider as his best work, Kilin reminisces about his life in the twenties and records his blissful childhood memories. His three prize winning novels, l-Għafrid (1975), Tmint Ijiem fi Dragunara (1984) and It-tapit imsaħħar (1995) are proof of Kilin’s versatily in choice of subject matter, style and literary mood.
Kilin’s interests were varied and included music, painting, chess and the theatre. He passionately loved the Spanish language and spent long hours studying, teaching and translating from Spanish. But most of all he loved the Maltese language and thoughout his literary career, he championed the cause of his native language and harshly criticised the bad use of Maltese especially by the print based and electronic media.
Johnny Privitera
(Died: 19 July 2008)
Johnny Privitera was a football player.
Johnny Privitera, better known as Il-Ġemel, was born in Sliema on 27 January 1940. His passion for football started when he attended the Sliema Primary School where he formed part of his school’s team that, for three consecutive years, managed to win the Malta Primary School Football Chapionships.
He joined Sliema Wanderers making his first-team debut when he was only 17. For the Wanderers, Privitera played 10 games during the 1959-1960 season after which he swapped teams and moved on to play for Paola’s Hibernians FC. In season 1960-61, he helped Hibernians to win the league championship and, a year later, the FA Trophy. On the international scene, Privitera led his team to impressive displays against Manchester United, Spartak Trnava and Real Madrid in European competitions. For Hibernatians, between 1959 and 1974, Privitera featured in 178 fixtures.
Besides winning full international honours for Malta during 1962 and 1971, Johnny captained the Maltese national team against Austria. His last game for the national team was the famous game against England at the Gzira Stadium in 1971 which England won 0-1.
Privitera was renowned for his modern style of play based on the innovative coaching tactics of Herrera. Due to his short vision, Johnny worn special plastic glasses when playing and eventually started using contact lenses.
In season 1968-69, Privitera was voted Malta’s footballer of the year.
After his retirement, Johnny did not abandon the game and became involved in coaching at the Marsa Educational Sports Centre. He also coached various teams competing in the minor divisions. He spent his last years before he passed away providing coaching service to the Nursery of his beloved Hibernians.
Johnny Privitera was married to Catherine Bonnici.
Manwel Borg
(Died: 5 August 2008)
Manwel Borg was a radio broadcaster whose name is mainly associated with Italian songs and music.
Manwel was born in Valletta on 21 May 1951. When he joined Rediffusion at the age of sixteen he started looking for ways how to penetrate the broadcasting world on the basis of his expertise about Italian music. At the national broadcasting station he started meeting all the radio presenters on the island as well as having at his disposal one of the best music libraries in Malta.
His break came in 1980 when he started co-producing with radio DJ Twanny Scerri a Saturday weekly programme dedicated to Italian music and sports reportage. This programme stayed on the air for almost 28 years and Manwel dedicated all his spare time to cultivate his broacasting niche and increase the stature of his programme, especially by the introduction of elements like exclusive interviews with Italian pop singers. Soon Manwel and Twanny became recognised as the local authority on Italian pop music. With the advent of every San Remo Festival and other major Italian song festivals like Festival Bar, they put on special editions of their programme and presented in-depth coverage of the events, thus providing a comprehensive service to Italian music fans in Malta.
Among his proudest achievements as a radio producer was a series he co-produced with Toni Sant in 1990 marking John Lennon's 50th birthday and the tenth anniversary since his murder in New York. The 13-part series featured several interviews with Maltese poets, songwriters, and journalists giving a Maltese perspective on the life of the famous musician.
On Radio Malta he eventually had his own programme entitled Tema, wholly dedicated to Italian music. In Tema, Manwel played titles from Italian hit parades of the past, mostly LPs and 45s which he had in his personal collection and the PBS library.
Often, Manwel was invited to sit on Jury Panels to adjudicate song entries to Festivals. One last such involvement before he passed away after a short illness was as a member of the jury in the elimination phase for the 2007 Malta Song for Europe.
Ġorġ Dougall
(Died: 3 October 2008)
Ġorġ Dougall was a Maltese broadcaster based in London.
Dougall was born in Sliema in 1947. He emigrated to England aiming to pursue a career in drama and broadcasting. Ġorġ studied at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama and after graduation succeeded to thread the boards interpreting several roles in England. He also did some stage design for some English playhouses.
But his main ambition was to work for Auntie – the British Broadcasting Corporation. His dream was fulfilled in 1956 when, after successfully finishing a course at BBC, he commenced broadcasting on the Corporation’s world radio service a daily five-minuter in Maltese featuring news from London of particular interest to Maltese radio listeners. Punctually every evening at 6.55pm local time, Ġorġ Dougall went on air with his Din hija Londra from BBC in London to Maltese homes via Rediffusion; the programme kept going for many years and was only wound up in 1982 when the Rediffusion Group of Companies terminated their broadcasting service in Malta.
Some important coverages included Malta’s declaration of Independence in 1964, the 1966 edition of the world cup tournament that was staged in England, the death of Sir Winston Churchill in 1965, the British elections of 1970 and 1974 when Edward Heath and Harold Wilson were elected prime ministers respectively.
The 'golden age' of Din Hija Londra was the excellent and comprehensive coverage Ġorġ Dougall provided in 1972 during the tough negotiations between the Maltese and the British governments related to the end of the colonial era in Malta. Ġorġ's London reports about the development of the high level talks between Maltese Prime Minister Dom Mintoff and British Segretary of State Lord Carrington were first hand renditions of one of the most colourful and fateful periods of Maltese history.
In 1999, Ġorġ Dougall was awarded Ġieħ ir-Repubblika for his service to Malta.
Karl Chircop
(Died: 12 October 2008)
Dr Karl Chircop was a medical doctor and a politician.
Karl was born in Attard at Saint Catherine's Hospital on 7 August 1965. He received his education at De La Salle College, the New Lyceum and the University of Malta from where he graduated as a doctor of medicine in 1988.
Chircop inherited his socialist principles from his father and since his University days he showed clear signs of his aspirations to be active in the fight for the cause of social justice. As a student he was a member of the Għaqda Żgħażagħ Laburisti.
Dr Kirkop was a keen sports and dance enthusiast. He was engaged as a team doctor of the Hibernians Football Club u was an avid supported of Liverpool.
He entered politics in 1987 and his popularity and reputation as the good-natured smiling GP earned him a strong client base in his constituency. When he contested the 1996 general elections he had no problems being elected to parliament. At 31 years of age, Karl was the youngest deputy elected from the fourth district.
Dr Chircop was immediately appointed as Head of the Maltese Delegation for the Council of Europe. In the Council he was appointed member of the Committee of Social Affairs and the Committee of Economic Affairs. Besides attending the plenary sessions, Dr Chircop also attended various conferences abroad as Head of Delegation.
In 1998, he was re-elected to parliament registering twice as much first count votes as he obtained in the previous election. He was appointed shadow minister for Social Policy.
Late in 2008 Karl was admitted at Mater Dei Hospital and in spite of a series of medical interventions, both local and overseas, he passed away in October.
Dr Karl Chircop was married to Adriana and they had four children: Jan, who is a medical student, Francesca, Christian and Keith.
Anton Agius
(Died: 19.October 2008)
Anton Agius was a sculptor and a painter.
He was born at Rabat, Malta on 1 December 1933. Agius commenced his art apprenticeship under Joseph Galea, Vincent Apap and Emvin Cremona. Between 1950 and 1953 he studied art at the Malta Society of Arts, Manufacture and Commerce, in Valletta and continued his studies at the School of Arts under Ġorġ Borg. In 1957 he won a Malta government scholarship at the Scuola del Nudo dell'Associazione Artistica Internazzionale at the Accademia di Belle Arti in Rome, and to St Martin’s School, where he was awarded the national diploma in design, modelling, sculpture and letter cutting.
Anton came back to Malta in 1961 and he was determined to find an original approach to his artistic truth. He used to visit places like Ġnejna to examine rock formation, look for fossils, and analyse the shape of vines and olive trees. These media were the basic inspiration during Anton’s early phases of his career.
In 1968, Anton exhibited a number of his works. During this phase of his work, Anton’s artistic expression was fast developing into pure abstract. His creativity was always looking solely for forms. Later, Anton changed his style since he came to the conclusion that abstract art was not satisfying him as an effective means of communication with his audiences. At this point, Anton Agius’s style went through a dramatic change but was only another facet of the versatility of his unique talent.
Anton worked as an emergency teacher in various secondary schools. For ten years he taught sculpture at the Malta School of Arts.
Agius’s works are to be found in private collections in many parts of the world. Willy Brandt and Colenel Gaddafi possess some of Agius’s works of art. Among the artist’s major works are the Workers Monument at Msida, the 31 March 1979 Monument at Vittoriosa, the monument of 'Dun Mikiel Xerri u Sħabu' in Valletta, the monument of Mgr G. Depiro at Rabat, the statue of Manwel Dimech at Valletta, the statue of Ġużè Ellul Mercer at Dingli, the statue commemorating the victims of the Sette Giungno riots in Valletta, the bust of President Anton Buttigieg at Qala, Gozo, and the sepulchral work Kurċifiss ta’ Llum for the Dominican Order.
Anton Agius has been honoured with several prizes and awards for his artistic achievement, including First Prize in the Human Rights Art Exhibition held in 1968 at the Malta National Museum, the Onoroficenza Per Meriti by the Associazione Culturale Amici di Pan of Florence in 1979, the Artist of the Year award in 1980 and in 1982 the Targa d’Oro by the Associazione Nazionale Artistica Culturale of Italy. In 1999 he was awarded First Prize in the International Art Biennale of Malta. In 2006 he was awarded a Gold Medal in recognition for his achievements in the Arts by the Malta Society of Arts.
Anton was married to Mary Louise and they had three sons, two of whom are dead. Their third son is named Anton after his father.
Salvinu Schembri
(Died: 14 December 2008)
Salvinu Schembri was a footballer.
Salvinu was born in Sliema on 21 October 1923. He received his education at the Salesian College in Sliema.
Schembri was a product of war. Barely in his teens when hostilities broke out, he was drafted into the Army. In those days, the Maltese Regiment had a formidable team. Many of the best Maltese players of the era were in uniform and most of them served in the RMA.
During the war, many British professional football players were serving in Malta and Schembri could not have had a better apprenticeship.
After the war, Schembri joined the Sliema Athletics with whom he played for two seasons before joining Valletta in 1945. Schembri was the superstar in his team’s two wins of the league championships between 1945 and 1948. In 1953 he joined Sliema Wanderers and was the mastermind behind the Blues securing several league championships.
Salvinu was one of the most honoured players of his time. An automatic choice for the national team, he played 35 times for the MFA XI. In 1956 he had the honour of leading the team in Malta's first-ever international against Austria. He went on to play two more international matches before he retired in 1961.
Throughout his career he scored a total of 100 goals and played 209 games in the championship. With MFA XI he played 25 fixtures, and was always the backbone and inspiration of the Maltese national team.
After his retirement, Salivinu took up coaching u in 1973 led Gzira United to win the FA Trophy.
Schembri had a daughter, Margharet and two sons, Ronnie and Eric, both following their father’s footsteps. Ronnie plays for Gzira United and Eric with Sliema Wanderers. Eric’s son, Andre does his grandfather proud because after a career in Malta, he is currently playing for Carl Zeiss Jena in Germany.
Evelyn Bonaci
(Died: 15 December 2008)
Evelyn Bonaci was a politician.
She was born in Sliema on 29 November 1916. Bonaci pursued further studies in piano and music.
Bonaci lived among politicians. Her first experience of the trappings of politics was when she acted as the foremost canvasser for her husband Louis, better known as Ġiġi in the 1953 and 1955 elections on the MLP ticket.
In 1961, Bonaci helped Agatha Barbara establish the women’s section within the MLP. She was later president of the women’s section of the Birkirkara MLP club and later on a member of the national executive committee.
She continued to work in the Birkirkara constituency and was pushed to contest the 1966 elections by Dr Albert Hyzler. She was elected in the 1971 and 1976 elections.
In 1995, Evelyn Bonaci was made officer of the National Order of Merit (MOM).
She was married to Louis and they had five children: Tessie, Alfred, Winnie, John and Nadia.
This page was compiled by Mario Axiaq, Albert Marshall and Toni Sant.