16 receive Republic Day awards

Sixteen people were honoured in the annual Republic Day award ceremony at the Palace in Valletta yesterday.

Three, Anthony Borg Barthet, Charles Puglisevich and Larry Zahra, were made officers of the National Order of Merit, and five, members. These are Ganni Bonnici, Fr Joseph Borg, Lawrence Ciantar, Prof. Albert Fenech and Marin Hili.

Six, Karmen Azzopardi, Richard Cannataci, Anna Costigan, Franco Masini, Mro Joseph Sammut and Fr Hilary Tagliaferro, were awarded the Midalja ghall-Qadi tar-Repubblika, and two honorary members, Prof. Quentin Hughes and Branco Lustig, were appointed to the Order in the grade of officer.

The investiture was held following a ceremonial parade at Palace Square.

Dr Borg Barthet was appointed Attorney General in 1989 and is Malta's longest-serving post-war Attorney General.

Mr Puglisevich was honoured in recognition of his long and efficient service as Malta's consular representative abroad.

Mr Zahra was also honoured for his long and efficient service as Malta's consular representative abroad.

Ganni Bonnici is one of Malta's leading sculptors and ceramists, as well as a prolific medallist. Among his works are the Independence Monument at Floriana and the Monument to Pope John Paul II at the Sanctuary of Our Lady of Mellieha.

A leader in social communications, Fr Borg headed and re-organised the press office of the Archbishop's Curia. He set up the Media Centre of the archdiocese and launched the weekly newspaper, Il-Gens. He was appointed co-ordinator of religious broadcasting on state TV and radio stations and set up the radio station RTK.

Lawrence Ciantar is associated with the development of the system of power generation and distribution in Malta. He was the engineer responsible for the implementation of the power station project at Jesuit Hill, Marsa, and co-ordinated the changeover of the national electricity distribution system. He was responsible for the building of the existing power station at Marsa and for the planning and construction of the power station at Delimara. Mr Ciantar was chairman of Enemalta Corporation until his retirement.

An associate professor of medicine and consultant cardiologist, Prof. Fenech succeeded in creating a Maltese team of trained cardiologists, cardiac nurses, cardiac radiographers and cardiac technicians to provide specialised coronary services in Malta, without the need for patients to go abroad.

Mr Hili's name is synonymous with the Malta Freeport. During his 15 years of leadership at the Freeport, he transformed the facility from a frail project that handled fewer than 8,000 TEUs a year to the third largest transhipment centre in the Mediterranean, handling over one million TEUs annually.

Karmen Azzopardi, an accomplished dramatic actress, joined the British Institute Players in 1952 and, as her career progressed, she acted with various theatrical companies in Malta.

One of the first qualified teachers of the blind in Malta, Mr Cannataci has dedicated over 40 years of his life to teaching the blind and the visually impaired in state schools and continued to support the blind even after his retirement in difficult circumstances. Mr Cannataci's contribution to the introduction of the Braille system in Malta was significant.

A retired, professional teacher and school head, with a long career in voluntary work, Ms Costigan has devoted much of her working life to helping to instil the right values in youths during their formative years. Her other work in the voluntary field covered the Malta Red Cross Society, Caritas, the Richmond Foundation and the co-workers of Mother Theresa.

Gozitan Mr Masini's contribution to local industry was not restricted to the company he worked for, Simonds Farsons Cisk Ltd. He assumed a leading role in several constituted bodies to which he gave valuable service.

Mgr Sammut served as a resident conductor of the Manoel Theatre Orchestra for 25 years. He has also conducted a number of prestigious orchestras abroad, including the London Symphony Orchestra and the Kyoto Symphony Orchestra.

Fr Tagliaferro has been involved in various social and community projects, including initiatives in favour of youths, the rehabilitation of prison inmates and drug users. He set up the Centru Sports Edukattiv in Marsa, the success of which can be gauged by the fact that it has 42 nurseries today. In recent years, he has devoted his energies to tackling the particular problems faced by residents and visitors in Paceville, which included the setting up of the Millennium Chapel.

Author Prof. Hughes has published numerous, in-depth studies on Malta's architecture, ranging from prehistory to today. His pioneering research on Malta's baroque buildings and its military fortifications were instrumental in the development of studies in the field.

Branco Lustig's contribution to the increasing validity of the film industry in Malta has been significant. In 1999, he won his second Academy Award as co-producer of the $100 million-budget film Gladiator, which was partly shot in Malta the previous year. He selected Malta again as the location for the shooting of another big-budget film. He was born in Croatia in 1932.

In his address at the investiture ceremony in the Grand Council Chamber, President Guido de Marco, who presented the instruments of appointment, the insignia and the medals, referred to the decisions the Maltese are expected to take in the coming year, which would have a lasting effect for generations to come.

"Political dialogue in our country is based on the confrontation of opinions. I confess that though, at times, this confrontation can be interpreted as a divide, our political parties show a sense of responsibility in the way in which they impart their contrasting views..."

"Fundamental for democracy, however, is that within a context of divergent opinions, the sovereign will of the people has to prevail. This is democracy: the debate, the vote, the respect for the will of the people," the President said.

"We are honouring today those who, through their contribution, have helped in the building of a society based on solidarity," he said, assuring those who were not being honoured, and yet had done so much, that their work was appreciated.

Prof. de Marco also inaugurated a plaque commemorating the restoration of the Palace's Neptune Courtyard by the Resources and Infrastructure Ministry.

Republic Day was also celebrated in Victoria with a ceremony by the police band in Independence Square in the presence of Prof. de Marco and Gozo Minister Giovanna Debono.