Joseph Galea Debono writes:
The passing away of André Zammit on May 14, at the venerable age of 90, was the loss of an all-rounder.
Born in 1930 in Gozo, where his father was a senior civil servant, André experienced the war years in Victoria, where he received his secondary education at the Seminary, transferring to St Aloysius College in Birkirkara in 1943. He sat for his matriculation examinations and entered the Royal University of Malta to follow the course of Architect and Civil Engineer. He was the youngest of his fellow students, graduating in 1952, winning a government scholarship to further his studies in London in road building. Further specialisation followed in Milan in the early 1950s.
On his return to Malta, he joined the Public Works Department and was detailed to the roads section. He was responsible for the design and execution of the first fly-over project at Blata l-Bajda in the late 1950s and a number of other major road construction projects.
André lectured at the Royal University of Malta and was one of the staff responsible for ensuring the survival of the faculty of Architecture and Civil Engineering in the turbulent times of the late 1970s and early ’80s. In later years, he was chairman of the Planning Area Permits Board.
But that was only one dimension of the man. He authored a number of books starting with his memoires and then the history of his family architects and a biography of his maternal uncle, Chief Justice Sir Luigi Camilleri. His very lucid and readable style made it a pleasure to read his works. Up to some months ago, he was a regular contributor to this newspaper and the sister paper with full-page features and frequent letters to the editor on various issues related to town planning, rent laws and a plethora of subjects.
On a lighter vein, he was also dextrous at composing witty limericks, in the English language of which he was a master.
His love of sport saw him involved in the disciplinary committee of the Malta Football Association. His following of his favourite Italian Club Bologna was assiduous even to the extent that he would stop in the middle of a tennis match to hear the ongoing commentary on his mobile radio. He played tennis well into his mid-eighties and could still wield a racquet to good effect.
He had a perpetual smile even when he was dealing with unpleasant and difficult situations and this defused tensions and restored harmony on the tennis court and elsewhere.
André is survived by his widow Victoria, his three sons and daughter and their spouses and grandchildren, who will be missing a loving and caring husband, father and grandfather. To them go our condolences.