Anthony Manduca pays tribute to some of the prominent Maltese people who died in 2022.

Victor Calvagna, much-loved paediatric cancer specialist, died on January 4, aged 63. 

Victor Calvagna, president of Puttinu Cares, the children’s cancer support group, died one week after he was hit by a car in an accident that shook the nation. He was a much-loved and brilliant paediatric cancer specialist and his kind approach to children with cancer was unique. In 2010 he was awarded the National Order of Merit.

Lino Vella, editor of The Maltese Herald in Australia, died on January 16, aged 85.

Lino Vella was the editor of The Maltese Herald newspaper in Australia for 42 years, having migrated there in 1954. He was also a well-known community leader and, in his younger days, a popular footballer. He was awarded the Australian Medal by the Australian government in January 1999 and Ġieħ ir-Repubblika by the Malta government in 2011.

Prof. Joseph Eynaud, head of the University’s Department of Translation, died on January 18.

Joseph Eynaud set up the University’s Department of Translation and Interpreting Studies in 2003, one year before Malta joined the EU and Maltese became an official language of the bloc. He spent over three decades teaching Italian and was awarded the title of Cavaliere della Repubblica Italiana by the President of Italy.

Maurice Lubrano, former ambassador, died on February 5, aged 90.

Maurice Lubrano had a long and distinguished career in the foreign service and his diplomatic appointments included that of resident ambassador in Moscow. He was instrumental in organising the historic Malta Summit between US President George H. Bush and Soviet General Secretary Mikhail Gorbachev in December 1989.

Chris Scicluna, musician, songwriter, died on February 18, aged 62.

Chris Scicluna, together with his partner Moira, represented Malta with the acclaimed More than Love song at the 1994 Eurovision Song Contest in Dublin, where they ranked fifth. He returned to the Eurovision five years later as a backing vocalist, when together with Moira, he wrote Believe ‘n Peace for the band Times Three. 

Charles Gatt, Malta’s ‘father of jazz’, died on February 19, aged 77.

Known by his nickname ‘ic-City’, Gatt was the driving force behind the creation of the Malta Jazz Festival in 1991, serving as its musical director for over 15 years.  He formed part of several jazz ensembles, performing at major jazz festivals across Europe and Asia. Gatt received a lifetime achievement award at the 2020 Arts Council Malta awards.

Martin Xuereb, award-winning architect, died on March 2 aged 67.

Martin Xuereb was one of Malta’s most renowned architects and was renowned for his work in Malta, Croatia, Belgium, Hungary, the Bahamas, Poland, Libya, Turkey, Tunisia and Italy. He was behind a series of landmarks across Malta including Sliema’s Piazzetta and Gozo’s Cittadella’s recent restoration. He received numerous awards including for his work on the Corinthia Bab Africa ‘two-tower’ hotel in Tripoli and the Piazzetta.

Mario Azzopardi, award-winning poet, playwright died on March 11, aged 77.

Mario Azzopardi was considered by the National Book Council to be at the ‘forefront of reshaping Maltese poetry’. He was one of the founders of the Moviment Qawmien Lettararju and won the National Book Award five times. He also was the co-founder of controversial literary journals such as Il-Polz, and in the 1980s he launched Neo, a left-wing literary magazine.  In 1990, he directed The Wall in Hamburg, a project to mark the fall of the Berlin Wall.

Karmen Azzopardi, veteran actress, died on March 16, aged 88. 

Karmen Azzopardi played leading roles in several theatre productions, including the Greek tragedies of women of Trachis, Medea and Hekuba and Tennessee Williams’ The Rose Tattoo. She was involved in broadcasting and wrote and starred in radio broadcasts for schoolchildren. Azzopardi received numerous awards and in 1974 was one of the founding members of the semi-professional Atturi Theatre Group.

Paul Cardona, FAA chairperson, died on March 4, aged 72.

As chairperson of Flimkien għal Ambjent Aħjar, Cardona campaigned for a better quality of life, environmental justice and good governance. He twice acted as a whistleblower and was one of Malta’s few marine engineers. His expertise was highly sought-after all over the Mediterranean. 

 

John Rizzo Naudi, former PN parliamentary secretary, died on April 23, aged 96.

John Rizzo Naudi, a doctor and PN politician, served as an MP for five legislatures from 1976 to 1995. He was parliamentary secretary for the elderly between 1987 and 1992 and parliamentary secretary in the social policy ministry between 1992 and 1995. Rizzo Naudi played a key role in developing Malta’s nursing sector and was behind the setting up the Institute of Healthcare, which became the first educational institution in Malta to offer nursing degrees.  Rizzo Naudi was a fellow of the Royal College of Physicians.

Ian Lang, popular DJ, died on May 19, aged 55.

Lang, popularly known as Il-Langy or DJ Langy, was a Bay Radio host, having been part of the radio’s crew since its inception 30 years ago. At the beginning of the 1990s, Lang had his own Friday radio show and used to DJ in popular party venues including Styx II, Axis and Numero Uno.

 

Tony Zarb, veteran left-wing GWU head, died on May 28, aged 68.

Tony Zarb was secretary general of the General Workers’ Union between 1998 and 2015. A firebrand left-winger who never shied away from expressing his support for the Labour Party, he was a harsh critic of PN governments. He was one of the first trade unionists in Malta to fight precarious employment and the exploitation of foreign workers. He spent most of his career striving for better salaries and conditions for workers, negotiated countless collective agreements and was behind a number of major nationwide worker strikes and protests. He was awarded Gieħ ir-Repubblika in 2015.

Godwin Lucas, singer, died on June 18, aged 63.

Prominent musician Godwin Lucas, who graced the Maltese music scene for decades, won many music festivals and played with a number of prominent musicians. Sometimes dubbed the ‘Stevie Wonder of Malta’, he was well known for his song Għanja lil-Ibni.

 

Maurice Calleja, former AFM commander, died on June 21, aged 87.

Brigadier Maurice Calleja was commander of the army’s Task Force in the 1980s and was later appointed commander of the Armed Forces of Malta in 1991. He resigned in December 1993 after his son Meinrad was charged with the importation of narcotics. In an interview, he said it was not his wish to resign, but the circumstances at the time would have led many to think there was a conflict of interest. In 2013 he was appointed to head a board that considered complaints of injustices in the AFM. Calleja was a court ballistics expert for many years.

Jack Schiavone, former cyclist and national coach, died on June 25, aged 52

Jack Schiavone was a prominent figure in cycling both as a cyclist and as a promoter of the sport. He was a two-time national road champion, in 1999 with Melita CC and in 2002 with Birkirkara St Joseph. He also won the national time trial championship in 2003 and 2004 with Pamsons club. Schiavone represented Malta in several international competitions such as the Mediterranean Games, the Commonwealth Games, the Games of the Small States of Europe as well as the World B Championships. He was one of a select few Maltese cyclists who donned the prestigious red jersey in the Tour ta’ Malta.

Fr John Caruana, missionary in Brazil and champion of the poor, died on June 28, aged 81.

Fr John Caruana arrived in Brazil in 1984 and for 37 years was involved in pastoral work in working-class parishes afflicted with deep social problems in housing, unemployment, absence of basic labour rights and malnutrition. He lived in poverty as his modest income as a priest was shared with thousands of poor families. He relentlessly supported the Landless Peasants Movement, helping peasants occupy land.  Fr Caruana believed it was his duty as a Christian to fight deep injustices and fight for the poor.

Fr Caruana was posthumously awarded the Midalja Għall-Qadi Tar-Repubblika during Republic Day celebrations in December.

Brigadier Arthur Gera, army chief who quit after Mintoff dispute, died on July 26, aged 92.

Brigadier Arthur Gera, a former commander of the Armed Forces of Malta resigned when prime minister Dom Mintoff decided to split the army in two and create the so-called Task Force headed by then police commissioner John Cachia and other senior police officers, none of whom had military experience. He quit in protest in March 1980 along with two lieutenant colonels. Gera had headed the AFM since 1975.

Jesmond Tedesco Triccas, musician, died on August 10, aged 59.

Musician and singer Jesmond Tedesco Triccas, known as it-Triccas, was especially known for his satirical take in Maltese on Hotel California, but was also a well-known face in theatrical circles. He has also featured in various TV series. In the 1980s he formed part of the Freeway group, which often broadcast their music on the TV programme Mill-Garaxx.

 

Mario Tabone, former Heritage Malta chairperson, died on August 20 aged 83.

Mario Tabone, known for being well-read and extensively cultured, served as chairperson of Heritage Malta from its inception in 2003 to 2008. During his tenure, Heritage Malta embarked on its first major infrastructural projects which put cultural heritage assets on a sound footing and which set the tune for years to come and started a string of major local and international exhibitions. A leading ophthalmologist, he was also a past president of the PN think tank AŻAD.

Mgr Philip Calleja, long-time champion of migrants, died on August 16, aged 93.

Mgr Calleja founded the Church Emigrants Commission and built Dar L-Emigrant, which has housed migrant and refugee services since 1992. He fought hard to help uprooted people, first as the champion of post-war Maltese migrants and their families and then as a defender of refugees seeking protection and help in Malta. He led by example, even hosting migrants in his Valletta home.  Calleja held various posts in the Curia including administrative secretary and chancellor.

Lt Col Kenneth Valenzia, AFM officer who quit after Mintoff dispute, died on September 1 aged 91.

Kenneth Valenzia formed part of a group of AFM officers who resigned when Prime Minister Dom Mintoff split the AFM in two and controversially decided to create the so-called Task Force led by senior police officers in 1980.  A keen sportsman, Valenzia played football in Malta for Birkirkara and Sliema.

 

Fr Elija Vella, exorcist, died on October 10, aged 81.

Fr Elija Vella, a member of the Franciscan Order, was Malta’s main exorcist and headed the Maltese Church’s Occult and Satanism Commission tasked with studying phenomena related to occult and satanism. Fr Vella was a popular figure on television discussion shows. He was Minister Provincial of his Province from 1974 to 1986.

Robert Arrigo, former PN deputy leader, died on October 15, aged 67.

Robert Arrigo was a popular PN MP who was elected to parliament in every election since 2003, often from two electoral districts. Well-liked with the PN grassroots, the tributes paid to him in parliament after he died showed that he was respected by both sides of the political divide.  Elected PN deputy leader in 2017, he did not seek re-election to the post earlier this year, in an acrimonious split with the party’s leadership. He first entered politics in 1994 when he was elected mayor of Sliema. An entrepeneur who set up tourism company Robert Arrigo & Sons Ltd, he was considered an expert in tourism and was the PN’s tourism spokesperson. He was synonymous with Sliema Wanderers football club, where he was elected president in 1996, stepping down from the role in 2008. He was also a keen philanthropist and would organise many fundraising activities for charity.

Karmenu Mifsud Bonnici, former prime minister and left-wing Socialist, died on November 4, aged 89.

Karmenu Mifsud Bonnici, a left-wing doctrinaire Socialist, replaced Dom Mintoff as Labour leader and prime minister in 1984. A controversial politician, he was loved by the Labour grassroots for his humility and defence of the working classes, but disliked by his opponents for his hardline policies and for presiding over a period of political violence, corruption and an erosion of human rights and democratic values.

He started his public career ironically by opposing Mintoff in his fight against the Church in the 1960s but then did a U-turn and led the Labour government’s battle against the Church schools in the 1980s.  He was appointed deputy leader of the Labour Party in 1980 and in 1982 Mintoff announced he would succeed him. He was initially made minister of employment and social services and later minister of education before replacing Mintoff. 

During his premiership in 1985, an Egyptair Boeing 737 was hijacked and landed in Malta. Mifsud Bonnici allowed Egyptian troops to storm the aircraft but refused American involvement. The outcome was a bloodbath and 70 people died.

As prime minister, Mifsud Bonnici had very close relations with Muammar Gaddafi’s Libya and he is known to have alerted the Libyans of a pending American air raid. He lost the 1987 election but stayed on as Labour leader until he lost again in 1992. During the country’s EU referendum in 2003 he campaigned hard against joining the bloc.

Tony Abela, former PN parliamentary secretary, died on November 8 aged 66.

Tony Abela was parliamentary secretary in the Office of the Prime Minister between 2003 and 2008, with responsibility for national defence. A notary by profession, Abela was first elected on the PN in 1987 and again in 1996, 1998 and 2003. He also made it to parliament in a 2015 casual election. A pillar of the PN in Rabat for many years he was known for his generous donations to the party during fundraising events.

Carmen Tanti, Greenfields singer and icon of Maltese folk, died on December 1, aged 75.

Greenfields singer Carmen Tanti was the voice behind several popular Maltese folk songs. She had been married to her co-singer Joe and the couple formed the Greenfields with Charles Bajada in 1970. Bajada died in 1990 with the band continuing as a duo. Their popular repertoire of simple but catchy tunes included Il-Karozzin, Il-Vapur ta’ l-Art, and Il-Banda ta’ Indri.

Fra’ John Edward Critien, leading member of Order of Malta, died on December 3 aged 73.

Fra’ John Edward Critien, of the Sovereign Military and Hospitaller Order of Malta, was the first Maltese person to serve as Grand Prior of Rome and also the first non-noble to hold that post. He was also a former member of the Sovereign Council of the Order of Malta, having been elected to that post on three occasions across three decades. 

Lilian Miceli Farrugia, SOS Malta founder, died on December 9, aged 97.

Lilian Miceli Farrugia, a philanthropist who founded the NGO SOS Malta in 1991, spent decades involved in charitable work, particularly helping the Little Sisters of the Poor. SOS Malta was best known for helping refugees in Albania and Kosovo with Miceli Farrugia playing a leading role.  She also worked with Mother Teresa of Calcutta to help the nuns build a school for disabled children in Albania. 

Daniel Micallef, former Labour minister and House speaker, died on December 9, aged 94.  

Daniel Micallef presided over one of the most turbulent moments in Malta’s parliamentary history. A well-known and respected doctor Micallef was seen as a moderate voice in the tough Dom Mintoff years. Elected on the Labour Party ticket in 1971, 1976, 1981 and 1987, he was Speaker between 1982 and 1986, and had to deal with a constitutional crisis sparked by the PN’s boycott of parliament in 1982 in protest against the gerrymandered 1981 electoral result.

Micallef, a lone voice in the Labour Party in favour of the environment, was appointed minister of education and the environment in 1986, but this was short-lived as the PN won the 1987 election.

John Tabone, basketball player and coach, died on December 25, aged 71

John Tabone was one of the legends of Maltese basketball and enjoyed a highly successful career both as a player and a coach that stretched over five decades. He was instrumental in the setting up of Luxol Basketball Club and won several titles both as a player and as a coach with the club. Tabone was also the Malta coach who in 1985 steered the men’s national team to a bronze medal at the Games of the Small States in Europe – the country’s first medal at the Games – and repeated the feat two years later.