Anthony Manduca pays tribute to some of the prominent Maltese people who died in 2019.
Herbert Messina Ferrante, former president of Sliema Wanderers FC, died on December 31, 2018, aged 80.
A dental surgeon by profession, Herbert Messina Ferrante was well known in football circles, having served as president of Sliema Wanderers for six years from 1987 where he led his team to a league title in 1988-89 and an FA Trophy win in 1990. He also served as vice-president of the MFA and was awarded the National Order of Merit in 2012. Messina Ferrante was also president of the Nationalist Party Association of Pensioners.
Cecilia Fenech, four-time winner of the Malta Marathon, died on January 4, aged 57.
Maltese sport lost an inspirational figure with the death of former long distance runner Cecilia Fenech. During her career, she won several high-profile road races including the Malta Marathon four times.
George Debono, environmentalist, died on January 12, aged 83.
George Debono, a doctor by profession, was a passionate environmentalist, a strong promoter of cycling, a founding member of the Bicycle Advocacy Group and a staunch supporter of public health, public safety, active transport and urban environment issues. He once famously chained his bicycle to the railings at Castille – for which he was nearly arrested – while delivering a report to the prime minister. He also used to build musical instruments as a hobby, which he donated to the Manoel Theatre.
Joseph Buttigieg, Emeritus Professor at Notre Dame University, US, died on January 31, aged 71.
A scholar of international repute, Joseph Buttigieg was Emeritus Professor of English at Notre Dame University, Indiana, US. He specialised in modern European literature and theory and co-translated and co-edited the three-volume English edition of Antonio Gramsci’s Prison Notebooks. Well-known in centre-left political circles, he is the father of Pete Buttigieg, who is running to be the Democratic Party’s 2020 presidential candidate.
Albert Muscat Inglott, former president of the MHRA, died on February 2, aged 74.
Albert Muscat Inglott, a leading hotelier, had a long and distinguished careeer in the tourism industry of which he was a vocal defender during his term as president of the Malta Hotels and Restaurants Association. He spent many years working overseas, including with the Hilton Hotel Group in London, Berlin, Rome and Paris, as well as with top hotels in the UK, the Gulf and Egypt. On his return to Malta in 1987, he was appointed general manager of the Suncrest Hotel. He also served as Malta’s non-resident Ambassador to Norway for a while.
Lino Gauci Borda, Former Nationalist MP, died on February 13, aged 82.
Lino Gauci Borda, a well-respected family doctor, served as a PN MP from 1976 to 1994, when he resigned soon after a story emerged in the media alleging he held an investment account in the UK which had never been declared.
Giuseppe Mifsud Bonnici, former chief justice and legal giant, died on February 22, aged 88.
Giuseppe Mifsud Bonnici, known as ‘Gogo’, was appointed a judge in 1988 and chief justice in 1990. Between 1992 and 1998, he served as a judge on the European Court of Human Rights in Strasbourg. Regarded as a stalwart of the legal profession and a giant and constant point of reference within Maltese law, he served as chairman of the Law Commission in 1999 and chairman of the Commission for Press Ethics from 2001 to 2009. He was also president of the Chamber of Advocates from 1978 to 1983 and president of the Malta Football Association between 1968 and 1982. As a judge he managed to decide over 1,000 cases in just two years. He was also instrumental in the setting up of the Commission for the Administration of Justice in 1994, of which he was its first vice-president.
Ronnie Pellegrini, Labour and GWU militant, died on March 10, aged 64.
Former General Workers’ Union section secretary Ronnie Pellegrini, a militant left-winger, was a former chief canvasser of the late Labour minister Lorry Sant. A firebrand socialist, he served as an adviser to Justice Minister Owen Bonnici and chief of staff of European affairs Minister Helena Dalli.
Michael Bonnici, former Nationalist MP, died on May 29, aged 75.
Michael Bonnici served as a PN MP from 1987 to 2003, including a stint as deputy speaker, and was very committed to his home town of Żebbuġ. In 2014, he returned an award he had been given by the Żebbuġ council after it renamed a 120-year-old street dedicated to former Maltese bishop Francesco Saverio Caruana. Bonnici had said the change was disrespectful to one of the village’s “most respected ancestors”.
Terry Farrugia, radio veteran, died on May 31, aged 48.
Terry Farrugia started his radio career on Island Sound Radio in the early 1990s with his popular programme Terry Time. He then moved his radio show to Bay Radio, where he eventually ventured into management, later moving on to 88.7 Vibe FM. In 2004, he was instrumental in launching radio awards that recognised local talent, the BMAs, with all proceeds going to children’s charities.
Ivan Fenech, assistant editor of Times of Malta, died on June 11, aged 55.
Ivan Fenech died a day after he felt suddenly ill at the newsroom of Times of Malta in Mrieħel. A well-known conservative, Mr Fenech was widely respected for sticking to his values and principles even if these were not in line with public opinion. Many knew him under a different guise thanks to the TV persona he had taken up many years ago as Ic-Ċukaj, the out-of-this world character that formed part of the TV satirical show Aħna Aħna Jew m’Aħniex in the 1980s.
Louis Refalo, former Nationalist MP, died on June 28 aged 69.
Known in Gozo as tal-qaddis, Mr Refalo served as a PN MP between 1981 and 1996. Mr Refalo had also served as a director of Sea Malta and Malta Freeport.
Lt. Col. Eric Parnis, former AFM 1st Regiment Commander, died on July 1, aged 89.
Lt. Colonel Eric Parnis, the former commanding officer of the 1st Regiment of the Armed Forces of Malta, resigned his commission (together with other officers, including the AFM commander) in 1980 in protest at the decision of Prime Minister Dom Mintoff to set up the Army Task Force – separate to the AFM – which included a number of police officers with no military training, some of whom went on to be given senior military ranks. In 1953, Col. Parnis led the Maltese contingent at Queen Elizabeth’s Coronation parade in London and in the 1960s he commanded an artillery battery in Germany. A strong defender of Malta’s heritage, Col. Parnis dedicated many years to helping Din L-Art Ħelwa, the heritage NGO, where he did a lot of volunteer work, particularly in Gozo.
Karmenu Buttigieg, former Labour MP, died on July 12, aged 75.
Karmenu Buttigieg, known as il-Fratell, was a Gozitan Labour MP who served two terms in Parliament, between 1976 and 1987.
Marie Louise Mifsud, a co-founder of Caritas Malta, died on July 21, aged 86.
Marie Louise Mifsud, a co-founder of the Caritas co-operators, dedicated many years of her life to the Church organisation which offers services to those in need, particularity those seeking rehabilitation from drug addictions and helping families living in poverty. She was admired and respected by many for her passion and dedication towards the needy.
Paul Clough, Professor of Anthropology, died on July 26, aged 70.
Paul Clough, who obtained his doctorate from Oxford University, was an expert in the West African Hausa people and chief editor of the International Journal of Mediterranean Studies. He was a pioneer in the development of anthropology at the University of Malta and a committed trade unionist. His book, Morality and Economic Growth in Rural West Africa, was hailed as “the new gold standard of anthropological field research on African economies”. He was deeply interested in the interface between morality and economy and was both a Marxist and a devout Catholic.
Victor Scerri, Malta football giant, died on August 5, aged 91.
Victor Scerri, one of the giants of Maltese football, was the former coach and goalkeeper for Malta and Sliema. He spent the major part of his career with Sliema Wanderers where he won several cups and enjoyed a distinguished career as a coach with the team he led for 10 years between 1968 and 1978. He then spent five years as Malta’s national team coach.
Paul Mizzi, Maltese publishing pioneer, died on August 5, aged 89.
Paul Mizzi, a pioneer in the publication of Maltese books, founded Klabb Kotba Maltin and founded and was general editor of Heritage, a popular encyclopaedia of Maltese heritage, culture and civilisation. He also set up Midsea Publications, which published prestigious publications about Malta. He was a life-long member of the Akkademja tal-Malti and wrote various articles of anthropological and historical interest. In 1992, Mr Mizzi was awarded the Midalja għall-qadi tar-Repubblika.
Philip Chircop, abstract artist, died on August 15, aged 75.
Philip Chircop built a constructive career over more than 50 years, making him one of the distinctive names associated with abstract art. He exhibited his work extensively and studied at the Malta School of Art under recognised names, including George Borg, Antoine Camilleri, Karmenu Mangion and Esprit Barthet, followed by studies in Perugia.
Ġanni Bonnici, sculptor, died on August 17, aged 86.
Ġanni Bonnici’s numerous bronze monuments filled public places across Malta, including the bronze and marble Independence Monument in Floriana, a 28-foot statue which was his largest ever and Malta’s tallest statue-based monument. His works can also be found in Europe, Canada, Australia and the US. In 2002, he was given the M.O.M. (Member of the National Order of Merit).
Ives De Barro, veteran diplomat, died on October 3, aged 85.
Mr De Barro joined Malta’s fledging diplomatic service in 1967 after having served in the media, including Times of Malta. He had a long and distinguished career where he served as ambassador to Libya and Egypt, High Commissioner to Australia between and then Ambassador in Tunisia. At the end of his career he was a consultant to the Foreign Office on the repatriation of immigrants.
Karm Farrugia, veteran economist, died on November 4, aged 87.
Karm Farrugia, known for his left-wing economic views, was a mentor to Finance Minister Edward Scicluna, who was one of his students. He was appointed a director of the Malta Development Corporation soon after Dom Mintoff’s Labour Party was elected in 1971 and had a short stint as Central Bank of Malta deputy governor for a few months in 1973. Mr Farrugia was a close associate of Mr Mintoff but the two fell out later in the 1970s. He also served as managing director of Malta Shipbuilding, an economic consultant to the General Workers’ Union and president of the Federation of Industry.