Bishop Francis Adeodatus Micallef, Vicar Apostolic Emeritus of Kuwait, died on January 3 aged 89.

Bishop Micallef headed the Apostolic Vicariate of Northern Arabia, which has its official seat in Kuwait, and which also covers Bahrain, Qatar and Saudi Arabia, from 1982 to 2005. He was widely praised for remaining in Kuwait during the Iraqi invasion of 1990 and during his farewell Mass in Kuwait City in 2005 he described the country as “his second home”.

Bishop Emanuel Barbara of Malindi, Kenya, died on January 5, aged 68.

Bishop Emanuel Barbara was ordained Bishop of Malindi in Kenya in 2011 and was appointed Apostolic Administrator of the Archdiocese of Mombasa two years later. Bishop Barbara fought passionately for the rights of oppressed people in society and was much loved by the parishioners of Malindi, many of whom lived in extreme poverty.

Alfred Zarb, long-serving diplomat, died on January 6, aged 81.  

Alfred Zarb had a long and distinguished career in the diplomatic service under various administrations and was an expert in the geopolitics of the Mediterranean. He served at Malta’s UN Mission in New York and Geneva, as well as Ambassador to Algeria, Morocco, Tunisia and the Arab League. Mr Zarb was also an adviser to various foreign ministers.

 

 

Gerald DeGaetano, Malta long-distance champion, died on January 8, aged 53.

Gerald DeGaetano was the first Maltese runner to win a medal at the Games of the Small States of Europe when he came third in the 10,000 metres race in Cyprus in 1989. Two years later he won a silver medal in the 10km race at the 1991 Games in Andorra. He holds the record in the Malta Half Marathon which he completed in one hour seven minutes and 19 seconds in 1990. A Lieutenant Colonel in the AFM, his sudden death shocked everyone.

Joe Camilleri, Dom Mintoff’s private secretary, died on January 11, aged 86.

Joe Camilleri was Prime Minister Dom Mintoff’s loyal private secretary as well as Cabinet Secretary for many years after 1971. Mr Camilleri was president of the Labour League of Youth between 1957 and 1964 and was among Labour officials interdicted by the Church in the 1960s. He was awarded the National Order of Merit in 2017.

 

 

Bishop Silvester Magro, former Apostolic Vicar of Ben­ghazi, died on January 20, aged 76.

Bishop Silvester Magro served as Apostolic Vicar of Ben­ghazi, Libya, between 1997 and 2016. He earned much praise for remaining in Libya in the turbulent years after the overthrow of Muammar Gaddafi in 2011 to care for the spiritual needs of the country’s Christians.  Bishop Magro only returned to Malta in August 2014 in one of the last flights organised by the government.   

 

 

Tania van Avendonk, beloved Rabat doctor, died on January 24, aged 52.

Tania van Avendonk was a much-loved Rabat family doctor with a long list of patients dating back three decades.  She died after battling pancrea­tic cancer for more than two and a half years, prompting an outpouring of grief and condolences on the social media.

Tony ‘Bayzo’ Camilleri, singer, died on February 2, aged 70.

Musician Tony Camilleri, more commonly known as ‘Bayzo’, rose to prominence with The Malta Bums in the 1960s and with the rock opera Ġensna. His long musical career captured the hearts of thousands of Maltese, and his band released L-Ewwel Tfajla Li Ħabbejt, a hit which spent months in local charts in 1973.

Joseph Vella, conductor, died on February 26, aged 76.

Conductor/composer Mro Joseph Vella was a stalwart of the local music scene and his works were widely performed in many European countries, the US and Japan. He also worked with a number of overseas orchestras, including Prometheus Symphony Orchestra of New York, Orquestra Nacional do Porto, Orchestra Goffredo Petrassi di Roma and the Yamaha Foundation Symphony Orchestra. He was the musical director of Gozo’s Astra Opera Theatre and the first resident conductor of Malta’s National Orchestra.

Gaetano Abela, former chairman of the Malta Song Festival, died on March 2, aged 78.

Gaetano Abela coordinated various song festivals since 1971 when Malta participated for the first time in the European Song Festival. He also organised the festival Kanarin tad-Deheb for children, with the winner participating in various Zecchino d’Oro festivals in Italy. In the late 1990s he was appointed chairman of the Malta Song for Europe.

Charles Miceli, champion of the poor, died on March 9, aged 68.

Charles Miceli was known for his persistent work with the poor and the vulnerable. A former head of Caritas prison inmates programme, Mr Miceli also served as chairman of the Anti-Poverty Alliance where he fought for the regu­larisation of rent prices and an increase in the minimum wage.  He also criticised a justice system which, he said, still seemed bent on making criminals out of vulnerable people.

 

Twanny Scalpello, actor, died on May 7, aged 94.

Twanny Scalpello, an actor, was well known for his storytelling on radio. In the 1950s and 1960s, Mr Scalpello took part in several radio plays and he was chosen to interpret the role of a priest in the film Malta Story. The role led J. Arthur Rank, Britain’s chief distributor and one of the world’s major film producers at the time, to offer him a seven-year contract. Mr Scal­pello also took part in various plays and his tele­vision repertoire included an interpretation of Pilate, reputed to be his finest performance.

Actor Charles Thake, actor, died on May 12, aged 91.

Without doubt one of Malta’s finest actors and comedians, Charles Thake started his acting career aged 15 in a school production of Romeo and Juliet. In 1947 he started acting with the Maleth Theatre Company and in British Institute productions. After a 10-year break he resumed his theatre work in 1962 when he took part in Treasure in Malta, a film which was shot locally. Mr Thake appeared in various plays produced by Maleth, Atturi Theatre Group and the MADC. On TV, he took part in TV series such as Inkwiet and F’Baħar Wieħed.

Mgr Charles Vella, Cana Movement founder and defender of the family, died on March 17, aged 89.

Mgr Charles Vella, founder of the Cana Movement and a staunch champion of the family, was a pioneer in the introduction of marriage counselling, family life education and social family work. He was also active in the medical field, particularly on bioethical issues, as well as broadcasting. 

He was head of religious programmes at Rediffusion, the company that ran broadcasting in Malta, from 1963 to1975, during which he introduced discussions on social and ethical issues. He later moved to Milan where he joined the Centro Internazionale Studi della Famiglia and was entrusted with the opening of family centres in various Italian regions.  In 1986 he joined the Istituto Scientifico Ospedale San Raffaele as its media and communications director as well as a lecturer in bioethics.

During the 1990s he served as an adviser to the Ministry for Social Policy.  In 1994 he was appointed a member of the National Order of Merit.

Joseph Cassar, former diplomat and PN official, died on May 19, aged 71.

Joseph Cassar was a seasoned diplomat, a well-known political commentator and an influential figure in the Nationalist Party where he fought hard for the party to hold on to its Christian Democratic beliefs. He served as Malta’s Ambassador to Portugal, Italy, Libya, Russia and the UN in Geneva, Vienna and New York. He was also an adviser to Guido de Marco during his presidency of the 45th UN General Assembly. Dr Cassar was editorial director of Independence Press between 1985 and 1991 and president of the Nationalist Party’s Administrative Council from 1988 to 1991. He was also a visiting professor at St John’s University in New York between 1997 and 1999.

Rev. Dr Arthur G. Vella SJ, former Jesuit Provincial of Malta, died on May 20, aged 87.

Rev. Dr Arthur G. Vella, a leading intellectual within Church circles, was Jesuit Provincial of Malta  from 1966 to 1973. He lectured in Moral and Spiritual Theology at the University of Malta and also headed the University Chaplaincy. His other appointments included rector of the International College and director of the Ignatian Spirituality Secretariat, both in Rome, as well as rector of the Sacred Heart Seminary in Gozo. Fr Vella was very much sought after as a spiritual director by priests, religious and laity.  

 

 

Hugo Chetcuti, well-known entertainment entrepreneur, died on July 12, aged 52.

Hugo Chetcuti died six days after being stabbed by a former employee in Paceville in a killing that shocked the nation. A colourful and controversial character, Mr Chetcuti built up an empire of pubs, restaurants and entertainment places – including gentlemen’s clubs, as well as two hotels, in Paceville.

Gabriel Caruana, one of Malta’s greatest artists, died on July 16, aged 89.

Gabriel Caruana was one of Malta’s most accomplished artists and a pioneer in the local modern art scene and was known primarily for his ceramic work and sculpture. Mr Caruana held solo exhibitions across Europe and had pieces exhibited all across the globe, from Melbourne to Detroit and Osaka. In 2017, the University of Malta awarded him a Master of Letters – Honoris Causa.

Maria Tabone, former First Lady of Malta, died on July 18, aged 98.

Maria Tabone, widow of former President Ċensu Tabone, carried out her role as First Lady between 1989 to 1994 with grace and dignity and was widely respected throughout the country.

 

 

 

 

Prof. Joseph Triosi , Professor of Sociology, died on August 11, aged 74.

Prof. Joseph Triosi specialised in sociological theory and social change as well as social gerontology. He served as head of the Department of Sociology at the University in Malta and was a visiting professor at a number of universities in Australia, China, Egypt, Finland, Ghana, Panama, Singapore and Turkey. Prof. Triosi also directed the University of the Third Age at the University of Malta.

 

Joseph Edward Galea, founder member of the family-run Joinwell Group of companies and Printex Ltd, died on September 2, aged 90.

From Joinwell’s inception in 1947 and the setting up of Printex Ltd in 1970, Joseph Edward Galea, together with his brothers, expanded Joinwell into Malta’s leading furniture manufacturer, laying the foundations for the business as it stands today. Printex was officially recognised by the Maltese government as capable of producing postage stamps for the Department of Posts, a position which continues to be held until today.

 

Anġlu Psaila, well-known medical consultant, died on September 4, aged 81.

Prof. Anġlu Psaila, one of the best-known veterans of the medical profession, was a Fellow of three Royal Colleges of Physicians in the UK. He spent 35 years teaching medical students and for many years was head of the Department of Medicine at the University of Malta and Director of Medicine at St Luke’s Hospital. Prof. Psaila was a household name, achieving popularity through his contributions on health issues on radio and television. He was awarded a Gieħ ir-Repubblika medal in recognition of his services to the medical sector.

Joe Sultana, champion of the environment, died on September 11, aged 78.

Joe Sultana, one of Malta’s most dedi­cated environmentalists, was an accomplished ornithologist, writer and defender of the Maltese countryside and natural heritage. Mr Sultana published several books on the Maltese and Gozitan landscape, including Important Sea Bird Sites in the Mediterranean and Malta Breeding Birds Atlas 2008. He served as president of Birdlife and received a number of international awards for his work, including from the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds, the British Ornitho­logists Union and Birdlife International.

Patrick Miller, Radio 101 pioneer, died on September 11, aged 70.

Patrick Miller was Radio 101’s operations manager when it was first set up in 1991 as a result of the Broadcasting Act which liberalised the broadcasting sector. He played a key role in establishing the station in a key position in the market.

 

 

 

Victor Gauci, diplomatic service pioneer, died on October 5, aged 89.

Ambassador Victor Gauci, one of the pioneers of Malta’s diplomatic service, has the unique honour and experience of serving as president of the United Nations Security Council for one year from November 1983, the only time that Malta occupied such a position since it achieved independence in 1964. Mr Gauci served as Ambassdor to the OSCE, the UN in New York and Geneva and China as well as High Commissioner in Australia. He played a leading role in the reorganisation of the Maltese diplomatic service and was secretary of the Foreign Ministry prior to retiring in 1996.

George Gatt, former Labour MP, died on October 26, aged 77.

George Gatt was a backbench Lab-our MP from 1981 to 1996 where he focused much of his parliamentary work on workers’ rights. He built a career in the construction and manufacturing sectors.

 

George Cassar, former ambassador to Libya, died on October 30  aged 69.

George Cassar was appointed Ambassador to Libya in 2009 and left the country in 2011 at the height of the revolution which overthrew the Gaddafi regime. Dr Cassar also served as Ambassdor to the African Union, the Arab League, Egypt, Ethiopia and Sudan.

 

Vincent Moran, former Labour health minister, died on November 20, aged 86.

Vincent Moran was the last member of Dom Mintoff’s Labour Cabinet appointed in 1976. He served as health minister from 1976 to 1987 and was a hugely popular family doctor in his electoral district, which included his hometown of Paola. He was elected to Parliament in seven consecu­tive general elections between 1962 and 1992. Dr Moran extended St Luke’s Hospital, was responsible for the building of Karin Grech Hospital and presided over the introduction of polyclinics throughout Malta and Gozo. However, his decision in 1977 to impose a statutory two-year requirement for newly graduated doctors to serve in the government health service led to a strike by doctors – who were consequently locked out of State hospitals. These were then replaced by foreign doctors and the dispute, which led to sharp divisions in Maltese society, only ended 10 years later when the PN was elected to government. Under Dr Moran’s watch private hospitals in Malta were also closed. Dr Moran’s political career ended in controversy after he resigned from the Labour parliamentary group in 1995 when allegations surfaced that he was involved in arrangements for abortions to be carried out in Sicily.

Henry Calleja, veteran sports journalist, died on December 7, aged 77. 

Henry Calleja was a pioneer of sports broadcasting, having worked for Rediffusion, Radio Malta and PBS for many years. He played an active role in the sports journalism organisation Għaqda Ġurnalisti Sports and served on the Malta Olympic Committee. Mr Calleja also worked as sports editor at The Malta Independent. He  was one of the founding members of the Għaqda Kittieba Sports in 1970 and served as president between 1987 and 2003.

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