THE BRIDGE ISSUE 5

The

Bridge

MINISTRY FOR FOREIGN AFFAIRS . MALTA.

IL-LAQGĦA GĦOLJA TAL-AMBAXXATURI

JULY/AUGUST

2014

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Impenn importanti tal-Ministeru għall-Affarijiet Barranin matul ix-xahar ta’ Lulju, kienet il-laqgħa għolja tal-

Ambaxxaturi li jirrappreżentaw lil Malta f’diversi pajjiżi madwar id-dinja. Il-Laqgħa li ngħatat it-titlu ta’ ‘Success

through Synergy’, ġabet flimkien enerġija u ideat mill-ambaxxaturi li xogħlhom hu li jippromwovu lil pajjiżna bl-

aqwa mod possibbli. Il-Ministru għall-Affarijiet Barranin Dr.George Vella qal li l-impenn tal-ambaxxaturi huwa

dak li jaħdmu kemm jifiliħu biex jattiraw il-ġid lejn pajjiżna u li jippromwovu lil Malta bl-aqwa mezzi possibbli.

Matul din il-laqgħa għolja madwar tletin ambaxxatur Malti ħarġu b’għadd ta’ ideat u inizjattivi ġodda, lkoll bil-

għan li jġibu lil pajjiżna ‘l quddiem, filwaqt li jaffrontaw l-isfidi b’enerġija pożittiva. Il-Ministru Dr.George Vella

rringrazzja lill-ambaxxaturi għall-ħidma sfiqa tagħhom, speċjalment lill-ambaxxaturi li qegħdin jaħdmu f’ambjent

ta’ periklu bħall-Libja. Għal din il-laqgħa għolja l-ambaxxaturi ngħataw diversi preżentazzjonijiet ta’

informazzjoni minn uffiċjali għolja tal-Ministeru għall-Affarijiet Barranin, u anki minn taqsimiet oħra ‘l barra mill-

Ministeru fosthom mill-Malta Enterprise, u mill-Awtorita’ Maltija tat-Turiżmu. L-ambaxxaturi ġew indirizzati

wkoll mis-Segretarju Parlamentari għall-Fondi Ewropj Dr.Ian Borġ.

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IL-LAQGĦA ANNWALI MAL-AMBAXXATURI

MHUX RESIDENTI

Qabel ma saret il-laqgħa għolja mal-ambaxxaturi li jirrapreżentaw lil Malta f’diversi pajjiżi madwar id-dinja, saret il-

laqgħa mal-ambaxxaturi mhux residenti li kif spjega l-Ministru George Vella dawn jagħmlu xogħol utli ħafna minkejja l-

limitu fir-riżorsi tagħhom. Dr.Vella ħabbar li minħabba l-importanza fix-xogħol ta’ dawn l-ambaxxaturi hemm il-ħsieb li l-

laqgħa magħhom issir darbtejn fis-sena.

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IL-KRIŻI FIL-LIBJA

Matul ix-xahar ta’ Lulju, ħidma intensiva fil-Ministeru għall-Affarijiet Barranin, hekk kif żvolġiet kriżi fil-Libja bi ġlied

intensiv bejn il-milizzji. Il-ħtif taċ-ċittadin Malti Martin Galea fil-Libja kienet aħbar kerha li spiċċat b’wiċċ il-ġid wara li

dan ġie meħlus wara ħidma kawta u bil-għaqal mill-Gvern Malti u mill-Ministeru għall-Affarijiet Barranin. Is-sur Galea ġie

lura Malta flimkien mal-Konslu Marisa Farrugia.

Sa minn Settembru 2013 il-Ministeru għall-Affarijiet Barranin waqqaf il-Crisis Centre, bil-għan li dan ikun għal-

lest f’każ li tfaqqa’ kriżi f’xi pajjiż, l-iktar fejn ikun hemm il-Maltin. Meta faqqgħet il-kriżi tal-Libja, dan iċ-Ċentru

kellu kollox lest u għaldaqstant beda jopera sa minn ferm qabel ma ggravat is-sitwazzjoni fil-Libja. Permezz

ta’ dan iċ-ċentru saru eluf ta’ telefonati kemm f’dawk li daħlu u anki telefonati li saru lil individwi fil-Libja. Il-

ġurnalisti ngħataw opportunita’ li jagħtu ħarsa mill-viċin ta’ kif jopera dan iċ-ċentru li juża teknoloġija moderna

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biex ikun jista’ jaqdi liċ-ċittadini Maltin ikkonċernati bl-aħjar mod possibbli. Kemm ilu mwaqqaf dan iċ-ċentru

saru eluf ta’ telefonati kemm f’dawk li daħlu u dawk li saru lil diversi Maltin fil-Libja.

Il-Ministeru għall-Affarijiet Barranin permezz tal-Crisis Centre, b’koordinazzjoni mal-uffiċċju tal-Prim Ministru,

organizza b’kollox tlett titjiriet bl-ajru u vjaġġ bil-catamaran wara li l-kumpannija Virtu Ferries ġentilment offriet

postijiet bla ħlas għall-Maltin tal-Libja. L-aħħar titjiriet ġew organizzati fis-sitta ta’ Awissu, fejn kull Malti li

wera x-xewqa li jiġi lura Malta ngħata kull opportunita’ li jagħmel dan jew mill-ajurport ta’ Mitiga jew minn dak

ta’ Labraq qrib Benghazi.

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Il-Ministeru għall-Affarijiet Barranin iġib lura Malta tifel

Eritren ta’ tlett snin mil-Libja, biex jingħaqad ma’ missieru

f’Malta wara li tilef lill-ommu.

Fl-4 t’Awissu, il-Ministeru għall-Affarijiet Barranin ġab Malta tifel Eritren ta’ tlett snin Abel Teages biex

jingħaqad ma’ missieru, Teages Gebregzabher Gebremariam, li qiegħed hawn Malta bi protezzjoni

umanitarja.

It-tifel safa waħdu l-Libja meta ommu li kienet qegħda tipprova taħrab bih, sfat maqtula f’inċident. Kuntatti

ma jaqtgħu xejn inbdew fil-mument li l-Kummissjoni Emigranti infurmat b’dan il-każ, wara li ġie stabbilit fejn

kien jinsab it-tifel. Permezz tal-għajnuna tal-UNHCR dan ittieħed f’post sigur fi Tripli taħt il-protezzjoni ta’

entita’ internazzjonali. Kuntatti oħra wasslu biex il-linja tal-ajru Medavia, ġentilment offriet li ġġib lil dan it-

tifel b’xejn.

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Il-Ministru għall-Affarijiet Barranin Dr.George Vella

jindirizza s-sitwazzjoni dwar il-kriżi fil-Libja fuq

diversi mezzi tax-xandir.

Minħabba l-kriżi fil-Libja, il-Ministru Dr.George Vella ta diversi intervisti lill-ġurnalisti, fosthom konferenza tal-

aħbarijiet u anki għadd ta’ intervisti fuq programmi prominenti fuq il-mezzi tax-xandir.

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Il-Ministru Dr.George Vella jieħu sehem fid-diskussjoni dwar is-sitwazzjoni fil-Libja fuq il-programm Reporter fuq TVM.

Il-Ministru Dr.George Vella jieħu sehem f’intervista fuq il-programm ‘Issues’, fuq One TV.

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25 Years of Service at the

Maltese Embassy in Rome. First Secretary Dr.Corinne Casha interviews Ms Mary Rose Vella,

who has retired after 25 years of service as a consular assistant.

Consular Affairs has had a considerable impact on the Ministries of Foreign Affairs, not least our own Ministry of Foreign

Affairs in Valletta. The Consular Department is one of the busiest in a Ministry of Foreign Affairs and consular work takes

up a major share of the work in an Embassy abroad. In itself, the job title consular assistant may not tell much about the

varied and wide ranging duties of the position. Governments all over the world actively debate their consular work, and

methods on how to improve it. Consular affairs is also a theme of intense debate outside the Ministries of Foreign Affairs.

National parliaments and the wider public tend to follow high-profile consular cases critically, whilst press reports keep

Ministers of Foreign Affairs and their Departments on their toes.

1) You joined the Embassy of Malta in Rome in 1989. What initially attracted you to the job?

I remember that I was invited to a reception by the Embassy of Malta to celebrate the 25th Anniversary of Malta’s

Independence when I learned about the vacancy at the Embassy of Malta. In those days I was searching for an

employment, as my children were “old enough” to go to school and back home by themselves. I liked the idea of

every morning finding myself “in Malta” and able to speak Maltese.

2) What does a typical day at work entail?

This question demands quite a long reply but I shall try to be as brief as possible. It entails answering phone calls,

giving information to answer various questions like Maltese nationals asking about the procedure for the renewal of

their passports, Maltese nationals losing or having their passports or Identity Cards stolen whilst they are on holiday

in Italy; third countries nationals residing in Italy enquiring whether they require an entry visa to Malta; Italian

nationals asking information on which Italian documents are required to travel to Malta; visiting the websites of

various embassies in Rome to give necessary information to Maltese residents in Malta, enquiring about visa

procedures for the country they will be visiting for tourism, business or work purposes, legalisation of documents,

among others.

3) What are the challenges that come with the job ? Is there any particular case that comes to mind ?

Challenges like assisting a Maltese national who is without money to return to Malta or without a return ticket. That

means getting in touch with their family so that they are able to send funds for their relative to be able to return to

Malta.

The most difficult case I remember happened this year, a Maltese National was transiting through Rome on his way

to Malta and he had to be hospitalised urgently. When the hospital informed the Embassy that the patient could travel

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to Malta but had to be accompanied by a doctor, it became a gargantuan task. In nearly twenty five years of

experience I never came across such a difficulty. It consisted of organizing the flight for the patient and the

accompanying doctor, catering for the provision of oxygen, wheelchair and ambulance assistance on his arrival to

Malta. The task was completed successfully, albeit arduously, with the Consul, Ms. Maya Schembri, who also

happens to be on her first posting abroad.

4) What is the satisfaction that you derive from this job ?

I have received many faxes, thank you cards or emails. It gives me great satisfaction to be able to help people

especially school children and students.

I received the following fax from a third country national back in March 2003, when Malta was not yet a member of

the European Union, for guiding a student to apply for an entry visa to be able to join her class on a school trip to

Malta:

Grazie a lei ho avuto la possiblità di vivere un’esperienza più unica che rara. Davvero no so come ringraziarla

per tutto ciò che ha fatto per me

As for thank you cards and notes, they are too numerous too mention but I can reproduce some memorable ones :

Sono ad esprimere il mio grazie sentito e cordiale, per la sua straordinaria disponsabilità e gentilezza alle mie

richieste.

Sincera gratitudine per il servizio che mi ha reso.

Nixtiequ nirringrazjaw lilek u lil kollegi tiegħek ta’ l-għajnuna li tajtu lit-tifel tagħna u tal-ġentilezza li urejtu

miegħu.

At the end of the day it makes you feel good that you were able to assist a person in a humane way and not just

professionally.

5) Does the fact that you have been living in Italy since 1973 impact positively on your job ?

Yes by all means it does. You have a certain experience of bureaucracy of the country, the difficulties one had to go

through; years back when there were no such thing as internet, information was obtained only through telephone

calls, hoping you were lucky enough to find the right person to help you. Malta is a small island, living abroad for

such a long period does give you a certain experience.

6) You have served at the Embassy of Malta for almost 25 years. What changes have you seen in your line of

work ?

I think the and greatest and most fabulous change was the introduction of computer and internet. The fact that you

can go on internet and get any information you are looking for, reach a person by email or thanks to mobile phones to

reach Maltese nationals in distress. It is a long way from typewriters and carbon papers, this of course, can be said by

a person of my age.

7) One final question. What are you planning to do on your retirement ?

I mean to take some relaxing time first, it is very tiring to be almost twelve hours each day away from home and that

includes approximately three hours of travelling. I can dedicate more time to being a grandmother, sewing and

knitting and craft works, I love cooking so I will have more time to experiment recipes. I love preparing jams and

chutneys from the fruits in my garden. I live by a lake, maybe I could join a sailing course or do some canoeing, who

knows?

Biography Note:

Ms. Mary Rose Vella was born in Sliema, Malta. She joined the Embassy of Malta in Rome as a locally engaged

member of staff in November 1989 and for 25 years, has served as assistant to the Consul General at the Embassy.

She is married to an Italian, and has two daughters and two grandsons.

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Rokna mit- Għoljiet

Minn Dr.Ray Xerri Direttur tad-Direttorat tal-Maltin li Jgħixu Barra minn Malta

kelmiet Għawdxin Qisu bagħra tfisser persuna kerha (a very ugly person).

Barnuża tfisser xkora f’xkora mliebsa fir-ras tal-bdiewa meta kienet tkun ix-xita (a sack within another sack with a hood worn by peasants when

they are caught in a rainfall).

Barrin tfisser tmien balal ta’ silla mitluqin f’xi għalqa qabel jinġabru fil-vetturi (heaps of eight sheaves of clover left lying about in the field before

being collected in one big heap).

3 Kelmiet li f’Malta jfissru mod u f’Għawdex tista’ tfisser xi ħaġa oħra

Il-Kelma, Amman f’Malta tfisser tbassir ta’ xi ħaġa li ser tiġi fil-futur qarib pero’ f’Għawdex tfisser eżatt wara nżul ix-xemx.

Il-Kelma banda f’Malta tfisser fuq naħa, f’Għawdex tfisser ixxandar jew tippubblika.

Il-Kelma boton f’Malta tfisser skart u f’Għawdex tfisser pjanata tad-dwieli li tikber in-naħa tad-Dwejra f’Għawdex.

Kelmiet li minkejja li jfissru l-istess f’Malta

jinkitbtu mod u f’Għawdex differenti

Awriċċi f’Malta, pero’ f’Għawdex tinħass u tinkiteb Awriġġi

Baħnan f’Malta, pero’ f’Għawdex tinħass u tinkiteb Bħanan

Bakatt/a f’Malta, pero’ f’Għawdex tinħass u tinkiteb Pakketta

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Kont taf li... fatti dwar Għawdex - F’Għawdex insibu madwar 3,500 resident barrani minn 54 nazzjonalita’.

- L-iżgħar lokalita’ fil-Gżira Għawdija hija b’kważi 515 resident.

- Il-Ġgantija huwa fost l-eqdem tempji fid-dinja u kien il-maqdes ewlieni fost trjangolu ta’ tlett tempji.

Kont taf li...dawn it- personaġġi kienu Għawdxin? - Mary Meylak, L-ewwel poeta feminili Għawdxija li għamelt isem f’dan il-qasam (1905-1975).

- Ninu Cremona, Edukatur u kittieb magħruf (1880-1972).

- Giovanni Pietro Agius de Soldanes, l-Istoriku Għawdxi (1712-1770)

Stroffi f’poeżija dwar Għawdex

Il-MONUMENT TA’ MARY MEYLAK.

Missieri t-tieni, imkaxkra, nixbhu ħafna,

Jien donni ġejt nagħmillu bħal tifkira,

Inħoss bla tarf u nidħol f’ruħ il-ħaġa,

Moħħi għoli, xufftejn sbieħ u ftit qasira.

Fil-lixx, mill-eħfef, m’għandix moħħ imżejjen,

Jew nilgħab ma’ persunti jew mal-libsa,

Imħassba u aljenata, noħlom wieqfa,

Sikwit bi premju nieħu wkoll xi rifsa.

Ma rridx irbit u xkiel u sikkaturi,

Mal-lapes u mal-karta nħobb ninkera

U ngħaddi għal kuljum għax Mary Meylak

La tgħid li hi sabiħa u lanqas kerha.

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Malti jippromwovi lil pajjiżna

fil-Ġappun.

Damian Busuttil li ilu jgħix f’Sapporo l-Ġappun għal dawn l-aħħar disa’ snin tkellem ma’ THE BRIDGE fejn infurmana li

ġie intervistat fuq stazzjon televiżiv Ġappuniż f’Tokyo. Il-producers tal-programm televiżiv sabu lil Damian permezz tal-

internet, li kemm –il darba jfaħħar isem Malta. L-intervista saret bil-lingwa Ġappuniża, b’Damian għamel enfasi biex

jippromwovi lil Malta. Damian Busuttil li jgħallem il-lingwa Ġappuniża lil tfal tal-kindergarten, qalilna li ltaqa’ wkoll ma’

diversi personalitajiet Ġappuniżi.

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Nota Editorjali

Din hija l-ħames edizzjoni ta’ The Bridge, b’kontribut ukoll din id-darba minn Maltin li jgħixu

barra l-pajjiż li wrew interess f’din l-edizzjoni li l-għan tagħha huwa li tippromwovi x-xogħol

tant importanti tal-Minsiteru għall-Affarijiet Barranin.

Dan ix-xahar ta’ Lulju kien impenjattiv immens minħabba l-kriżi fil-Libja, u anki dik fl-Ilvant

Nofsani.

Kull min jixtieq li jagħmel kuntatt miegħi, jista’ juża d-dettalji tal-email kif murija hawn taħt.

Grazzi tal-appoġġ.

Maria Muscat

Communications Coordinator

Ministeru Għall-Affarijiet Barranin

Kuntatt: maria.a.muscat@gov.mt

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