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Annual Meeting 2003 Dear members, The annual general meeting was held on the 21st of January 2003. Although the minutes will be written and sent to the membership these are a couple of highlights. The new executive was elected and will meet shortly to formalize the positions and start this years business. The members are:
Due to the absence of Harold Farrugia, our Treasurer, the financial report was not presented. A motion to present the financial report as soon as possible was made. The new board will approve and the report will be included to all paid up members with the news letter. A recommendation to start a business directory for the use of the community was set forward. We will action this as soon as possible. Any members with a list of Maltese owned businesses in their file are requested to forward them to the board so we can include these @ Fax 905 276 9879 or email ccmuscat@sympatico.ca. The more we expose Maltese owned business to the community the more business we create. A mini trade fair for businesses was also suggested. Please support us with your input and suggestions. We like to thank those members that have paid their annual dues and like to remind those who are still outstanding to mail their dues. Looking forward to see you at future meetings
For the MCPBA March 2002 Event:
Securing & Protecting Your Data
Wilfred L. Camilleri, CISSP will be discussing various aspects of computer and information security with emphasis on computer viruses, information confidentiality, and protection of critical business assets. You will learn how viruses and worms can destroy your data and divulge confidential information without your knowledge. Find out about techniques you can use to protect your personal information on the Internet and how to prevent your systems from being hacked.
Wilfred L. Camilleri, CISSP is Manager of Computer Security at the University of Toronto where he is responsible for security of the Univesity's central administrative computing facilities. Mr. Camilleri is an officer and a member of the Board of Directors of the International Information Systems Security Certification Consortium , Inc. (ISC)2 and is a Certified Information Systems Security Professional (CISSP). Mr. Camilleri si also an executive committee member of the Disaster Recovery Information Exchange (DRIE).
Mr. Camilleri has made presentations on security and disaster recovery planning at a number of major international conferences and has also lectured at the Faculty of Information Studies at the University of Toronto.
Mr. Camilleri si the owner of a Web Design and Administration business.
Ms. Linda Eneix, OTS Foundation
"Malta's Temples"
Ms. Eneix is the Director and Founder of the OTS Foundation, a non-profit organisation that was specifically set up to foster education and historic preservation in Malta. It organizes archaeological tours to Malta from the USA that are intended to showcase Malta's archaeological and geological wonders.
Ms. Eneix first visited Malta and Gozo in 1990 when she was immediately struck and intrigued by the islands' pre-historic ruins. She was also quick to realize that this Maltese heritage offered a key ingredient for North American tourism - pre-historical sites. Since her first visit, Ms. Eneix has returned to Malta numerous times and has now established a wide network of contacts.
The slide presentation dealt mainly with the temples on the two islands. According to Ms. Eneix, these represent the beginning of architecture in the world. They represent the earliest known use of retaining walls, horizontal arches, courtyards, corbelling and other architectural techniques. This clearly demonstrates that the people who built these temples were very advanced for their time. Further evidence of this is found in the sophistication shown in the human figures (statues and carvings) found on these sites. For example, Ms. Eneix marvelled at the clothing on the female figures who wore skirts with pleats and who already wore a neat hairstyle.
Ms. Eneix is determined to garner international support for the proper preservation of the neolithic temples in Malta and Gozo. Serious deterioration through erosion has taken place over the last 30/40 years and it is essential to put a plan that will ensure that this unique heritage is not lost forever. Ms. Eneix is working on such a plan together with Maltese government departments as well as with the University of Malta.
This turned out to be another successful meeting. Maybe a number of those who attended were unsure as to what they were going to hear. They surely were not disappointed with the outcome, as evidenced by the number of questions asked and the discussions that took place after the formal presentation.
OTS Foundation has its own Web site: www.otsf.org
It's worth a look!
Brekfast Meeting With the Prime Minister of Malta
In his brief opening speech Dr. Sant briefly outlined the political, trade and economic policies of the labour government. He said the main objective is to establish a political and economic niche for Malta - similar to the Israeli model. Although the government believes that full membership of the EEC is not in Malta's interest at this stage, Dr. Sant said that he intends to maintain excellent relations with the European Union. The Prime Minister stated that he was in favour of liberating the economic structure. Liberalization was required to attract investors. The government wanted to develop Malta as an economic base for investors and companies doing business with the countries of the Southern Mediterranean and North Africa and the Middle East. For this purpose regulations governing the financial sector are being reviewed to make it more attractive for companies to operate from Malta.
Commenting on the public financial sector, Dr. Sant said that the current deficit, at 12% of GDP, is far too high, and the government plans to reduce this to 5% within three years, and move forward from there. Government also intends to privatize a number of state enterprises.
Dr. Sant said Malta treasures the Commonwealth connections it shares with Canada. He spoke of the excellent relations between Malta and Canada, mentioning a bi-lateral agreement signed recently governing regulations for film production.
In conclusion, the Prime Minister summarized the efforts of the government in the business sector as focusing on three main areas: Service Activities, such as Tourism; Financial Services; and Investment, primarily in Hi-Tech industries and in the up-market clothing and textiles field, in which Malta already has a strong presence.
During breakfast, following the speech by Dr. Sant, several members put questions to the Prime Minister. The following are some comments made by Dr. Sant in his answers to members' questions:
Government considered the option of introducing a property tax, but did not
believe it was appropriate at this time. A "poll tax" to cover some of the expenses that government undertakes for the provision and maintenance of the sewer system was being considered. Another option was a tax on second homes.
Government is providing incentives to small scale industries, including incentives
for training, even for non-export oriented industries. Many companies are obtaining ISO 9000 registration.
Dr. Sant agreed with a proposal for establishing a database incorporating Maltese professionals and other Maltese with special skills, living outside of Malta which the government can access when looking for specialist advice or consultants.
Education is to remain a government priority. The previous government had invested a great deal in the tertiary sector. Dr. Sant said his government would also invest strongly in the primary and secondary sectors. He indicated that although the previous government had introduced computers in the primary schools, there were several basic facilities which still needed improvement.
The Health Services would continue to be modernized, and the police force will
undergo a major reorganization.
Malta has a very high percentage of computer literate people and has a strong presence on the World Wide Web. The government will continue to explore how the Internet can be used to further Malta's image and enhance business opportunities.
On the perennial question of the state of the roads in Malta, Dr. Sant said he appreciates that the roads need improvement, but some 70 million Maltese Liri (C$250 million) are required to upgrade the road network. This is a substantial sum for an island the size of Malta, and work has to be undertaken gradually.
At the conclusion of the morning's proceedings, the MCPBA President, Mr A.E. Vella, thanked the Prime Minister and his delegation for accepting the Association's invitation to attend this meeting, and presented Dr. Sant with a memento commemorating the event.
J.M. Galea
The social evening was held at Le Treport and was attended by close to 60 people, consisting of members and their guests. This was certainly the best attended event we have held to date. Considering that the total paid-up membership of the Association is around 60, and assuming that each member brought one guest, the attendance represented about 50% of the membership. This is a level of participation that any Association can be proud of, and argues well for the future of the MCPBA.
The evening started with a few words of welcome by the President, Albert Vella, following which those present got down to the serious business of enjoying the excellent buffet which was prepared by Le Treport. (Thanks go to Robbie and Margaret Cutajar for again ensuring that everything about the evening was up to scratch and handled professionally.) This was an opportunity for members to meet informally, network, and yes, even to talk and conduct business. We know that a lot of unadvertised business gets done between members at all of our functions - Another indication of the success of the MCPBA in achieving its objectives. The partying went on till around 10:00 p.m.
Towards the end of the evening, Steve Gauci, of Tender Thoughts, invited all members to the opening of his new Cafe in Brampton on Sunday, June 7th. Steve will be sending out notices about this to each member. We wish Steve all the best with his new venture, and hope MCPBA members turn up in droves at the opening to help him have a most successful launch!
The February 20th, meeting of the MCPBA was a tremendous success. Some 40 people attended to listen to a most interesting and useful talk
on "Investment Strategies" by Mr Brad Wilson of RBC Dominion Securities. Attendance at this talk alone was worth the Annual Membership
fee! Our next meeting will be on March 26, at Le Treport, 1075 Queeensway E, Mississauga. At the March meeting, Mr Charles Falzon,
President, Malta Film Facilities will give a talk. This should prove to be of general interest to all members and their guests.
On the Executive Board front, at the first meeting following this year's Annual General Meeting, Mr A.Vella, Mr H.Farrugia, and Mr
C.Attard were reaffirmed in the posts of President, Vice President and Treasurer respectively. Mr J.Galea who was Secretary since the
inception of the Association declined nomination to the post again, to concentrate on the Association's Newsletter - MCPBA News.
Mr C.Muscat was appointed Secretary.
Joseph M. Galea, Architect
Our Christmas Buffet Dinner at the Woodbine Racetrack on December 12, 1996 was very well attended. Although the weather did not quite
cooperate that evening, all the members and guests who attended enjoyed a good dinner and perhaps a side bet on the horses. Nobody
became rich (you really cannot on $2 bets) but nobody lost big either. It was a pleasant evening all around.
April 24th Meeting
Some thirty members attended. Mariel Camilleri, President of Apex Consulting and
Training Inc., made a presentation on Networking. Mariel defined "Networking" as
"Building Relationships for Mutual Benefit." The presentation took the form of a
seminar, including a series of short interactive exercises between the attendees
aimed to emphasize the importance of quick and effective communication. The
members present had an opportunity to practice what they learnt after the
presentation over a few "pastizzi" and wine!
The Annual General Meeting of the Maltese Canadian Professional and Business Association was held on January 22, 1997 at Le Treport,
Mississauga. Some 30 members attended the meeting.
In his address the President, Mr. Albert Vella, reviewed the activities of the Association over the past year. These included talks on various
subjects, such as Estate Planning, Insurance, Personal Taxation, Malta-Canada agreements, and the Internet by experts in these fields. The
Association had also hosted a reception for the visiting mayor of Victoria, Gozo, Mr. V. Galea Pace, now an MP, as well as a social
networking evening for the members. A Christmas dinner at the Woodbine Racetrack was also organized and was very successful.
Over the past year the Association had continued to issue a monthly newsletter, the MCPBA News, and adopted a new logo. The Association
had also been legally incorporated.
Mr. Vella expressed regret that despite continued efforts, and despite positive feedback on the development of business between members,
the membership of the Association failed to grow. New members continue to join, but some previous ones fail to renew their membership. Of
particular concern was the attendance at the monthly meetings. These were organized at considerable expense to the Association, but often
the Executive Board never knew how many would attend, since very few people bothered to call to confirm their attendance. This has generally
resulted in over ordering catering requirements. Mr Vella appealed to members to confirm their attendance at the Association's functions.
The President concluded his talk by thanking the various people who worked hard on behalf of the Association. In particular he mentioned
Margaret and Robbie Cutajar, of Le Treport.
Mr. Charles Attard, Treasurer, then presented the Treasurer's and Auditor's report. He pointed out that 1996 had ended with a net deficit
of $571.86, mainly due to an overrun in the costs of monthly functions versus income from these functions. Mr Attard thanked members, Paul
Cutajar, Angelo Bajada, Charles Buttigieg and Joe Zammit who had donated $750 to the Association.
Elections for four places on the Executive Board, vacated by Mr A.Vella, Mr J.Galea, Mr R.Cutajar and Mr P.Zammit were held. Two new
members, Mr I.Camilleri and Mr J.Camilleri as well as the outgoing members stood for office. The four elected members were A.Vella, J.Galea,
P.Zammit and I.Camilleri.
Mr L.Cassar and Mr C.Galea were reappointed auditors for the Association.
A general discussion on membership and activities for 1997 was held. Several members made very positive suggestions which will be
studied by the new Board. A Membership Drive Committee consisting of Mr H.Frendo, Mr R.Cutajar, Mr A.Calamatta, and Mr D.Cirigottis was
also established.
J.Galea
The new Executive Board of the MCPBA is composed of the following members:
Charles Attard
The new committee will hold its first meeting on February 18,1996 at which appointments will be made to the posts of President and
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