President George Abela

yesterday celebrated his first year in office – a year in which he led a process of change in the way people perceive the Presidency, as well as giving a totally new dimension to the Malta Community Chest Fund and its fundraising

activities, mainly the ‘l-Istrina’ marathon held on Boxing Day.

Dr Abela made time to meet Annaliza Borg on Freedom Day, following ceremonies in Vittoriosa and a visit to St Michael’s, San Anton’s and St Aloysius’s Boy Scout groups who were camping at the Verdala Palace grounds. Smiling, he expressed satisfaction that the children had approached him eagerly calling him by name.

One young boy even asked him: “How do you become President?”

Relishing the boy’s curiosity and interest, as well as the fact people had no inhibitions from him, Dr Abela told the boy he first needed to study hard.

However jokingly, Dr Abela later admitted to us he did not have an answer to the question. “How do you become President?” he repeated. “I don’t know”.

He recalled the past year’s experience noting it evolved day by day.

He was appointed President of Malta following a 30-year legal profession. Early morning encounters at the Courts of Justice had become deeply ingrained in him and he still misses them.

Yet he believes the Presidency has changed his wife Margaret’s life more than his. Besides living away from home at San Anton Palace, Mrs Abela became a public figure with a full diary of events.

Describing the past year as “very positive”, Dr Abela explained his strife to symbolise unity was constant in all aspects of his work.

To simplify matters, he divides his responsibilities into two categories: the Constitutional Role and the Social Arm.

His first official visit was to the Vatican and he felt “fortunate” the visit will be reciprocated by Pope Benedict XVI in two weeks’ time. Dr Abela also visited Libya and led a state visit to Qatar. These too were positive as Libyan Leader Muammar Gaddafi indicated he wanted to come to Malta, while the Qatar visit resulted in economic benefits. New contracts were awarded to Lufthansa Technik and a group of Maltese people had also subsequently started benefiting from Qatari investment in Libya.

The incoming visits of the Bulgarian President and the Spanish King were also of particular importance, Dr Abela said.

Meanwhile, he holds regular meetings (once every three weeks or a month) with Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi and Opposition Leader Joseph Muscat. He also met Alternattiva Demokratika chairperson Michael Briguglio in the past months, besides meetings with ministers according to needs.

Dr Abela chairs the Commission for the Administration of Justice which holds meetings once or twice a month. He also conducts regular visits to villages, schools and non-governmental organisations.

The President’s social arm has sought to fine tune the Malta Community Chest Fund (MCCF). Monthly board meetings are held and regular contact with NGOs is kept.

Mrs Abela heads the adjudicating subcommittee which meets once a week to assess the needs of applicants seeking assistance.

In the past days, Dr Abela met the NGOs benefiting from l-Istrina funds and announced that 27 organisations will be receiving assistance for their projects rather than 18 as previously communicated. Funds will be distributed as soon as they are collected and handed over to MCCF, he said.

Meanwhile, MCCF has been revamped and its work is focusing on seeking long term solutions and not simply supplying persons in need with a washing machine, a fridge or hamper, as was previously the case. MCCF also has new offices and a new, constantly updated website.

Its database has been computerised, therefore cutting abuse and problems resulting from having members of the same family receiving goods. Moreover, it hired a social worker who continuously assesses needs and demands of people calling at MCCF offices. She follows them at home and leads them to support. People who call for assistance often have budgeting and time management problems among others, Dr Abela said, explaining MCCF was trying to help solve these problems which lead to secondary problems such as lack of food.

“The process is going very well,” Dr Abela said.

He pointed out l-Istrina assistance was all project based. The Family Research Department at the University of Malta was for instance joining Caritas in a project whereby a group of professionals assessed the economic sustainability of families. Economists including Gordon Cordina and Joe FX Zahra formed part of the group.

Seminars will be held, taking sections of society, like single mothers, and assessing problem sources.

The MCCF board had also approved a pilot project through which the Employment and Training Corporation will supply 30 young people with mental problems who are searching for jobs. The aim is to help them integrate in society and enter employment.

MCCF has also employed three disabled persons in the past year and has now surpassed the legal requirement (of having two per cent of its staff being disabled persons) when it was not even meeting this in the past.

“They are all doing a brilliant job,” Dr Abela noted.

In the meantime, a string of activities was launched for better accessibility and participation in events organised by the Malta Philharmonic Orchestra, for instance, while uniting people.

The President’s Fun Run, in which some 6,000 people participated last December, promoted health and fitness while raising funds for l-Istrina.

Similarly the President decided to exploit the natural resources San Anton Gardens offer and organised a Citrus Festival on Sunday 31 January. While promoting the healthy eating aspect, funds were raised for the Haiti earthquake victims.

L-Istrina was also given a new dimension and organised from scratch by the Office of the President. A small production house from the same office had managed to bring all local television crews contributing to one major event.

“The Archbishop’s curia has appointed this production house to produce adverts for the Pope’s visit,” Dr Abela said. “We were extremely pleased,” he added.

The auction sale and Paqpaqli ghall-Istrina had also attracted more people with diverse hobbies. These all happened at a time when Maltese families were going through a difficult economic situation, he said.

“People believed in our cause and responded,” he said. “They appreciate a lot and then trust unquestionably.”

Rockestra in September and the New Year’s concert which was opened to the public for the first time, were a further success. The New Year’s concert was ‘sold out’ in two days before adverts were even published. For the first time, the concert was held at the Republic Hall, Mediterranean Conference Centre and not at the Palace. A maximum 150 government officials were invited in the past but eight times as much – some 1,200 people – attended this year.

Again the intention was to make music more accessible to people while making the Presidency relevant.

All new events organised in the past year will become annual activities as part of the President’s diary, which includes fund raising activities every month. Furthermore, a new event is being planned for June, however details will be communicated in due course.

Yet, the full list of events and meetings with people from all strata of society was not all.

Embellishment works are underway at the upper floor ceiling of the Verdala Palace, through sponsors, Dr Abela announced, while all Giuseppi Cali’s paintings at San Anton Palace were undergoing restoration. One of the halls, which will eventually be housing the Cali paintings, was totally refurbished and will be opened in three weeks time.

This work was in line with the President’s wish of making the places accessible to people.

Following our meeting, Dr Abela proudly led me to this large room where a very old statue of the risen Christ was being kept in anticipation of the Easter Sunday mass at San Anton Gardens. The Pope’s chair was also being kept in the same room, among other important items of historical and sentimental value.

With a witty smile on his face, which however radiates charisma and warmth, Dr Abela teased his communications assistant Marica Mizzi that once again they could not know the turnout for the Easter Sunday mass, which marked his first year in office. Ms Mizzi seemed to be constantly worrying on getting a low turnout (but constantly overwhelmed by the outcome).

“We may be hosting 12 people,” he said. But the President had his helping staff prepare pastizzi, cups and saucers, to make sure those who did turn up received a warm welcome. The outcome to every event organised was always surprising, the available food somehow seemed to multiply and everyone was served.

This scenario reflects another of President George Abela’s wishes – “being a servant leader for one nation”.

Dr Abela expressed special thanks to his small team of very hard workers, including his wife Margaret, son, daughter, and in-laws and staff at the Office of the President and MCCF.

“The past year’s success was totally due to the hard work, motivation and commitment of my helping hands to make the Presidency relevant and for people to be able to identify with their President, whom they can speak to and who understands them,” he said.

Asked to point out a particular moment when he felt happy, Dr Abela said the l-Istrina marathon was a particular day ingrained in his memory as it was a record in every sense, from the amount of funds raised, to the way people responded and collaborated.

He recalled that thankfully there were many happy moments.

A month-and-a half after the marathon, Dr Abela visited a school and a mass of children was singing the l-Istrina song which they animated with hearts and the Maltese flag.

The President is always touched when meeting disabled people and participating in fundraising activities NGOs working with them organise. Their needs are big but he knows that money is well spent.

Dr Abela felt that he had managed to get to know Maltese society much better along the past year, especially the lower strata of society whom he intends to continue leading by the hand.