Former top executives of Telemalta and Maltacom, including several chairmen, and numerous members of staff attended a special dinner last month to celebrate the appointment of Anthony De Bono, former chief executive officer, as president of the European Conference for Postal and Telecommunications Administration (CEPT).
The CEPT is the European Regional Organisation responsible for Postal and Telecommunications Administrations. It includes 48 European Governments (EU and non EU States) as its members.
The guest of honour was President Emeritus Ugo Mifsud Bonnici and, among the former chairmen were Prof. Maurice Zarb Adami, Dr Richard Galea Debono and John Camilleri.
Prof. Zarb Adami said he remembered Mr Debono as personal secretary to former Health Ministers Dr Albert Hyzler and Vincent Moran. His memory of Mr De Bono at Telemalta and Maltacom was of one of a go-getter who, when told something, would get out a small notepad and, in no time, he sees things done.
Prof. Zarb Adami then presented Mr De Bono with a plaque from the Commonwealth Telecommunications Organisation, which read: “Special thanks to Mr Anthony De Bono in appreciation of the valuable services you rendered in various capacities to the CTO and for your work as Chairman from 2004 to 2006.”
President Emeritus Dr Mifsud Bonnici paid tribute to Mr De Bono’s contribution under both Labour and Nationalist administrations, including the remarkable changes he executed in the country’s telecommunications sector when he headed Telemalta as CEO. He recalled the decisions taken by the late Pierre Muscat to make the necessary changes in the telecommunications sector, which Mr De Bono executed, with the resultant benefits being enjoyed today and with Malta making its impressive impact in the international telecommunications world.
In his reply, Mr De Bono reflected on the importance of being honest and faithful to one’s political beliefs but not without putting the national interest first at all times. This, he pointed out, was difficult to achieve in a small country like Malta unless one took a highly professional approach to one’s work.
From his personal experience, he said this had come about because people had faith in him. When the prime minister in 1987 informed him that he was being retained, Mr De Bono replied that he considered himself a professional executive and would do his best to fulfil his duties fully.
Mr De Bono announced that the CEPT Assembly will be held in Malta in June and through the customary resourceful Maltese workforce he was confident that the Malta CEPT Assembly will be a milestone in the history of this reputable organisation.